Today's Scripture Reading/ Study.

Yay!  I was able to focus in my study Bible to just read chapters Luke 1-10. 
I was listening to it through Bible Gateway and following in my Bible. 
😁 I had no time to get distracted by reading the notes or I would be lost.  

I not only finished that but rewarded myself with studying and reading the notes in chapter 10 for Bible study later today. I'm happy. I also put some stickies in for things I wanted to remember. The thought bubble is from a verse I came across while doing a scripture writing plan, Cultivating A Quiet Heart. 
I love it. The green ink is what was laid on my heart while I was reading it. I had some people flash through my mind. Holy Spirit lead me.

What I have been up to lately...

Good morning, all!   

I just wanted to do a quick update on some things that I have done or am doing recently.  

(*For those that don't know, I actually use a Note Taker Bible (NASB) for my journaling. The margins are different but about the same amount of space. It is just split into side and bottom.) 

This first pic started out just being part of the chorus of the song Lifesong by Casting Crowns that stuck out to me on that particular day. I printed the words in a few different fonts on a regular sheet of paper and printed it out. I was originally going to trim a curve around the words. I cut it down to this rectangle until it was colored the way I wanted. I was going to trim it down after that. However, then I got the bright idea to use acrylic paints. I used a gift card type card and spread it thinly but it started to cover over the words. I traced over it in black ink pen. I had only done the words but thought maybe I should keep going with the paint. I added the green around the edge. I started to notice a woodsy type look to it. I added the stickers and highlighted the edges in colored glitter glue. blue on blue, green on green. I really love the way that it turned out. Colossians 3:15-17 are some favorite verses of mine. I tied this to verse 17.

I have always loved this verse in Proverbs. The first time I read it, I don't remember the translation, it said, "How long will you lie there, O lazybones?" It made me laugh because it sounded so straight forward and not like KJV English.  I agree with the thought, though.  I really thought these sloth stickers were cute, too...AND it even had one that said "lazybones", lol, so  I had to!  I got them at Michael's. They are normally $2 but they were on a whiz-bang sale for a buck.

I really wanted to decorate the title pages in some way and wanted it to be uniform. I used a banner stencil on the title and then used gel pens to color it.  I really love the descriptions. I was inspired by a FB group that I am in. Someone asked about one word descriptions of each book. I found two lists. There are a couple that are basically the same. However, Most are different. I am done with the Old Testament banners. I am doing a lighter yellow (less aged) in the NT. I want to go back and do a stencil on top of the pages as well. This is a work in progress. 

This is the inside cover of another Bible, The Study Bible for Women (HCSB translation). A little scrapbook paper, glue and washi tape. I loved that quote one of the ladies in the group posted. So, I wrote it out on a sticky note and stuck it into the front. 

I was inspired by the Names of God. I looked them up on Pinterest to see if I could find a list. I did find these. I added the "My Hero" part because I don't know how anyone can look at all these attributes and names and not see a true hero!  I had started the page to the left but got zealous and decided to put ALL the names.  LOL WELL...I don't think that is going to happen. There are WAY more than I thought. I will just have to pick as many as I can. I have a whole sheet of paper, folded in half, essentially, allotted for that. 

This is another pinspiration.  I felt connected to this pin. The pic on the left shows the paper folded as a tip-up (same as a tip-in but pulled up). I used Scotch acid free Restickable glue stick to adhere it.  I absolutely love those!  They are the same glue as the Post-It notes. I got that tip from Jason Mayfield in a Youtube video. 

I hope you like what I have shared or found something in the way that I approached it that is useful to you. I have so many posts that I want to share with you. I am trying to get the timing worked out. Huge blessings to you and yours!  Have a great week!

Mighty warriors...

I have been fellowshipping with some dear sisters in Christ this evening. They are such a blessing and what a privilege to have such a loving Father to bring us all together.

This was on my heart earlier this evening and I shared it in an FB group. I wanted to share it here, too.

🌹👍 I think we all need a reminder. I know that I do! It becomes mundane and "status quo" to focus on our surroundings, our "life." However, our TRUE life lies in Jesus Christ.
Here is the reminder:
Don't tell God how big your problems are.
Tell your problems how BIG your God is!!

