Destination Known Minibook

Back again today with another minibook from the spiritual journey suitcase--if you want to catch up, check out this blog post here.  This minibook is titled "Destination Known" because, praise God, my eternal destination is known thanks to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for my sins!  On the pages of this minibook, I basically documented my spiritual journey--my childhood in a Christian home, how I became a Christian, people I admire and those whom have had an impact on me spiritually, trials I've had...you get the idea.

To start with, I used a travel-themed minibook kit--this one was designed by Lisa Bearnson and was made available through her Kit of the Month Club several years ago.  There are TONS of travel-themed scrapbook supplies on the market today, so this project would not be hard to reproduce--you can either make your own book, or buy a blank chipboard book online or at your local scrapbook store.

Let me give you a quick tour inside...(as always, feel free to click on the photos to enlarge them and see them in more detail)

My childhood....



My friend Jenny who helped lead me to Christ as well as some of my youth leaders/Sunday school teachers...



My first publication in YouthWalk magazine--an article entitled "Are You Salty or Bland?"--when I was in high school



Close Christian girlfriends and mentors...



Trials along the journey--the death of my mother to cancer just before I left for college...

More happenings along the way--completing my residency, marrying my husband, seeking God's will in my life with all sorts of major life decisions...



The arrial of children...God's little blessings!

Attritubes I am currently celebrating about God--this one was enjoying His role as Creator and enjoying His creativitiy...



Lessons learned, articles written (unpublished)



Bible study groups I've taught and led...

Hope this has given you an idea of what a concise "spiritual journey" minibook looks like!  You might never be able to document it ALL, but when you take the time to think about all that God has done in your life, you will be amazed at the things you CAN document.  Perhaps today is the day YOU can chronicle all that God has done in your life in a meaningful and creative way, both to encourage you and perhaps your children and loved ones someday! 

 Blessings!

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Be Not Afraid Minibook

Back today to share with you this little minibook I created about fear--I titled it "Be Not Afraid" in small little letter stickers.  I featured this minibook very quickly when I gave you a tour of my spiritual journey suitcase--check out that blog post here if you missed it.  You can do this with any material that God has been teaching you as you study Scripture--one thought I have is to do one about the fruit of the Spirit, since I just finished Beth Moore's Living Beyond Yourself Bible study (excellent) or on the Book of James.

Basically, what you do is jot down things the Lord has taught you through Scripture, books, or Bible study having to do with the chosen theme.  I used a premade minibook with kraft chipboard covers and cardstock pages (purchased online years ago, but I see these at Michaels regularly). (As always, feel free to click on the pictures to enlarge them and see them in more detail)

As you journal thoughts, write out notes, makes lists of teaching points, list Scripture, etc, you can decorate your pages with stickers, stamp images, or even spell out (using letter stickers) key words you have studied, like I did with the word MANNA below...

You can also attach bits of themed patterned paper in the margins or on tabs, etc.  Here, I used road-sign paper on my page titled "The Pathway to Peace" which unpacks Philippians chapter 4. Basically, you are just documenting what God has taught you in your own words, exploring His truths in a creative format.

These are just a few page spreads of my minibook to give you an idea.  There is no "right" or "wrong" way to do this type of a book!  The important thing to do is RECORD what God has taught you in your life, to serve as a monument in your own life, and perhaps to share with and encourage others, too.  Have a blessed and creative day!

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Pink Duct Tape

Hello there!  Wanted to continue my discussion of my spiritual journey suitcase, this time focusing on a peculiar little item...this roll of pink polka dot duct tape.  If you missed the previous post about this special keepsake box, you can catch it here.

I am studying the book of Exodus right now and am learning (or relearning...I feel like God has shown me this multiple times in multiple ways!!) about how sin is bondage to us--just like the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt.  Through miraculous plagues, the passover, and finally the parting of the Red Sea, God (through Moses) led his people out of slavery and into freedom.  Today we are blessed to follow Jesus, the "greater Moses" who has conquered sin and death, and be led to the ultimate freedom from sin and death as we serve and worship Him.

