Have you ever heard of Bible Journaling? I would often see it on social media, usually in the posts of my friends from other Christian denominations. I thought it looked like a worthwhile thing to do, because their posts were so inspiring. So when I learned that the next J.E.W.E.L.S. Feast Valle Verde gathering would be a Catholic Bible Journaling workshop, I jumped at the chance to attend it. And I am so glad that I did!
The workshop was facilitated by Tita Ditas Español (pictured below) and Ate Fides Reyes, our sisters from Feast Ortigas, which is where J.E.W.E.L.S. originally started. (By the way, for those who don’t know, J.E.W.E.L.S. stands for Jesus in Every Woman Empowered to Love and Serve.)
God used them both to teach, inspire, and refresh all of us at the workshop in a special way. They shared their own Bible Journaling experiences with us, and gave us practical tips on how to get started with our own Catholic Bible Journaling journey.
One of the things that stood out was the W.R.A.P. method:
W stands for the Word of God.
Read the Bible and reflect on the verses.
The Word of God was written for YOU and for me! 🙂
R stands for Reflect.
Reflect and write down the verse or verses that struck you. Ask yourself: What is God trying to tell you with the verse? What does the verse tell you about God? What does it tell you about how God wants you to live your life?
A stands for Action.
The Word of God will not be effective if we don’t take action. Once we have reflected on God’s message for us, we must commit to His one big message for us. This is where we draw, write, trace or doodle whatever represents that message or course of action we are willing to take.
(We workshop participants had so much fun doing this part, especially because Tita Ditas and Ate Fides had brought so many journaling materials for us to use — colouring materials, stamps, etc.)
P stands for Prayer.
Pray for guidance and the grace to become the person that God intends you to be. (Pray for others, too, that they may hear His Word through you!)
I’m sure I’m not the only participant who came away from the J.E.W.E.L.S. gathering feeling renewed and “full” of God’s Word. May ALL of us — women, men, and children alike, young and old — commit to WRAP ourselves in God’s love every day, especially by immersing ourselves in His Word!
Note: This article was originally written for the Feast Valle Verde Bulletin. Please do come and join us if you can every Sunday — you can choose between the 10 a.m. session or the 1 p.m. session. 🙂 More info via the . May the Lord bless you abundantly in every way!
