Bible Journaling Ideas for Beginners (with Free Printable!)

Are you looking for Bible journaling ideas to deepen your walk with the Lord? If you are a beginner at Bible journaling or are just looking for new and creative ways to incorporate Bible journaling in your Bible study time, take a look at some of these Bible journaling ideas for beginners!

What is Bible Journaling?

If you are new to Bible journaling, you may be wondering what it is exactly. If you have seen any images on Pinterest, Bible journaling can look very different depending on the type of art and mixed media you choose to use. Basically, I like to define Bible journaling as a way to creatively document and illustrate the things you are learning from God’s Word.

Some call it creative Bible journaling or art journaling, because people tend to use art as a way to illustrate their faith. You can use colored pencils, gel pens, markers, stamps, stencils, gelatos, or watercolor paint.

Bible journaling can be as simple as drawing cute stick figures from a simple Bible story, or as advanced as creating beautiful watercolor pages to your journaling Bible. Whatever type of art you choose to use for your Bible journaling, make sure that it is something that you feel comfortable with, and something that you can easily weave into your current Bible study methods.

Bible Journaling as a Keepsake

A while ago I went through a box of old journals I’ve had since I was in high school. Each journal was filled with prayers, scriptures, doodles, and old pictures from magazines of flowers and sunsets. These journals are such treasures, and I was able to trace back my sweet relationship with the Lord in those early teen years, and to see where he has brought me today.

My current journals are filled with similar scribbles and sketches, now accompanied with washi tape and Bible stickers. Back in high school I didn’t realize that I was “Bible journaling”, but looking back, creative journaling has always been something I have done throughout my walk with Christ.

My main study Bible is filled with rich history, (I’ve had it since the 8th grade!) and has gotten me through a lot of difficult times in my life. It has been such a lifeline for me over the years. Since this Bible is getting pretty worn, I decided to purchase a journaling Bible so that I can continue the legacy of journaling my thoughts and prayers for years to come. (I will definitely still use my old Bible, because I just can’t part with it yet!)

Use Bible Journaling as a Way to Enhance your Study of God’s Word

When you implement Bible journaling techniques, it should be something that is used to enhance your study of the Bible. What I like to do is study a Bible passage first before delving into creative art journaling. Choose a Bible passage and read it a few times. Write down any thoughts, questions, or observations you have about the Bible passage. Let the Word of God marinate into your soul. How can you use the words from Scripture and apply them to your life?

I also like to use Scripture to pray. After I have studied a particular passage, I use that same Scripture passage in a prayer. You can take a look at how to pray the word of God in this post.  Once you have meditated on the Scripture, you may desire to creatively illustrate what you have read through Bible journaling. This is a beautiful way to creatively express the words of Scripture. Depending on the type of Bible journaling technique you use, it can take a bit of time to get everything set up, so that’s why I enjoy studying the Scripture and reading it ahead of time. That way I can spend the next day diving into my Bible journaling technique without rushing.

Bible Journaling for Beginners–How to get Started

If you are new to Bible journaling and desire to create life-long memories with God, where is a good place to start? There are so many different ways you can creatively illustrate Scripture. Let’s take a look at some of the examples of how you can use simple Bible journaling techniques as a beginner, and a few Bible journaling essentials for getting started. 

Choose a Journaling Bible

There are so many different kinds of journaling Bibles to choose from. I finally decided to go with the Journal the Word Large Print Bible with plenty of journaling margin space for writing notes, doodling, adding stickers, washi tape, or other embellishments. It has a beautifully decorated tan and soft blue cover, and is a wonderful keepsake!

Here is a list of some other Bible journaling Bibles that are also very good. Some of them come with illustrated scriptures that you can color, so be sure you know ahead of time which type of Bible you are interested in.

My Creative Bible KJV

Inspire Bible NLT

Beautiful Word Coloring Bible

Choose a Notebook

Though there is room within the margins to journal creatively in a Bible journal, I find it is still helpful to use a spiral notebook or prayer journal for further writing your thoughts and prayers. Sometimes one single verse can inspire several pages of reflections!

This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.

