Category: Bible Journaling

by Kim Adetunji, Bible Brand Manager

You, of course! Your time, your smile, your kindness, a note, a call—or in some circumstances, your apology or forgiveness. That’s probably the absolute best gift you could give this Mother’s Day!

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for a meaningful gift to give Mom—so we pulled together a list for you:

5 Reasons a Bible Is the (Second) Greatest Gift for Mom on Mother’s Day

#1: Your Mom deserves the very BEST, and what gift could be better than the living and powerful Word of God? (Plus, there are so many options to choose from that you are bound to find one that she’ll love!)

#2: What other gift—besides prayer, maybe—connects Mom so directly to God than the Bible? When Mom (or you or I) reads through the Bible, God speaks to her (and us)!

#3: It will be a gift your Mom will cherish for a very, very long time—and not just because it’s from you (which is a really huge reason!), but also because being a student of the Word and growing in knowledge of God and his plan for us is a life-long journey. We will never fully mine the riches and depths of this treasure house that is the Bible.

#4: No matter where your Mom is (or isn’t) on her spiritual journey, a new (or first!) Bible could be the fresh inspiration she needs to make spending daily time with God a (new or renewed) priority in her life.

#5: As Mom reads her Bible and reflects on its truths, the more she will become transformed into Christlikeness. The Bible promises us that time spent in God’s Word will never return void! (We saved the very best reason for last!)

Inspire Mom This Mother’s Day!

The #1–selling Inspire Bible line is available in 6 unique editions (pictured above, from left):

Inspire Bible for Girls

Includes 500+ illustrations to color, 300+ devotional readings and prayers, 160+ journaling prompts, fun facts, a beautiful two-color interior & so much more!

Inspire PRAISE Bible

Over 500 all-new Scripture line-art illustrations to color, wide margins for journaling, plus 32 beautiful full-color vellum pages (pictured below). It’s the only Bible with vellum pages! Now available in large print.

Inspire: Proverbs

A square-trimmed, coloring-book-style complete book of Proverbs that is beautifully designed with line-art illustrations to color and extra-wide margins for journaling. Printed on thick art paper.

Inspire: Psalms

A square-trimmed, coloring-book-style complete book of Psalms that is beautifully designed with line-art illustrations to color and extra-wide margins for journaling. Printed on thick art paper.

Inspire Bible (the original)

Over 400 Scripture line-art illustrations to color, plus wide margins for journaling. Available in full-size and large-print editions.

Inspire Catholic Bible NEW!

Our latest addition to the line, the beautiful rose gold Inspire Catholic Bible has over 450 Scripture line-art illustrations to color, plus wide margins for journaling.

Inspire has drawn people of all ages and stages of faith deeper into God’s Word.

Let the Word of God Inspire You.™

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. – 2 Timothy 3:16, NLT

by Carolyn Larsen, taken from the Inspire for Girls Bible

“If wicked people turn away from all their sins and begin to obey my decrees and do what is just and right, they will surely live and not die.” Ezekiel 18:21, NLT

So who’s wicked? You are. What? Scripture tells us that all people are wicked. We are all sinners, so you are also a sinner. That means that you are prone to disobey and disappoint God, even if you don’t mean to or want to.

But there is hope. When you talk to God, admit your sins and tell him you are sorry. He grants forgiveness and second chances to those who sincerely believe and are sorry.

Don’t give up hope for your own redemption from God just because you mess up big time. When you recognize your need for forgiveness and ask God, he will forgive you. Don’t get so filled up with pride that you don’t think you need God’s forgiveness. Be honest with God and yourself. Admit that you mess up. Admit that you need his forgiveness. Ask God to forgive you and to help you do better. He promises to forgive you and to help you learn to obey him.

Dear God, I need your help. I can’t obey your commands without your strength and help in my life. Please help me. I want to obey you! In Jesus’ name, Amen

Learn more about the Inspire for Girls Bible

Caroline is our youngest Inspire Bible TOUR host yet! Amber Bolton told us it was wonderful to work with Caroline and to see the passion she put into it.

