Prayer Journal

Last Christmas, that is Christmas of 2010, my mother-in-law gave me a lovely leather bound calendar with scripture quotes, hymn texts and all sorts of spiritually uplifting goodies.  I began the year in a quandry, I think I even blogged about it, regarding what to do with this additional calendar.  It was just too nice not to use, but it isn't the style of calendar that my temperment type values.

Mid-January, I think, an idea popped in my head.  I would use the calendar as a record of my prayers.  Persons, situations, petitions, and celebrations would be marked on the days in which I remembered these prayers to God during my intercessory prayer time.  Long, long ago in a previous period of my life I practiced this form of prayer journaling and it seemed as if 2011 was begging to be prayed through in this manner. (And as I reflect back on this tremendous year for my family... no wonder the year begged for prayers... rather the Spirit was preparing me and uplifting me for what would lie ahead.)

I am pleased to say that the spiritual discipline served me well in 2011.  Daily names, situations and/or sometimes even a 'code' (I did that in honor of John Wesley's well coded diary) are written on days in the year as I prayed. 

My learnings and insights from this practice are not gigantic change-of-direction thoughts, but rather quiet musings that are good on their own.  For example, I have been so blessed by this practice that I have missed it during the first week of January.  Thus, I have already adjusted my current calendar to include a section for my prayers & praises.  Who knows... my blog readers may even find their names in my 2012 calendar.

Secondly, the only time my 2011 prayer journal became empty... that is when I stepped out of the practice... was immediately following my grandmother's transition into hospice, her death and the weeks following.  I do not find this remarkable nor do I feel that I was unsustained in prayer during this time.  Rather, I know how busy my prayer life was.... it simply wasn't the time to record things.  Like Mary of Narazeth, some thoughts need to be pondered as they are prayed through rather than notated on a date of the month.

Nonetheless, here at the beginnging of the year I am writing my prayers down again.  It helps me focus my prayer life.  It aids me to remember others first beyond myself and also, draws me more into conversation with the Holy...and there is nothing bad about that at all.