 As part of my job, I help at Toddler Group every week; leading the crafts, setting up, putting away, washing up little cups and bowls. Last week, I was handing out juice and water to the children, when a mother picked up her crying son. Just as many children play whilst their parents are a couple of steps away, he had been playing with a toy piano, only to looked up to see that his mum had moved - only a few steps, but nonetheless, gone from his sight. Seeing he was crying, she picked him up, and held him close. She said, "you thought I had gone?" and continued to repeat, "I didn't leave you. I'd never leave you. I love you". Those words instantly reminded me of God.  "I didn't leave you. I'd never leave you. I love you" Sometimes we have a really close relationship with our Father. We live life like the children sat on their parent's lap whilst working on a craft together at Toddler group. Other times, God sends us out to do something, but we know He's still near. It's like when the children are pretend-hoovering the room, but their parent is watching from the other side of the room. The child feels safe and secure knowing their parent is close, and they're confident that they can hoover this room. They know that when snack time comes, or if they need help before that, then their parent will be close again. But there's the third situation when we've gone to do something on our own, and we turn around and we can't see God anymore. We panic as we feel abandoned and lost. Sometimes it's not until God picks us up and says, "you thought I had gone? I didn't leave you. I'd never leave you. I love you" that we feel safe again. The words below are the lyrics to Hillsong's 'Never Alone'. I hope they bring light to you, I hope they speak truth over the lies that you're alone. In the dark You lift my eyes
For this journey You designed You're likening me Let my heart align with You In Your Word and in Your Truth Your voice calling me Faith in the unseen Oh You reign in my soul Oh You reign in my soul I will never be alone I will never be alone Oh You reign in my soul Oh You reign in my soul I will never be alone I will never be alone That my word may fall in faith You alone are sovereign still Come stand in my trust On the Earth Your kingdom bring All creation brings You praise Jesus You are Life Your name lifted high Oh You reign in my soul Oh You reign in my soul I will never be alone I will never be alone Oh You reign in my soul Oh You reign in my soul I will never be alone I will never be alone My soul revived in your broken hands Gracious blood hold my sin and shame Now forever until the end Oh, You reign Oh, You reign My soul revived in your broken hands Gracious blood hold my sin and shame Now forever until the end Oh, You reign Oh, You reign Oh You reign in my soul Oh You reign in my soul I will never be alone I will never be alone Oh You reign in my soul Oh You reign in my soul I will never be alone I will never be alone
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 I went to a barbecue this week with friends. It rained, of course it did, it’s British summer time, but that didn’t stop us from having a really great time. After we had all eaten, there was a small huddle of friends sat by the chiminea, toasting marshmallows. There was a bigger huddle around a small table, laughing as they played Bananagrams. Not taking part in either of the huddles, I stood to take it all in, and smiled. By then end of the evening, there were twelve of us around a table that seats six, all playing Bananagrams, laughing, joking and definitely not cheating… The evening had a community-feel to it, and I felt so content. It got me thinking about contentment, relationship and community. To be content has been my prayer recently. I’m not asking to be joyful everyday, but to be content with what I have, with where I am, and when the rain comes - literally and metaphorically. I think I’m most content when I have company, when I’m in community. I’m beginning to learn more and more that I’m such a relational person, I’m an extroverted-introvert. Although my ‘batteries are recharged’ by spending a couple of hours on my own, gathering my thoughts and resting, I’d rather be spending all the other hours with people. I don’t mind if we go out and do something, or we just ‘do life’ together, but I’m too relational to spend too much time alone. About a month ago, I went to a colleague/friend’s house because I needed help with preparations for a Youth weekend away in the Summer. I ended up staying for the whole morning, and for lunch too - not working, but just chatting and 'being'. It was half-term, and it was one of the best days of the break. We didn’t really do anything, but just doing life another person brings me joy. I think that’s the way that God made us to be: relational. We are relational beings because we are made in His image and He is relational. A perfect example of this is the trinity - the three persons of the trinity live in perfect relationship with one another. God said it Himself, “it is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). We often read this when preaching about singleness and marriage, but I think it’s just as an important message when it comes to community with one another. It is not good for us to be alone. We were made to be in relationship with one another. So let’s do it more often! It’s a denominational stereotypical joke that Baptists are good at ‘Bring and Shares’. The Church I worship and work at regularly hold Bring and Share lunches, and there’s always plenty of food! I like to think that it’s not just food we’re bringing and sharing, it’s ourselves. It’s our heaviness and our joy. If you’ve read my blog post ‘Settled’, you’ll know that it wasn’t easy for me to find my feet. But I never feel as at home and part of a community, part of a family, more than when we all sit around tables to eat lunch with one another.  Not only are we made to be in relationship with one another, but we were made to be in relationship with God. I find that truth mind-blowing. The God of all creation wants a relationship with me, with you. He created me to have relationship, and then sin entered the world and it all went wrong, they sinned and sinned and then sinned some/a lot more (summarising the Old Testament here a little), and so God gave us His only son, the one He had relationship with and loved, to die for us so that we’d always be in relationship. God doesn’t need us. He has no ‘needs’. He’s the God that can do anything; the things we think aren’t possible, and the things we haven’t even thought of yet. He doesn’t need us, but he wants us. He wants relationship with you. The God of all creation wants you.