🙌 What a MIGHTY, MIGHTY God we serve!! Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.(Rom. 14:11) Don't listen to the enemy feeding you lies about your "situation", your "diagnosis", your "finances", your "shortcomings", or your "failures." The devil IS A LIAR. (John 8:44) Ephesians 6:12, "because to us the wrestling is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Berean Literal Bible)

GOD, the same God, that flung the stars into the sky and breathed LIFE into the universe Gen. 1), and knew you before He formed you (Jer. 1:5) says that NO WEAPON formed against you shall prosper.(Isaiah 54:17) He calls you His own.(Isaiah 43:1) He rejoices over you with singing.(Zeph. 3:17) He is for you and not against you.(Heb. 13:5) Straighten your armor and raise your sword! They enemy is the one who needs to cower. Not us. We are chosen(1 Pet. 2:4-6), called ((Rom. 8:28-30), and loved (Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:19). Jesus has ALL authority over the powers of darkness and He lives in us. (Col. 2:8-10) Victory is already ours.(Rom. 8:37; 1 Cor. 15:57)

🏆 💕 We are victors not victims!

<3 Be blessed and victorius!!

"Transform"

Hello everyone!  

I just wanted to take a little bit of time to check in and say howdy. 

I have been working through quite a few things to gear up and prepare for all this year holds. I'm not even completely sure that I know what that entails yet. However, I am positive that He holds the future (Jer. 29:11) and that His thoughts and ways are higher (and better) than mine. (Isaiah 55:9) I am F.R.O.G.ging it, for sure.  (Fully Relying On God)

One of the first things I know is that my word of the year is transform.  I am part of a few God-centered groups on Facebook. Posts started going up around December about each person's word of the year for 2019. I thought mine was going to be something like anxiety or fear. However, the Lord led me to this one instead through scripture.  

My scripture of the year is Romans 12:2,  "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (NASB)

I also like these versions. I have adopted the second one for sure.

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (NLT)

"Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God--what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect." (Good News Translation, GNT) 

"And do not imitate this world, but be transformed by the renovation of your minds, and you shall distinguish what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of God."  (Aramaic Bible in Plain English)

What I love about comparing different versions of the Bible is that you get a more full and complete picture of what it is trying to say.  These 4 verses are basically saying the same thing. Yet, there are subtle and telling differences. For instance, "the renewing of your mind" means what, exactly?  Left on its own, that could maybe mean multiple things. 

Yet, in comparing the other translations, it is made clear that there is a silent understanding that "renewing" it is through reading God's Word and being willing to listen to Him. "but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."  "but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind."   How does God change your thinking, which changes your mind? He does it through a personal relationship with Him and with the reading of His Word. 

I also love the word "renovation" in the Aramaic translation.  That goes hand in hand with the NLT use of the phrase "new person"  When you renovate a house, you usually do a complete overhaul of a room or the entire structure. It is nothing like what it was before. Renovation would also be a "complete change of your mind."  There is no second-guessing the meaning here. A true transformation in the sense of this verse comes only from within. 

So, we are allowing God the access to override (overhaul, renovate, and change) any thinking, protocols, or reactions that are either incorrect, defective, and displeasing to Him in order to replace them with thinking that is true, effective and desirable to Him. He has given us free will to make our own decisions. Those decisions we make every day can lead to either blessings or dire consequences. We don't have to let him rewire our minds. Yet, if we choose to, we can live a more pleasing and blessed life, even to our own eyes, through Him. 

God has not given us the spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) Why, then, do we allow ourselves to buy into the lies of the devil that tells us things about how defeated and worthless we are? 

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and [a]have it abundantly." (John 10:10)  

We are the sons and daughters of the most high God. If He is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) He will never leave us or forsake us. (Deut. 31:8) He who has begun a good work in us will be faithful to complete it. (Phil. 1:6) He has made a way for us out of the iniquity of our sin. We are not bound to this world and its fate. Jesus paid for our salvation with His own life and blood. (Rom. 5:8) All we have to do is accept Him into our hearts (John 1:12) and to take up our cross and follow Him. (Matt. 16:24) If we abide in Him, He will abide in us. (John 15:5)

What have we to lose by allowing God to inwardly and completely change the way we think, except sin and death?  Of all the things that God, Himself, chose to model, He chose compassion and love. No one, nor any other spirit, is more worthy than He to lead us in the way we should go. 

(*The words in blue are emphasized by me for reference of transform.)

