Use these easy steps with prompts, suggestions, and templates to learn to begin a prayer journal to deepen your relationship with the Lord.
Why Ought to You Begin A Prayer Journal?
No prayer is ever wasted and also you actually don’t want a prayer journal to speak to God (that’s a free present given to all of us!) however I’ve discovered it so extremely useful in my very own prayer life.
I wrestle with wandering ideas, long-winded rabbit trails, and all types of different distractions (squirrel!) once I’m praying in my head. Even with the most effective of intentions, my “quiet time” with the Lord turns right into a wild goose chase the place I find yourself making grocery lists as a result of I considered a last-minute addition and scrolling via Fb as a result of I picked up my cellphone to lookup a Bible verse.
Once I write down my ideas, it helps me:
- keep centered on what I actually wish to discuss to God about.
- really feel extra related to Him as I write. When my ideas are bouncing round, it’s powerful to really feel deeply related to Jesus. Once I’m setting issues apart to journal, I can extra simply quiet my ideas and repair my eyes on Him.
- course of my ideas and emotions extra totally.
- report my story – my ideas, emotions, circumstances, struggles, and victories. It’s so useful to have the ability to look again on the place I’ve been and what God has introduced me via and see what number of prayers He has answered alongside the best way. I can’t wait to share these with my son as he grows as much as inform him all about God’s faithfulness in our lives!
How To Begin Your Prayer Journal
Step 1 – Decide Your Journal & Provides
I’m at present utilizing this Talia discbound journal from Amazon, however for years, I simply used no matter low-cost college-ruled clean spiral pocket book I might get my arms on.
Don’t really feel like it’s important to do something fancy or costly. An important a part of prayer journaling is doing it.
I just like the disc-bound journal as a result of I can:
- Lay it flat. This one is a massive deal to me. With notebooks, I all the time selected spiral certain as a result of anything would flop closed on me whereas I used to be writing, which drove me nuts. This one seamlessly stays open for me whereas I write!
- Add/take away/rearrange pages in my journal (even when they aren’t the identical dimension because the pocket book). I like to have the ability to add significant issues like printed pages, Bible verses on index playing cards, Bible research, postcards, invites, prayer lists, and sermon notes to the identical pocket book. (I take advantage of the TUL discbound gap punch so as to add printed pages).
- Fold over onto itself, taking over much less house. I don’t want a full desk house to put out your entire splayed-out journal. Identical to a spiral journal, it folds over (and the discs don’t get in the best way almost as a lot as a 3-ring binder).
- Use extra space on every web page for writing. The disc holes don’t lengthen far into the web page, which provides me extra room to put in writing.
Any pen or pencil and paper will do, however, after attempting nearly each pen and pencil on the market, I’ve discovered pens I actually love. I desire actually high-quality strains in my writing so I normally use these ultra-fine black Pilot pens for many of my writing.
Once I wish to add a splash of colour, I pull out my set of Staedtler Fineliner pens.
Step 2 – Decide Your Prayer Journaling Template
You’re welcome to incorporate no matter sections in your private prayer journal as you’d like, however I extremely suggest utilizing my Prayer Journal Bundle. It’s what I take advantage of myself and it’s done-for-you and able to print to begin utilizing in your quiet occasions ASAP.
If you’re simply beginning out with prayer journaling, don’t overcomplicate issues. Writing even one sentence a day can begin an exquisite behavior! Decide just a few sections you’re most drawn to, begin there, and add or take them away as you’d like.
I’ve discovered that sure sections are extra helpful in sure seasons. Once I’m scuffling with my identification and confidence in Christ, I make certain to incorporate day by day reminders of my identification in Christ. In different seasons, I focus extra on the names of God.
Listed below are some solutions for sections to incorporate:
- Date – That is actually useful for flipping again and seeing how God has remodeled you over time – I all the time neglect dates until they’re written down!
- Gratitude/Answered Prayers/Reward – There are so many advantages to beginning your day with thankfulness in your coronary heart and in your prayer journal. It’s an exquisite method to acknowledge God working in your life and expertise extra peace, pleasure, and contentment. For those who get caught, I’ve 31 gratitude journal prompts right here that may assist get your inventive juices flowing.
- Confession – I haven’t seen many prayer journals embrace this part and I’m not completely certain why as a result of confessing our sins and asking for His forgiveness is such an vital a part of connecting with God.
- Bible verses – Clearly, having God’s Phrase as part of your prayer time is vital! Selecting to repair your thoughts on the Fact is so beneficial. For those who’re undecided the place to begin, I’ve lists of Bible verses on all types of subjects you’ll be able to look via to search out one thing that matches what you’re going via proper now.
- Prayer Requests – I wish to preserve a day by day record of prayer requests which can be on my coronary heart at that second, in addition to ongoing lists of prayer requests which can be extra long-term (like for missionaries, Compassion Worldwide youngsters we assist, therapeutic, our nation, and so on). I included each ongoing and day by day lists within the Prayer Journal Bundle.
