Category: Writing for Transformation: Bible Studies and Devotions

You’re reading the newspaper when a story grabs your attention. It would be a great illustration or lead in for a devotional, but you don’t need it for a project right now. How are you going to keep track of that story so you can find it when you need it? Here are a few simple tools I use to keep illustrations at my fingertips.

1. Evernote. This web clipping tool is useful for saving interesting stories, facts, and blog posts. I use the free plan, though there are premium options available. Evernote allows you to easily clip and save articles from web browsing and organize them in binders. You can also assign tags to notes. This helps me narrow down topics and allows me to track when I last used a particular story or fact in an article. You can also save Kindle highlights into Evernote, which makes it a useful way to keep track of quotes you may want to reference later. Evernote syncs across devices, which makes it easy to save interesting material from whatever device I’m on.
2. Tickle File. Sometimes when I’m reading something “tickles” my imagination. It reminds me of a Scripture passage, gets my thoughts moving, or simply seems especially poignant or meaningful. I keep those clippings in a tickle file—just a simple file folder on the shelf next to my desk. Before putting something in the tickle file, I make sure I’ve labeled it with the date and source so I have the information necessary to cite it later. This is not a high level of organization—it’s just a collection of random copies and clippings. But when I’m working on a project and something is nagging at the back of my mind that I can’t quite remember, flipping through my tickle file often brings it back to the surface.
3. Idea Journal. I carry a small notebook with me to jot down thoughts, people watching observations, or funny encounters I want to be sure to remember later. Sometimes those pages get torn out and placed in my tickle file. Sometimes they just stay in my journal. Either way, the act of writing it down seems to cement the thoughts in my mind so I can pull them back out when I need them.

Using these tools keeps illustrations at my fingertips—and keeps me from hours of racking my brain trying to remember where I read that story that would be perfect to use if only I could find the source. A few minutes of diligence each day saves time in the long run. What tools do you use to keep your ideas and illustrations organized?

Good teachers are also good storytellers. Stories capture our attention and imagination. They make us laugh, relieving tension. They create empathy, connecting us to our readers. They help us understand abstract concepts and figure out how to apply truth to our life. If we’re going to write life-changing Bible studies and devotions, we need to sharpen our storytelling skills. But in order to tell a story well, we need to have a good story to share. Here are ten places to find life-changing illustrations:

1. Personal experience. Writing means planting your bottom in the chair, but it can also mean putting your feet on the sidewalk. Go for a walk. Volunteer. People watch. Take the scenic route. Get outside and live, and write about what happens to you. Personal stories give readers a window into your life, and sharing personal experiences helps build credibility and trust with your readers
2. Nature. God reveals himself to us in creation. Harnessing stories from nature helps us reveal God’s fingerprints on the world he has made.
3. Literature and films. One of my favorite examples of faith is the moment from Indian Jones and the Last Crusade when Indy steps out onto a path he believes is there but cannot see. Aslan’s sacrifice, Sam’s loyalty to Frodo, Anne Shirley’s firm belief in the power of friendship—these stories resonate with us. While we need to handle them carefully, using illustrations from books and movies can help form points of connection between our readers’ interests and biblical truths.
4. Christian classics. We are blessed by the number and variety of books available today for Christian readers. But there is great value in also taking the time to read words that have stood the test of time. The thoughts and words of classic Christian authors can help us find fresh ways to express timeless truths.
5. History and biographies. While history is not my favorite genre, I discipline myself to read history and biographies on a regular basis. History helps us find touchstones from the past that still resonate today, and these stories can add interest and depth to your Bible studies.
6. Science and statistics. This is an area in which we need to be careful and be certain to cite our sources. Many frequently quoted statistics are not as reliable as people sometimes believe. It’s not true that 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce, no matter how many times you’ve heard it. Still, good information from science and statistical research can also provide good illustrations for your readers.
7. Family and friends. Tread carefully here and decide what the best boundaries for your family are. While I mention my children in my writing, I don’t share specific stories about them without their permission. Similarly, I recognize that my friends’ stories are their own and that they haven’t asked to have their lives splashed across the internet. Still, a good story is a good story, but I always ask for permission before sharing it in my writing and often change identifying details.
8. Current events. As I read the news, I’m always on the lookout for good stories that show everyday people doing amazing things. The news can be a great source for stories of compassion, humor, strength, and triumph. I find Evernote is a good tool for keeping track of news clippings.
9. Write your own parables. Take a cue from Jesus and write your own parables. Make sure that your audience knows it is a story and not a factual experience, but creating a parable can be a powerful way to convey truth.
10. Scripture. Sometimes Scripture is the best tool to illustrate Scripture. David’s victory over Goliath is an example of courage. Barnabas’s gift to the church at Jerusalem demonstrates sacrificial generosity, and Ruth’s care for Naomi is a perfect picture of loyalty, compassion, and grace. The stories of how God worked through people’s lives in Scripture can show us how God desires to work in our lives as well.

What are your favorite sources for illustrations?

The president of our seminary used to tell us that we needed over 1,500 books in our personal library before we graduated. I did the math and figured to reach that goal I’d have to buy about ten books a week over the course of a three-year degree—something I was happy to do if the school would only quit charging me for rent and tuition.