Romans 6  (NiRV)

"What should we say then? Should we keep on sinning so that God’s grace can increase? 2 Not at all! As far as sin is concerned, we are dead. So how can we keep on sinning? 3 All of us were baptized into Christ Jesus. Don’t you know that we were baptized into his death? 4 By being baptized, we were buried with Christ into his death. Christ has been raised from the dead by the Father’s glory. And like Christ we also can live a new life.

5 By being baptized, we have been joined with him in a death like his. So we will certainly also be joined with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that what we used to be was nailed to the cross with him. That happened so our bodies that were ruled by sin would lose their power. So we are no longer slaves of sin. 7 That’s because those who have died have been set free from sin.

8 We died with Christ. So we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ was raised from the dead and will never die again. Death doesn’t control him anymore. 10 When he died, he died once and for all time. He did this to break the power of sin. Now that he lives, he lives in the power of God.

11 In the same way, consider yourselves to be dead as far as sin is concerned. Now you believe in Christ Jesus. So consider yourselves to be alive as far as God is concerned. 12 So don’t let sin rule your body, which is going to die. Don’t obey its evil desires. 13 Don’t give any part of yourself to serve sin. Don’t let any part of yourself be used to do evil. Instead, give yourselves to God. You have been brought from death to life. So give every part of yourself to God to do what is right. 14 Sin will no longer control you like a master. That’s because the law does not rule you. God’s grace has set you free." 

I am looking forward to all the changes and strides of improvement that will be made in my life this year. Some may be evident and many may not be. My internal thoughts, reflections, and attitudes may not be visible but I am sure they will be different because they are already in the process of evolving. I am mindful of His commandments. I am becoming slower to become angry.  I am striving to forgive as quickly as He forgave me and to pray for those that curse me. I am sure that I still have a long way to go but it is a definite start. 

I pray that all of you are blessed and continually reaching for God. The more you lean into Him and dwell in His presence, the more you will want to lean into His presence.  Let Him inwardly change the way you think and renovate your heart and mind as well. 😉  Be ye transformed. 💖

Why God Chose You

I love listening to these messages and sermons by Steven Furtick from Elevation Church.
Be blessed and encouraged. <3

Free Printable Scripture and Prayer Cards

Hey there!
I love many things. One of those is prayer and another is free printables. 😃
I found these on Pinterest and wanted to share the links with you. I will add more links in the future for free printables. I plane to use these in my Bible journaling and prayer binder.  I hope you enjoy them. By the way, they may say "mom" but the scriptures will fit anyone who feels weary, overwhelmed or needs encouragement. Be blessed!

Scripture:
Scriptures For The Weary Mom
30 Encouraging Scriptures For The Defeated Mom
15 Inspirational Verses

Scripture but not cards:
40 Scriptures To Combat Worry, Fear, Anxiety and Panic

Prayer Request cards:
Floral print from With Giggles and Grace

Blank Envelope Template (separate site but also fits above cards)

Here is what I have done so far for my own use.  This is what the above cards and envelope look like.  The patterned paper was free online to print. I plan to add the envelope in the back of my Bible for prayer requests while I am out or just when I am at home and think of it. You could also tuck them into your purse or briefcase, etc. On the envelope, I didn't have any scrapbook paper handy and had already printed the envelope outline onto cardstock. I would recommend decorated card stock if you want to skip gluing the patterned paper over it. I printed the outline on the back side of the patterned paper, then trimmed it up and glued it onto the cardstock. The last step was to fold the envelope and glue it to shape. 

New songs (to me) but so far I love them.

I ran across these on Youtube. I love Bethel Music. I love most of the voices I hear from them. Steffanie is no different. Just beautiful and the heart of worship, also. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did. God bless and have a wonderful week!


Defender - Steffany Gretzinger

I have heard this song before and absolutely loved it the first time I heard it.
I love the words of encouragement here:

Reckless Love (plus an encouraging word) - Steffany Gretzinger

This was another new one to me. I hope that you will take a listen and be blessed. 💗

No Longer Slaves

This is a favorite song as well. It also does my heart good to see such young hearts singing it from deep within. Praise God!

Worship...