Who do you work for? I don't mean the company that you're employed by. I mean, what gets you up in the morning? Why do you carry on writing assignments even when it's too hard? What encourages you to work hard in your job, to carry on? This thought came to mind when I was going through my photo album on my phone to delete photos. I'm 'that person' that has thousands of photos on my phone, so it was time for a spring clean. After scrolling a while, I reached a photo of my Grandad, who passed away 6 years ago. He wrote sermons and a self-published book, and he went to Bible College. I began thinking, I don't carry on writing and go to Bible College because of him, to make him proud, because sadly he won't see any of it. But I'm encouraged by the thought that he'd be proud of me if he were here.  I'm a people-pleaser. I'm terrible at saying, "no". If someone can't do their week on the youth rota and they ask me, unless I have somewhere else I *have* to be, I can't say "no". My heart is warm when people say they're proud of me. My heart is warm when people compliment my work, say I've done a good job. Do I work for people to tell me they're proud? A couple of years ago, I was going through a difficult time in my head-space. I wanted to make everyone around me proud. But I tried so hard that it felt like I had put myself on a tightrope; carefully balancing, struggling to stay upright. If I fell, then I thought people around me wouldn't be proud, wouldn't be pleased, would be disappointed. Maybe the want of a promotion, money, success, leadership is what gets you up out of bed in the morning. Maybe that's what you work for. Maybe you work for the want to help people and make a difference. I'm reminded of Colossians 3:23-14, 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. All the things I mentioned above aren't necessarily bad things to be working for, but it's so important that we first work for God. It's so important that in all we do, we're doing it for the glory of God. It's Him that we want to make pleased. It's Him that will provide the good things for us when we give it all to Him and trust.   When I was 13, I had block braces that gave me a lisp, it changed the shape of my face, and it was hard to eat. I hated it. People made fun of the way I looked and the way I spoke, and it felt like it would last forever. It was temporary. I don't really remember that anymore. I remember having them, but I can't remember the exact time someone laughed at me, I can't remember the words I couldn't say, I can't remember changing the foods I ate. It was temporary. When I was 16 I did my GCSEs. The want to make myself and others proud and the fear of failure was overwhelming. It was temporary. That August I was awarded both an A*, being the top of my class, as well as 2 E's, being towards the bottom of my class. When I was 18 I did my A-Levels. Again, overwhelming but temporary. I cried so much on the day I found out I had got an E and a U. I shut myself away in my room for about 12 hours, and I cried and I cried. 'All that work for nothing', I thought. The university I applied for aren't going to want me, my colleagues are going to think I'm stupid. I went to a summer camp with young people the following week, and was in charge of catering. Every little mistake I made in the kitchen reminded me of my failure in education. It's silly, I know, but when I couldn't work out how to drain the massive pan of rice, I couldn't help but think anyone else could do the job better. It was temporary; it only lasted 5 days, and the stresses in the kitchen aren't what I most remember of the week. I think back to all the darker days from the last year or so and realise the single thing they have in common; it's all temporary. Whether it was feeling like I didn't fit, fear of the future, being self-critical, being anxious about something new, days where nothing went right. It's not like that now. The feelings were temporary. Sure, they pop up again, sometimes it's worse than others days, but then it's temporary again. Take heart. The worries, stress, wobbles, dark days, pressures are all temporary. Equally, the good times can be temporary too. The sunny days out with friends and family. Rest. The tight hugs from those you