Know the Benefits of Bible Study

Healthy Mind

It will give us a stronger, healthier mind; better judgment, a balanced mind, clearer comprehension and understanding, strengthened retentive ability and memory.
"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever us true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things . . . I can do all things through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:8, 13, NIV).

Pure Life

We will be better able to live a pure life.
"Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word" (Ephesians 4:25, 26, NIV).

God's Wisdom

We will be more aware of God's guidance in our lives.
"I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble" (Proverbs 4:11, 12, NIV).

God's Will

It will bring us into the will of God.
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you" (John 15:7, NIV).

How to Start Bible Journaling

by Laurel Keller, posted at Lifeway.com, Friday, February 26, 2016 at 2:01 PM, How to Start Bible Journaling

What Is Bible Journaling?

Bible journaling is an exciting way to engage with Scripture. It can transform the way you spend time in the Word and it all begins within the margins of the Bible.

Before You Begin

Before you begin, you'll need a journaling Bible and possibly some other items.

When you have the necessary tools, it may feel like a daunting task to put your pen to paper, but we have six easy steps to get you journaling in the right direction.

Step 1

Read and reflect on the Scripture. In what ways does this Scripture apply to you and your life right now? For the purpose of this article we will focus on Proverbs 3:5-6 as our example.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6, (HCSB)

Step 2

Pick out words in the Scripture that stand out to you. Let’s call them key words. For example: “trust,” “Lord,” “all,” and “heart.” These words might be ones that stand out to you more than others.

Step 3

Think about how you visualize these words. For example, with the word “Lord,” you can use very strong lettering. While with the word “heart,” you might use cursive writing and add a heart around it. It’s really up to you—be creative!

Step 4

Sketch your drawing with a pencil. You can also, of course, use a pen if you’re comfortable doing so.

TIP: You can do this step in your Bible. If you are not comfortable writing in your Bible yet, you can do this on an extra piece of paper. After you are finished, re-sketch the drawing in your Bible or the art in your Bible, using Washi tape for a neat look.

Step 5

Once you have drawn over the design with a pen, use color to fill in your design. Watercolor, colored pencils, crayons or whatever else you feel comfortable with are great options for color.

TIP: Do not put watercolor paint over ink. It will cause the ink to bleed, so it is best to use watercolor over top of pencil and then fill in with ink once the watercolor paint is dry. When using watercolor, it is always best to put an extra sheet of paper underneath the page to eliminate bleeding. Having a paper towel handy to blot excess water is also helpful.

Step 6

Add any additional elements to your page that you would like. Stickers, stamps, fun borders and more will help brighten your page.

TIP: Consider marking pages with Washi tape. You can use the Washi tape on the edges of your page to help the pages in your Bible stand out. Also add the date to the top of your drawing. You will love looking back and remembering the day that God taught you something new about His Word!

If you're new to Bible journaling and want to learn more about it, read "What Is Bible Journaling?” By Nathan Magness, posted Friday, February 26, 2016, at 1:15 PM.

Bible Art Journaling

You will find tips for tools needed, a discussion of Journaling Bibles, pens, getting started, hand lettering, reference guide to script letters and tips for practice with space to do so, four samples of hand lettered Bible verses to trace, how to draw a wreath, how to draw flowers, and additional practice pages. Download this PDF file, Bible Journaling Guide

This free 24-page resource guide is courtesy of Christianbook.com.

The illustrations on this page show two of many styles of Bible art journaling.

1. PRE-MADE ELEMENTS

"I can't even draw a straight line," confesses Heather-Dawn Small, director of General Conference Women's Ministries and author of the seminar, Discover the Love of Your Life (Bible Journaling), "so during my daily devotional time I use purchased die cuts and stickers and write a few journaling sentences to express my understanding of a passage." Illustrated pages that have inspired Heather-Dawn's Bible art journaling are shown here:

• Psalm 1:3, "Plant me beside the River of Life." (illustration 2)
• Philippians 4:6-9, "Trust in God is the key." (illustration 4)

2. HAND-DRAWN ELEMENTS

"The best way for me to hear a sermon," says Sierra Koerting, kindergarten teacher, "is to sketch and doodle and color while listening. I take colored pencils with me to church to illustrate pages in my Bible."  Sierra's Bible art journaling is shown here:

• 1 Chronicles 9:22, "Because they were reliable men." (illustration 1)
• Psalm 4:8, "For You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe." (illustration 3)