How to Create Your Very Own Prayer Journal

Ok, so your New Year's Resolution was to start a prayer journal and you haven't started yet. There's still time! Or maybe you are just wanting to spend some more quiet time with the Lord but you don't really know where to start? Let us help! We’ve assembled some of our favorite prayer journal ideas to help you get started.

What are prayer journals?

If you are like me, sometimes it is hard to add something new to your routine, even when it is something you really want to do. I have journaled in on and off over the years and when I started, I mostly focused on the negative things in my life that I just needed to tell someone.

I spent years begging and pleading with the Lord to do things for me or to bring dreams to pass. It was so good for me to get all of that out of my head and onto paper, but I never really got anywhere until I started applying the word to my way of thinking and let it change me.

Starting a prayer journal is a great way to get organized and start keeping track of all the great things that God is going to do through you!

How to use a prayer journal: 

Have you ever wondered how to use a prayer journal? There are many ways you can add a prayer journal to your prayer life. But I have found that there are some important elements that make this special time that we spend with the Lord really effective and leave us feeling empowered by Him, heard by Him and loved by Him. 

Prayer journaling is an act of worship to our Lord for just how awesome He is and how wonderful it is just to be His children! Learn how to organize a prayer journal below to get started!

Find all the pretty things (Start with a journal you love!)

I find I am much more excited to stick with something when I have a beautiful journal, calendar or stationery to work with. I love colored pens, highlighters and sticky notes to add to my journals (Gimmie all the school supplies!) You might choose to use tabs or bullet points to organize your prayer journal sections, or you may choose a pre-made journal vs. the DIY prayer journal route.

Either way, you can make it beautiful! Along with this, I would recommend finding a space where you can enjoy writing and spending quiet time. For me, anywhere that is free from the distractions of the day (to-do lists, piles of laundry, etc.), where I can sip coffee (a quiet time essential for me!), and I love a place where I can see outside or look at my plants and enjoy God’s creation while I am prayer journaling.

We have a beautiful new guided prayer journal to help you get started! Blake has lovingly designed this journal that includes scripture references and lots of space for reflection and prayer. Hand-lettered scripture illustrations and designs, specifically designed that you might know Him more. Click here to check it out.

Ideas for Organizing Your Prayer Journal Sections

What should be included in a prayer journal? If you are starting from scratch with a DIY Prayer Journal, here are a few different headers that you can use in your prayer journal, or different sections you might choose to include. 

1. Pray the Word
2. Write What is On Your Heart
3. List What You are Thankful For
4. Good Things That Happened
5. Remember the Prayers He Has Answered
6. Dream with the Holy Spirit
7. Record What God is Speaking to You

Pray the word - I think the most important part of this process is to seek out answers in God’s Word. The Lord has empowered us by the blood of Christ with so many things. Whether you are praying for your children, your husband, for healing, or over your finances, there is a scripture that can be applied.

When we apply the word, and we are speaking life into those situations and using the power given to us by Christ, the Lord can move. Maybe the most important benefit to prayer journaling is that we are renewing our minds to what the Lord thinks of us and our situations and allows His word to encourage us! This is the key to having not just a journal, but something powerful and life-changing.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Write what is on your heart - Be honest! The Lord longs for us to communicate with Him and share with Him what’s on our hearts. A daily prayer journal is a wonderful way to do just that!

He is our Father and our friend and just like any other friendship, communication is key. He loves for us to seek wisdom from Him and to draw from His peace! He has called us His friends and he is a trustworthy confidant!

List what you are thankful for - This one is my favvvvorite! When you are setting up your prayer journal, consider adding a section where you can list things that you are thankful for.

When I started actively listing things every day that I was thankful for, I could see a change in my attitude and mood immediately. It is impossible not to feel gratitude when we are focusing on the wonderful things that we DO have instead of what we don’t have.

Prayer Journal Idea #4: Good Things that Happened Today

Finding the Good - There is power is listing out all the good things that happened in a day. This is so helpful for me to focus on what did go right, and where the Lord has already blessed me.

Writing everything down in your prayer journal is also training your brain to find the diamonds in each day, however mundane it might seem!

Phillippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Prayer Journal Idea #5: Prayers the Lord Answered Today

Remember the prayers He has answered - A great section you could include in your prayer journal or a daily prayer journal is that you can keep a record of all of the prayers that the Lord has answered.

The Lord says to remember the wonders He has done! It is so easy for us to forget all of the prayers, large and small, that He has answered for us. He is such a good Father and it is amazing to look back and see how He has brought us through difficult times and times of uncertainty.

Psalm 105:4-6 

Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.

Dream with the Holy Spirit - Just like the Lord is always speaking to us, He longs for us to dream with Him about the future. The Lord has put desires in our hearts and He can do immeasurably more than we could ask or think and He always wants us to have big goals!

Above all, we are children of the King who loves us and He wants us to be fulfilled in life! 

Record what God is speaking to you - A prayer journal is a great place to keep the things that God is whispering to your heart for only you to hear. He is always speaking to us if we are only willing to be still to listen. This is a place in your prayer journal where you can write a scripture or a promise from God and then ask the Lord how to practically apply it to your life.

He will always speak practically and lovingly to help us know what to say or how to respond to situations we are praying about. He is so good at telling us how to respond to our spouse, or what to say to our child who is having a difficult time, or even how to solve a problem!

Goals to Set With Your Prayer Journal

• Track Your Prayers For One Year
• Set Reminders For Yourself
• Give Yourself Grace

Writing in your prayer journal every day is WONDERFUL! But you know what is also wonderful? Writing in your prayer journal whenever you can! God is so gracious and never despises us for missing a day (or a week!) of journaling.

He wants us to spend time in His word and His presence because He loves us and knows how good it is for us to renew our minds in time spent with Him. Spending time in prayer and in the word is a discipline that we should exercise and as we do it, it will become easier to do naturally, and throughout the day as we walk with the Lord. 

We hope these prayer journaling ideas, prompts, and tips will inspire you to start your own and most importantly just spend more time with the Lord! Writing and journaling can be such great therapy and a way to stay focused on the promises of God and practically implement them in your life.

When you start writing and thinking through these prayer journal points, it will help you begin dreaming again, learning the Bible, and you will realize just how much you have to be thankful for! So how will you get started journaling? 

Grab these beautiful free printable bookmarks to add to your prayer journal or whatever you are reading currently! 

Create a beautiful space in your home where you can write in your prayer journal - check out the links below!

Christian Sofa Pillows

Looking for other ways to incorporate God’s love in your everyday life? Check out our selection of made in the USA Christian T Shirts or our Christian sofa pillows!