If you want to begin a consistent faith art journaling practice, I have a few beginner tips for you. I really wanted to produce volumes of journals with bits and pieces spilling out the edges and pages filled with layered goodness. The problem was, I was only WANTING to do that, not actually doing it. I dug in my heal and made creating with God a priority in my life and it has blessed me so! Here are a few tips I have for you if you are thinking about or just getting started on this beautiful journey!
Dedicate The Time – You have to make your practice a priority. If you want to get better at ANYTHING or create a habit, you must commit to it. I found by making my creative time a priority it actually happened instead of me wishing it would. Time does not magically present itself at the end of the day. Carve out 15-20 minutes of DEDICATED time to dig into God’s word and express your findings through art if you want to make this practice a routine part of your day.
Set A Timer – This is a piggyback on the previous tip. It may sound rigid and crazy, but a timer will do wonders for your quiet creative time. It helps you realize you can get more done in a short amount of time than you probably realized. It also helps you not get so lost in the process you look up an hour later. While that is a FABULOUS thing to have happen, if you are crunched for time, it makes you feel like you don’t have time for this practice, which is not true! You just have to monitor yourself! For me, it also lets me relax into my time faster and be more focused because I don’t feel the need to check the clock while I’m working.
Start Small – Don’t bite off more than you can chew in 15-20 minutes! Only read a few verses or chapters a day. Take digestible bites! As for the journal, a small size journal is your friend here. Large pages = more time. Pick a journal or page size that is friendly to the time you have! Plus filling a large page can be intimidating when you are just getting your feet wet with faith art journaling!
Limit Supplies – I have about 3.2 million art supplies. I love them. BUT – that can get overwhelming! I suggest picking a few supplies and sticking to them. That way, you don’t spend your time sorting through supplies trying to decide what to use each day. If you want to explore more of the supplies you have, maybe stick to one medium per week and move through them in chunks.
Put on Blinders – If you really want to express YOUR thoughts and develop YOUR style, put on blinders. Don’t scroll Instagram for ideas, or pin away on Pinterest. Go to the Lord first and your journal second. Extra stops only threaten to derail you and take up time. I promise you will be amazed at what comes out of you when you earnestly dedicate this time to study and expression! I’m a firm believer in taking classes and always learning, but not in the middle of this precious dedicated time! Let it be just you and God. That is all you need!
I’d love to hear how your quiet time is going, or see some of the faith art journaling you’ve done, please tag me, email me, or message me on social. I love this process and truly hope these tips help you start a practice that feeds your heart and soul! Save these tips for later:
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