What Is Bible Journaling And How Do I Start?

When you listen to a sermon or read the Bible, how many of the important things that God is saying to you do you actually remember?

We are bombarded by so many demands each day. It’s often hard to recall anything that isn’t vying for our immediate attention, but the spiritual discipline of Bible journaling provides a creative way to keep the things of God on the forefront of our minds!

Bible journaling is simply the process of spending time with God and recording the scriptural insights you receive from Him in your Bible. For most of us, the process of Bible journaling begins by listening to God with a pen and highlighter in hand and recording what God says in the pages of our Bibles and spiritual journals so that we can more faithfully hear, meditate upon, and apply God’s Word to our lives.

Even though the term is relatively new, the concept of Bible journaling is not. In fact, we can find the directive for recording God’s words in Scripture itself.

• In Jeremiah 30:3, the Lord instructs the prophet to “Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.”

• In Habakkuk 2:2, the Lord commands Habakkuk to “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.”

Listening to what God says to us, observing how He is interacting with us on a daily basis, and recording those things are at the heart of all Bible journaling.

While most people begin journaling in their regular Bibles by highlighting key words and passages, a growing number of Christ-followers are discovering the joy of worshiping God on the pages of special, wide-margin Bibles (Journaling Bibles) that allow them to more easily record their thoughts and add artistic elements as well!

Are you interested in Bible journaling but aren’t sure where to begin? Here are some tips to help you get started!

Bible Journaling Tip #1: Start with a wide-margin Bible

in a trustworthy translation that provides ample room for you to write in, draw in, and decorate as you please! If you are journaling with your daughters or young women, The NIV Holy Bible for Girls, Journal Edition is a great choice to consider.

Bible Journaling Tip #2: Pick a passage to study and journal in your Bible.

Some people just write in the margins. Others get creative using highlighting and color-coding, calligraphy, or other artistic techniques. Don’t get too hung up on the artistic side of things – your capacity to express yourself creatively will develop over time if that’s what you desire. Remember, the main purpose of Bible Journaling is to record what God is saying to you during your quiet time with Him.

Bible Journaling Tip #3: Consider the passage.

Certain passages are easier to artistically journal than others because they contain words that evoke concrete images (heart, lamp, dove, for example). Abstract ideas might lend themselves to creative doodling or to the use of certain colors to convey emotions.

Although our Bibles reflect our personal spiritual journeys with God, Bible journaling blesses our families in a multitude of ways:

• Bible journaling helps us overcome perfectionism by teaching us that we don’t have to be professional artists to create beautiful pages that enhance our devotional times with the Lord and glorify and praise God.

• Bible journaling provides us with a fresh way to teach our children to praise God during their devotional time as well.

• Bible journaling enables us to create precious keepsakes that we will one day pass on to our children of how God has blessed us, protected us, and ministered to us throughout our lives.

Isaiah 40:8 says:

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.

Our Journaling Bibles are living testaments to God’s greatness and His faithfulness in our lives. Let’s use them to minister as we minister to others, share our personal testimonies, and testify to God’s glory!

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Your Turn

What do you find most appealing about the concept of Bible Journaling? What level of journaling, if any, do you currently do in your Bible? What tips would those of you who journal like to share with others who are just getting started? Please share your thoughts in the comments. Our readers would love to hear from you!