Create an Inspiration Book
Inspiration comes from lots of places – this week, keep it close at hand by making an Inspiration Book!
You can either make your book or use an existing notebook or journal, and each person in your family can decide which they’d like to do. If you happen to be a collector of beautiful notebooks, as some of us are, choose one that makes you feel inspired. If you’d prefer to make one, just fold some paper in half and staple the fold. Then draw/decorate your own cover or use one of the encouragement cards shared by the Children’s Worship Bulletins blog – these colorful, kid-friendly images make great cover art.
Once your books are ready, start gathering inspiration! Beautiful words are all around us – in the books we read before bed, in the TV shows and movies we watch, in our favorite Bible passages. Whenever you read or hear something that speaks to you, write it down, print it out, or cut and paste it into the pages of your Inspiration Book. Make the process more collaborative by reading a quote aloud, perhaps once a week or once a month, and having everyone write it into their own book. If you don’t want to wait for great quotes to find their way to you, check out the quote collections on InspireMyKids.com.
As you add words of inspiration to your book, leave some space on the page. Rediscovered Families recommends taking time to write or draw a response to each quote, though you can also add outlines, designs, stickers...whatever inspires you!
The best thing about Inspiration Books is that each one is unique. You can add to yours whenever you want to, in whatever way you want to, so it will grow and change with you. And while each person gets to decide whether to share their book or keep it private, your family can still share inspiration in a loving, openhearted way: choose a day to each write one of your favorite quotes on the back of an encouragement card, then give it to someone else. Slip it into their lunchbox or their purse or their jacket pocket. Who knows, depending on how their day is going, a little extra inspiration might be just what they need.
A little extra inspiration is just what WE need too! Share your favorite words with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