💗 So much on my heart and mind that I may not even truly be aware of. Reaching out to Him this morning in thanks, reverence, prayer and praise.🙌

Fill My Cup, Lord - by Hope Montana

Chris Tomlin - Lord, I Need You

Michael W. Smith - Let It Rain

Open the Eyes of My Heart

Here I Am To Worship - Chris Tomlin (with lyrics)

We Were Touched By An Angel

First, let me start by saying that I have, at times, had visions a tiny bit here and there. They would sometimes come so far in advance of an event that I forgot about it until it happened. I don't know that I would call it a premonition. It was kind of like deja vu or a foreshadowing. I used to work at Kmart when I was in high school and early college. One night, I had a dream that I was pushing around a lady in a wheelchair, around Kmart. I can't remember what time of the year it was but, now, looking back, it seems like Thanksgiving or close to Christmas. I was helping her shop. All I remember is that she had short hair, I didn't know her, and she was a really nice, sweet lady. Then, at the end of the dream, I got the feeling of knowing that she was an angel.

At the time it was just a dream. Until I met the woman who would one day be my mother in law. It didn't hit me for quite awhile. Until she ended up being in a wheelchair.  I would take her different places to shop. Walmart, the grocery store, Kmart. Then, one day, the realization sank in. It was when I was reflecting on her character and how kind, considerate and loving she was. Her compassion,  desire and determination to help those around her. Her love of Christ assuring her own spirit, as well as being an inspiration those around her. She was a gem. Invaluable. I thought she must be an angel on earth....Wait, what?!  Cue memory of my dream. A sweet and happy smile crossed my face to realize it.

But now....

I have been wanting to post this for awhile but I just couldn't seem to find the words. My heart kept jumping into my throat.

On June 10th, 2018, we lost someone very dear to us. My mother in law slipped up to heaven around 5:58am. She had been struggling with her health off and on for a very long while. We almost lost her a few times. Thankfully, we were able to spend precious time with her after each one. Until this time. We knew we couldn't keep her here forever and that God would eventually take her home. He had mercy and compassion on her. We miss her deeply but are glad that she is at peace. 😢

It has been a little over two months since then and I am still not able to fully process it. I sort of deal with it and don't deal with it at the same time. It doesn't feel like she is really gone. We enjoyed her so much when she was alive that it is like she is still here. Maybe she really was an angel. By the way, she always mad a fuss about getting the family together on holidays, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. Christmas was always her favorite.  This season will be our first without her. 💔

I'm sooo looking forward to heaven one day. I am trying to make the most of my time here while it lasts but what a place of beauty to behold up there! Most importantly is obviously God. But how amazing also to be reunited with lost loved ones, and an amazing choir of angels and saints. The view must be breathtaking!  I'm sure there is so much more. Even just the extreme eternal peace of being in the loving presence of our Lord and Savior is enough to make me long for it at times.

I will get there one day. For now, I just need to keep moving forward in the plans that He has for me, whatever those may be. I will do my best to follow. I am trying to seek Him out even more recently. There is so much to be done yet.

😢💓We miss you, Momma.

Another reason for social media...

I know that a lot of people are used to going to Pinterest for pinsperation for Bible journaling, among other things. Instagram and Tumbler are sometimes good resources, too. For those who aren't, or a reminder for those that are, there is another reason besides finding a beautiful design. Sometimes you just run across a verse that you have never come across before that speaks to you profoundly. I had heard this one from Pastor Steven Furtick (also on social media from Elevation Church, Charlotte NC) I listened to but when I saw the Pin for it, I just had to do it. I journaled this one months ago but is resonates with me frequently, including this week. because it was journaled onto my heart.

~~ What is Bible Journaling? ~~

So, awhile back I published a post titled "Which Bible Is Best?"  In that post, I highlighted some common methods of Bible study to be expounded upon later.

Here is the list I cited:

1. Reading and highlighting verses that stand out or speak to you
2. Notetaking inside bible only
3. Notetaking but in separate notebook only (could also include scripture art journaling)
4. Book/ Chapter/ Topic studies
5. Inductive Study marking
6. Study Bible
7. Devotional Bible
8. Bible Journaling (could also include scripture art journaling)

I am not sure that there is a definitive order in which these should be delved into for further info. Most of the first half of the list is pretty self explanatory. However, I do know that I am going to skip to the last one first. lol

I have fallen in love with Bible journaling and think that you might, too, if you haven't already.  I am still in the beginning stages of it, I suppose. I have been journaling for a few months. I know more about the process than I have actually been able to do, due to time or resource constraints. There have just been too many things going on. 

