Prayer Journal
Why keep a journal? As we go through life much happens. Joys, sorrows, challenges, failures, things that make sense and things that don't make sense. How do we process these things and how do we see God in these things? Journaling helps. It gives us a place to record events and life, to reflect on what has happened, and it is a place of prayer. Thus it can help us think reflectively and connect with God intentionally.
Journaling Tips1
- Start slowly and write a little each day.
- Find a comfortable, peaceful place.
- Starters:
- Look back (yesterday I…)
- Record your dreams (particular recurring, troubling or exciting dreams.)
- Fun moments
- Pray on paper
- What you’re learning lately (insights, wisdom, mistakes)
- Work through decisions
- Quotes or stories you want to remember
- Observations about how life works.
- Precious moments
- Scenes you want to keep with you
- Ideas or goals for the future
- Your values
- Mission statements
- Notes from Bible reading, study, sermons, etc…
- Ask questions:
- Why do I keep doing this?
- What do I need?
- What’s my next step?
- Why do I feel so numb? Out of control? Hurt? Angry? Selfish?
- How do my actions reveal what I truly believe?
- How can I help him / her without trying to fix them?
- Why am I getting so involved in this?
- What am I afraid of?
- What’s the worst that can happen?
- Draw – visualize your emotional state, things contributing to it and possible options
- Write God a letter.
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1Jeff and Mindy Caliguire, Write for your Soul: The Whys and Hows of Journaling (Norwood, MA: Soul Care Communications, 1998), 23-40.