I recently started Bible journaling, which is basically drawing images or typography in the margins of your Bible to highlight your favorite verse. I love anything artsy, so this appealed to me from the get-go. But I believe there are greater implications for doing this, whether you are artistic or not.
Some people were just not born with the artistic eye or don't have enough patience to master the skill. But that doesn't mean they have to miss out on the fun! The idea is not to look at the journal as a piece of art but as a way to keep record of what God has been teaching you. When I draw or paint, I often criticize my work more than I would other peoples'. As I work through this journal, I am going to use it as an opportunity to let go of self-criticism that is born out of standards that the world has made and just create.
I tend to be a perfectionist in my art. I want everything to be beautiful, the colors complementing each other, and everything balanced with no mistakes. But with this Bible journaling, I don’t get any second chances. I can’t take the page out if I mess up. And I’m okay with that. No one is going to see this Bible except me, and I’m pretty sure God doesn’t care about a few smudges or mismatched colors. The point of Bible journaling is not to create a perfect picture, but to engage with the text and portray its effects in the margins. It causes you to slow down and meditate on the words as you paint them in the margins.
When I create something, I often have a plan before I start and the piece almost always comes out different than I had planned. Sometimes it's better, sometimes it's worse. Bible journaling allows me to be okay with things not going according to plan, which then I hope will transcend to the rest of my life where God changes my plans all the time (which I am so thankful for).
This past year, my school (Spring Arbor University) displayed the Saint John’s Bible, which has beautiful illuminations throughout the handwritten pages. There are different leitmotifs, which are images that are used in different paintings to show the passage’s correspondence to other parts of scripture. The images illumine the verses and display what the text is conveying. Biblical illumination is inspired by a movement of the Spirit to the truth of God’s Word.
I think that’s what the point of Bible journaling is, too. It’s not about making the most beautiful Bible but about creating a place where you can be moved by the Holy Spirit. For those who don't find enjoyment in art, I would encourage you to start with just writing the verses that grab you in the margin. Look up fonts that you like and copy them. The point of Bible journaling lies in the process, not the outcome.
