How To Get Started Journaling in Your Illustrating Bible

**I received a complimentary new Illustrating Bible as part of the Dayspring Bible Journaling Launch Team. All thoughts are my own. 

Did you hear the news? Earlier this month, Dayspring released TWO brand new Illustrating Bibles! So, what sets them apart from previous versions? 



Let's take a quick peek at what is the same:

• Like the previous versions before it, these Illustrating Bibles were made with art journaling in mind. The pages are 75% thicker which allows for a great variety of mediums with less bleed-through and likelihood of ripping. They also feature 3 3/4 inch margin allowing more room for journaling without going over your words. 
• They all feature a spiral binding that allows for your journal to lay flat, and is great for when those pages start to get a little thicker. This, along with the square format, can also be great for posting on social media platforms and helping to spread God's word. 
• The size 8 font is the same as seen in the previous green version of the Bible, but smaller than the 12 point font we see in the individual Illustrating Bible: Book of Luke and Illustrating Bible: Book of Proverbs and Psalms. 
• The price point is also the same at $99.99.

What's different in these new versions?

• First and foremost, the new Illustrating Bible comes in two great new colors: Pink and Gray. I personally received the pink and could not love this stunning pale pink cover any more. It's absolutely stunning, and even moreso in person. While I have not seen the gray in person, I love what I've seen in photos--- it's such a great classic color and perfect for those who aren't big into pink too! You truly cannot go wrong with either color. 
• The other big difference is that it now comes in the ever popular NIV translation! Now personally, I actually enjoy the CSB translation that the green came in and tend to use it in my regular reading Bible as well. Still, I know for many this was a big complaint and they'd hoped for this much more popular and tried and true translation. I personally love that we now have options! 

So, now that we know more about the new Bible, that leads us to the most common question: where do I begin? 

When I first started journaling many years ago, I found myself asking the same question. It can certainly be overwhelming, especially for a perfectionist like myself. And though I'd been journaling for many years at that point, I again found myself apprehensive when I got my first full Illustrating Bible earlier this year. If you too find yourself intimidated by this fantastic Bible, you are not alone. New and seasoned journalers alike find themselves feeling the same. Today, I'm sharing a few ideas to help get you started. 

1. Start with a permissions page. Regardless of Bible type, this is always the very first piece of advice that I give those just getting started in journaling. For the perfectionist in me, my biggest fear was simply messing it all up. A permissions page gives you permission to do just that. It is a page somewhere in your Bible (usually towards the front), that tells you what it is (worship, time with God), etc and what it isn't (perfection, to be compared to others, without mess ups, etc). For me, this really helped to take some of the pressure off. 
2. Pray about it. Bible journaling is not just art in your Bible. It is a form of creative worship, and time to spend with God. As such, it's best to always take time to pray before jumping in. What is God leading you to journal about? What has he placed on your heart? Pray about what you hope to get out of this experience and trust him to lead you accordingly. 
3. Start with a favorite verse. A verse that we know and love well is often the greatest place to start, so... start there! 
4. What's on your mind? What are you struggling with? I find that I tend to be a topical journaler. If something is weighing on me, I turn to verses to help me through and go from there. The image below is an example of just that. I hadn't been feeling up to journaling much this year to be quite honest. I have been struggling with increased depression following a miscarriage, and this is something I am still working my way through. I used that struggle in my journaling and created this very personal page to remind me that God is working on my heart through this heartache. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. Use a 100 Days Journal. I cannot recommend these fantastic journals enough. While they all have space to journal within them, I personally prefer to journal within my Bible instead. This allows me to go back and read and journal them again later if I choose to do so. There are several to choose from and while all might not have been created specifically with Bible journaling in mind, they all work great to do so. And if the idea of 100 days scares you, keep in mind, they do not have to be consecutive days. Use them as works for you. These simply give you some inspiration to begin. Below is an example of a page I creating using Candace Cameron Bure's 100 Days to Joy & Strength. 
   
   
   
   
6. What are you studying? What is your church focus? Oftentimes, you can find inspiration for journaling in the sermons at your church or the Bible study that you are currently doing. Whether it's a verse that sticks out, or an image the message paints in your head. For many, Bible journaling can simply be writing notes... or even writing notes on a bolder background. My most recent journaling was one such instance where a verse from my Bible study stuck out to me and I found myself inspired to journal. 
   

There is no right or wrong way to get started journaling in your Bible, but I hope these ideas helped bring you some inspiration. Still need more? Check out this great article from Dayspring.

Haven't purchased your Illusrating Bible yet? You can do so here. 

Were you intimidated to start journaling in your Illustrating Bible? What worked best for you in getting started?