Have you gotten your Monthly Bible Quilt Journal for 2023 yet?
Are you wondering where to start to get it prepped for the New Year? Let's wander through this process together.
I'll share how I'm preparing mine and give you some tips to guide you along. But remember that you can always do it YOUR WAY. Take your time, allowing yourself to enjoy the heart preparation the Lord is doing along the way as you begin to lean into these new topics.
Flip through the journal of fresh templates and imagine the journey ahead of us, writing beloved Scripture and using our God-given creativity to engage in our daily devotions.
The easiest starting point is personalizing the cover.
I loved using this mosaic-style washi tape*on the cover because the colors are so vibrant and paired with the colors in the BQ logo. It reminds me of stained glass windows in beautiful churches, which goes nicely with our "building" theme, too!
The main partner to this journal is the Reference List Bookmark set. It's available as a free printable with code FREELIST. I've learned over the past couple years it's helpful to keep it as a printable so corrections/updates can be done. (If this happens I'll update the pdf in the shop and notify the BQ Community in the FB group or the BQ Newsletter.)
You can print out the references on whatever color or type of paper you'd like.
Here's an overview of how I prepped my bookmarks and got my flip card sets all ready:
I know it may seem like a lot, but you have the option of preparing one month at a time throughout the year. You can use a blank flip card set and add the titles on the front cover card.
Handwriting scripture is a fantastic way to familiarize yourself with these verses, to explore the surrounding passages, and to begin making connections among the verses collected for each topic.
Some of you might want to jump in to get all the pre-formatted flip card sets. (Use code FLIPSTER to get 23% off the sets.) I know I've got some "eager beavers" out there who prefer to do some advance preparation. I hope these options help all of you, whatever your approach may be.
Look at this colorful bounty of scripture, waiting for us to explore together!
Now, back to the journal prep. At the back of the journal are several pages that are meant to be torn out (6-page flip card set, colorful tab & title page). Once these pages are removed the journal will have more "growing room" to hold templates and whatever embellishments you may use on your journal pages.
This next video walks you through the steps of preparing the flip card set included in the journal and then provides you with some tips for how to attach the monthly topic tabs.
Ready to cut and assemble??
I like how the colorful titles and tabs instantly brighten up the journal as you attach them.
Did you notice the brick pattern on the tabs? We're building on these foundational topics!
Once you attach the tabs to the calendar page, one side will show the month and the other side will show the topic for the 2-page themed spread.
Alrighty, friends, I hope these videos and tips help guide you through your set-up preparation. If you have questions along the way, post them in the comments below, join our next Zoom, or pop into the BQJ Facebook group.
If you prefer to get the journal in its digital version, one is available and most of these same tips apply.