Are you ready to fall down a beautiful rabbit hole? Here is the gorgeous worked of Illustrated Faith.
Illustrated Faith
I adore the website Illustrated Faith.
I have to say I was raised to have a healthy respect for the bible. You didn’t throw it around, step on it or drop it in any mud puddles. The good book was held in high esteem. I still remember the first time I witnessed, as a teenager, a bible in which the owner had underlined phrases, highlighted entire paragraphs, and wrote extensive notes in the sidebars.
I was shocked!
But then in my mid 20’s I was attending a church in which the minister proclaimed:
Those that have a clean bible often lead a dirty life.
While those with a dirty bible (writings as described above) usually lead a clean life.
So I began making small notes here and there in one of my many bibles.
But nothing like this:
or even this:
Of course, then I went to Pinterest where I found even more inspiration from other bloggers.
You don’t necessarily have to be an artist. There are all sorts of stencils that can be used to create beauty.
I am totally captivated by studying a verse intently and making it truly your own through artwork.
It’s really not unlike the amazing Book of Kells that I once talked about HERE.
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Laura
A favorite verse of mine:
“He has filled them with the skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer.” ~ Exodus 35:35
I write in my Bible and underline often. I've done some art journaling with Bible verses, but always in a separate journal. I recently discovered that there is a Journaling Bible, like the one you showed, with space for notes and sketching. I'm thinking of getting one. Love the idea of meditating on a verse while coloring/sketching – I think it adds another level of meaning for visual people.
I was in a Bible study group for years and had a special Bible for highlighting, writing notes – well “dirtied,” if you will. But our family Bible is kept pristine. I LOVE the idea of Bible artwork. Yours and the others you shared are just beautiful and I never have thought of adding artwork. How lovely. Have a blessed Sunday!
I was in a Bible study group for years and had a special Bible for highlighting, writing notes – well “dirtied,” if you will. But our family Bible is kept pristine. I LOVE the idea of Bible artwork. Yours and the others you shared are just beautiful and I never have thought of adding artwork. How lovely. Have a blessed Sunday!
I have notes and lines all over my favorite bible. It helps me to remember certain lines that mean so much to me at any given time. These are amazing examples. I don't have anything fancy at all, just what would be called a “dirty” study bible.
How interesting! I was in a bible study group for awhile and a dear friend of mine had a bible that was incredibly worn and she had writings and colored highlights on every page. Weird that it stunned me…I had been led to believe that the bible should be well cared for and pristine. 🙂 I think that's the reason I struggle to write in a new journal…I am weird, right? Thank you for sharing this! I love the art work and emphasizing favorite scriptures.
xo
Pat
Happy Sunday to you!
Enjoyed seeing the artwork.
Blessings,
d
I think these are wonderful ways to express your faith and truly make the scriptures part of you. Ann
Wow. I guess I need to buy a Bible with large white margins!! Love it.
http://happywonderer.com/
Lines, dates, poems, memories. I add all these as testimonies in my Bible. I use a Dake study Bible along with my KJV Thompson Chain.
Using another's Bible, I heard, is like using another person's toothbrush.
I teach don't put anything on your Bible. Always capitalize Bible; It is a proper noun, not some common noun. Don't set It on the floor or under other books in a stack. Don't let It get dusty or use It as a coaster. Read It in bed, in chair, in morning, at noon and at night. Educate yourself on what It says more than Pinterest, Twitter or Facebook. Line up everything with the Word. What does the Word say?
I heard a radio minister tell this story the other day. He said a missionary to the China underground told him that he's often asked by the Chinese for permission to look in his Bible. “We've never seen a copy of an entire Bible before. Would you mind if we just look through it?” One time he was asked, “I have X-number of chapters of the Psalms, but these two chapters, Psalms # and # I don't have. Would you cut them out of your Bible so I could have them?”
I actually saw a handwritten copy of the Bible once. It was written in Chinese.
Hugs, Laura.
Kelley~
Wow, what beautiful works of art. I was raised to never write in my Bible. But just recently I have been underlining passages during my daily devotional that speak to me. I guess it's a first step!
At one time not marking or writing in a Bible made perfect sense since books were expensive and there might have only been one available to be used by everyone in the household. It was often passed down from one generation to the next. But as printing books became easier and less expensive, everyone was able to have their own copy and even replace it if need be. If the Spirit moves someone to express themselves by beautiful artwork or even highlighting a verse, then they should by all means feel free to do so. After all, we are all free to carry one and read it at will here in North America.
Hope you have a very special week! 🙂
Laura, what a great idea for your posting! I DO write in my Bible! I even started putting dates that our pastor spoke on a certain set of scriptures, just so I can remember what was going on in my life at the time. One of my favorites: My children and I had had dentist appointments in Oceanside, CA, and we were done. We went to the Carlsbad beach afterwards, ate our lunch out there and the kids played and we collected rocks and seashells. I had brought a little chair to sit in, and my Bible to read. I ended up drawing the ocean right across the page with the surf rolling inwards onto the sand…
Funny, now the places that I haven't marked with little things that were spoken about, comments about what was going on in Jesus' life or the apostles' lives at the time, are sections of the Bible that I still need to really read! Let's me know just where I'm at… 🙂
Have a lovely week and I think we all ought to link up our Bible inspirations! Will look for yours on Pinterest, too!!!
Blessings to you, always,
Barb 🙂
http://www.frenchethereal.com; frenchethereal.blogspot.com
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When we lived on the island of Crete we attended the Greek Orthodox church in our tiny village from time to time.
Two things stood out to me.
The first was that there were no pews. This was the house of the Lord and one should remain standing in respect to the Lord. (Understandable, but tiring.)
With no pews there were also no songbooks or bibles that normally would be placed in the back of pews. Not one parishioner carried a bible. You just didn't question what the priest interpreted.
Our family has a rather large collection of bibles that were earned (for me in 3rd grade for successful recitation of several verses) given or inherited. The largest weighs close to 10 pounds and is over 120 years old.
Even so I find myself wanting to buy a bible that I can now transform. I am such a visual/creative person I feel as though this could really be a great learning tool for me and mark what areas I still need to focus on.
I think they're beautiful – I have a cousin who does this. Though I have talent in drawing, I've never been able to think things up like that on my own – I have to look at something and recreate. So, for that reason, I just don't do this in my bible though I do write verses and underline/highlight. I think it's wonderful to personalize God's word as it was written very personally and uniquely for each one of us. ♥
I have always underlined verses and/or written notes in the margin of my Bible. But after seeing this post, I wish I had the talent of drawing because the illustrations are AWESOME! Thanks for sharing…
I am totally taken by the art in those Bibles but think my grandpa would strike me down if I did that! Would he? Maybe not, if I was celebrating The Word like that. Gotta try it.
How interesting! The lady that spoke at the women's tea this weekend talked about personalizing your bible. Her theme was love letters. I love this idea. 🙂
I'm also a big note taker, and underliner. But this is wonderful. I'm with you on this… I might start illustrating fav verses…. Ha! I use the term illustrate loosely.
Have a great week! 🙂
~Liz