Be forewarned: it isn't something that everyone will be comfortable with. There is one major reason for that. It requires that you mark or tape things into your Bible. 

There are people of differing opinions on that and some are very strong. Some feel no marking should be allowed whatsoever because it is the sacred Word of God. Some are okay with writing and drawing or stickers but not paint. Some are okay with paint but only if the words show through. There are also those that feel that it is okay to cover the words completely, as long as they have another Bible for reading/ study only.  

I happen to fall into the middle on this. I don't see a problem marking up the "text."  My reason is two-fold.  The first is that it is the Holy Word inspired by God. It is living and breathing and transcends up off of the page in a way no other book can. However, it is important to note that the body of the scripture is what is sacred. The Bibles I just ordered from Christian Book Distributors, that should be waiting for me to pick up, were just printed in the last year or so. They are essentially on new paper. The binding is new, the ink is new and the packaging is new. The book itself is not ancient, antique or otherwise valuable. They seem only as words printed upon the page - UNTIL you read them. That, to me, is when the scriptures become more than just a book, perspective wise. Whether you read it or not does not change its truth or actual value but how you view it. However, I don't happen to believe in covering the words. In that respect, it is the soverign Word of God and should remain intact. I feel that whomever picks that Bible up should be free to be led by the Spirit to see a particular passage or verse. If the words are completely covered, this is not possible. I would want, in no way, to stand between that person and what revelation or epiphany they may have otherwise come to.

Having said all of that, what good is a Bible, even if it holds the black and white answer to every problem there ever was, if you don't read it?  In order for it to impact you, you have to become familiar with what it says. Bible journaling is one way of doing that. That leads me to the second reason I am good with marking in the Bible. That is the purpose of drawing closer to God through drawing and making notes of particularly important verses or passages in your journey and your faith walk.

Often my inspiration has, so far, come from other sources. I can explain more about that in the next journaling post. These graphics have mostly come from Pinterest.  The abide entry was through my studying that passage and the ideas for which study tools to add were mine. I also washi taped around one of my dad's favorite verses, Psalm 23. On the following page, I washi'd around one of mine, Psalm 27. It is skinny washi. I believe 3mm. It is about a 1/4" wide.

     

Maybe it is not to fear that fires you up. Maybe you need to keep going over your identity in Christ because you were always told you were worthless. Maybe you need to be reminded of His promises to get you through the tough times because you need to know something good really is coming . These are the things that help lead you to what to journal. You highlight whatever speaks to you and find a way to illustrate that on the page or put a doodled border around it, etc. Whatever connects you to that scripture at a glance so that you can revisit it again and be reminded of God's response to your situation or a trial or valley that you went through that He brought you up out of is your reason. Or, maybe you want to add maps, charts, song lyrics, or some other study tools. 

         

In  the back of my cover, I added the map of the Twelve Tribes. I also added a map of the mistry of Jesus (not pictured), as well as the Hebrew calendar with month conversions to the January through December one that is widely in use now. It tells what the weather would have been like and they crops, etc. In the front part of my Bible, the other two pics are the books colorized by type (Law, Wisdom & Poetry, Prophets, Letters, etc. The last is a page for marking the Dr. Horner reading plan. I had aspirations of filling it up be have not been able to as of yet. It still has the ability to help me keep track of chapters that I have read. I also like the idea of tabbing sections, such as the Old and New Testaments, for easier flipping. In the above pic, I have actually tabbed the Contents and colorized by type of book. I had later decided to add the bookshelf pic.  The red taped tab is for the New Testament but red symbolizes the blood of the Lamb. I am planning to add a super hero on the last pic because God is my hero and my defender.

Bible journaling serves as a visual reminder of the relationship that you have with Him, your heart's response in worship to Him and His words of wisdom and grace. It could also just bring you closer in your knowledge of who God is and how the earth has gotten to this point so far. All of this works together to help you keep reading, seeking and reaching. The individual's view of the Bible goes from a perfect and sacred document to a personalized love letter and instruction booklet. It becomes something tangible to cling to when they need comfort because they can see the promises and possibly the answers to prayers, if they have noted them. There is so much good to be found in journaling. It can be therapeutic. 