Hi! My name is Caroline Fisher. I am 15 years old and am a sophomore in high school. Of course, homework and chores occupy a lot of my time. However, when I’m not doing these, I enjoy yoga, reading, photography, art, hanging out with my friends, and of course, Bible journaling! I am left-handed, which some people say adds to my creative spirit. I am extraordinarily blessed with an incredible family, including two adorable kittens, and I am very involved in my school and church. I am a part of Team LEAD, a mentoring program for middle schoolers. I am also in Concert Choir, Spanish Club, and Educational Helpers, and I am usually a part of the dance team but recently had to take a season off. And I actually have a job at my church! I am the Sunday School Assistant each Sunday, helping out with children’s Sunday School. I love kids, so this job suits me perfectly. Every Sunday is an adventure that I so look forward to. I also go to youth group, which meets every Wednesday night. Before youth group, we usually go to a coffee shop—we’re all very close friends!

I have attended church my entire life. Currently, I attend Valparaiso First United Methodist Church. I have attended this church since I moved to Valparaiso nearly fourteen years ago. My church is truly a wonderful place and I am so lucky to have it. Being in high school, my faith is constantly challenged. Most of my peers are pretty accepting, but it can be tough when less than 10 percent of the student body regularly attends church. With this challenge, though, my faith has grown much stronger. When you’re part of a minority, it can be easier to grow your faith more securely because it’s something unique to you, making it more fun and inviting to explore. One of my many life verses is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

I have been Bible journaling for almost seven months now. I am so glad that I have discovered and expanded on this creative outlet. My favorite part about it is decorating the page and being able to really connect with Scripture. Journaling helps the verse(s) to really sink in and helps me to truly believe the Scriptures. I first found out about the Inspire Bible TOUR after stumbling across Amber Bolton on Instagram. As I fell in love with her work, I began to explore workshops and hoped that one would show up near me. After months of wishing, I decided to make my dream a reality. Hosting a workshop had never occurred to me before, but I realized that there was nothing really stopping it from happening. My highlight from hosting the workshop was probably seeing all the smiling, excited faces ready to learn and praise the Lord. I loved seeing how joyous and fulfilled everyone was.

As the host, I organized everything between my church and Amber, found funding, set up decorations, and spoke at the event. There was a lot of work involved, but that’s right up my alley! I absolutely loved hosting. I saw God a lot throughout the weeks leading up to the workshop. One way that he particularly surprised me was with the turnout. Being a relatively small church, I figured we’d be lucky if we had 25 participants, but it ended up being over 50! And there were people from all different walks of faith attending—from those who could memorize the book of Psalms to those who didn’t know what a Bible was! Another thing I did not expect was how quickly the workshop would fly by. I ended up being at my church for over 6 hours that day, but it did not feel over 2! I would say I knew almost half of the people who attended. The community outreach I did was extensive! I designed posters and put them everywhere. And it was great to see so many faces I did not recognize. I was dramatically impacted by hosting the workshop and by attending it. It was so rewarding to be able to put so much effort into preparing and organizing the workshop and then actually get to sit down and attend it as a participant.

The workshop itself was phenomenal. Even as a somewhat “experienced” Bible journaler, I learned so much and absorbed everything Amber had to share. I keep describing that day to people as “life-changing”—and it truly was! It was surprising to discover how much work goes on behind the scenes for an event. Much more work went into the workshop than I ever would’ve fathomed as a participant. It was almost like Christmas: The day was built up, anticipated, and talked about so much, and then it was over in an instant. But God was unquestionably smiling upon the faces of everyone who was at the workshop. We talked, smiled, laughed, prayed, and bonded over the experience.

