Handwritten Bible Overview and Stories (Madison, WI)

How it got started, how we celebrated completing it after 7 years and stories from each of 6 volumes. Every single day for all seven years of this project I always wore a tropical shirt (even walking through the Capitol with it), so to honor that tradition I am wearing my favorite tropical shirt which is my souvenir from a 6 week missions trip to Grenada.
You can view my notes I made for this video here: handwrittenbib...
Other links to things referenced will be at the end of these KZbin notes.
INDEX to sections of the video:
00:35 - project started on August 26, 2010
00:45 the website is here: HandwrittenBible.com
01:00 the gridsheet that I designed so people would write straight :) AND so that all the pages would be consistent - flipping through the Bible, the handwriting would change, but the page would "look" the same (orderly no chaotic)
02:05 turning in chapters as they were completed
02:50 proofreading corrections were made on a copy not the original that each person turned it (God told me that the original sheet were to be treated as holy as per Exodus 3:4-5)
03:05 I had estimated that when finished it might be about 3,000 pages. When completed it actually was 3,835 pages
03:35 how I divided the Bible into 6 volumes
04:10 there is only one copy of this handwritten Bible (and you are seeing it in this video)
04:30 it took about 3 months to complete the first volume (1 of 6)
04:55 I chose a picture (work of art) for the Introduction page the day before I took the pages to be leather bound - interesting that the date on the back of the canvas was the same exact date that I started this project (seemed like God was confirming that I was on the right track)
06:05 The 1st Volume completed was Poetry and Wisdom (Job through Song of Songs)
06:15 I safely store each of the volumes in near air tight bins (Really Useful Boxes)
06:50 God wanted this to be beautiful like a wedding present, thus I had Grimm Book Bindery make it so (gold gilded pages, gold imprinted spine with the raised bars, leather bound with ribbons)
08:14 Title page for Psalms - you can view it full size using this link: handwrittenbib...
08:15 The ART - I had Staples "mount and laminate" a copy of each work of art [note: you have permission to do the same thing for your favorite work of art from the Handwritten Bible just go to HandwrittenBible.com and click on TITLE PAGES in the menu bar and click on the artwork to view (and print) it in full size
08:45 2nd Volume completed - The Gospels (maroon red for the blood of Christ)
09:15 the story for this volume was in the binding itself (see later in this video where the story from our final volume is about MY big mistake:)
11:00 it took 7 months (after the 1st volume was completed) to complete the 2nd volume
11:15 3rd Volume completed - The Letters (white since it is the end - doesn't Revelation talk about Jesus as glorious wearing bright white?)
12:10 the Double Celebration - being halfway through the project AND my 60th birthday
13:20 4th Volume completed - The Pentateuch (brown thinking of creation)
14:10 story behind the title page for Leviticus (artwork by Lavonne). You can view this title page full size while you watch using this link: handwrittenbib...
16:30 5th Volume completed - The Historical Books (bound in blue)
17:00 story about taking the Handwritten Bible into the State Capitol
20:05 chapter 13 of 1Kings was written in Hebrew - you can view the page full size using this link: handwrittenbib...
23:50 6th Volume completed - The Prophets
24:35 the story from the final volume is about MY big mistake
25:40 "Where's Malachi?"
26:30 story of our Pinney Library connections - our Writing Parties
here the video somehow got split off - please watch the final 5 minutes here: • Ending - Handwritten B...

[@project-zach]

What a wonderful project such a labor of love and devotion.

[@LenLindsay]

Yes indeed ... and dozens and dozens of people had such AMAZING stories themselves - typically stories revolving around their time writing their pages!

[@AshaCattette]

This is so amazing and absolutely inspiring as I start my own joyful journey in handwriting my own bible. It is such a labor of love and submission to God.

[@LenLindsay]

Thank you so much. We need to encourage each other (daily) and I appreciate your encouragement! I am working on another project that God put on my heart (and in my head) now!

[@AshaCattette]

@@LenLindsay that sounds so amazing and I agree, God re-convicted my heart towards him and my waywardness’s in his name. Every encouragement is needed and necessary during these dark times; I’d love to lend any help for a future writing project and put my gifts to better use. Really live in the meaning of my name Asha, which is “God’s gift of life,” or “hope” depending on the language.

