Tuesday, May 5, 2020

April Bible Journaling Pages

So how is everyone doing?  We are still in lockdown here in Wisconsin and starting to get very discouraged.  The main reason for the discouragement is our governor extended our lockdown till May 26th without giving a reason.  We also don't understand why they don't consider locking down by county instead of the entire state.  For example, I live in the country.  There have been only four cases of Covid 19 since this began.  The nearest city is 45 minutes away and they have had only 24 cases out of a population of 65,000.  So why should these counties have the same lockdown rules as the bigger cities like Milwaukee or Madison and their suburban communities?  It makes no sense.  Again, as I said in a previous post a few weeks ago, I suspect a sinister ulterior motive behind all of this.  But only God really knows what is going on, right?  And nothing can happen on this earth without His knowledge or permission.  So all we can do is trust in Him and keep looking up.

In the meantime, I've been staying super busy with my garden and Bible Journaling.  Having four extra mouths to feed has added up to a lot more work too...more cooking, more dishes, a lot more cleaning than when it's just my hubby and I.  Right now, it's raining so I thought I'd take a break and write a blog post.  Although it's hard not being outside today, I'm grateful for the rain for it was getting quite dry in the garden.

I am currently reading the book of Job.  I'm in chapter 23 at the moment.  I am definitely feeling Job's  discouragement right now.  It's been years since I've read the book of Job and I have been surprised at how brutally honest he was about his feelings and his sense of loss.  Obviously I have in no way experienced Job's loss, but like him I also feel sense of loss.  I first and foremost feel the loss of my freedom.  I feel like such a prisoner.  I also feel the loss of wondering where is God in all of this.  What is His purpose in allowing all of this to happen?   I know no one knows and there are so many theories out there, number one being the soon return of Jesus Christ.  They are all possible.  Which one it is remains to be seen.  So often in life when trials and tribulations hit we can't see why God allowed it until it is all over.  I'm sure that will be the case for this as well.  

Let's take a look at my April Bible Journaling pages shall we?

When re-reading the old books that I haven't read in years, I'm always struck by things I notice that I didn't notice before.  I never really "Got" the book of Esther before,  but now I have such a new found respect for this woman and her courage.  

I colored the cover page of the book in pretty feminine colors for our heroine.  I just love this verse.  It kind of reminds me of everything I talked about above.  You could substitute the word "queen" for anything else and apply it to your life.  "Who knows" why God allows things to happen and put's us in situations for "Just such a time as this?".  I think of the master bedroom I felt led to make but didn't know why at the time.  It was to be made "for such a time as this?"  


This pre-printed page is a good reminder for us all during this difficult time.  Maybe I need to put this verse on my letter board (I have a letter board that sits on my desk.  I put a scripture verse on it to memorize and change it out regularly.  Right now it says "Don't be afraid of the enemy!  Remember the Lord who is great and glorious!"  Nehemiah 4:14.). However, now I am experiencing more sadness than fear, so it might be time to change it out.


I colored this page with a mix of pencils and metallic gel pens.


This page was created also with a mix of pencils and metallic gel pens.  I've been getting a lot of comments about my gel pens.  Not all gel pens are created equal;  some are really bad.  I use two different brands of gel pens.  Kaisercraft gel pens are great but expensive.  I bought my first set at Hobby Lobby using a coupon but they are also available at Amazon HERE.  But I also use THESE which are half the cost and absolutely terrific!


This cute pre-printed image was colored with pencils and gel pens.


I have been so busy in the garden that I don't have much time to create my own Bible Journaling pages and have been mostly just coloring in the images in my bible.  This one was colored with gel pens exclusively.


Here is a page I did myself.  I created a background first with gelatos then used stamps and my own handwriting for everything else.


Isn't this a gorgeous pre-printed image?  I colored it with gel pens.


I created this whimsical page when I read the verse "He is so good.  His faithful love for Israel endures forever".  It reminded me of an old song we used to sing in church "God is so good".  I hand wrote the simple lyrics to the song on the top of the page and added stamped musical notes.  The background was created with craft paint.  Everything else is a mix of stamps, stickers, and my own handwriting.


This pre-printed image was at the end of the book of Esther.  Here you will see what happens when I don't prep a page:  it bleeds on to the other page,  I don't always prep pages because I can always cover up the bleed through with craft paint.  But here was instance where I should have prepped this page before I colored it because the bleed through occurred over the scripture on the opposite side which I don't like and I can't cover up the boo-boo with craft paint like I could if the bleed through just occurred in the margins of the page.


Here you can see the bleed of that image in the scripture.