 

 

However, there is an alternative idea method that will still allow for all of that and still not place a single mark in the Good Book.  That is scripture art journaling.  A scripture art journal can be as simple or complex as you want to make it. You can use a 50 cent composition journal from Wal-Mart and illustrate your scriptures in that, if you choose. You could also get a hardback journal of any size, even 8x11 and journal there. You don't even need a "journal."  You could use a 17 cent spiral bound notebook and the result is the same. It is all in what makes you most free to draw close to Him. 

"Well, that is great and all but I don't need to do any of that to draw close to God. I can pray and do that."  Yes, you can. There is no push in this post to convert everyone to what I find joy in.  If  you feel it isn't for you, then, so be it. It is only another means to an end, in terms of worship and study. 

However, if you are still with me and interested in what the big deal is, let me show you.  Maybe you have started hearing about it and clueless what it is. Maybe you have seen items labeled for it at the craft stores. Maybe you have heard of Washi tape but have no idea what that is or why you need it. Or, conversely, maybe you have not only heard of it but have fallen in love with it already and are only reading this post to see if you can find any tips. 😉 

Rest assured, I will follow with another post soon and list some there. I don't want this to become too long and cause an issue with load times on phones, etc. I think I have hit that point already. I will give a part two with types of methods and ideas of supplies you can use, as well as where to get things.

💖Be blessed and have the beginning of a wonderful week.  

Good morning!

Hello again. I finally got some of the posts out of my head and onto the blog. I still want to do a Bible Journaling post as well as another specific post but for now, I must put them on a temporary hold.

I will leave you with one of my current favorite songs.  I hope you like it and that you are having a blessed week. 💖

~~ Sermon Notes Binder ~~

Part four of the Faith Binder Series.

So this one is probably one of the easiest and most straight forward of them all. There are not a lot of moving parts to this one once you have done the Bible study binders. 

I need to upgrade my binder to match the others. It is currently the blue one pictured above that says "My Bible Notebook".  That spine cover is from the tabs at Do Not Depart. 

The Moroccan tile printable paper I used for the other three is here. 

The divider tabs are done the same way as in the Bible Topical Study binder. 

The tabs are done much the same way as the subheading tabs for the Apostles (the gold templates I used for this binder are found here.)  in the Topical binder post and as the tabs in the Bible Book Study binder.  

The biggest differences are the names on the dividers and tabs are in a different font, Janda Celebration, 72pt and 16pt, respectively. 

I felt the black I used on the gold tabs was a bit too dark for me. So, I used Word to list all of the last names of the pastors I wanted to highlight. 

Then, I cut them out of the printed page and centered and taped them over the gold and where they would still show when the were all together. I did the multi-tape trick again. I love shortcuts sometimes. 😉

The teal color in the background is what I will probably use for character traits in the topical binder. 

I had just printed out a bunch of random topics. Then, I decided to color code the subheadings in the People subject to avoid the need for even more dividers. Under this theme, I will have to redo the tabs to colorize instead of confetti them. They are from the same site as the gold ones. I really like the double sided design, as you can tell. 😄

I skipped the washi tape on these dividers, since there is essentially already a decorative border. You will find the printable stationery that I used here. 

And the finished product, drumroll please.....

I love how they turned out and I hope that you do, too. If you like the idea for this binder, I forgot something (which totally happens sometimes), or you just wanted to say something positive in the comments, feel free to leave a message. 

Be blessed and have a great week!!

~~ Bible Topical Binder ~~

Part 3 of the Faith Binder Series

So, here is the second Bible Study binder and the 3rd in the series of Faith Binders.  The War Binder (Prayer Journal) and the Bible Book Study were the first two. Check back later for the Sermon Notes Binder and any other subsequent binders. They will be tagged with a "Binders" label in the side bar. 😉

For more explanation on the techniques used in this post, refer to the Bible Book Study binder. 

I chose to print my paper for the cover and spine rather than buy it. 

I was partial to this Moroccan tile and grabbed it in multiple colors here. 

I like to pick up binders at the thrift stores because they are a lot cheaper. I can get a 3" or something similar for a dollar or less sometimes. 

The Bible Study, God's Promises, and Hebrew/ Greek tabs are from the 

binder tab set found at Do Not Depart.  They are slid into standard dividers for school and office use. 

