Post by Darling Stella on Aug 23, 2011 14:56:42 GMT -5
Most Christians know that they need to take time out of their day to speak to God, but do they take as much time as they should? God deserves as much attention, praise, and thanks as we can possibly give Him. When we have a decent amount of spare time, a prayer journal is a great way to spend our extra time with Jesus. Aside from your prayers, you can write to Jesus somewhat like the way you would write to yourself in a personal journal, and you will become even closer to Him. For example, you can write about how your day at work went, how you bought a new puppy, your goals, your fears... anything. This is God you're talking to. He already knows everything there is to know about you, but He wants you to talk to Him and give Him your love and affection. Not only are you praying to the Father, but it's a great way to release pent-up feelings, since you are writing to God about all of your concerns. It also makes it easier to remember what you have already prayed for and to find out what you need to pray for.
It can be a good way to relax at the end of a hectic day, propping your feet up or relaxing in a warm bath surrounded by candles while journaling. Speaking to Jesus either way can help you relax, but journaling may help you explain your feelings, wants, and needs more completely than it would if you were speaking to God with your voice or mind. You may find that you feel more connected to God from your writing sessions. I am in no way telling you to replace your "hands in the air praise" of the Lord, or kneeling and praying, but journaling is a wonderful way to connect with Jesus and keep up with your prayers.
Online Journaling
If you feel that typing is best for you, there are a few great, free customizable blog sites for you to consider. www.livejournal.com (the site you are currently on) and www.xanga.com are two worthy choices. Another nice blog is located at www.blogger.com. All three of these blogs can be made private, or you can branch out and add friends' blogs. There are many other blog sites out there, but these are quite possibly the best free, customizable blogs around.
Journaling the Old-Fashioned Way
Wal-mart, K-mart, Target, and the other major chain stores out there carry nice journals, or you can order one online. There are some prayer journals for sale online that are absolutely beautiful. I took quite a liking to this journal:
Daily Devotions, A Prayer Journal
A bit expensive, but it would be worth it. It is lilac, hard cover, asks questions to fill out on every page (scriptures, special prayers, goals, etc.), and is on recycled paper. Amazon.com has a great selection of prayer journals.
You may want to get crafty by purchasing a cheap composition book and decorating it. When decorating, decorate the journal for God. Take your time and make Him something He will appreciate. He doesn't expect a gold-plated diary encrusted with diamonds and sapphires. It would please Him though if you would take the time to decorate for Him a journal that is pleasing on the eyes. Maybe you could buy a book cover, fabric and adhesive spray, or neon paper. Get some stickers and colored glue... or maybe you could try decoupage. You may even want to learn how to make books and/or handmade paper. And for the young at heart, there are special notebooks with black paper to use gel pens to write on. It creates a beautiful effect.
I came across some nifty free prayer journaling printables:
Prayer Journal Printable
www.embracinghome.com/pdfs/prayer-journal.pdf
I found these at www.embracinghome.com/keep-christian-prayer-journal/#printables and am giving the credit to Eren McKay. Her site contains info about spirituality, children, and hominess.
www.embracinghome.com/pdfs/prayer-request-tracker.pdf
I hope you have a good time with your journaling experiences. Drop me a line and let me know how everything goes. I would like to see some pics of handmade journals.
It can be a good way to relax at the end of a hectic day, propping your feet up or relaxing in a warm bath surrounded by candles while journaling. Speaking to Jesus either way can help you relax, but journaling may help you explain your feelings, wants, and needs more completely than it would if you were speaking to God with your voice or mind. You may find that you feel more connected to God from your writing sessions. I am in no way telling you to replace your "hands in the air praise" of the Lord, or kneeling and praying, but journaling is a wonderful way to connect with Jesus and keep up with your prayers.
Online Journaling
If you feel that typing is best for you, there are a few great, free customizable blog sites for you to consider. www.livejournal.com (the site you are currently on) and www.xanga.com are two worthy choices. Another nice blog is located at www.blogger.com. All three of these blogs can be made private, or you can branch out and add friends' blogs. There are many other blog sites out there, but these are quite possibly the best free, customizable blogs around.
Journaling the Old-Fashioned Way
Wal-mart, K-mart, Target, and the other major chain stores out there carry nice journals, or you can order one online. There are some prayer journals for sale online that are absolutely beautiful. I took quite a liking to this journal:
Daily Devotions, A Prayer Journal
A bit expensive, but it would be worth it. It is lilac, hard cover, asks questions to fill out on every page (scriptures, special prayers, goals, etc.), and is on recycled paper. Amazon.com has a great selection of prayer journals.
You may want to get crafty by purchasing a cheap composition book and decorating it. When decorating, decorate the journal for God. Take your time and make Him something He will appreciate. He doesn't expect a gold-plated diary encrusted with diamonds and sapphires. It would please Him though if you would take the time to decorate for Him a journal that is pleasing on the eyes. Maybe you could buy a book cover, fabric and adhesive spray, or neon paper. Get some stickers and colored glue... or maybe you could try decoupage. You may even want to learn how to make books and/or handmade paper. And for the young at heart, there are special notebooks with black paper to use gel pens to write on. It creates a beautiful effect.
I came across some nifty free prayer journaling printables:
Prayer Journal Printable
www.embracinghome.com/pdfs/prayer-journal.pdf
I found these at www.embracinghome.com/keep-christian-prayer-journal/#printables and am giving the credit to Eren McKay. Her site contains info about spirituality, children, and hominess.
www.embracinghome.com/pdfs/prayer-request-tracker.pdf
I hope you have a good time with your journaling experiences. Drop me a line and let me know how everything goes. I would like to see some pics of handmade journals.