God certainly used this experience to stretch me. It gave me hope, purpose, and, of course, involvement in a wonderful activity. I’ve grown in my faith through this experience and have found myself closer with God. To those of you scrolling through the TOUR website, deciding if you should pursue this “crazy” idea—do it! I would never hesitate to tell someone to host a workshop. Although it’s hard work the reward is so worth it, much greater. My time in God’s Word has most definitely changed for the better since the workshop. I learned so much and was able to apply it to my journaling. I feel like I am more mindful and aware as I read, and can really take the verses and passages to heart. And my church started a monthly Bible-journaling group! Every second Monday, we spend the afternoon at Starbucks unleashing our creative sides.

I was inspired in so many ways through this workshop. It was truly a transformative experience. I will never forget this life-changing event and will be forever thankful to God for leading me to do this and blessing me with the successes it has brought.

Find out more about the Inspire Bible TOUR

by Kim Adetunji, brand manager

In 2016 Tyndale House Publishers formed a partnership with avid Bible journaler, Amber Bolton (of Instagram’s @biblejournaling). Since then, Amber has traveled across the country offering two-hour-long Inspire Bible TOUR workshops. She also offers frequent Facebook Live Bible studies using her 4-Step Bible Study Process.

Inspire Bible TOUR workshops are booked through Amber at inspirebibletourbooking@gmail.com, and Tyndale helps get the word out. Often, new people are drawn into local churches through these workshops. And Bible-journaling groups are frequently formed out of the workshops, as Amber encourages participants to keep meeting as a community of Bible journalers.

Amber was an early adopter of this practice after discovering it on Pinterest before it became widely known and appreciated. She champions artistic Bible engagement as a beautiful way of worship and of reflecting on God’s Word. As a youth pastor she has a passion to see people reading, digging into, engaging with, and living out God’s Word.

Her introductory workshop offers participants the opportunity to explore God’s Word creatively and to experience a fresh approach to Bible reading. She guides people through hands-on activities to inspire creativity in their daily walk with the Lord. The workshop is designed to focus participants’ hearts on Christ as they learn to color, paint, draw, and letter their way through God’s Word.

Read how Amber inspired 15-year-old Caroline

by Kim Adetunji, brand manager

Did you or someone you know receive a journaling Bible for Christmas? You may be excited to get started but aren’t exactly sure how. Or maybe you are afraid to mess up. Sometimes all the extra space in the wide margins can be intimidating. Where do you start? How will you identify what to journal about? What does a creative response to Scripture even look like? What supplies do you need? There are many great questions that people wrestle with when they are just getting started. But just remember, your Bible is the holy Word of God. And God speaks to you through his Word! Our goal as followers of Jesus is for Scripture to be written on our hearts so that we can live it out in our daily lives. We want to know God and to make him known, and we want to become more like him. Bible journaling can help us do this. Not only does it give us a beautiful, meaningful tool for Bible study; it also gives us a collection of entries that we can look back to time and time again and be reminded of truths from the Bible and of God’s faithfulness.

Our advice for those who are just getting started is: Just get started! Dive in. Do what feels comfortable and natural to you right now. Use supplies you already have. Let God lead you. Instead of buying all the supplies you see others using, be creative about using things around the house. Use a cool Christmas card you received to make an amazing insert, or place a picture of a family member near a Scripture you are praying over them. (Many people tape on such items by using decorative tape called washi tape, but any kind of tape works great!)

Your Bible journaling doesn’t need to be anything extravagant to be meaningful. This is your Bible. This is your time with God. Let God lead you, and don’t let your fears or questions (whatever they may be!) hold you back from jumping in. No matter what your finished page looks like, what is of utmost importance is being in the Word. Soak it in. Meditate on it. Live it out. Bible journaling is a mechanism by which we can draw nearer to God through his Word and through using our God-given creativity. We all have creativity, but it’s often expressed very differently by each of us. Don’t let all the glitz and glitter of supplies and techniques distract you from the One who is pursuing you!

