How to Start Bible Journaling: A Beginner's Guide to Journaling Bibles, Supplies, and Ideas

Bible journaling means writing, drawing, or lettering your reflections in the wide margins of a journaling Bible as you read Scripture. To start, choose a journaling Bible, a few pens, and one short passage, then write one honest response.

You do not need to be artistic to begin. It is a simple way to slow down, notice what God’s Word is saying, and respond with prayer, notes, color, or creative worship.

What is a journaling Bible?

A journaling Bible is a Bible designed with extra space for notes, prayers, sketches, word studies, and creative responses. Put simply, it is Scripture with room beside or between the text so you can interact with the passage as you read.

Common formats include wide ruled margins, placed beside the biblical text for written reflections or small designs. Many journaling Bibles use single-column layouts, which make the page feel open and easier to read. Some editions include interleaved blank pages, meaning every other page is blank for longer notes, sermon reflections, or larger Bible art journaling projects. Others are illustrated coloring editions, with pre-drawn verse artwork you can color as you meditate on the passage.

When choosing your first journaling Bible, consider how you naturally learn. Writers may prefer ruled margins. Visual learners may enjoy coloring editions. Deep note-takers may appreciate interleaved pages. CFaithS carries ESV journaling Bibles, illustrated Inspire Bibles, and Filament-enabled Bibles.

Gather simple supplies before you begin

You can start with what you already own, but a few simple tools make the process easier and help protect thin Bible pages. Choose supplies that support your time in Scripture rather than distract from it.

Beginner-friendly supplies include:

1. Fine-tip archival pens for notes, outlines, and small lettering
2. Colored pencils for shading, highlighting, and low-bleed color
3. Washi tape for tabs, borders, and attaching small notes
4. A pencil and eraser for sketching before you commit to ink
5. A ruler for straight lines, boxes, and verse mapping layouts
6. Sticky notes for temporary thoughts or prayer prompts
7. A blotter sheet, such as a spare piece of paper placed behind the page
8. A small pouch or basket so your supplies stay simple and easy to reach

Avoid buying too much at once. Most Bible journaling tips for beginners come back to the same principle: start small, learn what you actually use, and let your practice grow naturally.

Prevent bleed-through before it happens

Bible pages are thin, so bleed-through and shadowing can happen if you use wet ink or press too hard. The safest habit is to test every new pen, pencil, highlighter, or marker on the back page, a notes page, or another out-of-the-way spot before using it beside Scripture.

To protect your pages, avoid wet markers and heavy layers of paint or ink unless you already know how that medium behaves on Bible paper. Use a blotter sheet behind the page you are working on so pressure, ink, or color does not transfer to the next page. When coloring, build light layers instead of pressing hard. If you want bold color, colored pencils are usually easier for beginners to control than wet media.

A little caution keeps your focus where it belongs: on Scripture and its meaning, not on worrying about whether your supplies will damage the page.

Follow a simple five-step first session

Your first Bible journaling session does not need to be elaborate. Choose a short passage, give yourself enough quiet time to read slowly, and move through these five steps.

1. Pray: Begin by asking God to help you understand the passage and receive it with humility. Your prayer can be one sentence: “Lord, help me see what You want me to notice today.” This sets the tone and reminds you that Bible journaling is not just a craft project.
2. Read: Read the passage once for the overall message, then again more slowly. Notice repeated words, commands, promises, contrasts, and descriptions of God’s character. If the passage is familiar, resist rushing; familiar verses often become fresh when you give them unhurried attention.
3. Observe: Write down what the text actually says before jumping to application. Who is speaking? What is happening? What words stand out? Observation is one of the most important study habits because it helps you respond to the passage rather than simply decorating the page.
4. Respond: Add a note, prayer, small drawing, color, or hand-lettered phrase in the margin. Your response might be a confession, a question, a thanksgiving, or a short summary of the verse. Keep it honest and simple.
5. Date it: Add the date near your entry. Over time, your journaling Bible becomes a record of how you prayed, learned, struggled, and grew through different seasons, and dates help you revisit passages later.

