Bible Journaling Ministries

Bible Journaling - Grow in the Word creatively!

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He Created: How to Embrace Creativity for the Kingdom of God

Joining the He Created Bible Journaling Study

There is no charge for joining the He Created study. You will be able to answer the weekly prompts using the calendar and mini-kit provided. To participate join our Facebook Group – Bible Journaling for Beginners and search for “#HeCreatedStudy” to find the weekly prompts. To join the group click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BibleJournalingforBeginners.

There are multiple options to do the study. The devotional and kits are designed to help you take a deeper dive into the Word and start applying biblical principles to your life. They are not required, but they’re a fun way to grow in the Word creatively!He Created Bible Journaling Devotional

  • Join Momentum – Momentum members get just about everything for only $25/month. Click here to learn more.
  • Subscribe to the 2018 kits – New for 2018! You can get all of the 2018 devotionals and their corresponding kit as they release for only $52. That’s $1/Week. You also get the How to Study Bible Topics Guide and worksheets Click here to purchase.
  • Purchase the kit by itself –New for 2018! Purchase the Renew devotional and kit for only $7. You’ll also get the How to Study Bible Topics Guide and worksheets. Click here to purchase.
  • Free option – To get the calendar and free mini-kit for Renew, please scroll to the bottom of this article and register for our emails before March 31, 2018. If you are on the email list and haven’t received it, please check your spam!

Imagine how wonderful it would be if you could walk in the divine power of God every day, simply by connecting with the creative nature of His Kingdom? Well you can, because it’s already within you. Since the beginning of time, God’s children have had the power to release their creative expressions, demonstrating their love for Him.

The Trinity is Creative

God (created the Heavens and earth, Genesis 1:1), Jesus (was a carpenter Mark 6:3), and the Holy Spirit are creative (Exodus 35:31). Because you are created in God’s image and filled with the Holy Spirit, you are also creative. But that doesn’t mean that you have to paint or be an artist. You can be an engineer, stay-at-home mom, a teacher, accountant, etc., and use your creativity in what you do every day, putting your whole heart into the process.

The Story of Creation

The creation story is where we become a part of God’s plan, witnessing our creation through Adam and Eve, and ultimately discovering our humanity. In Genesis 1:1, we realize God’s purpose for our existence, made in His image and likeness. Talk about the ultimate in creativity! Doesn’t it make sense that, as part of God’s workmanship, we were created to do good work here on earth? The perfect example of “good work” is to embrace our creative gifts for the Kingdom of God.

How to Embrace Creativity for the Kingdom of God

Life can sometimes get in the way of making time to embrace our creativity. If this is a problem you’re familiar with, the following suggestions will help you focus. Consider making time for them.

Task 1: Identify Your Gifts

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your creative gifts, ask others around you what they think, and ask yourself what you’re most passionate about.

  • What do you do as a hobby because it’s fun? Maybe you haven’t considered it worthy of more time or effort because it’s so fun.
  • What’s burning inside of you that you tend to push down because of other priorities?
  • What do people say you’re naturally good at?
  • What do you love doing?
  • What do you dream about doing?
  • What do you get excited about?
  • What do you do in your “free” time?

Ask, ask, ask until you’ve identified your gifts.

Task 2: Seek Guidance

Turn to the Bible and research everything it says about your particular gift. Did anyone in the Bible have it? What did they do? For example, David had a gift for singing amongst other things. He sang of the Lord in front of his people to encourage them and to teach them. Many of the apostles had the gift of evangelism. What did they do? Where did they go?

Pray that God would guide you to use your gifts in a way that’s honoring and glorifying Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal His plans for you. Talk to your pastor or mentor, and ask those around you whom you trust what they think about your gifts and how you should use them.

Task 3: Cultivate Your Gifts 

Cultivate your gifts by reading, learning, practicing, failing, and getting back up. Rinse and repeat. Use your gifts for His glory. Nothing is too small or too big. In no specific order, use your gifts to:

  • Provide for your family and those around you
  • To lead others to God
  • To encourage others
  • To take care of the needy

Follow Jesus’ example. He did all of these things and so much more.

Task 5: Embrace Your Uniqueness

It’s so easy to look at what others are doing and say, “I can’t do it as well as she can, I don’t have the resources, and I’m not good enough.” Don’t do that! God made you with purpose. You have exactly what you need to do the task in front of you that needs to get done today.

“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34 NIV).

