I want to start off by saying He was always there. It was me that was lost, confused, searching. He stood steady waiting for me to find my way, waiting for me to put the world’s expectations aside and find my own way. The way He had created for me, the way that was uniquely mine. He was waiting for me to find my way back to him, and this is the story of how I did that.
I wanted to just take a moment and really touch on the heart of what we are all doing here. What this whole “journaling bible” movement is about and why it has sparked a wildfire in the Christian community. We are here because we are believers, seekers, lovers of the word of Jesus. We are here because we are creatives, dreamers, and makers. We are here because those two things combined set us on fire, excited to see what’s next, excited to dig into the word. Excited for Him.
I wish I could say since I became a Christian at 16, on the bottom of my apartment steps with my then boyfriend (now husband) that I have always been on fire for Him. I wish I could say that I have always known that personal relationship with Him, but the truth is that would be a lie. I think as with most Christians we hit a natural ebb and flow in our walk. Sometimes we get to a place of pure love and dedication one where we promise to read the bible more, get more involved and reach out to those around us. With the hustle and bustle of our lives we often can become watered-down in that dedication. It may be because we are human, but what if it was for a different reason all together?
What if the whole time we were trying so hard to draw into God we were going about it the wrong way? Let me explain! When I would attend Christian conferences or small groups I would see women gobbling up the latest Christian book, or reading their bible at break and I looked at them with adoration. I wanted that. I wanted to CRAVE my bible, I wanted to need that personal connection, to dive in deeper, to learn more. I really wanted that. The problem is I was doing it the way that I saw them doing it. Their gifts were to learn through reading a testimony, or talking in a small group. Maybe they learned best by reading through the bible straight through in a year or listening to Christian worship. While all those things helped me learn more about God they never really pulled me in like illustrating my faith has done.
Since I started using my journaling bible a year ago it’s been completely different. Now I am using the gifts HE has given me to GLORIFY Him. Through that, I am able to understand what he is teaching me even more. Now I am able to use all the tools we are given in a personal matter. I can now read the bible in a way that sticks with me, sinks into my heart, sets me on my path. I am able to hear worship music and see it come to life in living color. I am able to use a devotional in a way that really makes a difference in my every day life.
Now that I am leaning into the word my relationship with Jesus is radically different. I find myself in constant prayer, talking with Him about things I would have never brought to Him before. Now when I pray it’s more like I am picking up in the middle of a conversation rather than reintroducing myself. I feel this intimate relationship with Jesus, one that I had always craved. It was sitting right there in front of me just waiting for me to discover the path that was made for me.
If you find yourself in a similar situation of wanting more from your relationship with God I encourage you to not give up! Keep going! Learn more! If illustrating faith is a new idea to you and you want to learn more, I encourage you to grab a journaling bible, sign up for our newsletter and check out our resource page! If illustrating your faith isn’t for you that is ok too! Find your path, the way God made you to be. It’s perfect, and waiting!
xo- Shanna
