Discovering the Hope of Mercy…
I honestly love drawing and tracing the scripture bookmark designs from the Discovering Hope in the Psalms Bible study into my journaling Bible. It gives me time to really think about the verse and what God is speaking to me through the study and He definitely spoke to me this week! And I especially love adding the bookmark designs to the Psalms because there is so much more open space on the pages than in most of the other books of the Bible so it gives more opportunity to add personal touches and flourishes that go beyond the border of bookmark!
Go Beyond the Border of the Bookmark…
You can see how I took the quarter flower pattern from the corner of the bookmark and repeated it around to create a full circle flower design that I randomly moved around the page to create added interest and fill the space. You could do this freehand or you could use tracing paper to trace the quarter design and then keep turning and adding to it until you complete the circle. You’ll still need to tweak it a bit but it might be helpful. Notice how I placed one flower beside the verse itself just to draw attention to it.
Instead of extending the tails from the banner I chose to draw out the leafy vine into the page. I did draw it in pencil first before I inked it to make sure it would flow well close to the text. And I did the same with the extension of the flourish on God… drawing it first. You can see how just adding these extra little touches outside the boundaries of the original bookmark tracing template compliments and completes the page.
Psalm 51 Time Lapse Tracing Video…
Just be your own creative you…
God gave each of us imaginations and He wants us to use them… so you may want to extend the tails of the banner instead of the leaf design. You may want to add leaves to the scattered flowers or use a different motif to scatter over the page. You may want to leave the border off from around the word “me”. Just know there is no perfect way to Bible journal and no perfect page layout or design. Always do it your way… as unto the Lord… and use your creative time meditating on the verse and allow God to use it to transform your heart and life and maybe even sharing your Bible art with others as way to bless and encourage them in the Lord as well!
Read… Repeat… and Let God Speak…
As I sketch and play with the designs I create for my Bible journaling and Scripture Art Coloring Pages… I often read the verse repeatedly, each time putting emphasis on the next word in the sentence, reflecting on its nuances and allowing that word to speak personally to me. I learned years ago, from a mentor Bible teacher friend, the value of this kind of reading… not only in helping me to grow in God’s Word by giving God more of a chance to speak to me, but also to enable me, as an artist, to see the words I want to emphasize in my drawing through size and style of font or by placing them in banners or borders.
In this verse, as I read it for the third time, placing the emphasis on the word “me”, I immediately thought about how many times I had prayed and asked God to “create a clean heart” in others instead of in me… wanting Him to show them the error of their ways or to somehow change them… sometimes for my blessing and not necessarily theirs. Yikes. God spoke and I was convicted. So, in this case, I enlarged the word “me” and bordered it to remind that God wants my prayers to be about letting Him change me and create a clean heart in me first!
Coloring Psalm 51:5 Time Lapse Videos…
Here are two time lapse videos to designed to inspire you colorfully and encourage you creatively in expressing your faith yourself.
As I’ve been focused on this verse for a few days now, it has been obvious to me how the Lord is using it to reveal some buried sin and some unhealthy attitudes. I’ve found myself replacing some grumbling with thanksgiving… and for the first time I’ve been able to sincerely pray for God’s blessings on some people who hurt me deeply a few years ago. I’ve been gradually working through the forgiveness part and the healing process but what a freedom has come this week to be able to not only fully release them and the hurts to the Lord but to truly pray for God’s goodness to fill their lives… thank you Lord! It’s a blessed thing to receive God’s grace and mercy but it’s an equally amazing thing to be able to give it to others along the way.
Sing Along with Me…
I couldn’t help but sing along with my coloring… do any of you remember this Keith Green song… https://youtu.be/vD847UcRbL4? I am so glad I learned it as a young Christian…and love how it still resides in my heart! Singing scripture songs is such a wonderful way to meditate on and memorize scripture… just as the Psalms were sung in the days of David so we are still thankful to sing them today!
Thanks for joining me in creatively living for the Lord!
Supplies…
Discovering Hope in the Psalms Bible Study
ESV Single Column Journaling Bible by Crossway
005 Micron pen for Tracing
PrismaColor Premier Colored Pencils and this set of 72 should be sufficient for all your coloring needs.