If you are looking for more Bible-journaling resources, check out this 15-minute video by Amber Bolton. In it, Amber gives you a small taste of her two-hour-long workshops. You’ll learn about her 4-Step Bible Study Process and find encouragement to get started. The video is a study of 1 John 4:7-21. Get out your Bible and let’s get started!

In this video, Amber is using the Inspire PRAISE Bible. Inspire PRAISE is the second Bible in the bestselling Inspire Bible line, with over 500 all-new line-art illustrations to color, including full-page illustrations. It has some special features that the original Inspire Bible did not have, such as thicker white paper, colorful vellum see-through journaling page inserts, stickers, and even a pocket in the back. There is a large-print edition now available as well, though it does not include the stickers or the pocket.

If you are ever able to attend one of Amber Bolton’s Inspire Bible TOUR workshops, we would encourage you to go! Or if you would be interested in hosting an event in your community, contact us. Workshops are for people of all ages and stages of faith. They are for those who have never Bible journaled before and for those who are experienced Bible journalers. Each workshop is unique because of the diverse mix of people that attend, and it’s a fun way to meet others from your community who are interested in Bible journaling. You’ll likely come away feeling inspired and blessed to be a part of the community of believers seeking to know God more through this creative avenue.

Want to know more about Amber Bolton?

Interested in more information about the Inspire Bible TOUR?

by Kim Adetunji, brand manager

As the year winds down and a new year is on the horizon, many people begin reflecting on the previous year and making plans for the new one. Our thoughts may return to the highlights and lowlights of the year we are in as well as remembering God’s faithfulness and the lessons we learned. We then turn to our goals and aspirations for the new year, the things we want to get right this year and the things we want to keep—or start—doing. The new year holds so much hope and promise, especially when the current year has been a difficult one. It’s a brand new beginning—365 days to pursue God, become more like Christ, rest in his presence, listen for his voice, and follow where he leads. It’s exciting to think of the possibilities that lie ahead.

Will the new year hold new friendships, a new job, or new opportunities? Will we finally reach that goal we’ve been striving for? Will our long-time prayers for a spouse or healing or a mended relationship or a different heartache finally be answered? Will our trust in God grow deeper than we ever thought possible? Will our hard hearts soften? Will we experience joy once again? Will we finally be able to put aside that fear, anger, resentment, disbelief, or “you name it” that is holding us back from trusting God fully? Will we surrender new areas of our lives to God? In what ways will God stretch us beyond what we think we are capable of? Will we sense God’s deep, unconditional love anew? Who will we share the Good News with this year?

We may even think about new ways we’d like to grow spiritually, whether it’s growing more patient with our spouse or kids or letting the peace of Christ rule more fully in our hearts. How could we move toward God’s plan for us rather than shrinking away from where we hear God calling us to. What are new ways to step out into obedience this year? How can we slow down our schedule just a little bit more to create space to listen for God’s gentle whisper? What truths from Scripture have I dismissed? How can I give God my very best each day? Do I dedicate enough of my day to those things that draw me closer to God and allow me to hear his voice? Am I following through on God’s promptings? Am I open to allowing God to challenge me in a new area?

Do you plan to track your prayers in the new year? the ways you intentionally follow God’s lead? your service projects and how God expands your heart through those experiences? the ways you’ve seen God’s faithfulness in your life? answered prayers? words from him? verses you’ve memorized? There are so many unique ways to track our spiritual growth and keep focused on our goal to pursue and honor God. Each of us is unique, and there is no one right way to do it. If you’re like me, you may be constantly seeking new ways to become more efficient with recording and tracking everything that is meaningful—all in one place.

As the new year approaches, you may search for a new journal, notebook, daily planner, or app to help you organize your year and capture all the memories, highlights, and learnings. Journaling Bibles are a great way to capture all that God is doing in your life in one place. There are two One Year Bible journaling editions—Expressions and Reflections—that give you a daily reading plus space in the wide margins alongside each day’s reading to reflect on the passage you’ve read, write notes or journal entries, keep track of highlights from your day, or archive mementos or pictures. It’s a very practical way to document God-sightings in your life while being intentional about reading God’s Word daily.

