How to Start a Prayer Journal
A prayer journal is more than just a notebook—it’s a safe space to pour out your heart to God, to listen for His voice, and to see His faithfulness over time. Whether you love pen and paper or prefer a digital format on your tablet or phone, starting a prayer journal can help you connect with God in a way that feels personal and meaningful.
The beautiful thing about prayer journaling is that there’s no “right” way to do it. It can be as simple or as creative as you want. All you need is a willing heart, a space to write, and the desire to spend time with Him.
Choose your format
The first step is deciding how you want to keep your prayer journal. You might prefer a traditional notebook and pen, a beautifully bound journal, or even a digital format you can use on your iPad or tablet with a PDF-annotating app like GoodNotes or Noteshelf.
Digital prayer journals have the benefit of portability—you can carry them everywhere without adding extra weight, and you can easily search your entries later. If you enjoy handwriting, you can still use a stylus on a tablet for that “paper feel” while keeping everything digital.
I love using a 5-year prayer journal for my prayers. This format gives you a small space to write each day, and each page holds multiple years’ worth of entries. Over time, you can look back and see how your prayers have changed, how God has answered them, and how your relationship with Him has grown. It’s a gentle reminder of His faithfulness year after year.
Decide what to include
Your prayer journal is completely personal, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
Daily gratitude – thank God for the blessings in your life, big or small.
Prayer requests – write down who or what you’re praying for, and leave space to note when and how God answers.
Scripture reflections – jot down verses that speak to you and what they mean in your current season.
Personal thoughts – share your feelings, struggles, and joys with God in an honest, unfiltered way.
Answered prayers log – this can be so encouraging to look back on during hard seasons.
Set a gentle rhythm
You don’t have to write pages every day for your prayer journal to be meaningful. Start small—maybe just a few lines each morning, or a quiet reflection at night before bed. If you miss a day, don’t see it as failure—just pick up where you left off.
The goal isn’t perfection, it’s connection. Some days you might pour out long prayers, and other days just a short sentence. Both are beautiful to God.
Look back and remember
One of the greatest joys of prayer journaling is looking back through old entries. You might see prayers you’d forgotten about and realize they’ve been answered in ways you never expected. You might notice themes in your faith journey or see how your relationship with God has deepened.
Make it yours
Your prayer journal is yours alone. You can decorate it, keep it simple, use colors, add photos or digital stickers, or keep it completely plain. You can use it daily, weekly, or whenever you feel led. What matters is that it’s a place where you can be fully honest before God and invite Him into your thoughts.