[@AshaCattette]

@@LenLindsay you are very welcome, keep up the amazing and inspiring work. Regardless of how love or how many views, when the message connects it makes a lasting impact.

[@ellendodge5156]

Fascinating! What a legacy this is for your community. You put so much thought, love, and prayer into this! Thank you so much for passing this experience along to others. God Bless you!

[@LenLindsay]

7 years and over 300 people from the Madison area ... so, yes, it was a wonderful community oriented unique accomplishment!

[@cindymccafferty8346]

The printing press had been around for a while. However, blocks of wood had to be carved and put in the press to be printed. What Gutenberg really invented was movable type. This was raised lettering on small pieces of metal, arranged, tightened with a spacer and key. We used this many years ago in the ‘70s in graphic arts classes. The movable type was stored in a compartmented case called a California job case. So called because printers took these cases along with them to California to set up a business during the California gold rush of 1848

[@joycegifford8826]

Amazing….

[@LenLindsay]

Yes ... but it was amazing for hundreds of people as they took part in this project ... God is amazing to have us do it!

[@RandallHarris142]

Thank you for sharing this inspiring story!

[@LenLindsay]

Yes! Amazing things can happen when you do what God is asking of you!

[@peterblair4448]

So cool! God Bless!

[@LenLindsay]

Thank you! Blessings to you as well!

[@emiljohann88]

Amazing. I am doing this in Icelandic.

[@LenLindsay]

Thank you ... God's word is amazing! Are you doing a similar thing on your own or with other people?

[@emiljohann88]

Alone. I have been doing it since 2019.

[@johnnewkirk2986]

Praise God!!! So encouraging

[@LenLindsay]

Thank you ... it was a wonderful project with God in our midst the whole way!

[@vickylin5126]

Wow! Amazing works!

[@fotisvon9943]

This is great

[@LenLindsay]

Thank you!

[@jeanfeller4961]

This is amazing and so inspiring!

[@LenLindsay]

Yes ... so often God Stories are like that! While I have been through many of them, it seems that I have not taken time to actually write about them (I typically do NOT do videos). Here are a few: acceptednotrejected.com/category/jaw-dropping-experience/

[@FryxNummer14]

Incredible project! Great work!

[@davidrossman919]

You showed the first page that had Psalms on the photo, but the rest of the volumes I wanted to see those first pages…

[@LenLindsay]

All of the art from all of the volumes has been collected and put together into a book titled Handmade Art ... an article about it is here=> handwrittenbible.com/2022/06/30/lord-give-me-goosebumps/

[@joyful7772]

This is awesome! What paper and pens do you use to write on? I love the wide margins. I really want to do this for myself!

[@LenLindsay]

Thank you for your kind note ... and yes, it really is Awesome! Gives people goosebumps just holding it and paging through all the pages. It was done by over 300 people and took about 7 years. Go to HandwrittenBible.com and look at the black menu bar at the top of all the pages. Click on GRIDSHEET to get a copy of the "template" that we used (print it, flip it, place it on top of a blank white sheet of paper, write on it). Also, in that black menu bar at the top ... click on ABOUT to see a bit of the story behind making the Handwritten Bible.

[@LenLindsay]

Oh ... PENS ... people used many kinds of pens. If you like very fine point thin text I recommend pens called SLICCI (search Amazon for them). Next ... a nice regular pen to use is a rollerball pen. They can be 0.5mm for regular thin writing or 1.0mm for a bit more bold.

[@mcdanielsw]

Where did you get these bibles made?

[@LenLindsay]

Grimm Book Bindery did all the stitching and binding and even constructed a custom matching case for each volume. Needless to say ... they do excellent work. They also restore OLD Bibles that are falling apart or have pages falling out. They have restored a couple beautiful old Bibles for me. You can find them on the internet by searching for their name ... or contact them by US Mail at 6880 Gisholt Drive, Madison, WI 53713 or by phone at 608-221-4443

[@mcdanielsw]

Thank you for the info and quick reply!