How to Start Bible Journaling: A Simple Beginner’s Guide

 

Bible journaling can look slightly terrifying from the outside.

You open Pinterest and somebody has apparently transformed the entire book of Romans into a watercolour masterpiece involving twelve brush pens, perfect handwriting and possibly a degree in illustration.

Meanwhile, you've got a Bible, one pen and no idea where you're supposed to start.

Good news: that's enough.

Bible journaling isn't about making your Bible look impressive. It's simply a way of slowing down, paying attention to Scripture and recording what you're learning as you read.

You don't need expensive supplies. You don't need artistic ability. And you definitely don't need every page to be pretty.

Here's a simple way to start.

What is Bible journaling?

At its simplest, Bible journaling means recording your thoughts, prayers, observations or creative responses while you study Scripture.

That might mean writing a few words in the margin.

It might mean underlining a verse.

You might keep a separate notebook and write a page about what you've read.

You might add colour, illustrations, tabs or stickers.

Or you might write one sentence and call it a day.

There isn't a spiritually superior stationery system.

The important part is the Bible, not how good the page looks afterwards.

What do you need to start Bible journaling?

Not much.

Seriously.

Start with:

• a Bible
• a pen or pencil
• a notebook if you don't want to write directly in your Bible

That's enough for your first session.

Later, if you actually enjoy it, you can add highlighters, tabs, coloured pens, bookmarks or stickers.

I'd recommend starting small rather than buying an entire craft shop before you've read Genesis 1.

A simple Bible journaling method for beginners

Pick a short passage rather than trying to tackle five chapters at once.

Read it once normally.

Then read it again more slowly.

On the second read, look for three things:

What does this show me about God?

What stands out to me?

What should I do with what I've read?

You don't need an essay for each one.

Let's say you're reading Exodus 4.

Moses is worried about what God is asking him to do. He looks at himself and sees everything he lacks.

God asks him:

“What is that in your hand?” — Exodus 4:2

Moses has a staff.

Nothing particularly impressive.

But God is able to use what Moses already has.

Your journal entry might simply be:

Stop dismissing what God has already put in my hand.

That's Bible journaling.

No calligraphy required.

You can also keep that reminder somewhere you'll see it again. The KEOLIX God Can Turn What You Have — Exodus 4 sticker was created around this exact part of Moses' story and is available in the KEOLIX Kingdom Collection. KEOLIX

What should I actually write in my Bible journal?

This is where people tend to freeze.

You don't need to write something profound.

Try recording what is actually happening as you read.

You could write about something you noticed about God's character.

You could copy one verse you want to remember.

You could write a question.

You could turn the passage into a prayer.

You could record something you need to obey.

Or simply write down why one sentence stopped you.

Sometimes the most useful journal entry isn't particularly beautiful.

It's just honest.

Try turning the passage into a prayer

This is one of the easiest ways to move from simply reading Scripture to responding to it.

Take what you've read and pray it back to God.

Psalm 119:105 says:

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

Your journal doesn't need a five-paragraph analysis.

You could write:

Lord, give me enough light for the next step. Help me stop demanding to see the whole road before I obey You.

Then pray it.

That's the bit that matters.

KEOLIX also has a Psalm 119:105 Bible Sticker inspired by this verse if you like keeping little visual Scripture reminders on your journal, notebook or Bible-study things. KEOLIX

Don't turn Bible journaling into another thing you have to perform

This one's important.

Your journal is not homework.

You don't get extra points for filling three pages.

You don't need to journal every chapter.

And you haven't failed because you read your Bible and didn't produce anything worth photographing afterwards.

Some days you'll have loads to write.

Other days you might underline one sentence.

Sometimes you'll read a passage and sit with it quietly.

The goal isn't:

I made a beautiful Bible page today.

It's:

I spent time in God's Word and paid attention.

Everything else is optional.

Can I use stickers in my Bible journal?

Of course.

But I'd use them for a reason rather than covering every available centimetre of paper because there happens to be a gap.

One of my favourite ways to use Scripture stickers is as a kind of visual marker.

If a passage keeps coming back to you, choose something connected to it and put it somewhere you'll actually see it again.

For example, while reading Exodus you might keep coming back to the moments when God asks people to trust what He has said.

Exodus 9:20 records that some of Pharaoh's officials “feared the word of the Lord” and acted on the warning they'd been given.

That's the idea behind the KEOLIX Take Him At His Word — Exodus 9:20 sticker.

Not decoration for decoration's sake.

A little marker for something worth remembering.