But I understood his point: preparing for ministry means investing in resources. As Bible study and devotional writers, we also need to invest in resources. We need good commentaries that will help us understand Scripture. We need books that help us understand biblical languages, times, and customs. And we need books with stories and facts that help us make applications and find illustrations that capture our reader’s attention. But books—especially theology books—are expensive. Here are six tips for building your theological library on a budget.

• Use the library. I live in a small town in the middle of West Texas, but there are still four colleges within an hour’s drive of my house. Two of those schools have graduate programs in theology, and I can check out books from their libraries using my public library card. If you’re not within driving distance of a university, look into your public library’s interlibrary loan program and check out their resources. Our public library system has access to a religious and theological database that indexes PDFs of current theological journals. You might also want to explore what library services are available through the alumni program of your college or seminary. My seminary offers a library-by-mail program that allows graduates to check out books by mail for a nominal annual fee.

• Buy used books. Several online booksellers now offer used books. If you live close to a Christian college or seminary, you might also look for a used bookstore near campus and check in periodically. Students often weed their bookshelves at the end of the semester.

• Follow your favorite publishers on social media. Publishers like Zondervan Academic, Baker Academic, and Intervarsity Press all have accounts on Facebook and Twitter. Follow them and watch for announcements of sales. Zondervan steeply discounts e-book versions of some of their commentary sets a couple times a year, and I’ve been able to fill my library out this way.

• Become a book reviewer. Some publishers offer free books to reviewers through a blog or book review program. If you have a blog and are comfortable reviewing books on sites like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Christian Book Distributors, joining these programs can help you build your library.

• Buy what you need as you need it. When you sign a contract with a publisher, invest a portion of your income into buying some of the books you need. This will help you build your library over time.

• Leverage discounts from software companies. Programs like Olive Tree or Logos provide e-tools for Bible study students. Though the higher packages can deliver some sticker shock, software packages can allow you to purchase large amounts of books for pennies on the dollar.

Building your theological library is important, but you don’t have to break the bank to do it. How do you make book buying fit your budget?

by Leigh Powers

The speaker lost me at the donkey. He was a charismatic, engaging speaker who made some great points based on Scripture. But when he built a major point around the idea that the Hebrew word for donkey in 1 Samuel 9:3 actually meant flowing, he lost me. For one thing, I was pretty sure that the Hebrew word for donkey means donkey. That’s why all the major English translations render it as donkey. It’s also kind of hard to saddle up a “flowing” and go for a ride.
I tried to give him some grace. Maybe he meant the words came from the same root? But it didn’t sound right to me, and the uncertainty made me question the rest of what he was saying. When I got home I pulled out my trusty lexicon. Sure enough, donkey actually meant donkey. I checked several other Hebrew dictionaries and grammar tools but couldn’t find any connection between the Hebrew word for donkey used in this passage and the word flowing.
That speaker lost some credibility with me that day. I’m sure he got his information from somewhere. Maybe his pastor said it, or maybe he read a book that made the same point. But I couldn’t verify it, and the questionable definition made him seem less reliable. Yet we know insights from the biblical languages can add color and depth to our handling of Scripture. How can you draw insights from Greek and Hebrew without letting the biblical languages make a donkey out of you?
1. Use the right tools. So you’ve got an awesome insight you read somewhere, or want to borrow a powerful illustration based on the meaning of a Greek word your pastor shared last Sunday. Do your own research. Even if you don’t know the biblical languages, you can still find some insights from tools such as Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, The Complete Old and New Testament Word Study Dictionary by Spiros Zodhiates, William Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies, or A.T. Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament. You can also look up terms using an interlinear Greek or Hebrew Bible that is keyed to Strong’s Concordance. Don’t forget about solid commentaries, either. Good commentaries written by Old and New Testament scholars frequently add insights based on the syntax or the meaning of Greek or Hebrew words.
2. Don’t pretend like you know more than you do. Cite your sources. You can do this in the body of your text or by using footnotes, but make sure your reader knows where the information is coming from. You gain credibility by citing valid sources.
3. Consider the context. We can gain great insights from things like understanding the difference between agape and phileo love, but sometimes people take so-called insights into the biblical languages in strange directions. The same word can mean different things in different contexts and in different time periods. For example, the word cannonball means two different things when you’re talking about a battlefield or an afternoon at the pool. While the meanings are linked, trying to read war symbolism into a scene from a middle-grade novel about a boy jumping into a pool would probably be more than a little off track. And yet people do the same kinds of things with Scripture. Just because a word has a particular nuance in one place doesn’t mean it has that shade of meaning everywhere it’s used. Again, do your research and make sure the meaning you’re highlighting is relevant to the immediate context.
If we’re going to handle the Word of God, we need to do so with accuracy and truth. That means teaching what is true—not manipulating supposed meanings of biblical languages to make a point that isn’t there. Do your research. Cite your sources. Check the context, and teach with confidence.

Leigh Powers is an award-winning Bible study and devotional writer, freelance editor, pastor’s wife, and speaker from small-town West Texas. She earned her Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and writes regularly for publishers such as BaptistWay Press, Smyth & Helwys, and Union Gospel Press. She strives to combine solid biblical teaching with real-world application and is passionate about seeing lives changed as we encounter God through his Word.

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