In Conversation with God Through Bible Journaling
I didn’t fully understand what it meant to call the Scriptures “the Living Word of God” until recently. Maybe even until yesterday.
7:30-ish am, the sun hidden from rain clouds, the house quiet while everyone else slept. Saturday mornings are perfect for me to spread out my journal, Bible, and Bible journaling kits. I stamped a page in my Catholic journaling Bible, and realized that for me Bible journaling is a beautiful and intimate way to pray because it is interactive.
At first it felt weird, almost wrong even, to write in my Bible. I started with only underlining or highlighting a few verses, and writing lengthy thoughts in a notebook journal.
Then I saw images of beautiful, artistic Bible journaling pages from others (especially Ingrid from Open Journey; she’s inspired me so much). No doubt I’m visually driven, and artistic activities appeal to me. I wanted to try Bible journaling because of the beauty in these kits. There’s something about using words + stickers + paints + washi tapes to express myself (even if it is only seen by me in my Bible and journal) that gives me life.
Bringing artistic expression into my Scripture reading and prayer journaling has brought new life to my relationship with the Lord, too. When I read, I’m listening to God’s word to me, and when I journal, I’m responding back.
The notes I leave turn into prayers. The prayers become a conversation. When I return to the same verses, seeing the notes and prayers I’ve written, the artwork added with the journaling elements, I’ve grown to learn them better, memorizing the Word and internalizing the truths God wants me to know.
Often the conversation overflows to a journal. I write for myself usually in my prayer journal, but I also keep my notes for my Blessed Is She writing in my journal. The artistic elements draw me in, they express beauty when my words can’t, they bring me back to the Scriptures and my prayers.
Sometimes the creative elements I add are simply for the beauty next to a favorite verse. Like setting a bouquet of fresh flowers on the table, the artistic part brings something lovely to the page that invites me back to it.
You could say it’s my version of a picture book. It’s a grown-up picture prayer book. When I turn the pages and my eye catches the art, I’m drawn back to the words, back to the whispers of the Holy Spirit much more than if I’d journaled words alone.
Some days it’s not easy to pray. Some days I don’t know where to start to read the Word, even though I can easily begin with the daily Mass readings. Often those are the days that I flip through the pages of my journaling Bible, and the pages which are marked with tabs and color are where I begin. It’s sometimes as simple as reading a verse or two again, and being reminded of God’s truth in the particular way He desires to speak to me. The conversation grows, the whispers of the Spirit take root a little deeper, prayer happens.
Bible journaling now is one of my favorite ways to pray. Have you tried it?
*all kits and elements are from Open Journey. You can purchase beautiful physical sets, recent kits even include acrylic stamps. Digital kit options are also available, to print on your own. I have received the “Road to Emmaus” kit as a member of her design team, also also have purchased several kits on my own. Her work is gorgeous!
*links to Blessed Is She are affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
