What is Bible journaling? I’ve heard the term several times, but I’d never seen a written definition. Sometimes I saw the term coupled with paintings or word art in someone’s Bible. Other times I saw it used to refer to notetaking and highlighting in the Bible. There are also some journaling Bibles on the market that have wide margins with lines and doodles to color.

Definition of Bible Journaling

I asked some friends what their definition of Bible journaling is and here is what they said:

• “Bible journaling is a way to interact with Scripture creatively using words or coloring or drawing.” -Traci Rhoades from Traces of Faith Blog
• “The purpose of Bible journaling is to spend time in God’s word; it’s not about taking a verse out of context just to create a pretty painting.” – Terryn from Just a Simple Home
• “Many Bible journals have drawings that emphasize the meanings of the words.” – Jennifer from Minding the Kings 
  

Different Kinds of Bible Journaling

Then two friends mentioned particular kinds of Bible journaling:

• Liz from My Messy Desk mentioned Bible ART journaling which she calls “connecting with the Creator through creativity.”
• Lil mentioned MICRO Bible journaling which she describes as recording struggles, prayers, and victories directly into the margins of your Bible. She has a lot of example on her website Hey Creative Sister.

I’ve noticed, especially on Instagram, that the term Bible journaling can be used for what I would call Inductive Bible Study. Other times it is used for scrapbooking in your Bible where you purchase stickers and paper and preprinted quotes to collage together in your Bible. It seems like the term is broadly applied!

What Bible Journaling is for Me

After looking at these definitions and scrolling through many examples on Instagram, I decided to try my own version of Bible journaling to see if it would be a good way to find simple truth in the hard parts of Scripture. At the moment, I’m halfway through Bible journaling through Ezekiel and now I feel like I can describe what it is I actually do when I say I am Bible journaling.

For me, Bible journaling is recording the observations, interpretations, and applications of the Bible text through written words or artwork.

I’ve been using Bible journaling as a method of recording my Bible study and keeping my thoughts all in one place. I use artwork or words to summarize or visualize what each chapter or section means. I have also been writing a lot of questions along the way so I will know what to look up in a commentary so I can understand the interpretation of the passage.

This is how I’ve been using Bible journaling as I make my way through Ezekiel in preparation to share it with you all starting May 1. I will be sharing a page a day on my Instagram page. I will also be sharing with my email subscribers through my newsletter and occasionally on Facebook.

Here’s a sneak peek of two of my pages so far:

You can see that sometimes I make lists to organize information and other times I draw little pictures to help me visualize the instructions that God is giving to Ezekiel. Each page is different, but I love having lots of space to write or draw right with the Bible text so that I can see my notes again next time I study Ezekiel.

Bible Journaling through Ezekiel

I chose to Bible journal through Ezekiel because, first of all, it’s a hard part of Scripture. I haven’t really dug into it since I started Read the Hard Parts and I have been itching to study it.

Secondly, I picked Ezekiel because it is a very visual book. God shows Ezekiel visions and He gives Ezekiel messages to tell to His people in Ezekiel. Many times these messages are full of similes and metaphors like “you are a whitewashed wall that has broken down” or “you are like an eagle that plucked a branch and flew away.” I thought the visual images would lend themselves to the artsy potential of Bible journaling. Not that I’m super artsy! I have a lot of simple stick figures in my Bible journaling. I also have some more elaborate doodles that I copied by looking at another picture of a similar thing. In either case, the art work is not just for fancy. It’s to visualize the message of the Bible passage.

Bible Journaling Supplies

For Bible journaling through Ezekiel, I purchased an ESV Scripture Journal. It looks like a small paperback book, but it only has the book of Ezekiel in it. It has the Bible text on one side and the facing page is lined. The pages are nice and thick, even thicker than a typical hardbound book which means that whatever I write or draw won’t bleed through. But you could just use a Bible that you have if the margins are wide. Or you could print out a copy of the entire book of Ezekiel and put it into a notebook.

Then I gathered some colored pencils that were floating around the house. I tried to collect only Crayola ones because truly they are the best. (Side note: I live close to the Crayola factory and my kids and I have been on test teams for some new products!)

I put them in this pencil holder that my husband got me for Christmas last year from CW Pencils. I hope to visit their store someday in person! It’s in New York and they are very nerdy about pencils. They also make my favorite pencil, the Editor which is pencil on one side and red pencil on the other which I use for underlining and notetaking in commentaries or other books.

Bible Journaling Guide for Ezekiel

Would you like to Bible journal through Ezekiel with me? It’s okay if you’ve never done it before or if you don’t know what Bible journaling would look like for you. This is my first try, too. But basically, I am writing or drawing what I observe, interpret, or apply from the book. Normally, I scribble thoughts down on whatever paper scraps are nearby, but in Bible journaling I am intentionally keeping my notes all in one place.

Here is the guide that I am using for Bible journaling. You can print it out and fold it as a bookmark to keep it with your Bible. It has some guidance especially for background knowledge of the Book of Ezekiel and of particular words and themes to look for.

I’d love for you to share your Bible journaling along the way even if it doesn’t look pretty. Looking pretty isn’t really the point! If you post your journaling on social media, please use #biblejournalingezekiel or tag me so I can see it! Thank you!

Update: I have finished Bible Journaling through Ezekiel! Wow! I learned so much about who God is, His longing to dwell with His people, and the hope He gives. I have gathered devotional thoughts, background info, and sample Bible journaling pictures in Tearing Down Ignorance, Building Up Hope. You can purchase your copy in my Etsy shop.

How do you describe Bible journaling? Do you make a distinction between Bible journaling and Bible art journaling? Have you heard of micro Bible journaling? Have you tried Bible journaling before? Comment below.

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