Preparing Your Mind and Workspace for a Bible Journaling Entry

Preparing your mind and workspace for a Bible journaling entry is a crucial first step before getting started. You want to make sure you are in the right mindset and also have all your supplies handy.

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Earlier this month in Part 5 of the “All About the Bible Journaling” series, we made a wishlist of supplies that you can start collecting to use in your journaling Bible as we learn more techniques in the near future. Now it’s time to gather what supplies you want to use and make sure you are prepared mentally and also in your workspace for the most blessed time of worship.

To begin with, you need to remember what your priority with Bible journaling is and why you are wanting to spend this time in the Word. The enemy will try to get your focus on perfection and comparing yourself to others. None of us are perfect and never will be. I just completed an entry not along ago that I’m not too thrilled with how it turned out, but I embraced those mistakes and did not even spend the time fretting over it.

My main goal is not to create art that sells for thousands. I want to spend time in worship studying and meditating on the Word while also using my art supplies to create something fun. I usually turn on worship music and say a prayer before I get started that I will keep my focus on God’s Word and what He would have for me to hear from Him that day. Then all anxiety and hopes of perfectionism have been thrown out the window before I even start.

Now as far as your physical preparation of supplies and your workspace, take the few extra minutes to be sure you are ready to go. Not just with Bible journaling but with any project in general, when you are prepared things will go much more smoothly. Then you are more likely to come back and enjoy more and more entries in your Bible. Below are a few quick steps that I follow each time I do an entry that take literally only a few minutes but keep my state of mind relaxed and not stressed.

#1:

Prepare the desk or any area you are working on with old newspaper or kraft paper to protect it. Depending on what supplies you use, you will want to make sure you don’t ruin your furniture. I have a silicone type craft mat from Heidi Swapp that works perfectly and also can be cleaned easily with a baby wipe. The kraft paper could of course be thrown away each time for easier clean up if you prefer.

#2:

Place a piece of paper under the page I’m working on and possibly even the opposite page depending how messy the supplies I’m using. You can attach the paper to your Bible page using washi tape to hold it in place. The washi tape then can be removed easily without ripping the page at all. If I’m using an art medium with a water base, perhaps like watercolors, or maybe even acrylic paints, I will place kraft paper underneath because it is thicker and more durable.

#3:

Using a scrap piece of paper or journal, think about what you want your entry to look like and draw a rough sketch of that. I don’t always do this and sometimes enjoy just working off the top of my head. BUT, when I first started out and was still becoming familiar with my supplies, I would definitely do this just to make things go smoothly. Then I knew my idea and how to make it come together.

#4:

Once you have a sketch and idea of what you want your entry to look like, you can then gather the supplies you are going to need. Everything now is right in front of you for quick access without having to run around the house searching for something in a panic right in the middle of an entry. Plus this doesn’t really help keep your mind focused.

#5:

Now all you need to do is just dive right in and get started! Don’t let that first entry intimidate you. Say a prayer before you start, turn on some worship music, and enjoy your time in the Word meditating. You will never regret this time spent in the Word and the revelations you will receive. Trust me on that.

If you are so excited and anxious to get started, then you may want to go ahead and sign up for my free 5 Day eCourse that is perfect to jump start this new study tool of Bible journaling. You will receive a new email each day discussing a different topic or aspect with a little fun “homework” assignment each day to keep you accountable with getting started.

You can sign up here!

If you are even more ambitious, then check out my eBook, Adventures in Bible Journaling: An Extensive Beginner’s Guide to Art and Bible Journaling, to get even more information and tutorials. I have a Gold, Silver, and Bronze package depending on what you are looking for specifically. There are printables and also step-by-step video tutorials that make it even easier to understand so you can work right alongside me in your Bible.