watercolor bible journaling | He Is Close | Psalm 121 | Illustrated Faith | Tawni Sattler

Hi, friends!

I’m slowly making my way through the new I Am Strong devotional booklet, and I am loving it! If you haven’t gotten your hands on one, RUN, DO NOT WALK, and treat your heart to one of the new kits!

As you may have read in my recent posts, I was on a month-long vacation with my family in July. We were visiting friends and family in the States, and it was our first time on American soil in over two years! It was so good to see familiar faces (and to hear a familiar language!), and the trip was an overall success — even the part where we flew overseas with a 7 year-old and an almost-2 year-old.

I felt very out of my creative element while we were there, however. Blame it on jet lag, blame it on our busy schedules and lack of quiet time… blame it on whatever you like. The fact is that I didn’t quite feel like my real self while we were there, as far as my creativity and artful inspiration were concerned. It wasn’t for lack of trying, either. (For the most part.)

watercolor bible journaling | He Is Close | Psalm 121 | Illustrated Faith | Tawni Sattler

Now, I know I’m not alone when I say this: I thrive on quiet, alone time. As much as I love and adore my friends and family (hi, mom!), social situations — even in small settings — drain me of all of my energy, and being alone is crucial in order for me to refuel and refresh my emotional and mental state. Once I found the wonderful world of bible journaling, it became clear to me that quiet, alone time is also crucial in terms of my spiritual health.

In July, the only quiet, alone time I had was when I took my deliberately long, slow showers and pampered my face with some lotions and makeup. Nice, but not quite as nice as some time with my bible and creative supplies! Like I said though, since I was feeling out of my element, even if I had sat down with my bible and supplies, I don’t think I would have known where to start.

All of that being said, for the majority of last month I felt like God was out of reach.

watercolor bible journaling | He Is Close | Psalm 121 | Illustrated Faith | Tawni Sattler

DaySpring was kind enough to send the I Am Strong kit to my holiday address, and I am so glad they did. The kit came at just the right time, according to my heart. It not only gave me something pretty to look at (#hearteyesfordays), but Wilna’s words lifted my spirits.

On the page titled “Look In,” I was reminded that God is never out of reach. No matter how “out of my element” I’m feeling, no matter my emotional, mental, or even spiritual state, God is always near. Wilna says in the devotional booklet that The Word is “as close to you as your voice and the conviction of your heart.” That is a reminder I need so often! I’m so grateful for the truth of it!

In fact, I need to be reminded of this truth so often that I’ve gone ahead and made a cute little printable so I can frame it on my desk, fold it up into my pen case, tuck it into my planner… I want to put it everywhere! Keep an eye out too, you may see a free download in the near future! For now, write these words to yourself over and over, and keep them nearby: You are as close to me as the conviction of my heart.

So I’ll leave you with that, and with this: My prayer is that we’ll know God’s presence more and more every day, and that we’ll have open hearts, souls, and minds to accept and embrace His promises.

Blessings!
xotawni

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