A prayer notebook is simply a way of keeping track of the many things there are to pray about – it’s a good idea to leave two pages per section so that you have room for them to grow. Make a habit of praying all the way through it as often as possible; it could be in one sitting, or systematically throughout a day or week. Here is how I have mine organized, deliberately putting them in order of importance:
The Church
Pray for believers around the world – we all need it!
Missionaries and Persecuted Believers
Pray for those who are dedicated to spreading the Gospel, and those who are suffering for the cause of Christ – they need boldness, courage, and comfort.
Family and Friends
Pray for the people whom you love.
Coworkers and Others
Pray for the people you see every day.
Others
Pray for the people that God is nudging you to pray for consistently.
Myself
Put everyone else ahead of yourself (Philippians 2:3-4)
Temporary Prayer Requests
These are specific things for which people have requested prayer. I put these on sticky notes so that I can swap them out as the prayers are answered. When it’s time for me to make a new notebook, I will put these ahead of the section for myself.
How to Pray for Others
As I find Scriptures that show Biblical prayers, I record them here. This helps me know how to pray for someone even when there isn’t anything specific that they have asked me to pray about.
How to Be Thankful
As I find Scriptures that show what kind of things men and women of faith were thankful for, I record them here. Maintaining a thankful heart is a vital part of a life of faith.
Answered Prayers
Remembering prayers that God has specifically answered (even if that answer was no and you later understand why He said no) can be a perpetual source of thanksgiving and a reminder of His goodness and faithfulness. I’m working on building this section in my notebook.
Some of the people I have in the various sections are not saved – for them, their salvation is my primary prayer, and I pray that God would bring them to faith by whatever means necessary, even if it is through difficulty and pain.
Suggestions for Praying Biblically:
If you want the kind of prayers that are powerful and pleasing to God, look at the prayers He chose to have recorded in Scripture. These can be prayed for individuals, groups of people, or yourself. Here are some of my favorites to help you get started (like above, I put them in a particular order that builds a robust prayer):
That God would give us a hunger for the Word of God that can only be satisfied with the pure Word of God (Psalm 42:1)
That the Word of God would be glorified and have free course (2 Thessalonians 3:1)
That He would help us to love Him by seeing how He loves us (I John 4:10)
That He would help us to hide Word in our hearts that we might not sin against Him (Psalm 119:11)
That He would enable us to be faithful in all things (I Thessalonians 5:21, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, 2 Timothy 1:13, Titus 1:9)
That He would teach us to love righteousness and hate iniquity the same way that Christ does (Hebrews 1:9)
That He would sanctify us wholly (I Thessalonians 5:23)
That He would make us fit for service (2 Timothy 2:19-22)
That He would teach us to be His soldiers (2 Timothy 2:3-4)
That He would teach us to pray Biblically (Philippians 4:6, I Thessalonians 5:17)
If you want to start building this list more, start looking at the beginning and end of Paul’s epistles – there are many prayers (and examples of thanksgiving) in those places; for example, check out Colossians 1:9-14. The Psalms are also an excellent place to look.
A Practical Note:
You can use anything to create your prayer notebook - a scrap of paper, a document on a laptop or tablet, a note app on a smartphone. Personally, I like the small, pocket-sized waterproof notebooks made by Rite in the Rain. These give me enough space to write and they are durable enough that I don't have to worry about them. I've accidentally put mine through the wash a few times and it came out no worse for the wear! They also come in three-packs, which means when it does (eventually) start to wear out, or its time to make significant updates, I have a couple of spares on hand. Whatever you choose to use, though, just start praying!
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