Reflect Sunday | Hope

Happy Sunday, I hope you are enjoying a day of relaxing and enjoying your family. I have to tell you photographing what I am doing on Sunday's is getting harder and harder as the days get shorter around here. I like to shoot in natural light and that is all but impossible these days, so with that being said I will share my entry later this week.

HOPE IS HERE

Verses: Psalms 3:2-6 | Mark 4: 30-34 | Job 17:15 | Proverbs 13:12 | Provers 23:18 | 1 Peter 1: 3-6

go.be.inspired.

Shanna

Reflect Sunday | Finding Joy in Parenting with Purpose

This Sunday is a bit different for me, and I wanted to share that with you. Normally when we sit down in church our pastor says "pull out your bibles" and we hear a very biblically based sermon. This Sunday instead of saying "pull out your bibles" he said please welcome my wife and they sat down and shared with us a very practical way (also biblically based) way that they went about parenting. It was so nice to hear them be human, share struggles, explain triumphs and share that with  us. As a parent of two girls, one heading into her teens and another looking to be every single day for guidance I found the sermon to be a breath of fresh air. I felt recharged like I (we.... but Jonathan was teaching Sunday school so I will have him listen to the sermon online) can do this, here are the tools and now I have a game plan.

Without even realizing it I was listening to a podcast from Saddleback church while I did some house chores today and guess what the topic was? You guessed it.. parenting! Imagine that! Have you ever had that happen in your life where all the messages are leading to one topic? I love it when God so clearly speaks into my life, you can't help but just sit and listen!!

For my bible entry I decided to sort of combine the two messages and take the topics from each message that I felt really spoke to what I needed to hear in this time.

Verses | I read through post of Deuteronomy 6 when reflecting in my bible. 

Supplies | ESV Journaling Bible | Journaling Pen | Head in the Clouds Stamp 

I want to take a moment and apologize for not apologizing for using an iPhone photo today. The truth is I took the photos on my regular camera and had a longer blog post planned out for you today but I have to say more important things came up! Like walks to the park with my family at sunset, and a fire on the back deck with my husband. Sorry not sorry!!! Love you guys and I know you understand... okay on with my post!!....

There were many more points pointed out between the two sermons but I took the ones that I really felt I wanted to work on and knew my family would benefit from me putting pen to paper. I have to be honest and say the one that I was like YIKES!!!!!!! Was "MIND YOUR OWN REACTION" I can get so emotional when it comes to my kids and they can feed off that. I need to really pray in the moment when things are happening and be a bit calmer (if my husband is reading this I am sure he is yelling at the computer!!!!

I am curious if you listen to the two sermons (the one at redwood won't be available for a couple days) what you take from it and what you decide to put to paper. Please take a moment to share, I would love to hear!!!

go.be.inspired.

Shanna

Reflect Sunday | Celebrate God's Promise

Happy Sunday! A lot of you asked for more process videos and so here you are!!!! I hope you enjoy!!


  Reflect Sunday | Celebrating God's Promise from shanna noel on Vimeo.

Supplies| Celebrate Stamp | Versafine Ink | Acrylic Block | Journaling Pen | Mister Huey | October Afternoon Alpha | Studio Calico Alpha | Heidi Swap Banner | ESV Journaling Bible |

Verse: Psalm 51:12

This week we are focusing on the phrase: "Celebrate Always, God's Promise of Restoration under a Banner of Grace" I took this from a sermon Pastor Chris taught this morning at my home church, Redwood Covenant Church.  I loved this statement because RIGHT away you see this beautiful banner of grace in your head. I thought it was important to document that in my journaling bible. This week as we walk through our everyday life let's not forget to CELEBRATE what God has promised us, just imagine this BANNER of grace over your head and think of the RESTORATION he has promised us. I pray that you find peace in this statement as I have and have a blessed week.

go.be.inspired.

Shanna



P.S. If you haven't already signed up for our newsletter make sure to do to be the FIRST to know what's next for illustrated faith! THANK YOU for your support! xox 

Reflect Sunday | A Thankful Heart

 It's Sunday! I hope you are having a day filled with beautiful little moments (and maybe an afternoon nap!). This morning I woke up in a hotel room with my youngest daughter Addison as we are in the middle of a girls trip! I LOVE one on one time with my girls, I think it is so important to really take the time with the special people in your life.

One of the things I love the most about this journaling bible process is that it is so easy when you are on the go! Just pack up your bible, your favorite journaling pen, a couple alpha stickers,  some watercolors and your favorite stamps and you are ready to go! You could create for days with a handful of supplies.    And even though there is so much gained by attending a church, sitting on the ground next to the huge window in our hotel room, with my little one snuggled up in her blanket playing with her penguin and me with my bible... there was really no other place I would have rather been this morning.

gratitude documented stamp set

When Studio Calico asked me to design a stamp set for my next class - gratitude documented, I was keeping in mind how I might use this set with my bible, because lets face it, PERFECT MATCH! So for the next 6 weeks we will be focusing on an attitude of gratitude. In today's society it is so easy to think we need more, or our friend has this wonderful life and we are over here not living up to their standards. My friends, God doesn't call us to live up to their standards, but his. He has given us exactly what we need. That isn't to say that we can sit back and allow God to do the work, but we do need to be thankful for what we are given.

In my class we will be diving deeper into the idea of gratitude (so if you want a more in depth look please join us) but I wanted to share some samples of how we might do that here as well.

Supplies | journaling pen | thankful stamps | watercolors | date stamp | bible | thankful cards | 

This week I decided to focus on 1 Thessalonians 5:18 which reads, "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Chris Jesus for you".  I love that is says "in all circumstances' it doesn't say when you get the "right" job or meet Mr. Right, is says in ALL circumstances. Which lead me to want to create a space where I can really see how my gratitude evolves by leaving room to document that gratitude in the coming years. So imagine my surprise when I opened my bible this morning to see this lovely 1/2 page of space to work with (since it was at the end of 1 Thessalonians). So if you are working in the same ESV journaling bible you will find that space as well, but if you are working in a difference format this is still do-able! Just take the column you normally journal in and create a space that you can document a couple sentiments for 2014-2016 (or longer if you wish). 

So what do you say, will you join me in documented your gratitude in this very important season of your life? Let's celebrate the little things while focusing on the word together. 

go.be.inspired. 

Shanna

Reflect Sunday | Glorify God By Sharing your Authentic Struggles

I thought it would be fun to do a video this Sunday so you would see my process from start to finish. I hope you enjoy and just ignore the part at the end where I imitate God, sometimes I get a little wacky when I create! LOL



Illustrated Faith | Glorify God from shanna noel on Vimeo. Supplies | alpha stamps | versamark ink | journaling pen | bible | 
For those looking for a different version of the bible here are a couple people are loving!!! King James Version | Leather Bound | Single Column | NIV Note-taker's |  If you decide to use this prompt in in your bible this week I would love to see it! Leave a comment in the post and I will leave you some love! Make sure to use #illustratedfaith on instagram so I can find you!

go.be.inspired

Shanna

Reflect Sunday | Illustrated Faith

Good morning. I might be a bit long winded this morning so grab a cup of coffee and sit with me. Can I just be totally open and honest with you? You guys BLOW my mind. The faith radiating from this group astounds me. I have been at a conference this weekend called the Influence Conference, and it is a Christian conference that focuses on how we are using our influence in our online communities and I have to tell you, so many people came up to be and talked to me about the WORK you guys are doing in here. Tina came up to me and shared with me how this is changing her walk with God, and her husband's thoughts on it, I really could not have said it better so I wanted to share a blurb from his blog

"When a translator converts the Bible into a new language, it opens the Bible to a new group of people and that’s amazing. There are very few Christ followers who would complain about that because it expands the influence of Christianity.

Have you ever thought that a translation isn’t the only way to expand the influence of God’s Word? There are so many more ways to expand the influence of God’s Word using creativity."

I keep going back and reading it over and over again because it is exactly how I feel and he said it so beautifully! Thank you for sharing that with me Tina!

My thoughts and prayers were with this group all weekend. One thing that really sat on my heart was that GOD wants us SIMPLY as we are. He doesn't need us to make things PRETTY or wait to start until we have mastered hand lettering, or until the perfect stamp comes. He wants you to come ALIVE TODAY. Don't wait to be "pretty" for God, he wants us right where are at, HOT MESS and all. If you feel like this process is pulling you closer to the word and your relationship with God just DIVE in, don't wait. There was a time that I would not have even brought my bible with me, but during this trip I couldn't get to my bible QUICK enough! That has never happened before... EVER and I don't think God was thinking "oh my that washi really wasn't what I was going for" . ... your love letter to God is beautiful just the way it is.

With all that being said I needed to ask myself what I was holding back until it was "pretty enough" "good enough" "ready" and so I wanted to share that with you today. I am starting a website dedicated to this, so we can all have a central place use as a resource. It is still in the baby stage but why am I holding this back from you when you guys are my partners in all this, and can lift it up in prayer. I am sure you have seen me tagging things with ‪#‎illustratedfaith‬ and now you know why!

So this Sunday I want us to just peel back what we are HOLDING back. Let's share our authentic place, put it out there! Get vulnerable, get honest, get WEIRD! Wherever you are with God TODAY is exactly the place to start! Trust HIM, go with HIM, BE with HIM. The dreams you have for yourself have no comparison to what he has in store for you so let it go to HIM!

Love you guys and thank you for all you do! xox

Verses: Ephesians 2:4-5: 1 Peter 5:6-7: Psalm 86:15

go.be.inspired.

Shanna

Reflect Sunday | Joy Ride

Another beautiful week ahead of us and I wanted to just encourage all of you to take a moment and find the joy!!! I love every single moment of this video and it reminds me so much of my husband, he has always been a great reminder to FIND the JOY!!!

Some verses that come to mind:

Ecclesiastes 9:7

Romans 15:13

Philemon 1:7

John 16:22

Psalm 30:5

1 Kings 1:40 NIV

And a couple themes:

Joy 

Rejoice

Peace 

Happiness 

Enjoying the MOMENT!!! 

If you decide to use this as a prompt in your journaling bible I would love for you to share here or in our facebook group! It is always amazing to see where people take it, and where it meets them in their life! Have a WONDERFUL week and I will see you soon! xox

go.be.inspired. 

Shanna

Reflect Sunday | 9.7.14

Happy Sunday! I loved seeing everyone's reflections from last week's prompt in our facebook group  and I can't wait to see what you come up with. I am sure many of you have seen this video but I can't watch it without tearing up. There are a couple verses that come to mind when thinking about the message in this video: Genesis 2:7; Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 18:1-6, John 12:23-32; Romans 9:20-26; 2 Corinthians 4:7-10; 2 Timothy 2:19-2; Galatians 5:1- and a couple themes I get from this video (but it may speak differently to you!) freedom ; love ; forgiveness ; grace  ‪#‎reflectSUNDAY ‬‪#‎journalingbible‬ ‪#‎illustratedfaith‬

For those of you who have more questions about art journaling in your bible check out my other posts here. If you decide to take part in this week's reflection I would love to see your work either linked here  , on our facebook group or on instagram using hashtag #reflectSUNDAY #journlaingbible  or #illustratedfaith. Thank you so much and I hope you have an inspired day!!!  go.be.inspired. Shanna

Reflect Sunday | 8.31.14

Our journaling bible group on facebook as been wanting a verse, thought, prayer, parable we could all reflect on throughout the week. It will be fun to see where everyone lands on it! If you would like to see where this is taken or join in, we would love to have you! 

go.be.inspired.

Shanna