Christian Journaling: Tips for Writing

Journaling goes beyond just writing what you did for the day. There are many ways to journal. You don’t even have to use the traditional pen and paper format to journal. For example, you can talk-to-text in a phone app, or type in a digital journal.

Christian journaling prioritizes your spiritual moments. These moments don’t have to be just the “big” moments including getting saved or baptized. It can be any spiritual experience you want to write about, or solely giving gratitude to God. This is your spiritual journey. This is your spiritual journal.

Don’t worry about how much or how often you write: Journaling doesn’t require writing for pages. It doesn’t require daily entries either. It is simply logging key moments in your life. Some journal entries may only be a paragraph or one scripture. And it’s okay if your entries are weeks apart.

For example, I have a journal entry that only includes one scripture. It was a scripture that God put on my heart. I didn’t know why at the time, but I wrote it down. I didn’t include any description, just the scripture. God revealed to me later why He gave me this Word. Then I wrote about it a few weeks later which included multiple events that happened around what God was teaching me.

Focus on highlights: When you write in your journal, focus on the highlights of your experience, not all the details (unless you want to). It can be too much to write every detail. So don’t!

Write about the big points or key takeaways. Remember, you can journal about anything, so a “big” point doesn’t mean it has to be a “big” event. A key point might be merely what you learned, or how something made you feel.

I am amazed at how much God has done for me. Sometimes, it is so much I may not write about it at all. Or I may only pick 1-2 key elements, so I don’t feel burdened to write.

In your spiritual walk, you will have (good) overwhelming experiences with God. His love is so powerful that you will feel it overflowing.

Add a prayer at the end of your journal entry: Most of my spiritual journal entries are written to God. Basically, I am writing a letter to Jesus to talk to Him. I think of Paul’s letters in the New Testament when he writes to various nations (e.g., Corinthians, Philippians, Romans, etc.).

Because I am writing to God, there are some days I will add a prayer at the end related to my journal entry. This is great especially if I am struggling with something, or I am requesting guidance or wisdom. It might be as simple as writing, “I love You, Jesus. Amen.”

Writing your prayer makes your requests known to God. Even if you aren’t writing as if God is the recipient, you can still add prayer to your journal entry.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

Philippians 4:6 (NKJV)

Ideas for Journaling: There are a few things to consider when you are trying to decide on the right notebook or journal for you. This can change based on where you are on your spiritual journey. For example, if you are new in your faith, a notebook with inspirational Bible scripture might be a great choice. If you want to focus on gratitude, a dot-grid journal could be good because it works great for creating lists.

Journals can get very expensive, but you don’t need a fancy leather book for Christian journaling. You can use a subject notebook, or look for journals at discount stores. I found an amazing journal with all Psalms scripture for $4.99 (USD) at Bealls Outlet (see image).

There are three main types of paper for journaling: 1) lined paper, 2) dot grid paper, and 3) blank paper. Lined paper is what many people are used to since it is most common for notebooks. Paper options have evolved depending on your preferences. I prefer a dot-grid journal because of its versatility.

Writing isn’t the only thing you can do in your journal. You can draw or doodle to capture spiritual moments. Our Surf 8 Christians logo started as a doodle in my journal.

Creative hack: Some journals include two ribbon markers, but this is more common in expensive journals. You can use bookmarks or paperclips in any notebook to have more than one bookmark. 

Even though Christian journaling prioritizes your spiritual moments, you can write about anything. Absolutely, it’s okay if you want to write about the food you ate or your kid’s football game. Not everything has to feel spiritual to write about it. But the food you ate may be significant if you are trying to lose weight or improve your nutrition.

In essence, everything you do relates to your spiritual journey. And God wants to be included in every part of your life.

In everything you do, put God first, and he will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

Proverbs 3:6 (TLB)

Watch our YouTube Shorts video: Christian Journaling Tips