love. Holidays. Belly-laughs. Adventure. All temporary. So breath. Take notice. Take it in. Remember it by taking a photo, drawing it, or writing it down. Return to it when things are dark again. Return to it and remember that it's temporary. And when you can't return to that, take heart in the truths of the Bible that aren't temporary. - Be still and know that I am God. God is not temporary. (Psalm 46:10) - "I know the plans I have for you." His plans for you are not temporary. (Jeremiah 29:11) - "My grace is sufficient for you." His grace is not temporary (2 Corinthians 12:9) - "See what great love the father has lavished on us". His love is not temporary. (1 John 3:1) - "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you". His peace is not temporary. (John 14:27) - "The Lord you God will be with you where ever you go". His presence is not temporary. (Joshua 1:9) "the grass withers and the flowers fade but the word of the Lord stands forever" - Isaiah 40:8
 In church, we often refer to ‘mountain top moments’ and ‘being in the valley’. If you’re not familiar with this language, being on the mountain top means to be having a really good experience. Perhaps you’re at a summer conference; the sun is shining, the worship is great, you feel the Holy Spirit in every seminar, you have a notebook full of notes from the talk, you’ve bought a load of books that you’re so excited to read, you think, “ah, this is so much better than what’s at home”. You’re having a mountain top moment. Being in the valley is the opposite. You can still experience God in the valley, but everything is darker, heavier and harder. Perhaps everything is going wrong, one thing after another, and although you know God is there, you don’t understand what He’s doing and that’s painful. I think there’s a third ‘place’. I think this third place is one we’re most often at, but gets recognised and appreciated a lot less. This third place is ‘the path of the mundane’. It isn’t the spirit-filled youth event with lots of young people giving their lives to Jesus, but it’s also not when you’re running a youth event that has one problem after another, you’re burning out and can’t see God in the project anymore. The path isn’t always easy, sometimes it’s a bit rocky, a bit steep, sometimes there isn’t enough shade or it rains, but it’s fine. It’s the mundane. It’s the youth group that happens every week that you don’t see anything happening in. That’s not to say nothing is happening, or that it’s going badly, you’re just not seeing it. Or it’s the sermon you give, and you don’t get any response from it. Or it’s just your commute to work, your tidying, your preparing. I wanted to be a youth worker since I was fourteen years old. I remember the day that I voiced this, and class-mates telling me that it wasn’t a proper job. When I imagined being a youth worker, it included the big events, constant conversation with young people and constantly seeing growth and change. It included only mountain-top moments. I never imagined making 4 mugs of hot chocolate every Sunday evening, or sitting at my desk trying to work out how to print on labels for an entire hour, (and then still getting it wrong). I didn’t imagine finishing youth at 9:30pm and then packing away for a further 45 minutes. None of this stuff is bad or unenjoyable. Okay, maybe the label-printing-mishap was unenjoyable. But it's just the mundane. I didn’t imagine God being in my mundane, because I didn’t imagine having a mundane. There is so much beauty and so many blessings to be had on the path of the mundane, but it’s like we’re always focusing on the mountain top, desperate not to find ourselves in the valley, that we forget to appreciate the beauty and blessings. I challenge you to write down three mundane blessings per day for the next week. Found a bargain in wilko? Had lunch out with a friend? Made a nice dinner? Slept well? Checked everything off your to-do list? Had a couple of regulars at your youth group? Had a word that might have been from God? Shared a sermon, made a little mistake, but all-in-all, it went alright? Write it down, recognise it and be thankful. Imagine this: You’re walking along on a path. It looks a bit like this:  Above you is the mountain top experience.
