When I was pregnant with Will I attended a “Taking Care of the Me in Mommy” women’s conference. It was based on the book written by Lisa Whelchel (I can never, ever spell her name right). At the conference I purchased The Busy Mom’s Guide to Prayer. I really liked the format of this prayer journal and used it quite regularly. But I wanted a little more.
I wanted to make a prayer journal of my own using some of Lisa’s ideas.
I finally sat down and did it today. I am extremely happy with how it turned out and since it’s in a three ring binder, there’s room for improvement.
I just love three ring binders! Don’t you??
Tonight I made a nice cover for it and some pages for the inside so now it’s all ready to be shown off.
The journal has ten tabbed sections of topics for prayer:
1. Scripture
2. Praise
3. Self
4. Husband
5. Children
6. Friends
7. Family
8. Church
9. Neighbors
10. Reaching Beyond
Several of the topics also have twenty “areas of concern” that can be addressed in prayer on a rotating basis. This way, by the end of the month all the areas of concern will be prayed over, with some free days added into the mix.
The areas of concern are:
Praise
Holiness, Mercy, Faithfulness, Patience, Holy Spirit, Forgiveness, Love, Calvary, Deliverer, Heavenly Father, Friend, Counselor, Healer, Provider, Peace, Comforter, Blood, Power, Hope, and Coming Again
Self
Wisdom, Wife Role, Mother Role, Marriage, Words, Thoughts, Prayer Life, Bible Study, Confession & Repentance, Faith, Ministry, My Children, Health, Relationships, Diet, Exercise, Obedience, God’s Will, Temptation, and Finances
Husband
Priorities, Daily Devotions, Husband Role, Father Role, Work, Finances, Personal Walk, Sexuality, Health, Humility, Protection, Integrity, Thought Life, Words, Leader, Self-Control, Wisdom, Peace, Relationships, and Love
Children
Future Spouse, Siblings, Respect for Authority, Walk with God, Obedience, Holiness, Purity, Self-Control, School, Heart, Thoughts, Words, Protection, Health, Gifts & Calling, Repentance, Friends, Diligence, Wisdom, and Forgiveness
Reaching Beyond
President, America, Governor, Presidential Advisers, Local Government, Supreme Court, Public Schools, Media, Military, House & Senate, Enemies, Missionaries, Economy, Jerusalem, Poor & Defenseless, Crime & Terrorism, Prayer Warriors, Nations, Other Religions, and Body of Christ
I have notebook paper in each section as well so I can write down more specific requests and answers to prayer. I really hate it when I tell someone that I’m going to pray for them or a situation and then I don’t because I forget it. I am going to make a better effort to write down requests in this journal so that I can record them and so that I can acknowledge God’s answers and His work.
I am so very excited about my new journal and the plan that I have to use it.
I think this is one of my best tackles ever! To see what other moms are tackling this week, visit Tackle it Tuesday at 5 Minutes for Mom.
Oh, and I would love to hear what you think of my journal in the comments section. Also share what you use in your prayer time….I love hearing about what others do.
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Hmm my prayer time is much less formal. I have a pray Diary that lists requests and has a place for the answers to be written in when they are answered, but I’m not very consistent with it. This is a really good idea that I might just attempt myself. Its really cool and it helps to direct thoughts to topics of prayer that are general but specific enough to help bring things to mind.
homegrownstrawberries’s last blog post..Cherry Blossom Festival Quilt
Beautiful!
I don’t stick to anything completely consistently, but I really enjoy using prayer lists of character qualities for my husband and children – one for each day of the month. I posted my list for my kids on Scribd -http://www.scribd.com/doc/11942792/Prayer-for-Children
For my husband I use one from Revive our Hearts – http://www.reviveourhearts.com/downloads/?id=9473
Kristi_runwatch’s last blog post..Easter Giveaway Bash!
Beautiful!
I don’t stick to anything completely consistently, but I really enjoy using prayer lists of character qualities for my husband and children – one for each day of the month. I posted my list for my kids on Scribd -http://www.scribd.com/doc/11942792/Prayer-for-Children
For my husband I use one from Revive our Hearts – http://www.reviveourhearts.com/downloads/?id=9473
Kristi_runwatch’s last blog post..Easter Giveaway Bash!
P.S.: Forgot to add great post!