The rest of the set is split between my other binders. They used to be in one binder but I couldn't leave it at that and had to totally customize the ideas to fit me. This is part of the result of that. I may actually have a binder for each tab. lol  I am probably not joking. ;) 

On to the dividers...

I used washi tape to add pizzazz to the plain white cardstock that I picked up from Walmart. 

Mine happens to be Neenah brand and is about $4 for 80 sheets.  

You can find the cardstock in  lots of other places, too.  

I generally scout out Dollar Tree frequently for craft supplies, 

including the Washi (or decorator tape).

Here are the tabs I chose. 

They are from http://plantolovethislife.com/great-freebie-tabs/

I printed 2 copies so that I could glue them together and have matching front and back. 

Bible studies are split into 10 categories to encompass all topics.  That was the easiest way I could think of to index every single topic... Headings and subheadings. It makes sense in a couple of different ways, including how meticulous I can be. 😜

• God/ Trinity - Attributes, Roles (Father, Physician, Savior, Holy Spirit, etc)
• People - Authors, Disciples, bystanders, anyone of importance
• Things - Angels, demons, money, material things
• Places - Geographical location, facts about the cities
• Events - Important events that took place and are worth noting. 
• Culture - The laws of the land, beliefs of that time and place
• Emotions - Jealousy, hatred, joy, sadness
• Principles - Doctrines, tithing, loving one another
• Actions - How to love one another, murder, theft, rebellion, 
• Character Traits - Discipline, persistence, laziness

I wrote my topics on them and them taped them to seal from dirt and tears.  

For taping tips, refer to the Bible Book Binder.

Here is a sample of the subheadings. I chose to print stationery patterns onto my cardstock. 

I put it back into the printer and used Word to print the names in the center of the pages. The divider font is cafe & brewery, 48pt and the small font was part of the tab creator mentioned below.
I don't remember it.

Then, I printed some customized tabs and taped them on. I chose yellow for the disciples because yellow is my color for church history. They were the beginning of the original church, so it made sense.

(Note: If you use the site linked above for tabs, the colors of the tabs shown are customizable after the page loads, you will see a color box, for instance, pink. If you click it, you can change the color. You can even save your tabs to your pc or just print them.) 

I had just printed out a bunch of random topics. Then, I decided to color code the subheadings in the People subject to avoid the need for even more dividers. Under this theme, I will have to redo the teal tabs (not shown here) to colorize instead of confetti them. 

I already have plans of doing pink for the women. I have a lot of labels printed already but am waiting on ink to be able to print the dividers. The pic I have chosen for that is a simple floral and has a slight pink to it.  I didn't find it on the site to share with you today. I found all the pics for the Apostles, the women, and the one for my Sermon Notes binder all on this site above. 

To finish the binder off, I separated the Old and New Testaments with tabs.

I hope you enjoyed this post. If I overlooked anything, you liked the post or have other ideas for things that could have been done, let me know. ;)  

💖Be blessed and have a wonderful day!!

~~ Bible Book Binder ~~

Part 2 of the Faith Binder Series.

So. Entirely too much time has passes since my last entry.  I work full time and have lots to do outside of that. I am pretty whooped sometimes and don't know where to start because there is so much that I want to share with you. Today, I am just going to jump in. It doesn't have to (and probably won't be) perfect. It just needs to jump up here and be available. lol   I plan to change the name of the blog eventually but that takes copyright, etc. SO, since that isn't a fast way to get things done, I will keep that part on the backburner for the moment and plug along as is. ;)  Let's go!  😎

The first thing that I want to share with you are my Faith Binders.  I have a Prayer Journal (or War Binder) that you have already seen (but will be updated). I also have the Bible Topical Study, Bible Book Study, and the Sermon Notes binder.

I like to pick up my binders at the thrift stores. A lot of times I can find the big ones really cheap. Sometimes they are only about a dollar.  I will at one point also have a dedicated binder each for devotionals, written prayers, and other things as I see fit.  For now, I wanted to show you how I created/ organized my binders to give you ideas either to start one or maybe some tips that will make it easier for your own. If it is too much detail for you or you want to create one but feel the need to condense it somehow, that is up to you. 😉

For now, let's focus on the Bible Study - Books.  Here is the finished version of mine.