Task 6: Go Create!

Faith is at the core of our beliefs and the foundation of our loving relationship with God. It’s the foundation through which we hold the Gospel’s truths in our daily lives. The actions we take give us the innate ability to live in God’s likeness. Through our actions we work, we create, and we dream.  So, don’t hesitate to not only have faith, but to embrace creativity and your uniqueness.

By discerning our call cooperatively, we allow God to restore us to our true purpose. When we allow our creativity to flow as God designed at home, at work, and in our community, our lives exemplify the very words Jesus prayed: “your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10).

To get this month’s calendar and monthly freebies, complete the form below.

Free Bible Journaling Templates Every Month!

As a member of our VIP list you'll receive freebies at least every month. You'll also receive the latest Bible journaling news, updates, and tutorials!

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Overflowing Love – Loving Others When It’s Not Easy

Joining the Overflowing Love Study

There is no charge for joining the overflowing love study. You will be able to answer the weekly prompts using the calendar and mini-kit provided. To participate join our Facebook Group – Bible Journaling for Beginners and search for “#LoveStudy” to find the weekly prompts. To join the group click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BibleJournalingforBeginners.

There are multiple options to do the study. The devotional and kits are designed to help you take a deeper dive into the Word and start applying biblical principles to your life. They are not required, but they’re a fun way to grow in the Word creatively!overflowing love Bible journaling study

  • Join Momentum – Momentum members get just about everything for only $25/month. Click here to learn more.
  • Subscribe to the 2018 kits – New for 2018! You can get all of the 2018 devotionals and their corresponding kit as they release for only $52. That’s $1/Week. You also get the How to Study Bible Topics Guide and worksheets Click here to purchase.
  • Purchase the kit by itself –New for 2018! Purchase the Renew devotional and kit for only $7. You’ll also get the How to Study Bible Topics Guide and worksheets. Click here to purchase.
  • Free option – To get the calendar and free mini-kit for Renew, please scroll to the bottom of this article and register for our emails before January 31, 2018. If you are on the email list and haven’t received it, please check your spam!

Leviticus 19:18 states, “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am Yahweh.”

The Bible commands Christians to love your neighbor as yourself, but sometimes that can be difficult for many reasons. Maybe you don’t know what love is because your view of love comes from the world. Perhaps you’ve experienced hurt or you feel that despite your best efforts,  your neighbor is simply unlovable. Maybe you don’t love yourself and find it hard to do for others what you can’t do for yourself. Whatever the reason, I encourage you to dive deep into this month’s study so that you might both experience and share the greatness of our God’s overflowing love.

What is Love?

Before you can begin to love others, you must first understand what love is. The easy answer can be found in 1 John 4:8. God is love. When you read 1 John 4:7-21, you discover a love that is so deep there are no English words to describe it.

Dictionary.com defines Love as:

  1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
  2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
  3. sexual passion or desire.

None of the definitions above describe the love displayed in 1 John. The best way to describe this is to look at the Greek word Agape.

Agape love is unlike any love you’ve ever experienced. It’s the most self-sacrificing love there is. I simply can’t describe it in any way besides saying that it’s greater than the love that I have for my children, which is truly deep. I am so thankful that God loves me and you with agape love. I receive His love with thanks and work daily to show my love to others.

Tips for Learning How to Give Overflowing Love

Loving others, especially people that make it hard to love them, isn’t easy. Love doesn’t mean that you allow yourself to be a doormat or abused. It means that you do your best with what you have and rely on God to direct your path. Sometimes the best I can do to show someone I love them is to walk away and take a different path. As you begin to work through your heart consider these tips for love.

1. Love God

Before you begin to love, I believe that you first must love God, then yourself. God is always first in my life, so he comes first.

I show God love through my acceptance of Jesus Christ as my savior. My relationship with God involves prayer, worship, conversations, spending time in the Word, listening to the Holy Spirit, discerning His will, giving, serving, and taking action when the time comes (to name a few).

2. Believe That You Are Loved

To love God is to believe that He loves you. God is not like us. He is perfect, holy, loving and just. He has shown you agape love through the sacrifice of Jesus so that you can have a relationship with Him.

3. Love Yourself

Loving God means that you love the person he made you to be. Take care of yourself, ask for forgiveness for your sins, and work to be a better person each and every day.  The Bible has so many wonderful Scriptures and instruction for your life. Start there. Don’t forget that while you’re asking for forgiveness from God, that you must also forgive yourself. You are not perfect, but thank goodness Jesus is.

