Dec 16, 2007

Spiritual Sunday: Do You Have a Prayer Journal?

One of the things I find very hard to do everyday, but know that I need to have is quiet time with God. I also know that if it's hard now, it will only get tougher as our family grows. Really the only time I get alone period is when I'm in the shower (but that's rushed and hurried) and at night after everyone else has gone to bed and I've finished up my work and head to bed for the night.

However, this isn't alone time where I can openly talk with (notice I said WITH not TO) God, because hubbs is snoozing next to me and I just don't feel comfortable talking out loud when he's lying next to me sleeping. Yes I talk out loud only with Our Lord and Savior, but also many times during the day to myself! ;) I can talk to him in my head, but it just isn't the same and it's very easy for me to get sidetracked when I do, though most night's that is exactly what I do.

As I work to not only find, but utilize the time I do have alone with Him, I'm finding other ways to "get it all out" and have a conversation. Tonight I came across, Alyssa Avant's Squidoo Lens titled Prayer Journaling and I think I may have found another way for me.

When I was a teen and even through my early twenties I loved to write in a journal. I found that it not only helped to de-stress from the day, but it also helped immensely in those times when I felt like no one understood what was going on in my head, myself included.

I could go to my room, open my journal and just start writing. Even if it was ramblings it helped me to clear thoughts from my head that were swirling around viciously vying for that top spot, but never quite making it there because all the other things were knocking it to the back of the line. Kinda like those people who cut in line in front of you at the new roller coaster at the amusement park, they just keep pushing you back and making you wait longer.

After reading Alyssa's Prayer Journaling site, I've decided that I might just have to pick up the pen and paper again and start talking to God in it. After all, even if it seems like ramblings or "brain dumps" it's O.K. because God knows what I'm thinking and he will help me to make sense of everything as I write.

I'm making a trip to the Dollar Tree tomorrow for cookie tins and a few other things for last minute Christmas gifts so I'll grab a cute little journal while I'm out and it will become my prayer journal from this point on and my goal is to write in it at least once a week, hopefully more.

How about you do you have a prayer journal? If so, drop me a comment and let me know how it helps you with your life and relationship with the Lord. If you don't have one, feel free to join me in starting your first one and we can discuss our journey in the weeks to come.
************************************************************

You can also check out Alyssa's very own Prayer Journal Devotional Guide "My Heart to His" by clicking here.
It's perfect for teen and preteen girls (and moms too)!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much Arika, I'm glad I inspired you, I still try to journal daily though I don't always succeed.

Tishia said...

I'm a journaling freak...well used to be. I haven't journaled in about four or five months. I really need to get back to it because it's one of my passions and I used to make time every single day to do it and now I don't make any time to do it.

I had a separate journal for my quiet time with God. I would write prayer requests, praise reports or just journal about things God had been revealing to me or things that I was revealing to God that I needed to work on.

Hmm I think it's high time I buy a new journal and start the New Year off on the right foot :-)