After Church Diaries is a lifestyle column by Danielle Wallace, founder of The Virtuous Creative, covering personal style, home, culture, faith, and creating a full life beyond business.
There’s a running list in my mind filled with fun things I’d enjoy doing once I have a little extra time. Reading more fiction makes the list. So does working on something creative with my hands.
I’ll think about one of these hobbies during a busy day and tell myself I should try it soon. Then work needs my attention, an errand pops up, or I fall into my usual evening routine. A few weeks pass, and I forget all about the idea.
Three hobbies continue finding their way back onto my list. Reading Christian fiction, scrapbooking, and paint-by-numbers all sound creative and easy to fit into my life. None requires me to rearrange my entire schedule or become a person with a dedicated craft room and perfectly labeled storage bins.
I’d be happy to begin with one book, one scrapbook page, or one slightly questionable painting.
Why Christian fiction is first on my reading list
Reading already takes up a large part of my day, yet much of it involves articles, emails, social media posts, and other work-related material. Sitting down with a novel would give me a different experience, one centered on getting pulled into a story instead of looking for information.
Christian fiction interests me because I’d love to read about characters whose faith shapes how they handle relationships, disappointment, family, work, and personal growth. I’m drawn to stories where prayer, church, Scripture, and conversations about God fit naturally into everyday life.
Plenty of genres fall under Christian fiction, which gives me room to figure out what I enjoy. Contemporary fiction seems like a good place to start, although romance, historical fiction, family dramas, and suspense are all possibilities. A good book would also give me something relaxing to reach for in the evening. Scrolling has a way of turning five minutes into an hour or more. Reading a few chapters sounds far more appealing.
I don’t plan to set an ambitious monthly reading target or treat my book list like another assignment. Finding one story I’m excited to return to would be enough.
Giving my favorite photos a place beyond my phone
My phone holds years of photos, yet many disappear into my camera roll after I take them. I may love a picture when I first see it, then forget about it once newer photos begin piling up.
Scrapbooking would give a few of my favorites a place outside a screen. I love the idea of choosing photos from one day, trip, birthday, or season and arranging them on a page. Patterned paper, stickers, handwritten captions, and small keepsakes could help tell the story around each picture.
A scrapbook also seems far more personal than another digital album. Flipping through actual pages would turn looking at photos into an experience. I’d get to see the colors, handwriting, and little details I chose to include instead of swiping past everything in a few seconds.
Of course, craft stores sell enough scrapbooking supplies to make one album look like a serious financial commitment. I could walk in for a pack of paper and leave convinced I require a bunch of stickers, six rolls of washi tape, and a cutting machine I don’t know how to operate.
Starting small sounds far more reasonable. One album, a few printed photos, and a simple set of supplies would give me plenty to work with. I wouldn’t need to document every part of my life. Creating one page around an experience I loved would be a good beginning.
Paint-by-numbers, coffee, and cooler evenings
Painting sounds relaxing until a blank canvas enters the conversation. I like creative projects, but I don’t necessarily want to decide what to paint, sketch the design, select every color, and hope the finished image resembles what I pictured. Paint-by-numbers removes several of those decisions.
Each section already tells me which color to use. All I have to do is follow the guide, fill in the shapes, and try to keep the paint somewhere near the lines. A little structure makes the hobby more appealing. I’d still get the experience of working with color and watching an image slowly come together without having to invent the entire picture myself.
I could see myself taking a small paint-by-numbers kit to a coffee shop and working on it while enjoying a drink. Getting out of the house with an actual activity sounds nice, especially on a day when I’d rather do something besides sit with my phone.
Cooler evenings would give me another option. I could sit outside before sunset, play music, and fill in a few sections while enjoying the fresh air. The painting wouldn’t have to stay in one place until it was finished. I could work on it for an hour, pack everything away, and return to it another day.
Part of the appeal comes from having something enjoyable to do and a reason to change my usual surroundings. A coffee shop table or an evening outside would make painting feel like a small outing rather than another night spent doing the usual.
Finishing with a piece I’d hang on the wall would be lovely. Enjoying the process would count too, even if the final picture looks slightly different from the image on the box.
Making room before I forget again
Lack of interest hasn’t kept me from trying these hobbies. My weeks fill up, my attention moves elsewhere, and the ideas fade into the background.
Giving each hobby a visible place could help. A Christian novel on my nightstand would remind me to read before bed. A folder of printed photos would make starting a scrapbook page easier. Keeping a paint-by-numbers kit packed and easy to carry would make a coffee shop visit or evening outside easier to follow through on.
I don’t need a strict hobby schedule or another challenge to complete. A few chapters, one scrapbook page, or half an hour of painting would add something enjoyable to my week. Perhaps one hobby will become part of my regular routine. Another may come out only on slower weekends. I could also try one and discover I preferred the idea of it, which would be useful information too.
Right now, reading Christian fiction feels like the easiest place to begin. Scrapbooking has the strongest sentimental pull. Paint-by-numbers gives me a creative activity and an excuse to spend time in a different setting. All three have spent enough time waiting in the back of my mind. I’m curious to see which one finally makes its way into my week.
Which would you try first, Christian fiction, scrapbooking, or paint-by-numbers?