Consider the idea borrowed!..i love it and it is beautiful! oh and i’m going to buy the book too!
Happy Mama’s last blog post..Where Would I Be?
Looks great! What a good idea! Thanks for sharing!
That’s awesome! What a great format… and yes, I am a three-ring binder fan myself b/c I ‘m always revising.
Anyhow, I love it! I will be interested to hear how it works out and what you hear in your new prayertime. Enjoy!
This looks SO great! You did a really great job with it!! For the different sections did you print them on paper and then adhere that to the divider? I couldn’t tell how you did that, but like I said, it looks great!! I LOVE it! In the second picture on the bottom row, what are the little green circular things?
I really love the idea and might have to do something similar. I like that you can keep it and refer to it later and perhaps journal if/when something is answered. That would probably be so neat to see and journal. I know for me many times you don’t see the real difference/change for a while (perhaps years) so this would be a great way to keep track of that!
Carol’s last blog post..Update on my projects….
Thank you for all your wonderful compliments! Please feel free to borrow the idea…I would love for you to share if you decide to.
Carol – For the different sections that have areas of concern, I just printed those on presentation paper and punched holes in them to go in the front of that section. The little green things are buttons (from the Twirl kit at Shabby Princess).
I am more of a long-hand write out your prayer kind of journal’er. My scripture that catches my heart during my daily reading, as well as quotes that convict me from devotions, etc. are all mixed in with my prayers. I LOVE the idea of the lists for each section– I would have to post them on a wall somewhere, if I put them in a notebook, they would not get used. I write in a store bought 5 x 7 journal– It’s pretty, and though it sounds silly, that is part of my motivation to use it. I don’t want to “waste” what I’ve invested $ in.
I love the IDEA of a three ring binder– more flexible, less expensive, more organized. I’m left handed, and binders are uncomfortable to write in, and I have avoided them, except for storage, since High School. Crazy, hugh?? However, you may have inspired me to give them another shot! 
It won’t be this week though– I’ve got a last minute Biblical costume to sew before Thurs!! You know First North– gotta have a costume for the Easter choir production. 
I love it! This is such a great idea. I’ve gone through stages of keeping a prayer journal, but the older I get, the less legible my handwriting becomes. My mind simply goes way faster than my pen can. But, like you, I hate when I say I’ll pray for someone then forget to do so. A reminder list or schedule like this would be very helpful for me.
Tanya’s last blog post..Hairy Races
That is such a pretty and useful tool! Thanks for sharing!
Christy’s last blog post..Summer vacation…need help?
I have just started a prayer journal. I realized one day that God has done so many things for me, there’s been so many answers to prayer and I’ve forgotten them, so I started a journal. I decided to number mine. The needs are many and I know God has all the answers.
Someone commented about being left handed and having a hard time writing in a binder. I have that same problem. I made a prayer journal binder several months ago, but have never used it because of that. I just thought of something I can do that just might work for me. I am going to turn the binder sideways and print some sheets with lines going in that direction. The rings will be at the top instead of right at my left hand. I can still use the tab dividers…they’ll just be at the bottom instead of at the side of my pages. I like your categories better than my own, so I’ll be borrowing that idea! Thanks for sharing!
Dot’s last blog post..A Long Overdue Update
I don’t have a p.j. Yours looks real fancy and sounds nice. If someone asks me to pray for them I just say a prayer right away. I keep it real simple.
BarbaraLee’s last blog post..3/6/09 E’s makeover.
Love It, Love It, Love It! I’ve searched the internet over and I found yours, I’m starting mine today… love the 3 ring binder and its so computer friendly that’s what else I loved about it, can’t wait! Gotta go got some journal pages to make and some prayers to fill it! Stacie
I was looking for a journal and I found yours and I really love it. I am working on creating it now. I haven’t started writing in it yet.
I have an idea for those who don’t like writing in the binder. What I am going to do is put some lose paper on a clip board and after I am done then I’ll add it to the proper place in the binder.
I hope this helps.
Hi, how are you? Thank you so much for sharing this. I know you wrote this a while ago, but I was wondering if you could please share with me what have written under the “areas of concern” for the Scripture top. It’s number one on your list, but I don’t see all the little subareas for it. I would really appreciate it. Thanks a bunch for sharing this idea