Bible journaling is a great way to engage with Scripture. Although it is perceived as an activity for more artistically inclined Christians, I believe anyone can Bible journal. Digital Bible journaling, in particular, is even less intimidating since there is no need to buy art supplies, nor fear of tearing your Bible page.
Before diving into the how-to, I want to address something important — Bible journaling is first about God. The art, the cute stickers, the Instagram-worthy aesthetic, all of that comes second. It is easy to get distracted by trying to make everything pretty and forget to honor God in the process.
Remember that God looks at the heart. Maybe you are not very good at drawing. Or, maybe, you are so bad at matching colors that people think you’re color blind. Who cares, really? As long as you do your best to glorify Him, as long as you are faithful with the little artistic talent you have, He will be pleased with you.
If your four-year-old gave their all to draw a picture for you, wouldn’t you be touched by it? Would you care that they drew people’s heads as big as their houses, that the sky is green, and the grass purple? No! In fact, you would be so proud and hang that on the fridge for all to admire.
With that said, let’s dive in!
What you’ll need
If you are new to digital Bible journaling, here are the things you will need to get started, (you won’t even need to draw anything):
- An iPad or tablet
- A notetaking app: I am a big fan of the GoodNotes app, but any digital note-taking app with drawing capabilities will work great.
- Pictures: You can find aesthetic Bible verse pictures on Pinterest, perfect for journaling inspo.
- Digital stickers: optional, but fun to use! You can find free digital stickers on our freebie page, or browse my premium collection in my shop.
How to Start Digital Bible Journaling
1) Find inspiration and import images
Begin with Scripture: As you read your Bible, a passage or a verse may speak to you. Read it, meditate on it, and internalize it.
In the example above, I was reading Philippians 4, and as someone who is quite anxious and easily haunted by “what if bad scenarios”, verses 6 through 8 spoke to me.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:6-8
This is also a reminder not to allow fear and bad thoughts to crowd your mind but instead focus on your blessings.
2) Gather your pictures and stickers:
Next, find images that relate to your passage and import them into your note-taking app. My favorite way to do this is by having GoodNotes and Safari in split view. Long-press on the image and drag it to GoodNotes.
3) Crop and refine your images
To crop images and make them fit with your design. If you are using GoodNotes, follow these steps:
- Tap on the image to display the image option.
- Select the crop icon
- Select freehand to contour crop the image to remove distracting backgrounds and to focus on the main element
- Then tap done
4) Position and layer your images
Move around your images and rearrange their position thoughtfully. To do so, tap on the image, select the three-dot icon, and then choose the front or back option depending on whether you want to send the image forward or backward in the layering order.
And that’s it! You now have everything you need to start your digital Bible journaling journey. Remember—God delights in your heart’s intention more than your design skills. So open your Bible, find a verse that speaks to you, and simply begin.
Your first attempt may not be perfect, and that’s perfectly okay. What matters is that you’re engaging with God’s Word in a meaningful, creative way. Happy journaling!
