This week, I was asked a really good question.  Even though I think it is obvious what I am doing, I had not taken into account that the term I’ve coined, “structured prayer journaling” may be confusing and unfamiliar.   So, here is how I answered her question, “What is structured prayer journaling?”

“Most people do what is known as free-hand journaling where you simply write as thoughts come to your mind or write about something. This method is often used in prayer journaling when people write their prayers out to God as if they were speaking their prayer. I have created something new – structured prayer journaling (actually the Holy Spirit authored it) where I write succinct prayer prompts in the 10 compartments that I believe encompass our whole relationship with God. These compartments prompt me to look beyond my own thoughts and focus on “higher things” that I may not otherwise have thought about as I pour out from my own heart, which the Bible says is a deceitful thing. I believe this type of prayer journaling creates a more whole and higher quality prayer than what I had done when randomly praying.” 

I don’t know if you feel that your prayer life is as haphazard as mine was, just throwing up prayers throughout the day with no real thought about God’s will or enough care about follow-up to know how He answered them.  Laying these requests out before God in a structured visible way enables me to see so much more and clearly than I ever could before.  Spiritual clarity is addictive;  I could never now not utilize structured prayer journaling to record my prayer life.

The end of everything is near. Therefore, practice self-control, and keep your minds clear so that you can pray. 1 Peter 4:7 God’s Word Translation

Below are a couple of videos where I share my personal experiences of structured prayer journaling.