Bible Journaling: There is No Wrong Way to Do It

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Today’s guest Bible journaler is Rachel Cheyne.  I connected with Rachel in a Facebook group for Christian bloggers.  I’m excited for you to read about her Bible journaling journey.  She and I have similar journeys.

About three years ago, I found #biblejournaling on Instagram, and I was immediately intrigued. Shortly thereafter, I began art journaling during my quiet time with a pen and colored pencils in a tiny notebook. As a visual learner, this simple start helped me to remember what I was reading and to have a record of what the Lord was teaching me.

I received a journaling Bible for Christmas in 2017, and I became much more consistent and elaborate in documenting my faith visually. I started with a black gel pen and those same colored pencils, but before long, I was adding washi tape, stickers, watercolor, and I had amassed a variety of drawing pens.

My favorite thing about Bible journaling is the legacy of faith that will be left for my children on the pages of my Bible. I love thinking about what my Bible will mean to them as they read the notes and see what God taught me through and for them. I also pray that evidence of my faith will be a tangible encouragement even when I am not physically present.

Most of my journaling is what I would refer to as “mixed media in the margins”, so I use a wide variety of tools and supplies, but a good white gel pen has been a game changer for me. It works well for covering mistakes, but it also makes hand lettering pop. I also use it to create subtle texture in drawings.  I struggle with being too critical of my work, and having an easy solution has allowed me to forgive myself for making mistakes as I learn.

No Wrong Way to Do It

I keep a variety of supplies on my desk, so I can grab whatever sparks my interest on a given day. I love washi tape (Who doesn’t?), scrapbooking stickers, pretty paper, and watercolor pencils. I even have a mixed jar of sparkles and sequins that I adhere with glue to add a little pizzazz to finished pages. Because of this varied approach, it is a little difficult for me to describe a favorite technique. I guess my favorite technique is mixing multiple styles. 

I am not comfortable with covering the text, so my artwork stays in the margins or is very faint when it stretches into the printed scriptures. However, I do not feel that this stipulation has limited me. I have been quite adventurous with techniques and materials, and I enjoy flipping through this colorful record of my growth in the past 15-ish months.