You can browse the full KEOLIX Bible Stickers collection if you want to choose designs based on the books or passages you're actually studying. KEOLIX

 

You can journal through a whole book of the Bible

Once you've tried Bible journaling with individual passages, following one book from beginning to end can make things much easier.

You don't have to wake up wondering what to read next.

Start at chapter one.

Continue tomorrow.

Groundbreaking system.

Reading one book continuously also helps you notice themes that are easy to miss when you're jumping between unrelated verses.

Exodus is a great example.

Read it slowly and you start seeing repeated themes of calling, fear, obedience, God's power, Pharaoh's hardened heart, deliverance and trust.

You also get Moses repeatedly discovering that God's plan is considerably bigger than Moses' opinion of his own abilities.

If you're a visual learner, following a story through art can help you remember where you are too. That's part of why I've been creating the Kingdom Comics Exodus series alongside the Scripture designs.

You can find Moses and the Staff — Kingdom Comics #005 and Moses & Pharaoh: Let My People Go — Kingdom Comics #005 in the KEOLIX Kingdom Collection. KEOLIX

What if I can't draw?

Then don't.

Truly.

Bible journaling and illustrated Bible journaling are not the same thing.

You can write.

Underline.

Use symbols.

Make tiny diagrams.

Add a date beside something important.

Use a sticker somebody else drew.

Keep a separate notebook.

Write prayers.

Make lists.

Your inability to draw a photorealistic lion beside Daniel 6 has absolutely no bearing on your ability to study Daniel 6.

And if you do like drawing, brilliant.

Use it as another way of spending time with the passage rather than trying to create something perfect enough for Instagram.

What if I don't want to write in my Bible?

Also fine.

Some people love a heavily annotated Bible.

Other people experience mild cardiac arrest at the thought of putting ink anywhere near one.

Use a notebook.

You can write the date, passage and your notes there instead.

This also gives you more room and creates a record you can return to months or years later.

A simple format is:

Date
Passage
What I noticed
What this shows me about God
What I'm going to do/pray

Done.

A 10-minute Bible journaling routine

If you're wondering how to make Bible journaling a habit, don't start by promising yourself an hour every morning for the remainder of your natural life.

Start with ten minutes.

Minutes 1–2: Pray briefly and ask God to help you understand His Word.

Minutes 3–6: Read a short passage slowly.

Minutes 7–9: Write what stood out and why.

Minute 10: Turn what you've written into prayer.

If you want to stay longer, stay longer.

But ten intentional minutes is better than repeatedly postponing Bible study because you're waiting for the perfect uninterrupted morning.

Your Bible journal doesn't need to look like anybody else's

After a few weeks, your journal will probably start looking like you.

Maybe that's neat headings and carefully highlighted verses.

Maybe it's arrows everywhere.

Maybe it's prayers squeezed sideways into margins.

Maybe you've got little Scripture stickers marking passages you want to revisit.

Maybe half of your entries begin with:

Okay Lord, I don't understand this.

Good.

It's supposed to be a record of you actually engaging with Scripture, not evidence that you own matching stationery.

Start with the Bible you already have.

Pick a passage.

Read it twice.

Notice something.

Write it down.

Pray about it.

Then come back tomorrow.

That's enough.

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Looking for Bible journaling supplies?

If you'd like to add a few visual reminders to your Bible-study setup, KEOLIX makes original Scripture-rooted stickers, bookmarks, prayer cards and Bible-inspired artwork designed around actual passages rather than generic inspirational phrases.

Browse the KEOLIX Bible Stickers collection or explore the wider KEOLIX Kingdom Collection. KEOLIX

Start with the passage you're reading.

Then choose the reminder that belongs with it.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Bible journaling?

Bible journaling is a way of recording what you're learning as you read Scripture. It can include written notes, prayers, underlining, highlighting, illustrations, stickers or entries in a separate notebook.

Do I need a special journaling Bible?

No. You can use an ordinary Bible and a separate notebook if you don't have room in the margins or don't want to write directly on the pages.

What should a beginner Bible journal?

Start with a short passage and record what stands out, what it teaches you about God and how you want to respond. You don't need to journal an entire chapter.

Is it okay to write and draw in your Bible?

Many Christians choose to annotate their Bibles as part of study. If you'd rather keep your Bible pages unmarked, you can do exactly the same journaling in a separate notebook.

What supplies do I need for Bible journaling?

A Bible and pen are enough. A notebook is useful if you prefer writing separately. Highlighters, tabs, bookmarks and Scripture stickers are optional extras.

How do I make Bible journaling a habit?

Keep the starting commitment small. Choose a book of the Bible to work through, attach your reading to an existing part of your day and focus on consistently opening Scripture rather than creating elaborate journal pages.