Many people have been doing this, where their Bible becomes a treasured keepsake with 365 days’ worth of investment in knowing and following God, including observations from his Word and practical applications. The One Year Bible readings offer a portion from the Old Testament, the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs for each day. It is organized so you’ll finish the Bible in one year with the investment of just 15 minutes a day. At the end of the year, you will have an incredible collection of highlights, milestones, and so much more to look back on in your Bible as you look toward the new year.

Check out the One Year Expressions Bibles

Check out the One Year Chronological Expressions Bibles

Check out the One Year Reflections Bibles

A recent popular trend is ancestry kits. People want to know their heritage—where they came from and who they are. Throughout the Bible we see the importance of lineage. Slugging through those difficult names can seem like a burden, but the point is that each of those names has a story. It is a lineage of choices, mistakes, triumphs, joys, and sorrows.

Through Christ we are part of God’s lineage of grace. We can pass on more than just DNA to the next generation. We can leave a legacy of faith. That’s what our friend Hank is doing.

Each year he chooses a different family member and reads through a One Year Bible, making specific notes and sharing personal insights that he felt God calling him to share with that loved one. Is there a more beautiful gift than a legacy of faith and love?

“For 19 years I read a One Year Bible, and each year I dedicated it to a family member to be given to them when I die. The notes in the margin were personal, such as ‘This is my prayer for you.’ I’ve underlined,circled, and highlighted many passages, letting them know what inspires me. It is my legacy to them.” – Hank Snyder

What notes, reflections, inspirations, and prayers would you share with your loved one? What has helped guide you through God’s Word?

Look inside the OneYear Reflections Bible

by Kim Adetunji, Tyndale Bible Brand Manager

As the Brand Manager of Tyndale’s New Living Translation journaling Bibles, I’ve had the immense joy of hearing firsthand how God has been moving in people’s lives through Bible journaling over the years. It has brought so much hope and peace and healing and conviction and encouragement and truth to so many—it has even drawn those who were far from God close to him. It has been so rewarding to see how Bible journaling has increased people’s engagement with God’s Word and has gotten people through bouts of depression, grief, hopelessness, and trials. It offers a whole new way to approach Bible study and interact with Scripture beyond note-taking, highlighting, or traditional journaling.

Many of us are drawn to Bible journaling because it appeals to our God-given creativity. And yes—we all are creative! Just ask any kid if they are creative. They don’t say, “Well, Suzy is more creative than I am, so I must not be” or “Bobby’s art looks nicer than mine, so I’m not really creative.” They simply say YES! Our social sharing of Bible journaling pages is great on so many levels, and it brings so much encouragement to others. But sometimes we can allow an underlying sense of unworthiness or dissatisfaction of our own creativity to settle in and discourage us from continuing. We can start thinking that our worship is inferior to others’ or that we aren’t worthy to worship God through our creativity. The truth is: God is glorified through your act of worship—no matter the skill or the lack thereof! God doesn’t operate the way we do. If he did, my singing during worship would be absolutely unacceptable to him. I connect with God best when I worship him through song—but that doesn’t mean I’m great at it. Believe me, I’m no Lauren Daigle. But God accepts—and loves—my worship. I know it sounds simple, but it is important to recognize this so negative thoughts don’t trickle in and hinder your ability to connect with God through Bible journaling. The tendency is to criticize ourselves or to stop doing something that brings us immense joy and connection to God because we don’t feel good enough. Let’s make a pact to stop seeking perfection and comparison and to allow our thoughts be focused on seeking God alone!

