Ideas for Bible Journaling for Beginners (and free printable!)

If you are here, you may fall under one of these categories.

• You are a beginner in Bible Journaling.
• You are thinking about Bible Journaling but are not sure about how.
• You have already begun your Bible Journaling and looking for some tips.

Whatever may be the case, read on for some tips and inspiration for Bible Journaling for Beginners.

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What is Bible Journaling?

Bible Journaling is noting down daily or weekly the Bible portions you read, your personal intakes from the portion you read, and the practical applications you would make in your everyday life. Bible Journaling is a way to record what God speaks to your heart as you read and meditate on His Word.

What is the Point of Bible Journaling?

You may be wondering if Bible journaling is worth the effort? And why you should begin? What is the point? Well, there are several reasons Bible journaling is an important part of our time in God’s Word. Bible journaling is a great idea to help us…

• To Remember

One of the main points of Bible journaling is to remember what God has taught us from His Word. We humans tend to easily forget what we don’t make deliberate efforts to remember.

As we read the Bible, the Lord speaks to us, and we are super excited. The Word has touched us so deeply that we promise ourselves that we would remember it always, and yet after a week, we forget the wonderful promise we received. 

Likewise with the commitments we make to the Lord. We make a commitment to the Lord, and again, after a few days, we cannot remember the promise we made to Him.

But recording our thoughts and what we learn will help us keep our commitments to the Lord, as well as, remember those precious times in His presence when He spoke to us!

• To Keep Us Alert and Sincere

When we are serious about writing what we have learned from our Bible reading, our reading time becomes more sincere. We become more alert to listening to the Holy Spirit.

When you know you are going to be writing and/or drawing, you choose a specific place and time for your Bible reading.

Again, you remind yourself that you mean business, and that it will not be a quick five minutes reading and then forgetting about what you read. Your time with God is not just an obligation that you are fulfilling. Rather, you are really serious about what you are going to gain from your Bible reading time. 

• To Enjoy Two-way Communication

When the Lord sees your sincerity and commitment, the Holy Spirit will lead and guide you in your regular Bible reading time, and soon you find it has become a two-way communication with God.

You actually hear His voice from the pages of scripture! The Bible becomes more than just a book to read. And you begin to long to read and hear more from your Lord and Saviour! And find that your life with God is greatly enriched!

Why I Love Journaling As Part of My Time With God

Journaling is a part of my Bible reading time. This is how I use my journal. I divide it into these steps.

• The portion I read
• The verse or points that stood out for me
• My contemplation
• A personal promise or an area to work on
• Practical steps for application 
• Prayer

Keeping everything in a proper system has enhanced my Bible reading time and made it meaningful and practical. 

When I apply the Word of God to my life and see minor victories or answered prayers, I note them in my journal. 

When I feel discouraged, I come back to my journal, and it encourages me as I read about my past victories or the times I overcame temptations and also the promises of the Lord in specific situations. This adds meaning to my daily actions. 

Simple Ideas for Bible Journaling for Beginners

Here are some simple tips for Bible Journaling that may help you. 

• Choose a time and place that works for you.
• Decide on a time limit based on your attention span.
• Choose a journaling method that is meaningful for you.
• Decide on whether you will use a Journaling Bible or a notebook.
• Gather your journaling supplies…and Begin!

Choose a time and place that works for you. You can choose your own time and place. Some people feel comfortable in the early mornings, but others feel peaceful in the afternoon or late at night. Follow your own timetable. Never follow someone else’s. Each of us is unique and has our own timetables that suit us.

Select the place that makes you feel connected and comfortable. But try to avoid a couch or a bed that would make you feel sleepy.

Decide on a time limit based on your attention span. Fifteen minutes or half an hour? You can select your own time duration. Decide what works for you. You can start with 15 minutes and then stretch it to half an hour if you wish, or keep it to fifteen minutes. It depends on your own attention span and the time that you have at hand. You could also decide to spend extra time on weekends when you have more leisure time.

Choose a journaling method that is meaningful for you. There are many methods to choose from. You might like to check out LDN’s journaling method called H.E.A.R. There is also the S.O.A.P. Method, and many others. Or, you can follow the steps I do, or come up with something unique that is meaningful for you. It should be comfortable, meaningful, and easy to follow.

If you just like to jot down points and not follow a particular pattern, and it works for you, that too, is absolutely fine.

Ideally, a journal would be about the things that you learned, the promises you received, the special burdens that you want to pray for, the commitments you made, or the truths from God’s Word that you want to apply in your daily life.

Decide on whether you will use a Journaling Bible or a notebook. And whether you will want to illustrate or decorate your journal? Again, it is your choice.

But keep in mind, the time that you spend on your journal determines the value you give to it. The more time you spend, the more you will value it, and ultimately, this will have a positive impact on your overall growth in the Lord. So that extra time spent in adding pictures, illustrations, doodles, or stickers will give unexpected benefits in the long run.

How big or small should my journal be? Are you planning to carry it around? What about to church services or Bible studies? This might determine whether you choose a journaling Bible or a notebook.

Do you wish to keep all your notes with the passage of scripture they apply to? Then a journaling Bible would be the best option.

