It was not in the budget for me to purchase the Illustrated Faith kits over the last couple of months, but when I found out that the current kit was part one of Revival Camp 2019, I knew I wanted in! Revival Camp is a fun tradition for Illustrated Faith. Every summer, they create multiple devotionals that help you refocus on the some of the main tenants of faith, and they serve as a great re-centering exercise in the midst of a busy year. This year, Illustrated Faith ventured away from the typical summer camping theme for Revival Camp and shifted toward a travel theme. I have never been much of a camper, but this new travel theme has my whole heart. The first devotional in the series takes us through some key scriptures in the Old Testament, and I was excited to jump in as soon as I received the kit!
You can check out my process video for this entry on my YouTube channel:
Brianna Showalter wrote the first devotion in the kit, and she has us looking at the story of Noah’s obedience to God in building the ark as well as God’s fulfillment of His promise to Noah. Brianna pointed out how once the ark was built, the animals loaded, and the family members were safely inside, it was God himself that closed the door to the ark. He closed the door on the world that Noah and his family knew. How scary that must have been for Noah, but how merciful it was in the end. Brianna asked us to reflect on a time that God mercifully closed a door in our life, altering the direction of our path for the better.
For me, the very first thought that came to my mind was a career in military music. I studied for a long time in hopes of auditioning into a premier military band. I played an instrument called a euphonium and earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music, all in pursuit of my goal. I regularly practiced 5-6 hours a day, giving up a number of social opportunities in college to focus on my dream. Yet, when a series of auditions came up toward the end of my time in graduate school, I did not win any of them. It became very clear to me that the door to my musical career was closing. God also made it clear that it was time to move on to new goals and a new outlook. And, it hurt. It was scary and disappointing and frustrating. I was angry. But, truthfully, God was merciful in holding me back from that dream. If I had won a military job, I would have never left to be a stay-at-home mom. I would have missed out on some many other amazing opportunities to live out my faith.
As I began this page, my primary goal was to create a tip-in to serve as a door. I wanted to illustrate the opening and closing of doors. I used a piece of scrapbook paper from my stash that I thought complimented the tones in the ephemera pieces that came with the kit. I believe the paper is from the “Lovely Day” line created by Dear Lizzy. After I had my tip-in and ephemera pieces planned, I decided to add some color to the page using Distress Oxide ink. I blended too different colors, Tattered Rose and Stormy Sky to create a subtle sunrise affect. The, using a stamp from the kit, I did some tone on tone stamping to add more texture to the background. I am loving this tone on tone look, and definitely plan to repeat it during this devotional!
Once the background was complete, the rest of the page came together very quickly. I adhered the ephemera pieces and the tip-in. I added the title “Thank you God for Closing Doors” and journaled on the back of the tip-in about God closing the door of my military career. The last step involved layering a variety of washi tape and a scrap of the same paper from the tip in to add a tab to the top of the page. I was so pleased with the simplicity of this page and the opportunity to reflect on how sometimes our present frustrations and fears are really a merciful act from God.
Has God ever closed a door in your life that you ended up being thankful for? I’d love to hear your story!
Keep it creative,
-The Scrappy Wife
Supplies Used:
Is there going to be an online revival camp?
I believe you can buy a digital version on the illustrated faith website, but I do not think it is free like it has been some different years.