Want to know how to start Bible journaling for beginners? The easiest way by far, is to start with a coloring Bible. Here, I’ll introduce you to two awesome coloring Bibles, and give you three tips for making the most of your journaling time.
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Bible journaling is such a wonderful way to study God’s Word! Every time I sit down to journal, I’m amazed at how God speaks to me through the pages of the Bible, and even through the creative process of journaling.
And yet, I totally understand that for you, journaling in the Bible might seem intimidating and out of reach.
Maybe it’s scary to think of marking up your Bible (I’ve been there!) Or you’re afraid that you don’t have the artistic skill necessary to pull it off.
But what you need to remember is, the whole point of Bible journaling is spending time in God’s Word. It’s about “sitting at the feet of Jesus”, and learning from Him. To slow down from the busyness of life, and focus on Scripture. To grow in your relationship with God, and learn to follow Christ and love others as He does.
So, it doesn’t really matter how you Bible journal, or even what you call it (journaling, coloring, studying, taking notes, etc.)… just that you DO.
Best Journaling Bible for Beginners
Personally, I think the easiest way you can get started Bible journaling for beginners, is with a coloring Bible. Coloring is simple, easy, and can even be a relaxing activity to de-stress at the end of a long day (as evidenced by the popularity of adult coloring books!).
There are many creative coloring Bibles available, but the two I’m showing you today are the Beautiful Word Coloring Bible and the Inspire Praise Bible.
The Beautiful Word Coloring Bible
The Beautiful Word Coloring Bible comes in the NIV (New International Version), which is my favorite translation. It has a lovely dust jacket, but the actual hard cover is even more beautiful—featuring a gorgeous design of Proverbs 3:5-6.
It has hundreds of ready-to-color illustrations in the margins, plus many full-page illustrations as well. The Bible pages themselves are a beautiful bright white, with single-column text and two-inch-wide margins.
The pages are thin, as most Bible pages are, but that doesn’t matter as much with crayons or colored pencils as it does with wet media like highlighters or paints. I colored these pages with my trusty Prismacolor Premier colored pencils, and they worked very well with the smoothness of the paper.
But really, any crayons or colored pencils will work fine for Bible journaling. Use what you already have on hand, or head to your nearest Target to grab a cheap set of 12 or 24 colored pencils.
The Inspire Praise Coloring Bible
Next up, is the Inspire Praise Bible! This Bible comes in the NLT (New Living Translation), which is probably my second favorite translation behind the NIV. The NLT just uses a bit more practical, easier-to-understand wording, which I do appreciate and recommend.
Like the Beautiful Word Bible, the Inspire Praise Bible has nearly 500 pre-printed illustrations for you to color. But, the Inspire also has some extra premium features! In addition to the coloring pages, it includes 32 translucent ‘PRAISE’ journaling pages (like the one pictured below), three praise-themed sticker sheets, and a pocket in the back of the Bible for storing embellishments.
Overall, it has a more premium feel than the Beautiful Word Coloring Bible, both in terms of the gorgeous purple cover and butterfly design edging, and those aforementioned extra features.
I think if you’re looking for a simple creative coloring Bible for yourself, you might go with the Beautiful Word Coloring Bible. And if you’re looking for something more premium, especially to give as a gift, maybe choose the Inspire Praise Bible.
3 Bible Journaling Tips for Beginners
So, once you’ve selected your first coloring Bible, how do you actually get started Bible journaling for beginners? These are my three tips to help you get the most from your Bible journaling experience…
1) Focus on God’s Word First & Foremost!
As I said at the beginning of this post, the whole purpose of Bible art journaling is simply to spend time with God, studying His Word and learning from Him. So, as you’re coloring, take that time to pray through the Scripture, or just simply talk to God about whatever is on your mind that day. Use your coloring Bible as a way to bookmark Scriptures that have special meaning for you, and add notes about what God is teaching you.
If you need inspiration for which Scriptures to study and journal on, you might check out my Ultimate Bible Journaling Resource Book! It has weekly Bible journaling prompts, and it comes with three Bible journaling printables as well.
2) Don’t Be Afraid to Color Outside the Lines!
These lovely coloring Bibles may come with pre-made illustrations, but they also have plenty of blank space in the margins for you to add your own notes and drawings! So, feel free to write down what you’re learning, use your colored pencils as highlighters to emphasize specific verses, and just create wherever you feel led to.
Not sure what to write? I’ve got you covered! Check out this list of Bible journaling ideas for beginners, for all the different things you could write in your coloring Bible.
3) Feel Free to Add Embellishments!
Take your journaling beyond just coloring, with easy Bible journaling supplies for beginners like stickers or washi tape (notice the orange flower washi tape that I placed below this Psalm 84:11 illustration?)
These are things that can add to your creative Bible journaling, with very little effort on your part! Try using stickers alongside your notes, to emphasize certain themes or lessons. And washi tape can make a great decorative border or text divider, and is also handy for creating bookmarks (just fold the tape over the edge of the page).
These awesome coloring Bibles make it so simple to get started, with nothing more than a set of colored pencils and a desire to spend time meditating on God’s Word. See, creative Bible journaling doesn’t have to be complicated…it can be as simple and easy as you make it.
Of course, as I said at the beginning of this post, there are many coloring Bibles you could choose from in addition to these two. I’ve gifted both the Beautiful Word Coloring Bible and the Inspire Praise Bible to family and friends, and I’ve also gifted a My Creative Bible KJV to someone who I knew would enjoy the King James Version. If you’re looking for a coloring Bible specifically for teens or young girls, check out these options. You can also get many of these coloring Bibles in large print editions!
❤️ I hope you’ve found this post encouraging and helpful. May God bless you with a greater understanding and appreciation for His Word, and ever-closer relationship with Him. ❤️
★ Want more Bible journaling tips for beginners? Check out these posts:
- 5 Ways to Start Bible Journaling
- 5 Bible Journaling Hacks for Non-Artists
- How to Apply Gesso to Your Bible Page
- 5 Bible Journaling Kits to Help You Get Started
- How to Use Stamps in Bible Journaling
Hi! Thank you so much for visiting Divine Creative Love. I’m a Jesus-lovin’ girl, lettering artist, designer, and general creative-at-heart. And, I have narcolepsy. I blog about faith in God, overcoming challenges, and creative topics such as Bible journaling. If you’re new here, be sure and subscribe to my list so you won’t miss anything!