Writing Letters To God – 10 Simple Prayer Journal Ideas

Do you journal your prayers? Write your prayers down as letters to God?

Prayer journaling – writing letters to God – is a powerful way to pray and keep a record of your prayers so you can see where God has been at work in your life.

If you’re not sure how to get started with a prayer journal or just looking for fresh inspiration, be sure to try some of these 10 simple prayer journal ideas.

Importance of Writing Letters to God

It was a small, rectangular wooden box that caught his attention as we were cleaning out the closet. That heart-wrenching job you have to do after a loved one dies. Sorting through clothes, shoes, and intimate keepsakes with all the tender memories each item recalls. Yet, it was this box I’d never noticed before that caused new tears to well up in my dad’s eyes.

He said it was full of letters. Love letters between the two of them sent while he was off at his first year of college and she was back home finishing high school. Letters she’d saved for nearly 50 years.

There’s just something about the written word. I have my own collection of letters from my mother that I treasure – both the hand-written ones and the ones she typed when her handwriting began to deteriorate. I love seeing her words to me; words she took the time to write.

What letters do you keep? Do you keep your letters with God? We may not receive letters from God in the mail, but we can record our conversations. Prayer journaling is a way to record our discussions with God and can take a variety of forms. 

What is a Prayer Journal?

Prayer journals can have a variety of formats. Some people love the organization of a binder with templates and sections, structured with different prayers and activities for each day, each week.

For me, I prefer something less structured to allow my daily time with God to take different shapes each day. I use a blank notebook – actually a sketch notebook (I like the thicker paper) and a collection of markers, pens and pencils.

10 Simple Prayer Journal Ideas

No matter how you like to structure your prayer journal, you can use these 10 simple prayer journal ideas as inspiration to start your own prayer journal today!

1) Write a letter to God

A good start for a prayer journal is to just start writing out your prayers. Instead of just recording your day or thoughts as you would in a personal journal, write it as a letter to God.

Open with a name for God and then pour out your heart to him. Talk about the challenges in your day, your questions, your fears, your needs.

Some days words flow out my fingers faster than my mind can process and I am more free to share my heart with God through my writing. By keeping my prayers in a journal, I can also see how my prayers are changing and growing over time; even look back and see how God has been at work answering my prayers.

Be sure to date your entries. It can be powerful to look at your journal entries over time and see how God’s been at work in your life and how your prayers have changed.

2) Keep track of prayer requests

How often do you tell a friend you’ll pray for them – and then forget to do so? I try to stop down immediately and pray for them – but it’s also helpful to keep a record of prayer requests and continue to pray for them.

Create a page (or more) in your prayer journal to keep track of prayer requests. Sometimes I’ll simply record a name and other times I’ll write down something about the prayer need. As I pray, I’ll pull out my list and pray for the names I’ve written down. If a prayer has been answered, I’ll note that, too, and praise God for His great goodness.

3) Record God’s words to you

As you pray or read scripture, God may place words on your heart. Maybe a Bible verse jumped off the page at you. I have a friend who calls these a “flashing neon Bible verse.” Or, maybe it’s words or a picture you get while in prayer. Even a specific nudge you feel as you go through your day. God speaks to us in all kinds of ways, all through the day.

Keep track of these in your journal. Write down what you think God is trying to tell you. Look back over your journal and see what themes emerge. These messages from God are the most precious words I treasure in my heart and I don’t want to forget or miss what He’s telling me.

Maybe even write His words in a different color in your journal. One color for your thoughts and prayers, with another color for God’s responses.

4) Pray through a verse

I often start my prayer journaling with a verse. Some days I’ll just write out the verse, maybe doodle or draw around it, and just pray over it, allowing God’s words to soak deeply into my heart.

Other times, I’ll journal notes about the verse, what it means to me, what it’s telling me about God. Then, I’ll write out a prayer from there.

I love this record of the verses that have been speaking and ministering to my heart through each season.

5) Pray through quotes or notes from a study

I also use my prayer journal to work through notes or quotes from devotionals, studies, and books. When I come across a chapter or quote that tugs at my heart, I’ll write it in my prayer journal. I may make some notes about how it’s speaking to me or what I’m learning. Then, I’ll spend time in prayer on it.

6) Doodle or draw your prayers

I love using an unlined sketch book for my prayer journal so I can doodle or draw as I feel prompted. I’m not much of an artist, but I can doodle.

You can do this in a variety of ways – use a bible verse, use names for God, use promises from God, or names of people you’re praying for.

I’ll start by writing out a name of someone I’m praying for, as an example, and then doodle or draw around their name as I lift them in up in prayer. Then, I’ll write out the next name and do the same.

7) Write a gratitude prayer

Some days we just need to focus on gratitude – especially when we start to feel anxious or worn down, or feel ourselves becoming too focused on our own concerns.

So, in your prayer journal, fill a page with all the blessings in your life. Don’t stop until you’ve filled the page. Spend your prayer time in gratitude to God.

8) Write prayers for others

Take time to write out prayers for the people on your prayer list. Consider finding a scripture verse for each one and use it in your prayer.

This is a great way to spend time lifting each person up to God. You may even think about writing out that prayer on a notecard or email and sending it to the person you prayed for.

9) Start with a question

What questions do you have for God that are weighing on your heart? Write one down at the top of the page and use that as the base for your conversation with him.

Journal about your question and write out all the things about it that are on your heart. Then journal a prayer to God about it. Close with some time in silence, listening for God’s response.

10) Examine your day

Examine your day with the Examen prayer. Spend some time reflecting over your day. Record 3 highlights of the day – things you did or said that best reflected Jesus. Then, record 3 areas for growth – things you did or said that weren’t great.

Pray through those and ask Jesus to shine a light on where you need to improve and what changes you need to make tomorrow. Write down what you want to do different tomorrow, what you hear Jesus whispering into your heart.

If prayers are our conversations with God, then journaling prayer is like writing Him love notes.

Find a journal today and get started.

Mark the moments along your spiritual journey in a prayer journal. Record your struggles, questions, doubts, epiphanies, joys, answered prayers, and spiritual growth.

PRAY DEEP CHALLENGE: Write a letter to God today in your journal. Talk about your biggest question, deepest need, most urgent request. Or, simply write about your uncertainties and doubts. As you go through the Pray Deep series, journal about each type of prayer you try. Write out your prayers, journal your experiences, note anything you hear from God.

Resources:

Like this post? Explore this and other forms of prayer through the Pray Deep prayer journals. Each book will lead you through a variety of prayer methods through 21 days of focused prayers. Get started with one today!

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This post is part of the “Pray Deep” series. For more information on the series, click HERE.