Or, you might want to keep a separate notebook. If you want to keep only one journal and carry it around, it will be better to keep a small and handy journal. But if you love that bulky one, you may carry a small notepad or take digital notes and then add them to your journal later.

Gather your journaling supplies…and Begin! Grab your journaling Bible or your Bible and journal and any other supplies you enjoy. And get started! For a list of options for journaling and decorating your Bible/journal, keep reading.

The time that you spend on your journal determines the value you give to it. The more time you spend, the more you will value it, and ultimately, this will have a positive impact on your overall growth in the Lord.

Bible Journaling Supplies To Get Started

I love color and beauty. Don’t you? To add more color to your journal or to make it more personal or effective and interesting, you may use some of these Bible journaling supplies.

• Start with a Bible, of course! A regular Bible will do, or you can get a Journaling Bible, one that comes with margins specifically for journaling. There are also Bibles that come with illustrations all ready to color. How fun!
• Any notebook or a good diary or journal will do, but if you desire, you can purchase a printable Bible Journal. 
• Bible Journaling Pens, glitter pens, or colored pencils.  (Choose no-bleed pens for better effect)
• Bible Journaling Stickers or cutouts
• Dried leaves or flowers
• Stencils
• Cutouts of Bible verses or quotes from well known Christian personalities
• Highlighters
• Date stamps
• Post-It notes
• Washi tape

Bible Journaling Questions and Answers

If you are beginner at Bible journaling then maybe you still have a few more questions. I’ll seek to answer some I foresee here, but if you have other questions that I don’t address, please ask them in the Comments below, and I’ll get back to you.

Is Bible Journaling Biblical?

As a beginner in Bible Journaling, have you ever wondered if it is Biblical and whether you are doing the right thing? The answer is absolutely yes! Look at the verse below from the book of Revelations where the Lord Jesus instructs John:

Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. (Revelation 1:11 KJV)

What God shows us in His Word, He wants us to record! And remember! And yes, even share with others!

Is Bible Journaling Disrespectful?

As a beginner in Bible Journaling, if you have any lingering doubts about the value of your journal, consider this wonderful true story. 

David Brainerd, the American Missionary, lived a brief life of only 29 years. Jonathan Edwards published his Diary, The life of David Brainard. This diary (Bible journal) inspired a long list of missionaries like Henry Martyn, William Carey, Adoniram Judson, and many others.

The impact this caused on the church’s history can’t be measured. Your Bible journal is not just a book where you have dumped your thoughts, but a record of your communication with the Lord. It is valuable and definitely not disrespectful. 

Maybe you are wondering if writing in your Bible is disrespectful. Well, we know the actual words of scripture are holy, but the paper and ink used to record them is not. Bibles have been illustrated since they were first printed.

Writing and highlighting the scriptures is useful for our spiritual growth, and in my opinion definitely not disrespectful.

That being said, I believe that children should not be allowed to mark in their Bibles until they reach an age to write in it appropriately. Scribbling in the Bible should not be allowed. Our children should be taught to respect God’s Word.

What If I Can’t Draw?

It is your journal, and it is up to you to illustrate it or not. If you are not comfortable drawing, it is completely alright to skip it. 

As another alternative, you might like to paste some pictures or cutouts from old Sunday School books or picture books. You could also use journaling stencils. Or, use a Journaling Bible that has illustrations already.

What Is A Bible Journaling Kit?

For those who are beginning their Bible Journaling, ready-to-use Bible Journaling Kits are available. They offer everything from stickers, washi tapes, gel pens, glitter pens, etc. 

How Can I Maintain Consistency?

What about the times when you can’t maintain consistency and want to quit? 
Every time you feel like giving up, remind yourself of this verse…

And David was greatly distressed;… but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

1Samuel 30:6

If you become inconsistent, give yourself some grace. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Just find something to inspire and motivate yourself, and restart from where you left off. But do not give up. Life and circumstances happen to everyone. But giving up on spending quality time with God is never an option.

Can I Share My Journal With Others?

This is something only you can decide. If your Journal holds some of the deepest thoughts of your soul, which you feel uncomfortable sharing with anyone else, don’t do it.

You can make it very clear to your family that your Journal/diary is not for anyone else to read. They should respect your privacy. If you have small kids in the house, keep it in a place where it is not easy to reach.

On the other hand, if your Journal contains some promises that you feel are beneficial for someone else, feel free to share that portion. You might consider taking a photo of a Bible page or your Journal page to post on social media along with a few thoughts you recorded that day. And in this way be an encouragement to others!

Your Bible Journaling habit can also be an inspiration to others who are just beginning their Bible Journaling or are not able to make up their mind about how and where to start.

Bible journaling is a great way to enhance your time with God. With so many journaling supplies and methods available, you can find what is enjoyable for you. Once you cultivate the habit of maintaining a Bible Journal, you will see how meaningful your Bible reading times become. And how much joy there is in not only reading the Bible, but also in hearing God’s voice!

Happy Journaling!

To get you started with your Bible journaling, here is a Free H.E.A.R. Bible Study Form! Download and print as many as you’d like for your daily study of God’s Word. You could even hole punch them and create your own study Journal!

Click the image to download and print.

About the Author – Vandana Chandekar

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