Bible journaling—and coloring Bibles—have been a popular way to study and interact with God’s Word in recent years, but more and more people are discovering it even today! In fact, Amber Bolton of Tyndale’s nationwide Inspire Bible TOUR just led a workshop in Indiana last weekend where she discovered that only 5 of the 50 workshop participants had tried Bible journaling before!

Here are some of their comments about how they felt inspired after the workshop:

• I am inspired to spend more “worship” time by being creative in my Bible.
• A new and creative way to worship him and be in the Word.
• Excited because the journaling really helps me get the Word in my mind and stay there.
• I am inspired to reflect more deeply on the Word of God.
• I never thought God wanted my artwork like I would want a child’s for my fridge. Never have I thought of mine as worthy. Thank you!
• I was inspired to reach out and build my relationship with God in a totally new and different way!
• The importance of thoughtfulness regarding the Scripture—how to process, to see the Scripture, importance of responding.
• The beauty of God’s Word comes to life as we pray, read, ask, and trust in him.
• I’m creative even though I thought I wasn’t! God made me special!
• This will help me dive deep into the Bible more often. This is a fun way to stay connected with God.
• I was inspired to become more religious through Bible journaling because I am not a religious person.
• I am inspired to see how God’s Word evolves through me as I share this process with my kids, husband, and friends.
• I’m inspired to share this with a friend who is going through breast cancer so she can journal and use it to hear what God is saying through Scripture.
• I am inspired to think through colors, a word, and image around a biblical text.
• I am inspired by everyone’s eagerness to Bible journal!
• It helped me to focus and connect with God better—to see him more clearly and to see how he relates to my life.
• I’m inspired by the way that I was able to lead others to God by hosting this workshop.
• Teach my daughters and friends to sit, slow down, and soak joyfully in the loving peace of God through color.
• I was inspired by learning how to apply Scripture to me personally writing and combining Scriptures to speak to me in a personal way.
• I was inspired by witnessing how God has led my new friend and me into a life of peace.
• I was inspired by God reminding me to be still!
• I was inspired by the 4-step process to help me remember to keep my focus on God when Bible journaling. Inspired to think outside the box.
• Inspired to do the journaling process—get comfortable with it, go in depth, and remember the insights.

It’s incredible to read through those comments, isn’t it? I love getting a glimpse into some of the ways God is moving in lives through Bible journaling. It’s fun to be a part of a community of people inspired to creative engagement with God’s Word. The reality is that when we are reading and engaging with the Bible, God can work in our hearts and prompt us to action, lead us, correct us, and move us toward fuller trust and obedience to him—and so much more! Let’s keep on reading, reflecting on, studying, applying, scribbling on, doodling in, highlighting, painting, washi-taping, tabbing, and expressing our worship creatively in our Bibles. To God be the glory!

This week Tyndale released the latest in the bestselling Inspire line of Bibles, the Inspire Catholic Bible! It is filled with art to color and wide margins for journaling and has all of the beloved features from the original Inspire.

Next month, the long-awaited Inspire PRAISE Bible Large Print edition will release—just in time for Christmas! It is filled with over 450 all-new line-art illustrations to color, large readable text, extra-wide margins for journaling, plus the one-of-a-kind beautiful full-color vellum journaling pages everybody loves from the full-size edition!

We all want to hide Scripture in our hearts, and sometimes interacting creatively with it can help us better remember what God is teaching us. We invite you to try it!

Find the Inspire Bible that is right for you or for a loved one.

by Kim Adetunji, Tyndale Bibles Brand Manager

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Or at least a little. We’ve already had our first snowfall in Chicago, and with mixed emotions, have begun bracing ourselves for the wintery season ahead. Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner, and the holiday season is upon us. Soon we will gather with friends and family to celebrate our gratefulness to God for the blessings in our lives—both grand and small. Then next month loved ones will gather again to celebrate the joy of Christ’s birth, and a week after that we will celebrate the closing of one calendar year and the promise and hope of the new one. It is indeed a wonderful time of the year.

