Bible journaling

[HaddyAbrams]

Hi,

Has anyone here done any bible journaling? I bought a journaling bible about 3 years ago and haven't been brave enough to take the plunge.

So, any tips? I've got nice pens which I think won't bleed through, stencils, stamps. Do I just read a page and see where the spirit takes me? Am I totally over thinking this? (Probably)

Some journalling Bibles have preprinted pages, so you could start there. Or maybe whichever verse you had last Sunday? There's loads of people online doing in to give you inspiration.

Depends what exactly you are wanting to do, are you hoping to do some art in the margins or note take as well?

I have an ESV journaling Bible and after listening to many videos of people who do journaling I decided to use those margins for note taking as art isn't my strong point. I also felt I may get sidelined into drawing rather than Bible study.

However I quickly realised that over time I might want to alter my notes in the light of further studies, so I ended up buying some semi-transparent coloured sticky notes that fit the margins (or can be trimmed to do so) and I write on those. This means they can be removed at a later date if I so desire and replaced.

I used various coloured 'gel' highlighter pens too, ones that don't bleed. I have a few stickers but don't use too many of those as they can't be removed. The other thing I have is a A5 pad of very thin Japanese Tomoe River paper so that I can add in pages if I want to put a lot of notes in a particular place. You can write on both sides of it. To secure that I use washi tape which isn't too sticky to remove later if I want to do so.

As for how I decide what to write, I do this based on my pastor's sermons and other commentaries. I can read a passage and totally misunderstand what it means, so I do need some guidance!

Basically how you journal is up to you, to help aid you with studying the Bible. Also, although it's scary jumping in, it's really worthwhile and remember you don't have to do it perfectly!

A few rather blurry screenshots showing my sticky notes, added pages, highlighting.

I do it. I have an NIV journalling Bible. I got one of those Bible in a year reading plans and I'm working my way through it. You have to read several chapters a day to make it work in a year but I don't have enough time for that so I just read a chapter or two and cross it off on my sheet, then do the same the next day. It will probably take me 3 years. I love how the OT passage often has a common theme with the NT one or the psalm.

I write out in a nice one in the big margin if a verse really speaks to me. I also follow the passage in an online commentary if I need it, so if I learn something new or find an answer to a question I had about the passage I also write that out in the margin.

In the past I've done similar with individual books of the bible that you can buy in journalling format, and have done things like have one colour for things that show me the character of God, another colour for instruction, another colour for what it says about us. I'm not doing that currently in my full Bible though.

I absolutely love it.

Thanks everyone. I'm not fussed about it taking years, or reading in the"right" order or anything.

I was thinking a mix of art (i use the term loosely) and notes. I think i just panicked a bit about ruining it, plus I was bought up that you must not write in books, so allowing myself to do that is a real thing. I'm trying to convince myself that it's a work book rather than a reading book and therefore I can write/draw in it.

I have looked online, but most things I've found are by people who are far more artistic than me so I found it a little intimidating. @GentleSheep yours looks lovely, I hadn't considered adding pages.

Go for it! I have some drawings in mine, and some fancy lettering when I really wanted a verse to stand out.

The reason I'm enjoying the Bible plan is that it's helping me get a good overview of the history of the Old Testament. I've probably read all the books of the bIble but never in any kind of order before so it's really interesting.

@HaddyAbrams ...plus I was bought up that you must not write in books ...

Me too!! I love the idea of your nice pens and stamps.