If you think that you would enjoy Bible journaling but are worried that it will not fit into your budget, don’t worry about costs. Journaling is a creative process and when it comes to budgeting for it, we can get creative.

For me journaling is more about the process than the final results, so using simple supplies was not much of an issue.

The biggest initial expense in Bible Journaling is buying a “Journaling Bible.” These are special Bibles that have a wider margin and thicker paper than traditional Bibles. If you are like me and are living on a shoestring budget, even the $25 Bible seems like a big amount. In this case, you can read the passages from any Bible (or online if you do not own a Bible), then journal in any journal or notebook that you already own. My first week of journaling was done on plain copy paper and my son’s art paper.

There are no required tools for journaling. You can simply use your Bible, journal, and a pen or pencil. However, most people want to create a more colorful page. I started out by using tools that I already had around the house. I used regular pens instead of the nice archival pens. I used five of my son’s crayons as highlighters. I also had a box of Crayola colored pencils and an off brand children’s watercolor set.

I did have a little bit of supply envy after getting on Pinterest and reading blogs by others that do Bible journaling. So, I started a wish list and asked for supplies as Christmas and birthday presents. As I received these products, I noticed that my pages looked a little nicer. However, they were not necessary to build the relationship with God that I get through Bible journaling. For reference, the top image on this page was done with the Champs art supplies. The bottom image was done with the supplies listed in my last post.