But, as I was revisiting this familiar passage of Scripture, I was reminded that we are not just freed FROM something as much as we are freed TO something. You see, in Hollywood's version, Moses (aka Charlton Heston) always says "LET MY PEOPLE GO!" to Pharaoh, but the actor leaves off the critical second half of Moses' repeated request on behalf of God..."so that we may go into the wilderness to worship". Our lives are not so much about rejecting idols, but always running to that strong tower, Jesus Christ, to worship Him instead...replacing our idols with Him.

So, how does this relate to the duct tape?

Got this roll about a year ago...I HAD to get duct tape and it HAD to be pretty (yes, my husband thought I was nuts). My reasoning was this. When I see duct tape, it reminds me of bondage. (okay, yes...morbid...but I think of being gagged, etc...). And it had to be PRETTY duct tape because it reminds me that I can be in bondage by GOOD and pleasing and pretty things. While outright heinous sins can enslave us, so too can morally neutral things, if we serve them and cater to them ahead of God. So, the duct tape pretty much camped out by our computer after I got it to remind myself to stay away from online shoppig for a bit (which was becoming a nasty little habit of mine). It has made an appearance by our cookie jar, around the neck of a bottle of wine, and even in my purse when I go shopping and want to worship the god of consumerism/materialism. People can think I am crazy, but it reminds me of this truth--anything and everything can enslave us and we can set up "things" as idols in a heartbeat! For now, the roll of tape is in my spiritual journey suitcase...but it is always at the ready to be a visual reminder for me!!

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Spiritual Journey Suitcase

Today, I feel compelled to share about my spiritual journey suitcase/keepsake box.  I recently shared this idea, along with some others, with my MOPS ladies when I was teaching them a homemaking segment on "Leaving a Legacy" in tangible ways.  Then, a week or so later, I was reunited with a dear college friend whom I have not seen in 13 years.  In the process of catching up and sharing our stories and all that God has been teaching us, I found myself again sharing about this keepsake box and giving her a tour inside it.  So today, I'd love to share it with you!

Basically, in a nutshell, I am a HUGE fan of keepsake boxes.  I have one for journals, wedding keepsakes, childhood momentos...one for each of my children...you get the idea.  Well, recently, I felt led to create one for my spiritual journey--and not long after I had gathered all of these little goodies in one place, I saw this suitcase box at Michael's and KNEW I had to use it for my keepsake box--a suitcase for my spiritual journey...you get the theme here :)

Well, you already saw the outside of the box at the start of the post above (love how it says Enjoy the Journey along the front, displayed so nicely as it sits atop my closet shelf).  Let's look inside...

Basically, it is filled with items that represent MY spiritual journey.  Some of these items will make sense to you, and others will not...and that is precisely the point.  It is MY journey remember :)
Here are a few of the items from inside--my first Bible study I did after I became a Christian (in 6th grade), a little Bible from my Baptism, a cassette tape recording of a mission trip testimony I gave to my church in college, 2 minibooks (look for more on those in upcoming blog posts), pink duct tape (yes, random for you, symbolic for me...), you get the idea.

There are also books that have "spoken" to me such as Scuffy the Tugboat (don't judge...yes, I know this is a super spiritual book LOL!) and the Christian Archie comic books that were so encouraging to me in my early days of being a believer (remember, I was just a kid...yes, these comic books are written with Christian themes, etc, and yes...I still think they are super cool).  Actually, my originial comic books were given away after a move (I am thinking when I went off to college I ditched them)...but then I found these on Ebay for a very reasonable price (like $5) and HAD to have them for my suitcase :)

And these babies--these are two Bible studies I wrote and taught to my church's Ladies' Bible study a few years ago.  One is called "Be Not Afriad" about fear and the God of peace and the other is "Counting the Cost: A Biblical Look at Wealth and Possessions."  Nothing super fancy--they are my original copies and the church office had made copies and put them in pronged blue folders with computerized labels.  I have these copies as well as supplemental information I used throughout the studies in the suitcase.

 Ah...and another shot of the duct tape.  You might just have to tune in next time for a bit about that.

So, there you have it.  A whirlwind tour of my Spiritual Journey Suitcase keepsake box.  Perhaps you, too, would benefit from recalling all the ways God has wooed and guided and taught you through the years.  Did you know this is Biblical?  SOOOO many times throughout the Old Testament, God commands His people to set up monuments to tell present and future generations about how God was faithful to them as His people! 

Maybe this is the time to memorialize God's hand in YOUR life in a TANGIBLE way, dear friend!

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