How to Make Bible Journaling More Meaningful

Bible journaling is the practice of writing, coloring, drawing, taking notes, and creatively responding to Scripture in a journaling Bible or in a notebook used alongside your Bible. In the first post of this series, we explored how to get started with Bible journaling. Today, we will look more closely at how to make Bible journaling meaningful, personal, and spiritually encouraging.

You do not need to spend a lot of money or consider yourself naturally artistic to be “good” at Bible journaling. The purpose is not to create a perfect page or impress anyone with your artwork. The heart of Bible journaling is spending intentional time with God, slowing down with His Word, and allowing Scripture to shape your thoughts, prayers, and daily choices.

Isaiah 55:11 tells us,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Every moment we spend in God’s Word has value. Whether your Bible journaling page is simple or detailed, quiet or colorful, it can become a meaningful way to listen, pray, remember, and respond.

How Can I Make My Bible Journaling More Meaningful?

Adapted from Vintage Grace by Constance Denninger

• Every choice you make can bring you closer to God or draw your attention away from Him. Picture your life with the cross at the center. As you move through each day, consider which habits, thoughts, and choices help you focus on Christ. Bible journaling can be one simple practice that draws your heart nearer to the cross.
• If you are baptized, remember the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in your life. Your time in Scripture is not only an activity; it is a reminder that God is living and active in you. You are His child, and His Word is a gift for your faith.
• Move from head knowledge to heart knowledge. Bible study is important, but the goal is not simply to collect facts. The deeper goal is a growing relationship with Jesus, our Savior. Bible journaling can help you pause long enough to consider what a passage means for your heart and life.
• Many people learn best by doing. Writing, coloring, underlining, sketching, and making visual notes can help you engage with Scripture in a hands-on way. This kind of active reflection often helps a verse stay with you longer.
• Bible journaling can help bridge the communication gap for a visual generation. We live in a world that often communicates through images, color, and quick visual reminders. Visual prayer and creative Bible study offer a meaningful way to interact with God’s Word without replacing careful reading and reflection.
• In ancient times, stained glass windows helped teach Bible stories to people who could not read Scripture for themselves. Today, many people are unfamiliar with the Bible. Bible journaling can be one creative way to invite people back into God’s Word.
• There is no single right way to Bible journal. Personal preference matters, and prayer should guide the process. You might begin with a verse from Sunday worship, a favorite devotion, a passage that comforted you, or a verse that challenged you. Start small and let the meaning of the Scripture lead your response.
  

  Journaling Bible, pages by Elizabeth Chu

Is it Okay to Cover Up God’s Word with Artwork?

One of the most common discussions in the Bible journaling community is whether it is appropriate to cover the printed text with artwork.

Some people prefer to keep all art in the blank margins. Others underline, circle, highlight, or write over the text. Some Bible journalers do not mind if paint, stickers, or other materials cover part of the page. Each person approaches this differently.

Many people see a journaling Bible as a unique tool that helps them connect with God’s Word in a fresh way. If a decorated page encourages someone to return to Scripture day after day, that can be a beautiful and meaningful practice.

Most people also have access to other Bibles, study resources, or digital versions of Scripture when they want to read the full text clearly. Still, this is a personal decision, and it is wise to think carefully about what feels respectful and helpful for your own faith.

The bottom line is to show grace toward people who approach Bible journaling differently than you do.

Be kind. Be prayerful. Let your Bible journaling become an act of worship rather than a reason for comparison or criticism.

Blessed Lord, who hast caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; grant that we may in such wise hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them…

~Thomas Cranmer, 1549

Trust in the Lord Bible Journaling Kit

Have you seen the Trust in the Lord Bible Journaling Kit? This kit was created using feedback from more than 200 Bible journaling artists who shared what they would most like to find in a helpful Bible journaling kit. It includes materials for 30 or more days of Bible journaling.

Learn more about the Trust in the Lord Bible Journaling Kit.

I’m Not Creative or Artistic. This Can’t Work for Me, Can It?

Adapted from Bev Wicher

Wrong!

• Even if you only write a short prayer, a question, or a few honest thoughts in the margin, you are still connecting with God’s Word.
• Bible journaling is not about exhibition; it is about consecration. It is a way to set apart time with the Lord and respond to Him with your attention, thoughts, and heart.
• The very first verse of the Bible tells us, “In the beginning God created.” You are created in God’s image. Creativity does not have to mean professional artwork. It may look like words, color, symbols, lists, prayers, or quiet reflection.
• Admire the work of others, but do not compare your pages to theirs. God loves you beyond compare, and your time with Him does not need to look like anyone else’s.
• Your Bible journaling is an act of worship between you and the Lord. A simple page created with prayer can be deeply meaningful.

What Supplies Do I Need?

You can begin Bible journaling with very basic supplies: a Bible, notebook, pen, pencil, or simple colored pencils. If you want to add more variety, you might enjoy trying stickers, gel pens, cards, or books that offer inspiration for creative Bible study. Choose supplies that help you focus on Scripture rather than distract you from it.

Helpful Books on Bible Journaling:

Writing in the Margins by Lisa Hickman

Illuminated Journaling by Jann Gray

Praying in Color by Sybil MacBeth

Favorite Products:

Sticko Sweetheart Gold Script Alphabet Stickers

Snap Cardstock Stickers

Live Life Family

Me and My Big Ideas

Coloring Book of Cards and Flowers

Super Doodle Gel Pens

Lolliz Gel Pens

Colorful Blessings – cards to color and share, or trim and place in a Bible or journal

Creative Expressions – cards to color and share

K & Company Bible Quote Sticker

Sticko Stickers – Scripture

Sticko Stickers – Cross

Who We Are in Christ – stickers

Carson Dellosa Christian Love Verse Stickers

Carson Dellosa Names of God Stickers

Thank you to my mom, Jeanette Rorabaugh, and to Bev Wicher, a pastor’s wife from the Eastern LCMS district, for sharing wisdom, insight, and ideas for this Bible journaling series.

Do you Bible journal? How do you make your time in God’s Word more meaningful?

• Bible Journaling Ideas: How to Get Started
• Bible Journaling: Make it Meaningful
• Top 25 Bible Journaling Accessories
• Bible Journaling: More Creative Ideas