In the midst of working through Bible journaling kits and devotionals, it is nice to stop and journal something that touches your heart, no theme required. I have really been enjoying our most recent sermon series at church, and spending time journaling on Monday mornings has been the most pleasant way I can think of to start off a busy week. Check out my process for “Unhacking Marriage” on my YouTube channel:
It has been a while since I used acrylic paint as the basis of a Bible journal entry, and I was quickly reminded how much I love working with this particular medium. While you get a vivid, opaque color, the paint does not bleed through! Also, I love the texture it creates when you can see the brush strokes. Now I am sure that a trained artist would scoff at the fact that I prefer to leave my brush strokes seen, but I don’t mind. We all have our preferences, and it is important to embrace what brings you joy, not only what is the “correct” way to do things.
A few tips when working with acrylic paint:
- Work quickly, because acrylic paint tend to dry quickly!
- If the paint has a satin or gloss finish, it will be sticky when dry. Be careful what is on the opposite page, or else when the Bible is closed, pages may stick together.
- Blending is certainly possible with acrylic paint, but does take more effort than blending with watercolors.
- Acrylic paint can be layered up and used to create interesting texture and depth…don’t be afraid to experiment.
This page was actually pretty straightforward. After I sketched the image I had in my head out with a pencil, I filled it in with acrylic paint. The goal was to have the two figures, pink and blue, melding together to represent “one flesh” created in marriage. The love from a Christ-focused marriage radiate out to the world, represented by the edges of the heart radiating outward from the two figures. I am not often so literal in my imagery, but this image was calling my name!
After I finished the acrylic paint and let it dry completely, I added the title “One Flesh”. I layered a black Tombow lettering pen over the top of pencil for the title. Then, I added the 5 tenants for “unhacking” marriage. More specifically, these are instructions laid out in the Bible for reinforcing your marriage for the long game:
- Embrace the mystery of sacred oneness – Gen. 2:20-25, Deut. 6:4-5
- Love your unique equal in order to discover your compliment – Eph. 5:21-33
- Use the superglue of marriage – 1 Cor. 7:1-7
- Welcome creative conflict, but send bitterness packing – Eph. 4:23-27, Her. 12:14-15a
- Commit to a lifelong covenant & fight for it – 1 Cor. 7:12-16, Matt. 19:3-11, Malachi 2:13-16
A few paint splatters gave the “messy” look that I simply love on my Bible pages, and I also found an opportunity to use a few paper tabs that I have been holding on to for years. Seriously, am I the only one that has a million paper tabs from back when Illustrated Faith was with Dayspring. I feel like I have hundreds from previous sales, and I tend to opt for ribbon tabs these days. Needless to say, I was glad to use a few on this page!
This was a refreshing page for me. First of all, I loved the time reflecting on my own marriage and what we could be doing to really invest in our relationship. And, secondly, I always enjoy reconnecting with a supply or medium that I haven’t used in a while. For me, it was a great reminder of just how much I love using acrylic paint in my Bible! What’s your favorite supply these days?
Keep it creative,
-The Scrappy Wife
“Unhacking Marriage” Sermon from Columbia Baptist Church
Supplies Used: