This past year has been hard for me spiritually and creatively. Although my family has been faring well with jobs and health, the upheaval, stress and uncertainty has drained my creative juices. I lack inspiration to produce art, but I have been spending more time reading my Bible and scripture writing.
Scripture writing is something I have done from time to time over the years, and it is simply copying scripture into a notebook, either randomly or following some kind of plan. There was a time when I copied one chapter from Proverbs a day – there are 31 chapters in Proverbs which fits perfectly into a month! I have written through Psalms a couple of times. Lately I’ve been writing one verse a day in my Bullet Journal, following a scripture writing plan from The Ruffled Mango. Having to slow down and read through a verse or passage over again as I copy word for word helps me to meditate on what God is saying to me through his word.
Another thing I have tried recently is “sketch notes”. I am reading through the Book of Daniel right now and taking notes as I go. After each chapter I transcribe my notes into a different notebook as sketch notes – using different lettering styles and illustrations. These notes and sketches provide a summary of the chapter and any comparisons or observations I have made. As with scripture writing, it causes me to reflect on the meaning of the words and how it applies to my life. I have only done a few pages so far, but it is also watering my creativity, which I hope will produce new growth and lead to more productivity at my art table.
