When someone hears the phrase "Bible journaling," they typically think of those artsy Bibles on Pinterest and then say to themselves, "Wow, I could never do that." Even as someone who has been journaling since my junior year of high school, I will even admit that at first, it seemed like an intimidating hobby.
I looked at the Bible journaling on Pinterest for months before I actually decided to give it a shot. If I am being completely honest, I am not that great at art. I enjoy doing it, but that doesn't make it necessarily "pretty." I am sure other people can relate.
When I ask someone why they don't Bible journal, the usual response I hear is that it looks too difficult. The truth is, though, that is the wrong mindset.
What it actually is is a form of worship. Often times, God calls us out of our comfort zones in order to really enjoy His goodness and blessings. If you look at most if not all stories in the Bible, no one made huge impacts for God without stepping out of their comfort zone. Hillsong wrote an iconic song about this very topic (Oceans). The famous line is, "Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters wherever You would call me." Maybe, the Lord is just simply calling you to try a new way of spending time in His presence.
Another often misconception about Bible journaling is that it is just hand lettering and drawing pictures. However, often times I just take notes in mine with colored pens and use highlighters for verses that really stick out to me. There are no rules to Bible journaling, you just do what the Holy Spirit leads you to.
Once I began Bible journaling whether it was through art or note taking, I quickly found that it was a stress reliever. It allows you to focus in on the Lord and nothing else. Our minds get captivated often by school, friends, social media, etc. We have to take our eyes off of these things and fix them on Jesus in order to find peace, and journaling is one of my main ways of doing that.
Another thing it did for me was liven my Bible study and allow me to visualize things better. If you have a picture or even just a color in your mind to go along with a verse, it helps you remember it. My Scripture memorization improved tremendously after I began journaling. Knowing verses is important in our lives because when the enemy makes his attacks, it is through God's Word that we silence him. Bible journaling helps with knowing Scripture and storing it up in your heart.
Stop putting it off; go get a journaling Bible today if you can and see where God takes you. You may find that it is exactly what you need in the season of life that you are in right now.
