His Word Brightens My Day!

My usual style for Bible art-journaling leans toward softer colors, subtle designs.  I'm not too bold in my artwork.  I wanted to challenge myself to move out of my comfort zone and try some new background techniques. And I wanted to go BRIGHT.  I love the fact that you can never run out of new things to learn in the art form.  Plus, being in the Word of God to create is a delight as well.  I have two submissions to share for the post today.

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 

 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2 

I love this little passage in Hebrews 12 that provides so much encouragement for our Christian walk.  Sometimes we all struggle with our faith.  The promise implied in this verse that it is Jesus who grows our faith.  He initiates faith within the heart of the believer at conversion and He is the one who will see us through the trials and temptations of life.  Our responsibility is not to grow our faith, but to keep our eyes on Jesus...to stay focused on Him.

I decided to have fun with this page, go bold, and try some new things with watercolor paints.  I just started splashing swashes of paint across the page.  The I stamped on top of the paint when it had thoroughly dried.

I had to get even more brave for this second submission, but I used some techniques I'd used with my mixed media.

Yet I am always with you;
    you hold me by my right hand. 

You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will take me into glory. 

 Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And earth has nothing I desire besides you. 

 My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart
    and my portion forever.

Psalm 73:23-26

I was inspired to do this verse when listening to a CD I recently purchased.  In short, it simply says that God is everything I need.  When I fail, when I am weak He is the strength of my heart, and He is sufficient for every need.  When this life is over, I will be taken to glory to be with Him and THAT fact is an encouragement for certain!

I scraped on acrylic paints thinned down a little with water.  I wanted the paint to remain transparent enough that I could still read the scripture through it.  I did all of the background first, then used heavy-bodies acrylic paint over a stencil to get the raised dots.  The heart is hand-drawn, and the flowers and butterflies are rub-ons.  While the page is typically not my style I really like it.  It makes me happy to see it in my Bible. 

Here's a list of the stamp sets I used for the pages shown:

 God is Good (left) and Capture This Moment (right). 

 All Your Heart

 Give Praise (left) and My Comforter (right)

His Name