Eventually, as I fill it up, I will need to split it into 2 binders, Old and New Testaments, to have room in the binder for everything. If I continue it for the next 20 years and run out of space, I will probably split it into sections of those testaments. An example of that would be the Law, Major Prophets, Minor Prophets, etc.  Then, in each of those binders, I could either grow the size of the binder and/or break them into volumes.  Since I haven't much in it yet, it is fine in one for now. (Don't you love how I am already Back to the Future and haven't but the idea in my head yet? 😜 Oh well. It's called planning ahead and at times I don't do enough of it, so I'm good with that. OCD you say?  Yeah, well, maybe a little of that, too, and a bit of perfectionism.)  On with the blog. hehe

Firstly, you can use any decorative paper that you want for your cover and spine. I simply did a search on Bing to find "free printable paper". I know that sounds like a redundant phrase but it pulls up free digital scrap paper designs.  You could also either search for "free digital scrap paper"or for "free printable decorative paper".  I chose a free Moroccan printable tile background found here. I also saved it in different colors to mix and match. This helps all of my binders kind of blend together.

If none of that appeals to you, or if ink is an issue (I will try to update with a link below), I'm sure that any such scrap paper from Hobby Lobby, Michael's, etc would do just fine. Whatever floats your boat.

The first thing that I have included are blank Bible study worksheets.  That way, I can grab a clean one and go. {Some good ones are found at BibleGirlPodcast in the link on the right for "Grace Book Bible Study Downloads."  I also like these but the object is to find what works for you.}  I also have a Study Helps tab from the printable tabs at Do Not Depart. This is where I have extra charts, maps and such.  Also in this section, are articles on Methods of Bible Study, Inductive Bible Study, as well as symbol charts and color codes from various sources to give me ideas on what and how to mark.

On to the dividers. I use plain white card stock by Neenah (found at Walmart for around $4 for 80 sheets, I believe).  I found these free printable Bible tabs at ministryark. I chose a washi tape that I liked to go down the edges for a splash of decoration and color. I ended up running out of that washi and had to finish out the OT with another. The NT is all one, though. I generally keep an eye out at Dollar Tree for the washi tape. The round tabs for OT and NT are the same tabs I used for my Topic Bible Study binder.

On to the application of the tabs, I used Scotch 3M Packing and Storage tape.  In the beginning,  I largely used it because it was sturdy and it was what I had on hand.  I have learned that I love it for tabs.  It is forgiving in most cases, as I can pull it up from the page and straighten the tab. I use it to tab my Bibles, also. It leaves the regular paper sturdy and dirt free.

                

1. I took the tab and put it longwise with the tape.  

2. Then, I cut the tape the size I wanted it (to the left and right of the tab only), lined it up onto my cardstock, and folded the clear side (that is above the tab) over the tab to seal it to the edge of the divider.  

3. I smoothed out any air bubbles, making a tight seal to the tab.  

4. Lastly, I trimmed the tape that was sticking up past the tab, making sure to leave the tiniest edge so that I was leaving a little seam to keep it sealed.

This worked really great but I don't have the most patience. lol  I found a slightly faster and easier way. If it works for you, here ya go:

          

The next step that I took was to add the OT and NT Tabs on their own dividers for easier use.
I printed 2 copies so that I would have front and back matching.  I cut them out and glued them together.

The same method was applied to them, except I only covered the circular portion with tape the first time, to seal it from finger prints. I cut a small strip of tape, large enough to cover the base of the tab. I cut that longways in the middle, making 2 pieces. I used one for the front of the tab and one for the back. Now, the entire tab was sealed to the divider. I repeated the process for the NT tab. 

  

 I will most likely add subheadings for chapter numbers as I go through them. There should be some way to keep the notes from melting into one another.

~~ Voila!  My binder is completed!! ~~
(For now, that is, until I find another way to even further customize it. lol)

Hopefully I will be able to find the time somewhere to be able to start filling it up. My first entry into it is the Bible study our home group was doing on Philippians. I had printed out a bunch of the lessons from it. I need to still see if the rest are available, as I had not finished printing them and we are on a new study. 

So, now you have ideas for your own Bible Study binder.  Leave a comment below if you enjoyed this post. If it helped you in anyway, gave you ideas, or if you have ideas to share with me, please let me know!  

If you are interested in the Bible Topical Study binder, click on over. 😉