Below you is the valley You’re walking along but your hands are covering your eyes so that you can't see. Little do you know, there are flowers growing out of the rocks beside you. There’s an army of ants working together, carrying leaves so much bigger than they are, just passing you now. The sun has just come out from the clouds. It’s a little steep and there's a big pile of rocks to stumble over, but it’ll get easier soon. Your friend has joined you and put their hand out with a cup of water and a chocolate biscuit. Oh look, a beautiful, big bird has just flown past! But you’ve got your eyes closed, worried about being back in the valley and expecting the mountain top, that you’ve missed the blessings on the path of the mundane.  As a noun, 'wonder' means to have a feeling of amazement and admiration, caused by something beautiful, remarkable or unfamiliar. As a verb, it means to desire to know something, to feel curious. Recently, I feel like God is really reminding me about having childlike wonder. Rather than being a blog post of what I think to be all the answers, brimming with my thoughts, it is a blog post with reflective questions and resources such as bible verses and lyrics, to (hopefully) help you gather your thoughts on what Childlike Wonder is. There’s a song by Bethel called Wonder, and it’s lyrics are: May we never lose our wonder May we never lose our wonder Wide eyed and mystified May we be just like a child Staring at the beauty of our King (Repeat x3) Ooooh oh oh Fill us with wonder May we never lose our wonder May we never lose our wonder Wide eyed and mystified May we be just like a child Staring at the beauty of our King Cause you are beautiful in all your ways King of Kings You are beautiful in all your ways Ooooh Cause you are beautiful in all your ways Just close your eyes The lyrics that really stand out to me are “wide eyed and mystified, may we be just like a child, starring at the beauty of our King”, I think it's a really powerful and inspiring image Every week I help at the Church’s toddler group, and my favourite thing about it is watching the toddlers, and taking in how they act and what they say. Watching them is like watching tiny wobbly adults; one is sweeping the floor, another is telling her baby doll off, another is sweeping the floor and a fourth is pouring pretend tea for his friends. I often lead the crafts, and some of the children get so excited about stickers, colours, glitter, different types of paper. Even at under the age of five, they all have a story to tell if you’ll listen. A story about why they like the colour pink, or what they did this morning, or their baby brother. Wonder. Everything is exciting. Okay, maybe not during the tantrums or strops… but generally I think children are so full of wonder. Curiosity, as well as amazement and adoration. A couple of Sunday’s ago, the worship team were on stage as the congregation joined in with sung worship; a hymn followed by a more modern song. Everything was normal, except one little change. One of the children, a five year old, fearlessly joined the musicians on stage for interpretive dance. She smiled as she twirled and clapped her hand on stage. I stood singing with a big smile on my face. I loved watching her so free up there, with not a single care or worry about getting in the way, or not being sure whether she’s allowed, or distracting people, or looking silly. I thought about what Jesus would say or think if He were to walk through our doors. I quickly became certain that He wouldn't tell her to get down for any of those reasons, so why should we? In fact, part of me was slightly envious; envious of that childlike confidence, freeness, surrender and wonder. I was reminded of Matthew 19:14 that says, "Jesus said, "let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these". Based on Matthew 18:3, which says "unless you become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven", I don't think that Jesus meant the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to only those under the age of eighteen. Instead, I think Jesus notices something about children, perhaps their wonder, and encourages the adults listening to him to change and be like children. Questions: How often is your prayer style and life childlike? How often are you ‘wide eyed and mystified'? Do you get excited about simple, little blessings like toddlers? What's holding you back from experiencing wonder in worship? Thank you for taking the time to read this blog post. I'd love to know your thoughts on what wonder looks like in your life, or how you could 'have' more childlike wonder.
I stick on some worship music that I haven’t heard for a while, or ever heard. I do this, rather than putting on songs that I know like the back of my hand, because I find that God speaks to me more through lyrics I haven’t heard before. If I put on, for example, ‘Oceans’ by Hillsong, then I find myself singing the words but not really thinking about them. I really like quiet songs when I've put time aside to spend with God, whereas I like 'beaty' songs when I’m driving, or cooking. Below are two playlists of my favourite songs right now, for which ever mood you’re in. After I’ve put some music on, I open up my journal and get my favourite pen. (For anyone interested, every year I buy a new big, fabric, line journal from Paperchase. My favourite pen is the 'Handwriting Pen' by Berol... the ones you got in primary school once you got your 'pen-license' and didn't have to write in pencil anymore) I light some candles, firstly because the flame reminds me of God’s presence, and secondly simply because I almost always have candles lit. Then, I just listen. I don’t hype it, I don’t repeat “please speak to me, please speak to me, please speak to me” in a whisper to God. I just listen to the lyrics and write down the ones that speak to me. Maybe it’s just me, but maybe it is God. I know a couple of people who play ‘Bible Bingo’, and it’s a way that God speaks to them. They pray over their bible, open it to a ‘random page’, and a verse on that page speaks to them. That doesn’t work for me. I really like the Bible plans from 'Little Faith Blog'. I rarely follow them like a devotion anymore, although I’d like to get back into the swing of that. Instead, I read the suggested verses in my journaling bible. I underline bits, highlight some words, I write exactly what I’m thinking, usually ‘wow’ or ‘huh?’ Or I just rewrite the verse in a script font. Then I go back to my journal, and I write prayers to God (usually based on the lyrics and verses), starting with worship and praise, followed by asks, finishing with surrender. For example, most recently I wrote about God’s loyal love, how no matter what I do there is grace upon grace upon grace. I wrote a list of things that God says I am, and I wrote a verse that I liked. Then, for asks, I draw a heart, and then wrote the things that I’m praying for in that heart, and I prayed over it. Finally, for surrender, I listened to the song ‘Closer’ by North Point InsideOut and Lauren Daigle, and wrote out the bridge: “My sole devotion, my only focus is to worship you. My life surrendered, my heart abandoned for more of you” I hope that helped, or was of interest! Comment below how you like to spend time with God....