And yet, along with all of the blessings and joy and celebration, many of us are also harboring heartache deep within. We may be going through a very difficult season of life or have recently lost a loved one. It could be that our circumstances aren’t what we’d hoped they would be. Or maybe we are suffering from debilitating depression. Perhaps a relationship desperately needs mending or one has just been painfully severed. These—and so many other heartaches—leave a gap in our hearts, and the ache is palpable.

Yet there is hope in the midst of our heartache. Our hope comes from a powerful God who not only created us but who knows us intimately. He is present with us. He is our comforter. He loves us perfectly. We never have to doubt God’s sovereignty or whether he is in control or if he is good. He is. And he will sustain us through whatever we face.

Over the holidays, there seems to be a keener awareness of the loss, hardships, grief, health battles, financial difficulties, troubled relationships, and other heartaches in our lives. We often long for simpler times—before these difficult realities entered the scene. As we enter into a season of reflection, this can draw a myriad of emotions to the surface. No matter what happened in the previous year or what lies ahead in 2019, each new day is an opportunity for us to put our trust ever more fully in God.

We can choose to embrace all that God has for us in this very moment. It’s certainly a choice. We could harbor resentment or anger in our hearts, or we could stubbornly refuse to turn to God through it, or we could try to numb it with our favorite “numbing” mechanism. It would be a whole lot easier to suppress it, at least in the short term. But why? God is trustworthy. We can open our hearts fully to him and offer him our pain, unknowns, uncertainty, loss, and troubles—all while recognizing the gifts and blessings and favor he has bestowed upon us. We can live in those two realities—joy and heartache—simultaneously. We may not know what tomorrow holds, and we often can’t see the purpose in the pain, but when we hang on to the truth that hope is not lost—that it is real, and present, and available—despite even the worst of circumstances, we can rest in that assurance.

Though the ache may linger, hope is an anchor. We can let hope be the strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, as Scripture says. It’s not just lip service. It’s the Word of God. Our loving father in heaven knows our hearts—all the valor and all the murkiness that lurks within. He sees each tear that falls, and he hears our deepest heart’s cry even when it is unspoken. Trust him in the midst of whatever storm you are being thrown about in. Draw on the eternal hope that surpasses all understanding.

“Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 6:18-20).

Let that sink in: This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. An anchor that holds strong through the storm that rages. An anchor that steadies. May you weather the wintery days of your soul with as much beauty and hope and joy and trust as you have on the summery blue skies days of your soul.

Your Bible is already the place you turn to daily for a word from God. Why not record all that you are learning and how you are growing or being challenged or are seeing God’s love and faithfulness in your life in your Bible? You read it consistently—or you strive to—and what better place to capture your faith journey than in a soon-to-be-cherished legacy Bible. If you’re looking for something new to refresh your Bible-reading in 2019, consider getting a New Living Translation journaling Bible.

God calls us to humble ourselves before Him and this includes when we come to Him in prayer. Read from the Thrive Journaling Devotional Bible for Women about finding the courage to humble ourselves and pray.

“Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Love Letter from God

Beloved Daughter,

You are My child, and I love to answer you. There is great power in humility and prayer. Real change starts in your heart, permeates your home, and then echoes throughout the world. You have the ability to lift up anything in prayer, and I will hear you. You also have the gift of repentance, and in one prayer you can make yourself right with Me. I will forgive you, and that blessing will affect not only you but also the people around you. Don’t ever give in to hopelessness or sin. I have given you the power to live above such things. Walk with Me, bring everything to Me in prayer, and watch My mighty hand move in your life.

Love,

Your heavenly Father

Reflection

We tend to blame everything and everyone in this world for the condition that we are in, but our first response must be instead to humble ourselves and pray. According to God’s promise, He will then heal the land in which His children live, starting with their own hearts.

Treasure of Truth

Our humility and prayer invite God’s forgiveness and restoration.

Look inside the Thrive Bible