Jeremiah 30:2

Choose Bible Journaling Writing Supplies

Since Bible pages are so thin and delicate, it is definitely a good idea to test out several different kinds of pens with your Bible. I personally like using a simple black ballpoint pen, which has not given me any problems thus far. In my old Bible I went through a metallic gel pen phase, and those pens have held up very well in my Bible after so many years!

Here are a few other suggestions, but be sure to test them out on your Bible first!

Illustrated Faith Bible Journaling Pens

Micron Blister Card Ink Pen Set

Choose Other Bible Journaling Supplies

The beautiful thing about Bible journaling is that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to do it. Choose any Bible journaling supplies that you think you would enjoy most, and go for it! I personally love using washi tape and stickers. Others choose to add their own art and illustrations through painting, stamps and stencils. It’s your Bible, so do as you like!

Simple Bible Journaling Techniques to Try

Now that you have the basic supplies to get started with Bible journaling, you can apply some of Simple Bible journaling techniques to see what you type Bible journaling ideas you want to get started with. If you are new to Bible journaling, you may want to start out with some simple ideas and branch out to more advanced techniques as you gain more experience. The process of Bible journaling is so fun, and you definitely want to give each technique a try!

Coloring in your Bible

Consider using colored pencils to color Scripture with a journaling Bible. There are many different types of journaling Bibles that you can use that already have beautifully illustrated words, Scriptures, and images that you can color with simple coloring pencils or watercolor pencils. This technique is fairly simple, and can be very relaxing and rewarding.

Take a look at free Bible verse coloring pages that you can use in this post here.

Use Bible Journaling Printables, Stickers, and Washi Tape, and Mixed Media

If you enjoy scrapbooking, you will really enjoy Bible journaling in a scrapbook-type of way. You can use Bible journaling printables, stickers, washi tape, and other mixed media when creating your Bible journaling pages. This is another fairly simple and easy way to get started with Bible journaling.

All you need to do is gather some supplies and decide where you would like to place them on your Bible. You can also add these elements to notebooks, prayer journals, and planners. When you are using stickers and washi tape you can decorate your page and write some of the key Scriptures that you have studied in your journaling Bible or notebook.

This is one of my favorite ways to use Bible journaling. I find it easy to use, and lots of fun!

You can also find tons of free Bible journaling printables that you can download and print in a post here!

Use Gelatos in your Bible Journaling

Gelatos are fun art supplies because you can get the feel and effect of watercolor without water! Gelatos are essentially messy-free ways to create soft, watercolor pages in your Bible if you don’t want to actually use watercolor paint. They roll onto your Bible page smoothly like a soft pastel or crayon, and can create beautiful pages for Bible journaling. I have used the gelatos from the Faber-Castell Bible journaling kit, and I really like them!

Use Stamps, Ink and Stencils in your Bible Journaling

Using stamps and ink in your Bible journaling are also fun and easy ways to get started with Bible journaling for beginners. If you do not feel comfortable hand-drawing images in your Bible, or do not have much experience with hand lettering, stencils and stamps are a great way to create beautiful pages in your Bible without having to have a lot of artistic ability! 

More Advanced Bible Journaling Techniques

I love using simple and easy Bible journaling techniques, since I am a busy mom and don’t always have a lot of time for extensive Bible journaling.  But if you desire to try more advanced Bible journaling techniques, you may want to try using watercolor or acrylic paint in your Journaling Bible.

This takes a bit more preparation and set up, but if you have time on an afternoon or on the weekend for Bible journaling with more advanced painting techniques, it is a great thing to try!

I really like this video from Scribbling Grace with stunning sunflowers!

Free Bible Journaling Printable

I created this Bible journaling printable that you can use in your journaling Bible, planner, or prayer journal. (I LOVE making Bible journaling printabes!)

To download the free Bible journaling printable, just click here!

In Conclusion 

The most important part of Bible journaling is cultivating a deep, meaningful relationship with God through the beautiful act of illustrating your faith. It is an act of worship that gets you in touch with your creative side, all while meditating on God’s Word! Whether you choose simple Bible journaling techniques as a beginner or dive into more advanced painting techniques, try Bible journaling as a way to connect with God in a unique way. 

Have fun, and journal away!

Related Posts

Bible Journaling On a Budget

Huge List of FREE Bible Journaling Printables

Bible Journaling for Kids