How to Organize a Prayer Journal
A prayer journal work is like a scrapbook for your spiritual walk. Reviewing it allows you to analyze the balance in your prayers the way a scrapbook documents how much time you have spent with family and friends, accomplishing goals, and relaxing. Journaling allows you to relive your experiences with God and, most importantly, to note how each prayer was answered. A journal, like personal letters you have exchanged with human loved ones, is a tangible communication to your loving father.
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Things You'll Need
- Notebook, blank book or 3-ring binder
- Tabs or dividers for three-ring binder
- Colored ink pens
Instructions
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Creating a Prayer Journal
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Choose any notebook, blank book or three-ring binder that appeals to you and will be easy to carry. The binder has the added bonus of being able to be reorganized to fit individual needs. It also allows you to choose paper with the color and size of lines you prefer. It does not, however, offer many stylish covers. The idea is that the more it appeals to you, the more likely you are to use it.
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Journals are meant to be used. Create areas to cover all the purposes of prayer. Use tabs or page dividers that fit your journal. These areas should reflect prayers found in scripture or that focus on God's attributes, your gratitude, your own sin and your requests. Many Bible teachers have specific names for these categories. Bill Hybels, in Too Busy Not to Pray, uses the acronym ACTS, or Acknowledgement, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. Alternatively, you might want to place those categories down each page or across every two pages so you can see how your prayers balance within a given day.
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Notate regular prayer time daily, in appropriate categories. Date any entry so in your walk through each challenge, God's timing and response can be remembered. As you review entries, you will see which categories of prayer come more easily and more often to you. This can motivate you to do more with prayer than just asking God to do your will. Your review will also make you aware that God answers your prayers, even when the answer is not one you expect. This builds a deep faith with evidence you can share.
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Tips & Warnings
Color-coding with various ink pens might make finding each prayer category easier.
If your journal's purpose is to follow a corporate prayer time, take care to protect names and specific private challenges. Check with those involved to ascertain whether they mind the specifics being shared.
References
- Photo Credit notebook and pen image by frog from Fotolia.com two hands up to sky in a prayer image by silviaantunes from Fotolia.com
