Aren’t you forever thankful for a world of colors? I just can’t imagine the world without colors. And if you saw my collection of multi-colored pens, you’d have no doubt about my affinity for colors. But you know what’s super amazing is the ability to color in my Bible. If you’ve been on the fence about this popular Bible study tool, stick around. Because I’m sharing about the benefits of using a coloring Bible.
5 Benefits of Using a Coloring Bible
A couple of years ago, coloring books for adults were all the craze. Soon adult women and teen girls everywhere were buying and using adult coloring books. Soon, that creative outlet bled over into Bible journaling and the coloring Bible. Some might think that coloring Bibles are only useful for decorating our Bibles, but I want to propose that there are actually meaningful benefits to using a coloring a Bible.
Colors Have Meaning
Throughout the Scriptures, we learn that colors have meaning. All you have to do is a word study with a concordance and a Bible to find the symbolism. For instance:
- Red in the Old Testament is a color referring to mankind. That’s because the Hebrew root word for red is oudem, indicating mankind. In the New Testament, red represents the love of God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.
- Yellow/Gold can refer to beauty and being workable. It also represents fire and purification.
- Blue signifies heaven, the Holy Spirit, and serenity.
- Gray may be symbolic of wisdom, glory, and honor.
- Green may represent growth, new life, fresh, hope, prosperity.
Remembrance
Because colors have symbolic meaning, by God’s design, they can be helpful with making connections to verses. Therefore, it may help with memory work. Especially for, but not limited to, individuals who organize with color coding, because it’s a type of filing system for thoughts and associations.
To an extent, Bible marking kit companies caught on to this idea prior to Coloring Bibles. For example, some will have a highlighting key like this:
- Red/Pink is for Salvation verses.
- Blue is for verses pertaining to the Holy Spirit.
- Green is for Growth and New Life verses.
- Yellow is for blessings.
Furthermore, Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines remembrance as:
“REMEM’BRANCE, noun 3. Account preserved; something to assist the memory and 10. Memorandum; a note to help the memory.”
Indeed, colors can help assist our memory. Just think of all of the associations you make with the color yellow: the sun, warmth, joy, sunflowers, etc.
Focus
Coloring in the Bible can also help individuals with focus. Since coloring is working other areas of the brain, it gives the brain a chance to relax, thereby giving the brain much needed white space to be able to shift gears. In turn, it allows for the brain to be able to focus on the topic of study at hand in the Bible.
Plus, art helps people to relax from stress. And let’s face it. Who doesn’t face stresses in life?
Art Enhances Brain Function
Don’t think of yourself as an artist? Yeah, me, either. But you don’t have to be painting a masterpiece to reap the benefits of your own art. Coloring in and of itself is technically a form of art, because you’re making design decisions of where to lay down color and color combinations. Plus, you’re deciding what makes sense with the context of what you’re studying. And all the while, the brain is making new neurological connections. This is a good thing.
Creativity
Sometimes people may struggle with the idea of coloring in a Bible. But let’s consider a few things:
- God is the Master Artist
- He created color
- And we’re made in God’s image
- Colors have meaning attached to them
- We see with the rainbow that they may pertain to remembrance
Wow! Doesn’t that last one make you really want to do a word study on colors in the Bible? And see what they might mean in the color order of the rainbow? Your concordance, Bible, and journal are waiting for you.
Using a Coloring Bible truly engages one in their personal study of the Bible. Not to mention it increases curiosity about what God has to say in relation to colors. Happy news for people who love colors! For all the reasons given in this article, I recommend Coloring Bibles and I have one, in particular, I want to share with you (and a great discount promo code).
NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible Gift Set
HarperCollins Christian Publisher was kind recently to send a copy of their NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible Gift Set to me for review. This is not my first coloring Bible, I actually have 3 others that I have enjoyed over the past couple of years, but I really love this one for a few reasons I want to share with you.
This gorgeous leather coloring Bible comes boxed in a sturdy box with a pocket for the coloring pencils that are included. It makes a lovely gift presentation and provides for excellent storage for the Bible and coloring pencils. And speaking of the coloring pencils. . . these pencils are different from anything I’ve ever used before. They are retractable with is so nice (no sharpening!) and very smooth. They almost feel like a grown-up crayon. The colors are more vibrant than a crayon though. I’ve been a fan of gel pens in the past for Bible journaling, but I like these even better.
The NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible offers over 500 Scripture-based journaling prompts within the margins of the Bible to help you reflect on God’s Word. Some are full-page drawings, which I very much enjoy, and some pages include lined spaces in the margins for journaling without prompts.
Does Bible journaling interest you, but you’re not sure where to start? With over 500 journaling prompts, space in the margins to write your thoughts, prayers, and reflections and a beautiful page design, the NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible invites you to express your heart as you explore God’s Word. Plus, the 8 richly colored extractable pencils make it even more joyful to use.
Click on the link to order your copy or a gift for your daughter, sister, or sister friend today!
