Prayer Journaling

[Kimberly Arnold]

I'm curious how others journal their prayers.  I have tried so many different methods:

1. Keeping a running log of entries; requests, answers, pleas, intercessions
2. Recipe card file filled with 3x5 cards; request on front, answer on back
3. Partitioned journal with prayers written in different sections depending on the type of prayer: petitions in one section, thanksgivings in another, confessions in yet another, praises in another - this method is too compartmentalized for me.

Usually I find my prayers filtering into my daily journaling.  I discover prayer entering into my mental meanderings as I process life's trials and victories and as I attempt to mine the treasure trove of Scripture through word study and commentaries.  As I journal my personal journey of transformation I find God slips into my pen and shows Himself on the page, revealing His thoughts of me and His love for me.

 

How do you journal your prayers?  Do you journal at all?  Do you prefer a paper journal or an electronic one?

~ In Him, kim

[Kyra Clarke]

I actually have 2 prayer journals.  One online
and then a paper journal.  I have never been good at carrying my paper
journal with me so I use my online prayer journal when I am away from home
I can access it from work and even on my cellphone. use whichever works 
best for your lifestyle.

[Judy Bricker]

I write in a notebook and get a matching folder.  I put extra paper and prayer newsletters in the folder.  I have extra paper because I write different things on different colored paper.  I put general prayers, writing, scripture copy etc in the notebook. I use purple to record what God is saying to me.  I use yellow for dreams and green for visions.  I use blue for notes from books.  That way when I want to look at what God said I don't have to weed through I just look at the purple. Etc. Thanks for your comments Judy

 

[Jenni Biegler]

Kim,

 

I go back and forth between a paper notebook and an electronic one.  I was using Life Journal (two different versions) and had "run time error" problems which locked me out of my journal.  I found "support" not to be very helpful.  Most recently, I have been using "The Journal 5" with the add-on module for devotional prompts.

 

I find that there are days when I really need to use pen and paper as opposed to technology but then I find that I can write more freely about some things when I know that I have a password protected journal.  Sometimes there are just some things that need to be worked through with no one but the Lord.

 

I like to journal in the form of dialogue, like a play. Mark Virkler has some great material about dialoguing with God. You might enjoy checking out his website: cwgministries.org

[Frances L. Dorsey]

I have just begun journaling my prayers. After I started, I thought that maybe I reduced the power of prayer because I wrote down what I am praying. ??? I feel that if I am taking time to write my prayers that I may be hindering my prayer because of the time it takes me to write it. And perhaps my next thoughts in prayer are  lost. Am I putting something between me and God? Am I asking Him to wait as I write. ??

I have enjoyed journaling my prayers. Should I continue. Can you give me some insight.

Thank You, Fran

[Kimberly Arnold]

You know what, Fran, when I slow down enough to write my prayers into a prayer journal I find that I can hear the Holy Spirit more clearly than when I verbally (and quickly) move from one concern to another.  Rather than asking God to wait as I write, it allows me to wait for Him to speak.  Don't worry about "losing" thoughts.  God is outside time and space - so He is outside my journal and my prayer time.  He knows my thoughts before I think them (Psalm 139).  A prayer journal and writing out my prayers is more for me.  It helps me to see in black-and-white how He is moving in my life and in the situations for which I pray.  Ultimately, a prayer journal builds my faith

[Frances L. Dorsey]

I like to write letters to people that need encouragement. I began writing to those that seemed to need a word from God about life. I now write to a few people in Nursing Homes, because I wasn't able to visit. I wanted shut ins and those without many visitors to have something in which to look forward. Many do not write back. However, I found that when I did get to visit them that they enjoyed the letters. I set down to write and begin with something like : Today is Friday,it is a gorgeous day. I am ......... at some point in my letter there is a leading for some type of message and the goodness of God's love. I guess this is a type of journaling as I begin with prayer for direction and God always readily give me opportunity to develop that letter. I keep copies, and have a folder in which I keep them. Since God inspires me I sign Love,

 In Christ my inspiration

 Fran

[Dean Ridings]

Great discussion on journaling! I've been using a prayer journal since the early 1990s, and it's really helped me to focus my prayers. I started out with a beautiful, four-color one from Chuck Swindoll's "Insights for Living." Since then, it's been hard to find a prayer journal that men can feel comfortable using. In fact, that's why I proposed writing a prayer journal for NavPress in the first, place, and the result is The Pray! Prayer Journal.

 

I've now expanded that to an online presence, the Pray Every Day site at www.facebook.com/prayerjournal . . . I'm encouraged by others who are committed to be intentional about prayer.

 

For me personally, if I'm not intentional about prayer, I feel my prayer times aren't what they could be!

 

Blessings!

[Frances L. Dorsey]

Thank you for your imput. I think this will work well for me since I like to write. And I love the idea about the different colored pages. 

Fran

[Grover W. Hastings]

Have a Mac. Does anyone know of a good Prayer Journal program for the Mac? TY so much.

[Jenni Biegler]

I just googled journals for Mac and there are a few of them--you might want to google them.  Keep in mind that a you can turn any journal into a prayer journal.