- Your Identification In Christ – If you’re scuffling with low self-confidence or low vanity, this can be a fantastic part to incorporate. I embrace over 30 examples of your identification in Christ within the journaling bundle, however you too can use these Bible Verses in your identification to put in writing your individual.
- Traits of God/Names of God – Understanding who you might be is vital however understanding who God is is much more vital. Studying the names of God has been so good for me to be taught extra about God’s character and studying to acknowledge His voice.
- Feelings Examine-In – I’m a giant feeler so that is all the time an important part for me. Some days it’s a fast phrase or two and typically it’s paragraphs of my processing my emotions with the Lord.
- Journal Prompts – Feeling caught and probably not certain what to put in writing about? Pre-written journal prompts may be actually useful in getting your ideas rolling. I’ve 10 journal prompts on your quiet time right here that you simply’re welcome to print and use for your self.
- Area To Share – Give your self house simply to share your ideas and emotions with God. Typically I write phrases, typically I draw footage that come to thoughts, and typically I draw lyrics to hymns or worship songs on my thoughts – something that makes you are feeling related to the Lord.
- Area to Pay attention – Do not forget that conversations are two-sided (I point out it as a result of I usually neglect!), so don’t neglect to go away house so that you can take heed to the Lord and write down something you hear from Him. If you wish to be taught extra concerning the concept of listening to the Lord, a earlier pastor wrote a very inspiring ebook known as “Extra” on the subject that actually helped deepen my very own relationship with God.
Please don’t really feel like you might want to embrace all of these directly! All the solutions above are sections I’ve included in my prayer journal in a single season of my life or one other, however by no means all on the identical time.
Step 3 – Decide A Day by day Prayer Journaling Time
Please, don’t skip this step.
If prayer journaling is new for you, it takes intentionality to begin a brand new behavior. It’s really easy to undergo your day like regular, climb into mattress, after which understand – “Eek! I meant to journal, however forgot!” We’re creatures of behavior and it’s really easy to do!
Suggestions For Creating A New Behavior
1. Decide a time that works nicely on your schedule.
I extremely suggest very first thing within the morning to begin your time without work on the precise foot, however there are seasons of life that don’t make that very straightforward (once I had a new child, I didn’t even know what time “very first thing within the morning” meant and first-morning naptime labored significantly better throughout these months!).
I wish to allocate no less than 20 minutes to actually give myself time for my ideas to cease racing and to actually dig into some deep dialog with the Lord, however begin the place you might be! Even 5 minutes is a superb funding into your relationship with God.
2. Set a reminder alarm.
Whenever you’re beginning a brand new behavior of any variety, it’s arduous to recollect to try this new factor, even when we have now the most effective of intentions, as a result of it’s out of your routine.
I wish to set an alarm on my cellphone to go off on the time I picked as an additional reminder to assist me observe via on my good intentions.
3. Pair your new behavior with a longtime behavior.
Will you do your prayer journaling when you drink your morning espresso? After your exercise? Earlier than breakfast? after your alarm goes off? Proper after dropping your youngsters off in school?
Connecting this new behavior of prayer journaling with one thing you already do repeatedly is simply one other means that can assist you construct this new behavior into your life long-term.
4. Consistency is healthier than perfection.
Observe, apply, apply. Attempt your finest to take a seat down together with your prayer journal day by day, even when it’s only for a couple of minutes.
Give your self grace that you simply received’t all the time have the “excellent” quiet occasions. One thing is all the time higher than nothing and the extra constant you might be, the extra this behavior of prayer journaling will simply really feel like a part of your regular life.
And that’s the purpose! Connecting with the Lord ought to be a daily, constant behavior – in each season, in each emotion, in each schedule change.
It is among the perfect methods to remain rooted in His Phrase and in His love, life with religion eyes.
Rejoice all the time, pray with out ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for that is the need of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Step 4 – Begin Journaling!
That’s all there may be to it! You’ve gotten your supplies, you may have a primary construction on your time with pattern journal prompts…now, all there may be left to do is write!
On my finest days, I like to create a relaxed surroundings for myself to prayer journal – a candle, some instrumental worship music, a clear house to put in writing (typically outdoor if it’s good!).
However please don’t assume that’s a prerequisite for prayer journaling! You’re going to have imperfect days. Some days on this season of my life, I’m journaling two phrases at a time sitting in a pile of Legos with a bouncy, chatty toddler. You may adapt prayer journaling to suit into any season of your life!
Prayer journaling persistently is a lot extra vital than journaling completely.
Embrace your present season and permit your self the flexibleness to make it be just right for you. The purpose is to get within the behavior of connecting with the Lord and deepening your relationship with Him, it doesn’t matter what that appears like particularly for you.
Blissful prayer journaling!
