Illustrated faith — Bible Study + Prayer — t.His

How to Choose a Bible Journaling Bible: A Comprehensive Guide

Today I wanted to address something that I didn’t really have to think about when I started Bible journaling — how to choose which journaling Bible is right for you.

When I started Bible journaling, pretty much the only option that you had was an ESV journaling Bible from Crossway. To make your decision you just needed to decide if you wanted single or double column and which cover you liked best. Since then, they’ve come out with lots of different translations and styles and they just keep coming!

The Crossway ESV journaling Bible is my favorite, but I wanted to give you guys some examples of the many journaling Bibles that there are to choose from now.

Keep in mind that this list isn’t exhaustive, but it does include many of the most popular styles and translations. I want to try and make this post informative and helpful without being overwhelming.

I’m going to break this post into two sections. Bible Translations and Bible Styles.

Where was God? - Jeremiah 29:11

Often times when something bad happens people say, "Where was God?"

I've thought it. I bet you've thought it. I don't think you're human if you haven't, honestly.

Praying recently, I was basically apologizing for always seeing the negative in everything and getting in a rut of expecting the worst to happen. It's one of my biggest obstacles. I am a negative person, plain and simple.

Yesterday, I was thinking that even through all bad times, I can find at least one good thing despite them or in the midst of them. It might be something so small I almost miss it, but in the hard and trying times, there's almost always something good.

Trusting in the Lord: Psalm 125

Do you have one little word? A word that you try and focus on for the year?

My one little word for this year is trust.

When this word popped in my head originally, I thought it was because of some health issues we’d all been having. Health is the part of life where we struggle most with trusting, so it made sense. But as the year has gone on, I think it’s God telling me to trust Him with a few other things as well--things only He knew about when He gently persuadedme towards this word.

Sometimes we’re presented with tasks or commands, and we aren’t sure if we can do them. Sometimes we’re right; we can’t.

I’m learning that just because I can’t do something doesn’t mean God can’t.

Bible Journaling- Acts: The Power of the Holy Spirit

I'm going to admit something to you that I’m a little embarrassed about.

The Holy Spirit is something that took me a long time to really understand for some reason. It seemed ghostly, unattainable, and strange until I really sat down to deliberately learn what and who it was.

And when I really think about it, the Holy Spirit is something that’s extremely easy to take advantage of.

It’s one of those really important things that you don’t realize how much it does for you until it’s gone (Lucky for us, He's not going anywhere!).

Psalm 107: Breaking Chains

I really like Psalm 107.

“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.” Psalm 107:2 says,

The whole chapter talks about 4 different kinds of people and how God helps them: the wanderers, the prisoners, the sick, and the storm-tossed.

They all bear talking about, but 107:14 really stands out to me.

"He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains."

I think this verse is talking in a literal sense of prisoners, but we can be in prison without sitting in a cell. A prison can take form in so many different ways.

Anxiety, depression, addiction, temptation, anger, jealousy.

There are so many things that can make us feel like we’re sitting in darkness. Some things we have more control over than others, but there’s one thing that can bring us out of that darkness—Jesus Christ.

For me the struggle has been with anxiety and mild depression for as long as I can remember. There have been times in my life where it is better, and there are times where I have felt like I was a prisoner to it. I have felt like I had no control over my emotions, happiness, or thoughts. Satan truly knew how to keep me down.

Bible Journaling: 10 Supplies You Need

So you've dipped your toe in the water.

You've started Bible journaling. Now you may be wondering, "What supplies should I use?"

I don’t use a ton of supplies. I have tried numerous things, but I always come back to these.

Everyone has a different style. After you’ve been journaling a while, you’ll probably notice that you tend to gravitate towards certain things. Some of my friends, like me, tend to only use watercolors.

Other's pages look like beautiful scrapbook pages, full of stickers, tip-ins (when you tape in a printable/prayer card/etc), and other types of embellishments!

There isn’t any right way to journal and there aren’t any proper or improper supplies. You should use whatever you love.

That being said, here are the things that I love!

How to Start Bible Journaling

In my last blog post I briefly explained WHAT bible journaling is, so your next question might be where do I start?!

When you think you’re ready, it’s time to find inspiration on what to journal. Inspiration can be found in so many places!

Devotionals (I love the Bible reading plan on here, SheReadsTruth, First5, and plans on the YouVersion app)
Sermon notes
Worship songs
Your feelings for the day or season in your life.

Be A Woman In The Word Every Day.

Often times when something bad happens people say, "Where was God?"

My one little word for this year is trust.

I’m learning that just because I can’t do something doesn’t mean God can’t.