How To Make A Bible Journaling Notebook

You desperately want to make your own Bible journaling notebook but you’ve been staring at a pile of loose-leaf and printer paper for the past hour with absolutely NO inspiration.

If you were just more creative and could come up with your very own ideas like the other Bible journaling moms you know. If only!

Not all of us are born with enough creative genes in our bodies. God placed the desire to be creative in how you worship Him. You know He did.

Thing is, you really don’t believe you have a creative bone in your body.

I am here to tell you that you don’t have to BE creative just WANT to WANT to be creative. Bible journaling isn’t like other art forms where the artist actually has to be creative and skillful.

God is our creator and has an amazing capacity for creativity. If you doubt me, all you have to do is take a walk either in summer or even in the dead of winter!

I am going to give you some awesome ideas on how to make your very own Bible journaling notebook. While we are at it, I’m going to help you see how it really doesn’t matter if you’re an actual-factual creative or a wannabe creative. Either way works!

Finding Inspiration Even When You’re NOT Inspired!

Have you ever stared at the page for hours on end (or so it seemed) without stirring up any creativity let alone inspiration?

I’ve been there!

In fact, when I was homeschooling our kiddos, I was accused (by one wise child) of reading my unique idea somewhere. He probably didn’t feel like doing it ;-)!

I figure that using the inspiration of others is just fine. My version will never turn out the same since my artistic ability is on another level. It will never look the same!

So if you lack inspiration be like me and get inspiration from this book or that book. Even Pinterest is a great place for inspiration. Just type in a keyword and most likely, you’ll have ideas galore!

Start with a Notebook or Binder

Unless you are totally flat out broke (which I’ve been) go buy a pretty notebook that will make you feel loved. Culturing creativity starts with a pretty binder.

Remember that what you create in it will be beautiful simply because you did it!

It is a personal preference whether you choose a 3-ring-binder, spiral notebook or a keep-sake style. I have used all three and it all depends on your style.

A binder is nice because you can add pages or move them around. You can insert tab dividers that you purchased or ones that you made yourself.

When I use a bound-notebook, it isn’t possible to move your page to another section. I love both a binder and a notebook.

Below are some examples of some pretty notebooks that will help to culture creativity both in what you write about God’s Word and illustrate.

Click through any of the pictures below and you will see many other beautiful examples. I am so grateful when you buy from Amazon through my link because I get a small commission that helps to support my blog.

Name Your Notebook

Over the years I have accumulated many binders and notebooks. I wish they all had names but if I got the dates on my book, I was doing good! If I was to start making notebooks all over again, I would name each one of them.

I would either name them after a book that I studied or the topic I was doing.

It would make them so much easier to go back and find something helpful. I hope you’ll learn from my mistakes.

If you are using a binder, you can use tabs to separate the different Bible studies.

Pages to Do in Your Notebook

Each day when I open my notebook, I would refer to my Bible Reading Plan for that month. I would check what day I am on and then start a new page in my Bible Journaling Notebook.

I might even keep a Content page near the front of my Bible journaling notebook. I might add to the Content Page as I go along.

When I am not Verse Mapping, I make a Daily Journaling Page to SOAP my journey through whatever book I am currently reading in the Bible.

I have SOAPed my Bible reading for at least 6 years and love what it has taught me about reading and studying the Bible.

I first write the date on a new page of my notebook. Next, I write down 4 categories to include as I look at the passage for the day. The SOAP Method of Bible study has been around for a long time.

I first heard about it through Women Living Well which I did for many years until I started doing my own Bible studies. I have adapted the titles slightly as it fits better with my blog but it’s really the same method of studying God’s Word.

You can write these on the page and use them as a guide to inductively studying God’s Word and seeing what He is teaching you. I don’t care for Bible studies that tell you what to think. I want you to write down where God is taking you through the study of this passage.

Scripture Journaling: I write at least two verses from the passage I read that day.

Observation Journaling: What happened in the Bible story or passage? I summarize the passage in my own words.

Application Journaling: How can this passage be applied to my life? How can I use it to impact the lives of other women?

Prayer Journaling: This is where I write out my prayer in response to the passage that I just read. In doing t:his, I am interacting with what God would like to see happen in my life. I am inviting God into the scenario of my life!

Journaling Art Page: Whenever I use a binder or notebook, I use the opposite page for illustrating something from the passage. It doesn’t have to be drawing people or animals in the story. Your skill level may not be ‘there’ yet. It is fine to write out the passage or a phrase from the verses and decorate them with stickers or Washi-Tape.

Bible journaling art isn’t supposed to be a scary thing but instead, a method to draw closer to Jesus through journaling your thoughts and adding a little artwork of your own.

Remember that this really isn’t about how well you can draw but mostly about how well you can worship God!

My War Room Pages

One thing that is easy to neglect while having your Quiet Time is spending time in prayer.

I struggle with this almost daily and have to work at this every. single. day!

So, label a page (or use several pages) ‘My War Room.’

On this page or use a page for each category, write each of the following and leave room for listing the people to pray about.

• Missionaries!
• My Friends!
• My Famly!
• Government Officials!
• My Church!
• Me!

Daily Gratitude:

This is an important page to add to every single. day.

What I do is write out the days of the week so I can list what I am grateful for on each of those days.

When My Notebook is Done

If I used a binder when my Bible journaling notebook is done, I take the pages out and add them to a bigger binder with other studies I’ve completed. That way, my current binder is never too heavy.

If I am using another notebook, I simply add it to the shelf with other notebooks from over the years.

Do you keep a Bible journaling notebook? It doesn’t have to be put together just right to use it to interact and worship God. This is by no means complete and I am sure there is a lot more to share. What tips do you have to add?

The Jesus Journaling Workbook (70+ pages) will encourage you to draw closer to Jesus as you study God’s Word using beautiful worksheets to interact with God. The beauty of this workbook is that it can be used with any Bible reading plan you choose.