Illustrated Faith | Free to Flourish | Day 1 Free from Fear * apileofAshes

Day 1 of Free to Flourish

I have been reading the bible chronologically with @asetofbibles and #Biblesisterhood and this entry was perfect to #journaltheyear17 . I have also been behind! Did you know that reading the entire bible in one year isn’t the easiest thing to do. It is totally worth it, but it NOT EASY! So I’m behind… but I’m still reading! (You can find the reading plan about #journaltheyear17 here)

When I got the New Illustrated Faith kit Free to Flourish and opened it up and saw that Exodus 14:1-31 was the passage I quickly made it a goal to finish my reading BEFORE I journaled this page. So that’s what I did! I was on Exodus 8 so I wasn’t too far behind!

I have been wanting to journal a wave in my bible since last year with the lyrics from this song “No Longer a Slave” by Bethel Music. Ironically I’ve been “scared” to journal it. Now that completely seems silly typing it and reading it back but it’s true. What was I afraid of actually? I’m still not sure. It’s funny how satan seems to approach in on our most tiniest of thoughts.

Recently Shanna and Ann Marie journaled waves and I thought to myself why are you waiting, it’s just paint and paper. In my mind it was almost like the water was going to drown me if I dare attempt to display it… once again craziness! I understand how crazy this sounds. It’s just paper and paint!

But this bible journaling is so much more than paint and paper.

And as reflected on what the Israelites said and did & when I read Bekah’s words in the devotional I had clarity on my situation. Their deliverance that they so desperately desired, was woven into the wilderness adventure. I feel like I’m on a wilderness adventure these days. I’m not myself, I say and do things that are unlike my character, you could say I’m “bewildered by the land” but I’m slowly finding myself again. I’m seeking His word. I’m trying to not let my circumstances cloud my vision. I’m trying to let go of my fear that I’m holding on tight too because I can’t follow His leading and hold His hand through the adventure when I’m holding tightly to fear and doubt.

Verse 13 & 14 Moses says “Do not be afraid. Stand still… The Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace.” This comes right before God parts the sea and asks His people to walk through it.

I don’t know what you are going through in life, but remember that the God the Splits the sea so His people could walk right through it … is OUR GOD!

Livy asked me if this dots were my finger prints… it amazes me something the heart and detail of me I put into my bible journaling that I don’t think anyone would ever notice and God has people point it out to me. Y’all He loves us, He sees us, and He talks to us all of the time in such special ways if we listen for Him.

This layout I used watercolors to lay down the foundation of colors. I added dots of paint and crosses with watercolor. Once dry I put stripes of washi around the wave. then I layered acrylic paint with my finger tips on top of the waves and washi. I torn off all the pink hearts on the washi to lay it down as the “red” part of the sea. And I used IF pen .25 to do the handlettering.

Supplies used in this layout (affiliate links):