Choose a style that fits the passage

Bible journaling can take several forms, and you can use more than one style on the same page. The goal is not to find the one “right” style but to choose a response that helps you engage with Scripture faithfully.

1. Written notes: Short observations, definitions, cross-references, sermon points, or personal applications written in the margin.
2. Prayer journaling: A prayer written beside the passage, often turning the words of Scripture into praise, confession, intercession, or surrender.
3. Verse mapping: A structured study method that explores keywords, context, related verses, and meaning before applying the passage.
4. Art journaling: Simple drawings, color blocks, symbols, borders, or illustrations that help you remember the message of a verse.
5. Hand lettering: Carefully writing a key phrase or verse in a decorative style, often to slow down and meditate on the words.

These styles suit different moments. A difficult passage may call for written notes. A psalm may invite prayer journaling. A repeated word may lead naturally into verse mapping. A promise or command may become a hand-lettered reminder.

Try 10 beginner Bible journaling ideas

If you are not sure what to put on the page, use simple prompts. These Bible journaling ideas help you begin without overthinking the result.

1. Underline one repeated word and write why you think it matters.
2. Circle a promise and add a short prayer of trust beside it.
3. Write a one-sentence summary of the passage in your own words.
4. Create a small symbol such as a heart, anchor, lamp, cross, or crown to represent the theme.
5. Use colored pencils to shade keywords such as grace, mercy, wisdom, peace, or faith.
6. Make a margin list of what the passage teaches about God.
7. Letter one phrase that you want to remember during the week.
8. Write a question you want to study more deeply later.
9. Add a prayer tab with washi tape to mark a passage you keep returning to.
10. Map one verse by noting context, keywords, related passages, and personal application.

For your first few pages, keep your designs small. A margin note with one meaningful sentence will serve you longer than a full-page design that leaves you frustrated. Put Scripture and its meaning ahead of making the page pretty.

How can Catholic readers begin Bible journaling?

Catholic readers can begin the same way: pray, read Scripture carefully, observe the passage, and respond in the margins with notes, prayers, lettering, or art. It also works well to journal alongside the Mass readings, the Psalms, the Gospels, or passages connected to a liturgical season.

When choosing a Bible, look for a Catholic edition that includes all 73 books and gives you space to write. The Inspire Catholic Bible (NLT) is a Catholic edition with wide, illustrated journaling margins.

Catholic Bible journaling may include written prayers, reflections on the saints, notes from a homily, or a simple response to the daily readings. As with any Bible journaling practice, the purpose is not performance. Let the page help you listen, remember, and respond to God’s Word.

Use Filament-enabled Bibles for guided study

Filament-enabled Bibles add a digital study layer to the printed page. Through a free app, the page you are reading can link to additional content such as videos, devotionals, study notes, and other resources that help you explore the passage more deeply.

This is especially useful for beginners who want guidance without filling the margins with too much information at once. Read the passage in your Bible, use the app for context or devotional support, and then write only the most meaningful takeaway in the margin. See Filament-enabled Bibles at CFaithS.

Build a habit that stays centered on Scripture

The surest way to keep Bible journaling going is to make it repeatable. Choose one passage, one main thought, and one simple response. Some days you may write several notes; other days you may only underline a phrase and pray over it. Both count.

A simple weekly rhythm can help:

1. Pick one book of the Bible or one reading plan to avoid random jumping.
2. Journal two or three times a week instead of trying to fill a page daily.
3. Keep your supplies visible but limited.
4. Review older entries once a month and notice recurring themes.
5. Let unfinished or imperfect pages remain part of your story.

If you want more writing space, explore ESV journaling Bibles. If you enjoy illustrated pages, browse Inspire Bibles. If you prefer larger print for prayer-focused reading, see our post on the Inspire Prayer Bible in giant print.

Bible journaling is a practice of attention. Come to the page with reverence, curiosity, and honesty. Whether your entry is a neat paragraph, a penciled prayer, or a single hand-lettered word, let it lead you back to the Word itself and to the God who speaks through it.

Shop this guide: ESV Spiral-Bound Journaling Bible · Notetaking Bible, (NASB) Large Print Edition · Notetaking Bible, (KJV ) Expanded Reference Edition · see all.