 Thanks to your nominations and support on this blog, last weekend I took a trip down to London for the Premier Digital Awards. Hosted at The Brewery in The Barbican, I won ‘Runner Up’ of ‘Young Blogger of the Year’!  I went with both my parents, and we were seated at a table of other finalists in different categories. We had very posh but delicious food, made conversation and contacts, and laughed a lot too. It was so amazing to be in the same room as so many individuals and organisations that inspire me; editors of Premier Youth and Children’s Work Magazine, TLG, YFC, Lily Jo, More Precious. It was a strange mix of feeling slightly out of place - a sense of inadequacy - yet the feeling of worthiness and pride to be there.
My category was one of the last. I had seen many I mentioned above either win their category or get runner up. I started to feel a little shaky and nervous, but still excited. The hosts, Faith Child and Maria Rodrigues, introduced the ‘Young Blogger of the Year Category’ and read out the five finalist names. When mine was read out, my whole table let out a loud cheer… especially my parents! The next thing I know, my name has been called for Runner Up and I’m walking my best in my heels towards the stage to receive my certificate and have a photo taken.
The winner of my category was Alisha of 'Writerield', and since the Awards night we have been getting to know each other over Twitter! ‘The honest bit’ The Awards night was a perfect example of just having to fight the enemy away. Honestly, I often feel like ‘second best’, like people’s second option, like ‘plan B’. So when I got the award of runner up, even with the adrenaline, pride, and excitement to text those closest to me who were eagerly waiting, I still felt the enemy say to me, “you’ve literally got the prize for being second best". It was in this time that I had to fight the enemy with the truths. Only a day or two before, someone had sent me a prophetic word about how I have nothing to prove and nothing to protect because I am who I am, and those few words really helped me. I also took a step back and had a reality check that I had got further than so many other amazing bloggers. I reminded myself of all the people that had messaged me kind words, congratulated me and told me that they’re proud of me Thank you I really want to thank everyone who nominated me. I don’t know who did, but thank you. Thank you to everyone who has written kind words on my social media posts, to my parents for (literally and loudly) cheering me on, to Premier Digital for having me, to all my readers, and finally, a ‘thank you’ to 'Grandad in the sky', who started my love of writing many many years ago. - Rebecca  painting by Matthew Snowden I'm sure you'll agree that it is one hundred times easier to praise God and trust His ways when our lives are sunny and bright, when everything is going right in our eyes. But what about when the waves come crashing, lightening strikes, thunder roars and rain pours? How easy is it to say, "I trust you, God" then? In my experience, it's not easy. When things haven't gone my way and have been more difficult than ever expected, it's been really hard to say, "I trust that God is in this". I know it to be true in my head, for I've been taught that since I was little and in Sunday School. But how true do I believe it in my heart? Recent experiences have really taught me how to trust God is in the storm, and I'd like to share that with you today. 1. WORSHIP IS A WEAPON I see worship as a very powerful weapon. I was taught about a year ago something that has changed the way I worship: the devil hasn't always been the devil - first he was an angel. What do angels do? They worship God and know the power of worship. Therefore, the devil knows exactly what worship does and the power it has. I find sung worship incredibly powerful, even if I don't believe the words I'm singing with my whole heart. It's difficult, and it's something that takes a lot in you to do, but there's something very powerful in singing, "You are my Rock in times of trouble" even if right now it doesn't feel that way. Use worship as your weapon. 2. SURRENDER Who knows what you are going through more than God? Who can change how you're feeling more than God? Who in the Bible was the one to calm the storm just by speaking to it? I love the way the James 4:7 in the Message Version talks about surrendering to God, "so let God work his will in you. Yell a loud 'no' to the devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet 'yes' to God and He'll be there in no time... get down on your knees before the Master; it's the only way you'll get back on your feet" I love the imagery in this verse; watching the Enemy run away with one word, and the image of God coming to your side "in no time" when you're down on your knees. 