What Do You Do With a Junk Journal? I hear that question a lot. Traditional junk journals—used as planners or for random notes—never made much sense to me. But a treasure journal? That’s a different ball game. A treasure journal is filled with Scripture, prayers, and reminders of God’s faithfulness. It’s not just paper and glue; it’s a spiritual keepsake, a place where truth and beauty come together.
God commanded His people, “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:9). Why? Because He knows how easily we forget. Just as the Israelites surrounded themselves with His Word, a treasure journal surrounds us with truth. It’s a way to keep His promises close—not only in our hearts but in our hands, where we can turn to them again and again.
At first glance, a chunky, decorated journal filled with pockets, tags, and pages might look like “just pretty paper.” But oh, it’s so much more than that.
Here at BibleJournalClasses, I teach with hands-on treasure journals. We document what we learn on journaling cards and tuck them into paper or digital journals and folios. When you do something with what you learn, you remember it longer and deeper—it moves from head knowledge to heart knowledge.
Why Hang a Quote on the Wall?
Why do we hang a quote on the wall or frame a family photo? Why do women spend hours embroidering a phrase and placing it in a frame? It’s not because the wall was empty and needed decoration. It’s because those words or that image hold meaning. They remind us of truth. They stir our hearts with memory. They anchor us and help us feel rooted.
A treasure journal—does the very same thing. It’s not just paper, it’s a place where truth, beauty, and memory collide.
As Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” A treasure journal is one way of storing God’s Word—not only in your heart but in your hands, where you can return to it, touch it, and pass it down to generations to come.
A Home for Your Heart
Think of it as a little “home” for your heart. Inside its pages, you can tuck:
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A verse that God spoke to you in a hard season.
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A prayer written on the back of a card.
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A pressed flower that reminds you of His creation.
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A family recipe scribbled in your mother’s handwriting.
Each pocket, each page, is like a drawer in a beloved old chest—holding memories, lessons, prayers, and treasures you want to keep close.
More Than Pretty Paper
Some people look at a treasure journal and see only decoration. But I like to compare it to a quilt. A quilt is beautiful to look at, yes, but its worth is far deeper. Every square tells a story. Every stitch carries warmth. In the same way, your journal becomes a patchwork of your spiritual walk, your family story, your joys and struggles, stitched together in one place.
The Flips and Folds of a Folio
And then there’s the folio style journal—with flips, folds, tuck spots, and hidden places to explore. Opening a folio feels like unfolding layers of your own story. You lift a flap and find a verse. You pull out a tag and read a prayer. You discover a pocket with a note of gratitude or a photo from years past.
Those flips and folds aren’t just clever paper tricks—they’re symbolic. Life itself has layers, seasons, and hidden blessings. A folio gives you a way to capture those layers in a tangible, creative form. It makes the journaling experience interactive—almost like a treasure hunt of your own walk with God.
Created to Create
God has placed within women a deep desire to work with our hands. For centuries, that longing found its outlet in the daily rhythm of life—cooking from scratch, sewing clothes, tending gardens, and keeping homes. Those hours of labor were not just chores; they were acts of care and creativity.
Today, with many of those tasks eased by modern conveniences, we still carry that same God-given drive. Only now, it often finds expression in crafting. The joy of making, shaping, and creating hasn’t left us—it’s simply shifted. Crafting becomes the way we pour our hearts into something tangible, just as women before us did with bread, fabric, and hearth.
A Daily Anchor
Practically speaking, a treasure journal can be a tool:
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A Bible study companion—adding journal cards with scriptures you’re meditating on.
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A prayer journal—slipping in written prayers you’ve prayed (and later answered prayers to remind you of God’s faithfulness).
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A gratitude journal—filling tags with daily thanks.
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A family keepsake—tucking in photos, letters, or even children’s drawings.
It becomes an anchor—a way to slow down and remember God’s goodness in the middle of life’s busyness.
A Treasure Box You Can Hold
So what do you do with it? You live with it. You fill it with words, prayers, scraps, and memories that matter. You pull it off the shelf when you need encouragement. You pass it down so your children and grandchildren can see the testimony of your faith.
Shannon from Bible Journal Facebook Group put her folios in a basket
It’s not “junk.” It’s treasure.
A treasure you can hold in your hands.
Join our Bible Journal Facebook Group to learn more.
Discovering How to Renew Your Mind
Beginning September 1, this transformative Bible journaling course offers 20 rich lessons, reflective prompts, and creative journaling ideas designed to root God’s truth deeply in your heart and hands. Whether you’re writing in paper folios or digital journals, or taking notes, this class—packed with tutorials, freebies, and community support—will help you take God's Word from your mind into your life in fresh, beautiful ways. I hope you’ll join me in renewing your mind and discovering more of God’s freedom, identity, and purpose. Learn more.
