How often do your crafty projects turn out like you imagined them? More times than not, mine turn out slightly different, or sometimes even dramatically different. To me, that really mirrors both my life experience and my faith experience. Rarely do things proceed exactly how I had envisioned, and that is because God is the true author of my life. It isn’t a “choose your own adventure”, but more of a intricately laid out story that He has planned all along. It’s up to each of us to really tune in and listen to what God has planned for us. Knowing the path can certainly make things easier, but walking along with God is the truly freeing experience.
The second section of the “Storyteller” devotional from Illustrated Faith has us looking at Isaiah 42:5-7:
“This is what God, the Lord, says — who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk on it — ‘I am the Lord. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations, in order to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon, and those sitting in darkness from the prison house.'”
God calls us all to a higher purpose. We can all fulfill are over-arching purpose of being His light in the world in a variety of ways. God designed each of us uniquely and will guide us according to our purpose if we only listen. Will we hear the call?
The main technique I used on this Bible journal entry involved a large, bold stencil and some mixed media products. I utilized Liquitex Matte Gel medium and a new-to-me product, liquid metal, to add translucent color to the background of my page. While the mixture did not end up with the metallic look I was hoping for, there is a slight shimmer that sets it apart. I used both the abstract rainbow section of my stencil and the wonky stars. Once I had put color through the wonky star section, I realized that the bright pink did not coordinate well with the paper-piece I had chosen to use. At that point, I had two options:
- Attempt to change the color of the stars to tone down the look.
- Add in all the colors I could find so that the bright stars stood out less.
I decided to go with Option #2, kind of a “more is less” feel. The thought was that if I incorporated bright colors all over the page, the eye would feel less drawn to the bright stars at the top. I am actually pretty pleased with how the bright colors move your eyes around the page in the end!
I used several of the large paper pieces that were included with the devotional to anchor my page, even noting the distractions that I face on a daily basis on the oversized library card. I think it is important to call those “noises” that keep us from hearing a clear calling from God! The last few steps for the page included adding a date using my SC Mega Date Stamp and a few vellum stickers that were also included with the kit.
This page certainly turned out differently than I anticipated, but I am completely okay with that. When I am crafting and creating, the process is way more important. It feels great to create, it renews my spirit, and the final product is not where I put my emphasis!
Keep it creative,
-The Scrappy Wife
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