This is my favorite verse in Job.  I never realized how many references to Christ was in the book of Job before. It's amazing the stuff God reveals to you when you re-read books in the Bible you may have read a million times before.  There is always something new to learn no matter how many times you've read it before.


It's amazing that Job still praised God in spite of everything that happened to him.  I'm trying so hard to remember to do this every day.  Every day it seems we get hit with more bad news from my husbands job or something we hear from the media.  I must remember to praise Him in all circumstances.


I hope everyone is healthy and doing well.  God Bless!  Amy

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24 comments:

  1. Good morning Amy! Oh so much to talk about with you! LOL But, since I can't sit down with a wam beverage, I'll spare you details. LOL But, I can feel your emotions and thoughts are running parallel to mine with EVERYHING going on around us. I'm not sure if I had said when I first found your blog, that I had been wanting to start one of my own as something of a journal. That was late winter and then the "pandemic" arrived. My first thought was that I should start my blog NOW and write about what is happening. But, I didn't. Something about all of this doesn't sit well with me. It frightens, saddens and angers me all at the same time that people are just following along with no vision to what this is doing to the future of our world. Anyway, that's not what I really wanted to say. Although, it's at the front of my mind all day long and stops me from moving forward with my blog.
    This morning I slept in and jokingly asked my husband what day it was and man did I have a weird dream. LOL Not a dream. Sigh...
    Regarding your bible journaling. I've always been a Christian, but, not having been actually raised with any actual church, I came to my love of Christ late in my life. Looonnnggg story that perhaps I will blog about if I ever get started! Ha! Reading and studying the bible is something I've only been doing in recent years. You said that rereading sheds new light on verses and passages. Yes! That exactly. I've thought I've known many of the stories, but, I'm learning that I've never understood the messages fully. I still don't much of the time. But, more and more, I can relate the stories to real life and things that are happening every day. Nothing ever really changes and history is always repeating itself! God has always taken care of His people. It is especially true today to trust that He has the whole world in his hands. As you said, we must remember to praise God in all circumstances.

    Ok, so now I have a few simple questions for you! :) Which journaling Bible are you using? And, how do you prep the pages before journaling so they don't bleed through?

    I so enjoy your kind heart and the thoughts you share here. God Bless you and yours Amy.

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    1. I've been hesitant to state my "theories" of the Coronovirus on this blog because I'm still watching how things are playing out. I would recommend that you watch a sermon series on this site https://www.oakcreekag.org. So far the pastor has done two sermons on the top of Coronovirus and what the Bible has to say about it. They are titled "Understanding the Times" and are very simple and well done. I do believe the virus is real, but based on what I'm seeing politically I see how it is being used to create a new government and a new world order and I don't think our lives will ever be the same. However, the GOOD NEWS is that if this is true, we as Christians need not fear for that just means Jesus is COMING SOON! As for what Bible I use, I am using the Inspire Bible in the NLT version. It's a very easy to read version. You can find the Bible on Amazon
      https://www.amazon.com/Inspire-Bible-NLT-Coloring-Journaling/dp/1496413741/ref=sr_1_2?crid=ASJIML3O1ENF&dchild=1&keywords=inspire+bible&qid=1588687591&sprefix=Inspire%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-2.

      I prep pages by putting two layers of Gesso https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MX79XNI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 it.

      I dry each layer with a heat gun.
      https://www.amazon.com/mofa-Embossing-Multi-Purpose-Electric-Hea
      ting/dp/B07G613HD9/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=Heat+gun&qid=1588687753&s=arts-crafts&sr=1-5

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    2. Just put the Bible in my Amazon cart. My Gesso just made the pages so gritty. Not sure what I did wrong. Or maybe it was the wrong Gesso???

      Love the paisley details on some of the pages you shared today. I always say it but your colors, your gel pens are so much brighter and more vivid than mine. Just beautiful.

      I am sure you feel like a young mother with your daughter, her husband and 2 littles living with you now. Between all of the extra work around the house, and working in your gorgeous garden, I don't know how you find time for anything else.

      Our city opened things up a little bit for 2-3 days and went right back to clamping things down. But our cases keep rising by 30-50 a day. I completely agree, you guys should be able to 'un-quarantine' where you are!

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    3. The gesso was recommended to me and it's the only kind I've tried. I've never experienced the "gritty" detail with it. You also have to put it on with two thin coats. I also linked the gel pens I use in my post after the third picture if you're interested. You will love the Bible. Yes, I am super busy right now. The kids will live with us one more month, to finish their jobs, then return home for the summer. Hopefully there will not be a fall quarantine.

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    4. What you said about people just following along with this craziness is almost exactly what I've been saying! Everyone seems to be acting like little minions. And the mask thing, I think it's dangerous. Such as, what if someone were attacked, I imagine identifying an attacker or intruder would be almost impossible, it's almost like encouraging it somehow.

