On Keeping a Prayer Journal

Hello lovely ladies!

Today's post is a little different, as I'd like to talk to you about my prayer journal instead of discussing scripture.

When I sit and study my Bible, I jot down notes in my prayer journal. Later, I go back to those notes and turn them into content that (hopefully) makes sense to other people in the form of the devotionals I write for Tulips and Basil. This means that as I write posts, I'm also getting the chance to look back at old prayers.

Today, as I looked through my journal and all the notes from my study times, I found a page where I prayed that a friend's IVF transfer would go well and not end in another miscarriage. A few pages later, I noted that she was pregnant in all capital letters with lots of exclamation points. (Can I get an amen?!) A few pages after that, I noted that she was pregnant with healthy twins.

Keeping a prayer journal where I can write down life events and ask God for provision, for His blessings, and for His protection on paper allows me to go back later and see, right before my eyes, the prayers that God answered and the blessings He gave my family and friends.

It causes me to slow down and ask for forgiveness of my sins instead of constantly asking for help with things I need in rushed, silent prayers.

I'm reminded to praise God for who He is and am afforded the opportunity to sit in awe of how far we've all come.

Keeping a prayer journal doesn't always fit with life. Sometimes the day is busy, and I read scripture on my phone instead of sitting down with a notebook and my Bible. Sometimes, pulling out a pen and paper makes a toddler want to color, and in ministering to my children, I miss out on writing down my prayers and devotions.

No matter what, though, keeping a prayer journal is a habit I come back to time and time again. It keeps me on track and helps me see blessings, like my friend's pregnancy, and the transformation of worries and fears to comforts and celebrations, clearly. To that I can always say, "In Jesus's name, amen."

All the love,

Emily

P.S. Feel free to contact me at admin@tulipsandbasil.com!