Bible journaling – a creative process of making art in your Bible as a way to connect with scripture and with God.
Your Bible doesn’t have to be perfect or even pretty AND you don’t need to spend a bunch of money on supplies.
You can absolutely use the Bible you already have to begin Bible Journaling. But if you want more space, you can check out several budget friendly journaling Bibles.
There are basic things that we can do when we are journaling:
• Write prayers in the margins. (Remember to date the prayers- and come back later to add the answer and date answered!)
• Write what God speaks into your heart as you read a passage.
• Write sermon notes beside the scripture reference.
• Still not sure where to start? Here are some more great ideas:
• Keep doing what you are doing! Find some quiet time. When you are inspired to remember a verse or point, then write or illustrate in your Bible next to the scripture you studied that day.
• Use your concordance to read the Bible by topic. Choose a topic you want to learn more about and follow those verses through the Bible.
• If you read Christian living books, write or illustrate in your Bible next to the references that speak to you.
Now I am going to share some tips from Sara Laughed who is a lover of bile journaling.
#Tip 1: Understanding what it’s all about
Alright, guys, let’s get one thing clear: Bible journaling is not about making the most beautiful art. I, myself, am guilty of wanting to make something really beautiful and impressive for the sake of, well… making something really beautiful and impressive. But that’s is not the right attitude – not in Bible journaling and not in life. Bible journaling isn’t about the outcome, it’s about the process. Focus on connecting with scripture and your belief, and the skill will come with time.
#Tip 2: Having the right tools
All you need to Bible journal is a Bible and a pen. If you want to expand a little bit, you can try coloured pencils, watercolour pencils, paints, stickers, washi tapes, and more. But to start out, all you need is “scripture and a scribbler.” 
I use the Black ESV Single Column Journaling Bible by Crossway. I like that the pages are cream-colored, with lots of margin room that comes faintly lined. Here is an example blank spread, with some “ghosting” (when pens or highlighters show through the page a little) shown on the left side.
#Tip 3: Finding a verse
Alright, so you have your Bible, your pen(s), and maybe some extras, like paints, stamps, or stickers. The next thing to do is find a verse.
Bible journaling can be a little scary, especially if you’re not used to writing in your Bible before. For that reason, I recommend starting off with a verse that you know well and that means a lot to you. Starting with a verse that you are very familiar with helps take away some level of discomfort when it comes to journaling in your Bible for the first time, and it will help you come up with an idea faster. At the same time, if you choose your absolute favourite verse, it may be difficult to come up with a design that includes everything it means to you. For that reason, choose one you know well and like, but maybe not the verse you’d paint on your living room ceiling.
#Tip 4: Getting started
Alright, here comes the exciting part! Now that you have your tools and verse, and you’re excited to get going, it’s time to get started. Everyone has a different process for how they do this; you may want to pray first, or just get started; you may prefer to do some background research on the verse you’re doing so that you can add detail (that’s me – nerd alert!). In the end, what it comes down to is mustering up the courage to put pen to paper and make something that expresses how you feel. This is my process for the actual journaling process:
Reflect on the verse. Read it over a few times; maybe do a little background research. Let it sink into my bones. I think about the parts of the verse that mean something to me, and then I try to figure out how I can represent them in art.
Sketch it out with a pencil. I like to use a simple mechanical pencil to do my sketching so that I don’t make any permanent mistakes!
Outline it with pen. I use my skinny Pigma Microns to do this, as they don’t bleed through the paper.
Fill it in with colour. Next, I use gel pens, colouredpencils, and watercolour pencils to add colour and dimension to my design!
*For more information, please check out the following links.