4. Find a Mentor

Find someone who you believe does a great job at loving others and spend some time with her. Find a mentor in the Bible as well. Jesus is a wonderful mentor when it comes to love. There are so many verses in the Bible that show his miracles, compassion, and love for others.

5. Love the Unlovable

Loving the unlovable is hard for me, and I suspect it is for most people. Our world is full of “me first”, “me too”, and “me..me..me”. It’s heartbreaking. When someone steps on me, uses me, says hateful things to me, or hurts me, it’s hard to turn the other cheek. (Matthew 5:38-40) Sometimes the best thing I can do is walk away. (Proverbs 27:12) Healthy boundaries are a good thing!

Note: If you are experiencing abuse, please get help locally or nationally. While I believe that Jesus’ teachings mean that we depend on God rather than human weapons, I also believe that God will raise up those to fight oppressors.

6. Practice Love

Practice makes purpose! Here are 40 practical things you can do to show someone overflowing love:

  1. Choose compassion over judgment
  2. Forgive those who have wronged you
  3. Help those who need help
  4. Feed the hungry
  5. Provide clothing to those who have none
  6. Help provide clean water to those who have none
  7. Support a homeless shelter
  8. Comfort and provide for the sick
  9. Pray for those in prison
  10. Sincerely compliment someone every day
  11. Look up, notice, and talk to the people who isolate themselves from members of the community, church, or school
  12. Say thank you to the people who serve you (like the grocery store clerk, postal carrier, or fire fighter)
  13. Say please
  14. Talk to your neighbor
  15. Tell your child’s teacher that you appreciate him or her
  16. Donate items to a shelter or charity
  17. Authentically tell someone they’re doing a good job (when they are)
  18. Tell someone who made a difference in your life what they did
  19. Teach someone a skill
  20. Send someone a card to let them know you care
  21. Volunteer at a shelter
  22. Donate to a charity
  23. Take care of the neighbor’s dog when they’re out of town
  24. Roll the neighbors trash back to their house after pickup
  25. Help a family in financial need with groceries or utilities
  26. Have dinner as a family every night this week.
  27. Give up your seat for someone else
  28. Say hi to people and engage in conversation
  29. Pass out water or food to the homeless
  30. Mentor someone
  31. Donate blood
  32. Volunteer at church or in your community
  33. Pick up the trash or doggie droppings from your neighbor’s yard
  34. Post something positive or encouraging on social media
  35. Defend someone who’s been wronged
  36. Foster or adopt a child
  37. Open the door for others
  38. Let someone go before you in line
  39. Listen to someone who’s going through a difficult time
  40. Teach your children to love by first being a good example

There are so many ways to show love. These are just a few. What are your favorite ways to show others overflowing love?

To get this month’s calendar and monthly freebies, complete the form below.

Free Bible Journaling Templates Every Month!

As a member of our VIP list you'll receive freebies at least every month. You'll also receive the latest Bible journaling news, updates, and tutorials!

Please provide consent.
Yes, I want emails from Bible Journaling Ministries.

Thank you! You're on the list! Please check your email to confirm your subscription. 

Remember to open our emails every time we send them so our system keeps sending them to you!

 

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Renew – How to Start the Year Off on Solid Foundation

Joining the Renew Study

There is no charge for joining the study. You will be able to answer the weekly prompts using the calendar and mini-kit provided. To participate join our Facebook Group – Bible Journaling for Beginners and search for “#Renew” to find the weekly prompts. To join the group click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/BibleJournalingforBeginners.

There are multiple options to do the study. The devotional and kits are designed to help you take a deeper dive into the Word and start applying biblical principles to your life. They are not required, but they’re a fun way to grow in the Word creatively!

  • Join Momentum – Momentum members get just about everything for only $25/month. Click here to learn more.
  • Subscribe to the 2018 kits – New for 2018! You can get all of the 2018 devotionals and their corresponding kit as they release for only $52. That’s $1/Week. You also get the How to Study Bible Topics Guide and worksheets Click here to purchase.
  • Purchase the kit by itself –New for 2018! Purchase the Renew devotional and kit for only $7. You’ll also get the How to Study Bible Topics Guide and worksheets. Click here to purchase.
  • Free option – To get the calendar and free mini-kit for Renew, please scroll to the bottom of this article and register for our emails before January 31, 2018. If you are on the email list and haven’t received it, please check your spam!

