I had someone ask me about prayer journals a while back and thought I would write about how they can be effective. I am also going to be sharing some of my own personal styles and pages with you along the way.
Why do it?
Have you ever wondered if God hears your prayers? Look up the scriptures that tell you that God hears your prayers. Write them in your prayer journal and then write down your praise to Him for the fact that He hears you.
Have you ever thought God doesn’t answer any of your prayers? When you write down a prayer, you can go back later and record when that prayer was answered. A lot of times, when we speak our prayers, we forget what we have even prayed, and can’t see all the wonderful things God has done in our lives. We fail to give Him praise for things He has done! Writing down our prayers gives us something to go back to so we can see the things that can be crossed off the list. God is working in our lives every day. He is faithful.
Do you get distracted when you pray or study? Writing out your prayers can keep your mind focused on what you are saying. You can add the scriptures that have spoken to you, as well. (I will share more about this in a coming blog)
Do you want to leave footprints so you can look back and see how far God has brought you? When times get hard, you will be able to look back at God’s love and faithfulness. You will see what He has done in your life and know that if He’s done it before, He can do it again. These footprints can also be left there for your family to see, as well. What a testimony to leave!
Are you seeking more from your relationship with God? Writing out your prayers, and spending uninterrupted, undistracted, intimate time with God is a great place to start. You may find yourself saying things you wouldn’t normally say. Personally, I’m much more eloquent with writing than speaking. I don’t even enunciate words properly when I speak. (ha!) You might find yourself writing Him a psalm, before you know it, or an intimate letter where the only appropriate closing is, “I love you.”
Bottom line: a prayer journal may be just what you’re needing. I will share some personal examples in my next blog to help get you started. In the meantime, just know that the material you use isn’t important. It can be a beautiful journal, a $.25 spiral notebook, an art canvas, or even a blog. Over the years, I have used many different things.
Get your journal ready,
jamie
Next blogs: Traditional Prayer Journal, Scripture/Prayer Journal, Art Prayer Journals
considering the word 