Marginalia: Returning to the Sacred in Bible Journaling

“Bible wrecking” has become a buzzword in recent years. It may sound jarring at first, but in the creative journaling world it isn’t meant as an insult. It’s simply a way of describing the practice of writing notes, highlighting, and even decorating the pages of your Bible. It’s about actively interacting with Scripture instead of just passively reading it.

For centuries, Christians have filled the margins of their Bibles with prayers, notes, and even art. These additions were called marginalia.

I love that so many believers are engaging with the Word in creative ways. But what if we could reclaim an even older, sacred word for this practice?

For centuries, Christians have filled the margins of their Bibles with prayers, notes, and even art. These additions were called marginalia. Monks illuminated the text with gold leaf and painted symbols of faith. Everyday believers scribbled prayers beside verses that carried them through hard seasons. Marginalia turned the margins into a meeting place with God.

That’s what I believe our Bible journaling can become today—not just color and decoration, but soul-tending worship in the margins.

Marginalia is about:

• Prayer — writing your petitions and praises right alongside God’s Word.

• Promises — marking truths to carry into your daily life.

• Beauty — slowing down long enough to let art point you back to Christ.

The goal isn’t a perfect page. It’s presence. It’s creating a testimony in the very margins of your Bible—a record of God’s faithfulness written across the story of your life.

This October, I’ll be hosting Marginalia: Creative Bible Journaling for Prayer & Study every Thursday evening at Women Diving Deeper in the Bible. Together, we’ll recover the sacredness of this practice and discover how our Bibles can become living altars of prayer and beauty.

Your Bible doesn’t just hold words. It can hold your heart.

👉 Join the #MarginaliaMovement and step into this ancient, beautiful practice.