“Keep this book of the law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night.”
—Joshua 1:8

Bible art journaling – have you heard of it? Christians are exploring this exciting and creative new form of worship. It can be defined as putting creative expressions of your thoughts and prayers into your personal Bible using all kinds of art supplies like pens, paints, stamps and more.

It’s just fine to write and create in your Bible – it will help you set his words in your heart, assist with Scripture memorization and encourage you to come back to reflect on sermon notes and Bible study illustrations during the week. God has made us creative beings that can reflect his glory through personal expressions.

Some Tips on Where to Begin

• Don’t allow yourself to be intimidated. This is a personal expression—how you interact with God’s word. It does not have to be perfect. There is no wrong way.
• Use your personal Bible or select a new journaling Bible that has extra wide margins. I contributed many of the illustrations to the new Beautiful Word Bible and just love the lightly lined spaces where I can create more art or simply trace over the illustration on the next or previous page, adding my own thoughts or word art.
• Start your quiet time by turning on your favorite Christian music or sitting where you can take time to slow down and reflect on what passages God is placing on your heart. Begin with prayer or devotions. Review your latest sermon notes or Bible study reflections. Look up favorite verses.
• Begin with crayons or colored pencils and highlighters, then feel free to add other supplies, creating in the margins or coloring into the passage. Some people like to color code passages as they relate to parenting or marriage or heaven or other topics found in Scripture. Again, there is no wrong way to do this – just always tie it back to the word.
• Get messy! When you get more comfortable, try adding stamps, different types of pens, scrapbooking stickers and words, even watercolor paints! Don’t worry about bleed-through. I always test supplies in the last few pages of my Bibles to see how they will interact with the Bible paper. It’s a good practice area, too.

Think about dating your entries, as this worship expression is good to return to days and years later, to recall God’s leading in your life. Consider having a Bible where your highlighted passages will become a special memory and inspiration as an heirloom to be passed down to your children and their children someday.

—by Shanna Noel

Have you ever tried Bible art journaling? Is this something you might try as a new form of worship?
Post a comment below!