The Desk Series: Prayer Journal

The Desk Series :: My Meeting Place 

Prayer Journal - Part 2

Part 1 of this series found here

Keeping a prayer journal is a new addition I've added to my meeting place. For me, prayer is not new, but purposely writing my prayers out while at my desk is. God hears my prayer whether I speak it out loud, think it silently, or write it down. He hears my prayer, any time, any place and I can pray directly to him. 

This little black leather journal has simple lined pages, elastic strap to keep it closed and a bit of tiny design etching on the front and back covers. Most days, I add a prayer, some days they are a page long and some days as few as 4 lines. These are prayers that are of a more focused nature and I put dates beside them in order that I can look back and remember. Actually, I began the journal with these words and this entry...

"So I won't forget...

Dear Lord, so I won't forget. I begin my prayer journal with these words of dedication. I fail so often to pray to you, when I should be be praying to you. I want to be purposeful to a life of prayer, so I begin creating the habit of taking time to write them down. It is my prayer that I turn to you-turn fully and regain any lost ground, ground that I gave up in any way. Lord, replace what has been lost with something new and help me to be aware of it's timing. ~Amen"

What do I write? Anything I would normally pray or want to say to Jesus. Over the years of my life, my prayers have ranged from overwhelming joyful adoration with praise and thanksgiving, to sorrow and lament with profound grief along with warm-faced conversations laced with demanding questions. I have prayed standing up, lying down, sitting and my most precious of all are the prayers that have found me on my knees. There is something quite sacred about that special posture. I have prayed in my home, in the car, in church, in the hospital, in various places and most often in nature. My prayers always seem to take on a beautiful mixture of prayer and praise. I am not sure you can have one without the other. There have been many times when I have not prayed nearly enough.

My first prayer, the one that was the most important was the one I prayed at 11 years old in the woods, while taking a walk. (more on that in another post)

Really, prayer is as simple as taking your next breath with the name of Jesus on your lips. And make no mistake, no matter what anyone has told you, no matter what you have read as to his hearing your prayers or not...yes, he does hear!

I love this quote in the book, The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. "Prayer and praise are both expressions of faith, but praise is a higher dimension of faith. Prayer is asking God to do something, future tense; praise is believing that God has already done it. past tense."

and this one,

  "The potency of prayer has subdued the strength of fire; it has bridled the rage of lions, hushed anarchy to rest, extinguished wars, appeased the elements, expelled demons, burst the chains of death, expanded the gates of heaven, assuaged diseases, repelled frauds, rescued cities from destruction, stayed the sun in its course, and arrested the progress of the thunderbolt. Prayer is an all-efficient panoply, a treasure undiminished, a mine that is never exhausted, a sky unobscured by clouds, a heaven unruffled by the storm. It is the root, the fountain, the mother of a thousand blessings." unknown

If you have never written down your prayers, give it a try and see if you enjoy it. I love the concept of just taking the time to do it. It makes me pause and really think about those intimate moments that I pen on the page. Also, that little black journal will become a legacy after I am gone for those who come after me...I find that to be important.