3. FOOT PRINTS IN THE SAND When ever I consider, "is God really here?" I am always reminded of the Foot Print in the Sand poem, pictured below. There is never a time in your life when God isn't there. If you don't see another set of footprints walking alongside you, perhaps it's because God is carrying you.  4. TURN TO SCRIPTURE When you don't know whether God is in your storm, turn to the scripture for encouragement and truth. Has there ever been a person in the Bible that was led by God into a storm, and was left there? No. As I was writing this blog post, I went online to Bible Gateway, and the verse of the day was Proverbs 29:25, which says, "the fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe" It's easy to read these verses and think, "easier said than done". It's true, it is so much easier to say, "I trust in the Lord, I am safe, I do not fear" than to actually trust in The Lord, feel safe and not fear. But, like with worship, I think there's something powerful in praying that and declaring that over yourself, and leaning on these verses for encouragement. Likewise with Deuteronomy 31:6, which says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you" Again, easier said than done to be strong, courageous and fearless, and to trust that God will never leave you. However, if you do believe this truth, and you start living in this storm as if it is a truth, then just think how life changing that can be. Leaning on the Word and trusting that God will never leave you or forsake you, will perhaps be what gets you through the storm. 5. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH CHEERLEADERS Paul was a great cheerleader. A lot of his letters are cheering people and churches on. He came alongside his friends like Timothy to encourage them and teach them. Through a storm, cheerleaders like Paul are exactly what you need. In 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Paul encourages us to encourage others. He writes, "therefore encourage one another and build each other up" Surround yourself with people who will encourage you and build you up. Surround yourself with people who will challenge you, put things in perspective, offer solutions, and tell you that they believe in you and you will make it through. Sometimes just having a new and brighter perspective can make the storm feel less rocky, and certainly a lot less lonely! I hope this blog post has been in some way encouraging!
- Rebecca  My Bible is an NIV Journalling Bible. When I got it from Etsy, it was a blue/white/pink polka-dot fabric Bible. Because of the fabric, it got pretty grubby. So, I decided to cover it.... here's how!
1. GET INSPIRED Head over to Pinterest and type in 'paint cover Bible'. Whether it's a floral design you're looking for, or an illustration of the deep blue sea, you're bound to find something on Pinterest.   2. SET THE SCENE I painted my Bible on window sill of the Juliet Balcony of my flat. I put a black bin liner down so as to not get paint everywhere! I lit some candles and put some calming worship tunes on. I made sure I had everything I needed - paint brushes, water, paint and snacks. 3. BASE COAT Paint your Bible with white paint. I just used white acrylic paint from The Works. Remember the edges and sides of your cover! 4. GET STARTED ON YOUR BACKGROUND COLOUR Once your base coat is dry, you can get started on your main background colour. If you've mixed shades together, it's really important that you have enough paint. Otherwise when you've run out of paint, it'll be really hard to get the right quantities to get the same shade again. Tips: - Again, make sure you remember the edges and sides of your Bible. - paint your Bible whilst it's closed, whilst it's opened slightly and when it's totally open and flat on the floor (or wherever you're painting). This way, you'll paint every part of your Bible. - paint in the same direction over the whole Bible. 5. DETAIL Unless you're feeling particularly confident, whether it's the outline to flowers, lettering or waves, draw your detail out with a pencil first. Tips: - Use a light, soft pencil. - remember to rub out your pencil lines before the next step! - Try out different mediums. I used a blue Sharpie for my bottom layer of lettering and gold nail varnish for the top layer. I also used pink and red sharpies for the flower details.  6. GLOSS Now you've got your detail and you've rubbed out the pencil lines, you can gloss your Bible - I used acrylic clear craft spray. Open your Bible to roughly halfway through, lay it flat on a bin liner and spray away, holding the can about 15cm away from the Bible. Wait for the first coat to dry, and then spray again, just to make sure that there's no part not glossed. And there you have it, your very own personalised painted Bible! I'd love to see your creations, so tweet me a picture!
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