What Does it Mean to Renew?

Renew - How to Start the Year Off on Solid Foundation

I love restoration projects, but truth be told, I often wish the renewal would be instant. The process takes so long and requires quite a bit of effort regardless of what you’ve decided to renew.

Renewing is the process of transformation. The 1970’s cabinets in my home were a dull brown before I restored them. I spent months trying to decide what type of kitchen I wanted so that I could pick out the perfect shade of white. At first, I thought the project would be easy; a splash of paint and I’d call it a day.  In reality, it took an entire weekend.

The cabinets needed to be taken down, sanded, cleaned, and primed before they could be painted. Taking them down was easy. I labeled them so I would remember where they went. Then I set up an assembly line in my garage. It was there that 24 doors and 15 drawers were renewed. Oh, and I also spray painted the hardware in a lovely chrome finish so they would look great too.

Restoration of any kind needs a solid foundation, time, practice, and patience. Some projects are weekend projects, like the cabinets. Larger projects, like restoring a house can take years. The same is true for renewing oneself.

It can take years to lose the weight, but a weekend to clean out the junk food from your house. It can take years to pay off a mortgage, but a weekend to earn enough money delivering pizzas to make a little extra to pay down the balance. Sure, losing the weight and being debt free would be awesome today. But, that’s not the deal in this life. Renewing anything is a process. Here’s what I do.

The Renew Process

Before I start anything, I must rest in the knowledge that I am exactly where I need to be right now. God has me where I am for a reason. The ache in my heart to change or do something is there for a reason.

I am about to go on an amazing journey! But, whatever happens on this journey, I must rest in the knowledge that I am loved and cared for.  My identity in Jesus Christ is what determines where I’ve been, what I’ll do moving forward, and my eternal future in Heaven. I didn’t earn this. It was given freely to me by faith alone, and I am so thankful for it. You can have it too. (John 3:16)

1. Agreement

I have to keep things simple. Focusing on one thing has truly helped me grow more than I thought possible.

Before you can begin renewing or restoring yourself, you need to agree on what it is you’re trying to do. Pick one thing and be very specific. Trying to do it all at once is the perfect recipe for frustration and often leads to giving up after your motivation wanes.

2. Foundation

I can’t do anything apart from God (John 15:5). He is my foundation.

Set up a good foundation that’s rooted in the Bible. I always say that the Bible is life’s instruction manual. Everything you NEED to know is there. If you’re trying to lose weight, search for verses about health, food, and honoring your body. If you’re trying to get out of debt, search for verses about money, loans, and debt.

Write these verses down and keep them in your devotional,  journal, Bible journal, or on index cards. Refer to them along your journey.

3. Prayer

Prayer is a conversation between you and your Father. Ask the Lord to renew your mind and guide you on your the journey. Ask Him for his direction and will. Then, ask him to give you the strength and wisdom to follow it.

Pray even when you don’t want to. Make it a habit of praying constantly, throughout the day, even when it’s a great day (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  Don’t just pray when you need help. Your Father wants to hear from you when you’re doing great too.

4. Love

I have found that the devil loves it when I beat myself up. When I tell myself that I’m not good enough or that someone else is a better fit, he wins.  If I truly want what I set out to achieve, I have to stop beating myself up and see myself as God sees me. You do too. (Romans 8:1)

To combat negative thoughts, I pray to remove them from my mind. Then I refer to verses or affirmations to help me remember that God is in control, that he loves me, and that I can do anything that’s according to His will.

Take some time to create a list of affirmations or verses to encourage you. It’s best if they are related to what you want to renew.

5. Take Action

All of these things take effort. Nothing about restoration is instant. You’ll start with a ton of motivation, and that’s great. It helps get the ball rolling. But, when that ball starts to slow down or go backward, seek His guidance. Review the steps above and follow His plan. With God, you’ve got this!

To get this month’s calendar and monthly freebies, complete the form below.

Free Bible Journaling Templates Every Month!

As a member of our VIP list you'll receive freebies at least every month. You'll also receive the latest Bible journaling news, updates, and tutorials!

Please provide consent.
Yes, I want emails from Bible Journaling Ministries.

Thank you! You're on the list! Please check your email to confirm your subscription. 

Remember to open our emails every time we send them so our system keeps sending them to you!

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”