Hi Friend!
If you have been around here for a bit, you know I am all about Bible journaling and using art to glorify and worship God. However, one of the common misconceptions I get from Bible journaling critics (no judgment, Bible journaling is not for everybody and that is totally okay!) is that Bible journaling is used as our only form of Bible study. But for 95% of us in the Bible journaling community, that is just not true!
I personally believe (and I know most others in the Bible journaling community feel the same way) that Bible journaling is an amazing way to dig deeper into parts of the Word and worship God, but it shouldn’t be our main form of Bible Study.
Actually, for a while, I thought that Bible journaling could replace my studying. Then eventually I realized that I was focusing a lot more on the art aspect of my page than I was focusing on the Word and God– which is the whole point of Bible journaling!
So now, I am much more aware of my mindset while I journal, but I have also decided to have a separate Bible study away from Bible journaling.
Now, everyone’s journey is different! If you are someone who is great at focusing on the scripture while Bible journaling, that is awesome! And if you are like me, where you get distracted by the art part, that is okay too! We are all human! We just have to do the best we can and have intentional hearts.
So, every now and again on social media, I will post a picture of what my Bible study looks like, and I always get so many questions on what supplies I use and what my method is! So today I figured I would show you!
Again, I’m not saying my method is the best way, there are so many amazing ways to study the Bible, this is just what works well for me after a lot of trial and error. I am purely sharing because I know it can be helpful to see what others do, to decide what you like or dislike to make your Bible study your own!
Watch the video below for the full overview, or just scroll down for the key points!
Key Points To My Bible Study Method
*This article contains affiliate links. CLICK HERE for my full disclosure*
- I use The Jesus Bible. I LOVE THIS BIBLE. It has commentaries and essays added throughout the Bible that are full of great insight. Because it has that printed commentary in most of the margins, I cut strips of printer paper and tape them with washi tape over the text so that I can take notes in all the margins of the Bible. (I also hand-painted the cover to make it my own, see THIS POST for a tutorial on how to paint your Bible cover.)
- I use Pilot Frixion Highlighters. They don’t bleed-through and they come in a bunch of pretty colors. They are also erasable! *Note- I was made aware that these disappear when exposed to high heat (like if left in a hot car) so please be aware of that!*
- I use a Micron Size 02 Pen to write my notes. There is some ghosting, but they don’t bleed-through; and they are really high-quality pens.
- I keep all my supplies in a Delde Pencil Case, which I am CRAZZYYY about.
- I am using the Blue Letter Bible Historical Reading Plan to guide my Bible study- but I am not keeping to the year timeline. It will take me a while to get through the whole Bible, but my goal from the beginning has been to make sure that by the time I finish, I will have read, paid attention to, and understood, every part of it.
- I read anywhere from one verse to a paragraph at a time and highlight that section. I then will write a note to explain, summarize, or expand on that verse or set of verses. Then, I will box that note with the same color highlighter and draw a line to connect them.
- I use multiple color highlighters just so that I can easily find the notes and verses that go together.
- One of my favorite tools is the Faithlife Study Bible App. I go to it all the time if I’m not quite sure what a verse means or is referring to. I have learned SO MUCH from that app!
When it comes down to it, it really is a simple study technique. I just read and take notes! I knew I wanted to read with some structure but not so much structure that it felt like a chore, so this method is perfect for me and my personality!
This has been extremely nerve-racking to share because it is such a personal thing, but if you have been looking for a way to change up your Bible study method, or perhaps you are looking to read the Bible for the first time, I so hope this helped give you an idea of the kind of Bible Study you would like to try!
Many Blessings,
Jenna
