Several years ago I started an illustrated sermon journal. Drawing during the Sunday sermon initially started on my church bulletins. I can’t really explain it, but images would just pop into my head during the teaching and one day I started drawing them on my notes. I had all these bulletins floating around with bits of words and drawings on them and it bothered me that they were going to get lost. I considered putting them in a binder, but being an artist I decided to start using a sketchbook and a small watercolor set.
There was a bit of apprehension about bringing art supplies to church. A fear of judgment for drawing during the sermon, but I was already doing it on my sermon notes – why would this be any different? Then God gave me peace, “I created you to create, I put that passion in you.” It wasn’t an audible voice, but it sure felt like it.
Each Sunday I would draw the sermon and then add details with watercolors and ink. At the time I would post them on Facebook to share with my friends and family. Others enjoyed them and sometimes saw aspects of the sermon they hadn’t considered before. They encouraged me to keep posting them. Not only was this helping me to focus each Sunday, but it was blessing others and that brought me great joy.
Then one day my daughter and I were browsing the journals in a local book store and I came across a journaling Bible with extra wide margins and coloring pages. I later received a creative Bible as a gift and began taking it to church along with some colored pencils.
Sometimes I color the printed illustrations and other times I draw what I see, like I did in my sermon sketchbook. I know there will always be those who don’t understand or maybe disapprove of coloring in the Bible, but for me it is a form of worship, a source of reflection, and an act of gratitude for the talent God has blessed me with. Some people take detailed notes, I color in my Bible.
