My 3-year-old friend, Emory, often asks her mom, “What does this mean?” when they color together. Her mom, Meagan, explains, “This verse means God loves you very, very much.”
Moms and dads spending time with kids.
Grandparents coloring with grandchildren.
Teenagers creating their own artwork.
Christian schools stocking their classrooms.
Bible studies enjoying creativity together.
Coloring is like working on a puzzle together in that it provides an activity that fosters conversation and connection. Rather than talking about cartoon characters, through the Live Loved: An Adult Coloring Book families and friends reflect on Scripture. Teenagers are committing passages to memory.
We’re overwhelmed by the response to the Live Loved Christian Coloring Book. Why are coloring books all the rage right now? Here are five reasons:
- Coloring provides a refreshing way to be fully present. The frantic pace of our culture leaves us scattered and distracted. The practice of slowing renews us, fashioning a portal to rest and refocus.
Drena Fagen, an art therapist and adjunct professor at New York University’s Steinhardt School, observes that the activity can be mindful or mindless, depending on how one approaches it. She notes:
“Any creative endeavor that can in some way help somebody discover something about themselves or find a space that makes them feel safe and comfortable or allows them an opportunity to be with their own thoughts, I don’t see how we can criticize that.” [1]
The combination of coloring and Scripture invites us to be fully present with God, redirecting our thoughts and reflections.
It also provides an opportunity to be more fully present with those who color along side us.
- Coloring delivers a fresh expression of prayer. While many people find praying challenging, the combination of prayer and Scripture in Live Loved provides an opportunity to slow and draw, color, and creatively express your requests to God. Coloring—with the matching prayer and journaling page—provides structure, making the process of talking to God easier and more natural.
- Coloring sparks forward thinking. “Depression is the opposite of creativity,” Aiken says. ‘It says to the person do things the same way every day. Don’t take any risks. Don’t do anything new. Don’t think outside the box. Stay in your bed. Stay in your room. Don’t try anything. And being adventurous or creative would certainly counter depression.’”[2]
- Coloring ignites the power of play. As we grow older, we lose our sense of play. The seriousness of the world, daily responsibilities, and the burden of duties can erode our joy and playfulness. Coloring provides a way to take life and ourselves less serious.
- Coloring spurs freedom of expression. Coloring isn’t about productivity. The activity isn’t a sum of how many lines you fill in or pages you fill. Coloring isn’t about any to-do list; it’s a process that invites you to slow, refocus and reflect.
What do you enjoy most about coloring as an adult?
[1] Heather Schwedel, “Coloring books for adults: we asked therapists for their opinions,” TheGuardian.com, August 17, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/aug/17/coloring-books-adults-therapists-opinions, Accessed September 16, 2015.
[2] Ashley Welch, “Anxious? Break Out the Coloring Book,” EveryDayHealth.com, May 25, 2015, http://www.everydayhealth.com/news/anxious-break-out-coloring-book/, Accessed September 16, 2015.
Coloring helps me to slow down. What a better way to slow down and find peace than coloring pages with scripture. “Be still and know that I am God” Psalm 46:10 One has to slow down before one can be still.
I love that, Jo!
There are a lot of reasons but I think the important ones are;
1) It is a hobby that the whole family can do together. I have a 5 year old and a 2 year old. I also enjoy knitting, sewing and a few other hobbies but I often find myself more stressed if I try to do them with the kids close by, especially my 2 year old.
2) With Christian books in particular, it gives me lots of time to mull the verse over and over in my head. Thinking and praying on it. Realizing how it applies to me and how I need to apply it to my life. It keeps your hands busy as well as your eyes and mind, actively engaged. Then I don’t get distracted or lose my train of thought and end up doing or thinking of something else somehow.
3) The last really important thing to me is it helps me unplug and disconnect. Technology is wonderful but it has a way of sucking us in and draining our time. Coloring is a really nice time to shut down the computer, put the cell phone away, turn the tv off, just relax and color.
I have always loved to color and as an older adult I love it even more. Growing up my family was not able to afford much for Christmas but sometimes there would be a box of crayons and a coloring book and it was such a delight to find. Now as an adult every year when the back to school sales are on I buy at least two new boxes of crayons I love to color.
AMAZING ARTICLE!!!! I could not agree with you more on ALL accounts!!! 🙂 I co-write and lead an online coloring inspired Bible Study on Facebook. The purpose behind our lessons and activities fits your article PERFECTLY!!! We believe God’s Word should be SAVORED and ENJOYED. What better way to get us to SLOW down and SOAK IN God’S LOVE than to color as we read and study His amazing Word!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thank you for writing this article 🙂 I am going to share it with my online group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1447039392265675/
Love that, Leslie!