Four Reasons to Keep a Prayer Journal

There it was--in black and red--indisputable evidence.

The journal entry read, "Lord, please provide the money for David to finish his degree."

And underneath, dated five months later, was a second entry, written in red:  
"Tuition paid in full--anonymous donor. Praise God!"

Not all the entries were so dramatic, but together they amounted to several years' worth of God's faithfulness to me.

"Lord, give me courage to share my faith with _______."
"Thank you, Father, for just the right opportunity to tell my faith story."

"Lord, protect my daughters. Keep them safe from harm and guard them when they are away from me."
"Thank you, oh, thank you, for sparing my child's life and the lives of her friends today. Cars can be replaced. People cannot."

"Father, give me inspiration for my writing, and use it to minister to people in  your name."  
"Thank you, Lord, for the email from the lady I don't even know who said my post encouraged her."

"Lord, I'm frightened about the future."
"Oh, God, You are so good to me! You remind me, through Psalm 44, that 'It was not by the sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was YOUR right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.' 

This reminds me that nothing of what we have and are has come about because of our own strength or effort. You are our provider. You are our sustainer. It is You who will take care of our future, just like you took care of us in the past. Your right hand is mighty; Your arm is not short, and Your face is turned toward me in love. Undeserving and grateful, I am humbled."

While my prayer journals are private and for my eyes only, one day they will be my legacy. In fifty years or five, they will be a catalog of God's faithfulness. May all who read them have but one thing to say:

"God answers prayers."

It's all here in black and red.

Four reasons to keep a prayer journal:

1. It is a written record of God's faithfulness. After every prayer request, you will eventually have  an answer, either Yes, No, or Wait. Seeing the pages fill up with God's answers reminds you God hears your prayers.
2. It enables you stay focused during prayer time. As you pray through your list, your mind is less likely to wander.
3. It helps you remember the requests of people who have asked you to pray for them.
4. It is a place to record what God says to you during your prayer time. Perhaps you'll read a passage of scripture that is especially applicable, or a promise to claim. Maybe God's Spirit will impress a thought upon your heart that you don't want to forget. If you've written it down, you will have it to refer back to when your faith begins to waver.

If you've never used a prayer journal, I encourage you to begin using one today.

You want to connect with God, but in the craziness of life, it’s just not happening. You want practical, biblical answers to situations you face every day, but you don’t have hours to pore over Scripture.

You need a resource that answers the questions you’re afraid to ask out loud. Questions like:

• Is my situation hopeless?
• If God already knows what he’s going to do, why bother to pray? 
• Why have you allowed this to happen to me? 
• No one appreciates what I do. Why shouldn’t I quit? 

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