A workshop was offered at our church based on the book Praying in Color by Sybil MacBeth in which she introduces an active, visual, and meditative form of intercessory prayer. Basically, it was a way to use doodling to quiet your mind and focus your attention on the conversation you were engaged in with God. While many of those around me struggled to think of any kind of picture to put on paper, my mind was doing back flips of joy shouting, “Yea! Somebody finally gets it.” My prayer life grew to be more meaningful and interactive through doodling.

Following one of my mind’s rabbit trails, I landed on the idea of using the same coloring technique to really dig into scripture. When you have read the Bible over and over, it’s easy to skim instead of dig in. I had used many methods to dig in during the  years: rewriting scripture verses in my own words, investigating history and archaeology of passages, and discussion with others to apply these words to our lives.

I found that if I needed to draw something to represent God’s words, I had to take them in, digest them, and reform them. That process involved categorizing, sorting, linking, and focused listening–all things I do as I doodle.

I found that if I needed to draw something to represent God’s words,
I had to take them in, digest them, and reform them.
~Kathleen Evenhouse

I’m not looking to produce works of art, but rather pictures that cement God’s words into my being. And I can embellish them and add to them as my understanding grows. I move toward having his light shine into and out of me via these doodles that help me focus on living by listening to his still, small voice.

What pictures flow from your pen?