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    5. Yes, I wish people would look at other news sources to get different opinions. It really blows my mind how gullible people are, and how easily they follow mainstream media group think. I agree with you on the masks. I have seen a news report already where robbers came to the house wearing the surgical masks. Thank goodness they were stopped by the husband of the household.

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  2. Beautiful journaling Amy. Loving all the pretty colors you used!

    We too were told to shelter in place for another month...I've never been one to break any rules or regulations, but last weekend we decided to drive to Iowa (we only live 1 hr away) as their state is slowly opening up. It was so nice to shop again at Hobby Lobby!
    We're now also forced to wear masks when shopping and I cannot tell how how much I can't stand wearing a mask. Not to mention I think they give you a false sense of security, so I will be shopping for groceries online now or drive to Iowa...

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    1. Thank you Ellie. I absolutely refuse to wear a mask. When President Trump and the CDC advised people to wear masks, he said it was "optional", then suddenly all the democratic governors made it "mandatory". I think masks cause fear, most do not work anyway, they are a symbol of oppression, and most importantly they are dehumanizing. In my area only some stores require a face mask. I won't shop at those stores. That is awesome that you can drive to Iowa, That's what I would do too! Give that state your business instead of your corrupt Illinois state. Did you see the interview of when a reporter asked Governor Pritzker why he issues lockdown orders on the citizens of his state yet put his family on a private jet to Florida for a vacation? The arrogant entitled response he gave to the reporter infuriated me! That guy needs to be recalled or at the very least voted out of office next election.

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  3. I love your entry, thanks for the information, I hope you are well, stay safe!!! 🙏🙏🙏

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  4. I do journaling about trips we take and illustrate them with ink and watercolour pencils. Your work is amazing. - Margy

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  5. This is beautiful and looks like it is so relaxing! I love Bible journaling as well as adult coloring, so this is a perfect blend of this! Esther and Job both seem like very timely books to study “for such a time as this”

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    1. Thank you! Yes, those books were definitely timely.

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  6. Hello Amy! I always love your Bible journaling posts! The book of Ester is a story of God's faithfulness and how we must trust God in the midst of danger. As a Christian during this time, I have no fear. The virus is real, but so is cancer and heart disease and we will all die someday. My hope is in the Lord. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. We should not live in a state of fear of dying but rather be thankful for every day. Rejoice in the Lord always!

    God is good ... all the time!
    Blessings!
    ❤️carmen

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    1. Thank you. My fear has never been about the virus. I'm actually shocked at how terrified people are about getting the virus. Cancer kills more people every year than the coronavirus. My "fear" if you can call it that (it's more a sadness or worry) is the political and world ramifications of the virus. Most people are not even considering that and think everything is going to return with normal when the lockdowns are over. I'm not so sure. But I will trust God that He has everything under His control and nothing will happen that is not outside His will.

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  7. You are really good at embellishing. It must be fun to read your bible!

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    1. Thank you. Yes, it must be. My daughter even likes to browse through it.

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  8. Beautiful Bible journaling! I so get what you are saying about the situation we're in now. It is nerve wracking. Here in Ky our governor is being way overly cautious. I suffer from depression and last year was particularly bad for me, isolating myself, etc, I've been so worried about falling back into that but I've been able to hold my own so far. The love of Christ and journaling, as well as pouring myself into learning as much about blogging and new skills has really been a blessing. Love and prayers to all.

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    1. Thank you! I am not a fan of your governor and hoping he will be voted out in the next election. Most democratic governors seem to want these shut downs to occur indefinitely. A lot of democrat politicians see this as opportunity to bring in things on their agenda. So sad. So sad to see so much human suffering at the expense of politics. I worry about people who suffer from depression and how this must be affecting them. It's really been bothering me I can only imagine how difficult it is for others. Keep reading your Bible, it gives you an eternal perspective of all that's going on, and keep looking up! Jesus is coming soon!

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  9. Your Bible journaling art work is very pretty.

    I know that here in Nevada, our governor was looking for 14 consecutive days in which the number of new cases was decreasing. We finally hit that and began a phase 1 reopening. This is what is recommended by pandemic experts. Maybe your governor is waiting for something like that?

    Michelle
    https://mybijoulifeonline.com

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    1. Thanks so much. I have no idea what our governor is thinking. He never said. I did look at the chart of our cases in our state and it is on the decline.

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  10. What a lovely day and such an event for the children to remember. I made French toast the other day with some frozen bread I found while cleaning out the freezer to make room for new items. It turned out great and a good way not to waste anything. - Margy

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    1. Thank. you. That's a great way to use up frozen bread!

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