I Made A Junk Journal, Now What Do I Do With It?
IIf you’ve just finished making a junk journal, first—congrats! That in itself is something to celebrate. 🥳🥇👏🎉 Whether it’s bursting with old book pages, scrapbook scraps, washi tape, or faith-filled prompts, completing a journal is an accomplishment. But now what? What do you actually do with it?
This is the number one question that comes up when I talk to women online about journaling. The world pushes us to only create things that have obvious “value”—something you can sell, gift, or display. That mindset is everywhere, but it’s worth questioning. The truth is, creating simply for the sake of creating is incredibly valuable too. There’s growth that happens when you give yourself permission to make something just because it brings you joy or helps you process life.
The truth is, there’s no one “right” way to use a junk journal. That’s kind of the beauty of it. You might have made it for fun, as a creative outlet, or as a quiet project to calm your mind. Or maybe you’re now staring at the finished pages wondering if you’re supposed to do something with it. If that’s you—you’re not alone.
Personally, I journal as a way to connect my creativity with my faith. It’s not really about creating a perfect end product—it’s more about showing up, spending quiet time with God, and letting my hands move in a way that feels prayerful and grounded. It’s worship through paper, paint, glue, and whatever else happens to be on my desk.
But if you’re someone who likes to have a reason or purpose behind your creative projects, here are a few ideas for how to use your finished journal—or how to think about the purpose behind making them in the first place:
Ideas for Using a Finished Junk or Art Journal:
A Place to Pray & Reflect: Add prayers, scriptures, questions, or reflections. It can be a space where you pour your heart out, celebrate small wins, or wrestle with hard things. This is how my journey started—drawing instead of writing the hard, vulnerable feelings. I needed a safe space to process, and a blank page, paired with God, was the answer.
A Visual Devotional: Choose a verse and respond to it with art, color, and journaling. Let the page be a space where you visually process what the verse means to you.
A Memory Keeper: Fill it with photos, scraps from trips or events, or handwritten notes. It’s like scrapbooking with way fewer rules.
A Creative Practice Journal: Don’t overthink it. Use it to test new art supplies, try out techniques, doodle, or collage. It’s a safe place to play.
A Gift: A handmade journal (especially if filled with a few thoughtful pages) makes a really meaningful gift for a friend, family member, or someone who needs encouragement.
A Personal Time Capsule: You can look back later and see where you were spiritually, emotionally, and creatively. It’s often surprising to read old pages and see how much growth has happened.
Why Keep Making DIY Art & Junk Journals?
- It gives your creativity a home, even when life is busy.
- It creates space for quiet reflection in a noisy world.
- It can be a spiritual rhythm—time with your hands, heart, and God.
- It’s a way to make beauty out of ordinary things—scraps, leftovers, pages that others might toss.
- It helps you slow down and process things you’re feeling or learning.
- And honestly… it’s just fun. That’s reason enough.
So if you’re holding your finished journal and wondering what to do next—maybe the best answer is: just keep going. Keep showing up, keep playing, keep praying, and keep creating. You don’t need a perfect plan or polished product to make it meaningful. Sometimes the act of creating is the purpose.
I like to think of a journal as a prayer. I don’t believe you—or God—would ever say a prayer is wasted. But the truth is: you can’t see a prayer, you can’t sell a prayer, you can’t even touch a prayer. And yet it still has value. Some might even say it has priceless value. Time spent creating as a way to process, worship, and grow with the Lord is time well spent.
If you’re craving more direction or just want some accountability to keep creating, I’d love to invite you to join the Creative Faith Club.
It’s a monthly membership for women who want to grow their creative skills, deepen their faith, and be part of a supportive, like-minded community. Whether you’re totally new to creative journaling or you’ve got a shelf full of finished books, you’ll find inspiration, encouragement, and practical ideas you can actually use.
Inside the club, you’ll get:
- Monthly creative faith projects (with videos + prompts)
- A private community of women who get your love for paper, prayer, and paint
- Tips, tutorials, and guidance for growing both spiritually and creatively
- And the gentle nudge to keep showing up—even when life feels busy or messy
If you’re tired of doing it alone or wondering if your creative time really matters—come join us. This is a space where faith and creativity collide in the best way.
