How to Pray More with a Simple Written Prayer List (+printable template)
If you struggle to pray consistently and feel like your prayers are scattered and disorganized, you need to create a personal prayer list. Use this free prayer list template to keep a simple prayer journal.
As soon as I saw her, I remembered. The last time we spoke, my friend shared a struggle in her life, and I promised to pray for her.
The truth is, I wanted to pray for her. I was completely honest when I told her that I would.
But then life happened, and I totally forgot.
The reason wasn’t that I didn’t care. Or even that I wasn’t paying attention to her struggles.
Her need just slipped my mind.
I knew I needed a way to organize my prayers so that I would remember the requests I heard. Whenever I hear a prayer request or say “I’ll pray for you,” I really have the best intentions. But without a system in place, I often forget–even if the person and their request are really important to me.
How to Keep Track of Prayer Requests
For some reason, we have this idea that prayer should be beautiful words that naturally flow.
When we seem to be stumbling through meaningless, disorganized prayers, we feel overwhelmed and unsuccessful. As moms, we have a lot on our plates. Prayer is important to us, but when we’re struggling to find time, or to actually say meaningful prayers, we tend to give up.
That’s why having a list to use as a prayer guide is so helpful. It’s easy and convenient to track prayer requests when they are written down.
A written prayer list will strengthen your prayer life and help you to focus on a specific need whether it’s on a weekly or daily basis.
Making a Simple Prayer Journal
Creating a prayer list or journal doesn’t need to be complicated. There are a ton of fancy ways to write a prayer list. But, as a busy mom, I don’t have a lot of time to get fancy!
My prayer journal is super simple. I write everything down by categories in a notebook. Most of my prayer requests don’t change–like prayers for my family or friends.
Using a written list helps to remember each person. If someone on the list has a special need, I can make a note of that in a different section. (More on categories and sections in a minute.)
What Should Be on Your Prayer List?
A prayer list is a very personal thing. Two people can use the same prayer list template, and end up with lists that look quite different.
A few things to consider adding to your prayer list include:
- A page for gratitude and praise
- Bible verses about prayer
- Church prayer lists
- Daily prayer lists
- A Monthly or seasonal prayer list
- A page to track answered prayers
Of course, you don’t absolutely need any of these things. You can really just create a simple list of names in a notebook.
These are nice add-ons to have. And I’ve found that organizing my prayer list helps me stay focused on praying.
Organizing Your Prayer List
Each of us has different personalities and our brains function differently. The most important part of writing a prayer list is writing it in a way that works for you. Here are a few ways you may consider organizing a prayer list that’s personal to you.
Day of the Week
This is how I organize my personal prayer list. Each day I pray for certain people or situations. This is a great way to pray if you have a lot of prayer requests to cover, but don’t have a long prayer time. You may designate one day to pray for family members, one day to pray for co-workers, one day for church members, etc.
The ACTS Prayer Method
If you’re a young Christian, using the ACTS prayer method is a wonderful way to grow a deeper relationship with God.
ACTS stands for:
A-Adoration
C-Confession
T-Thanksgiving
S-Supplication
Breaking your prayer time into these sections can help you connect with God through your daily quiet time.
Read more about the ACTS prayer model and download a free template here.
Categories
Organizing your prayer list into categories is another great tool for tracking prayer requests. You may want to use a prayer notebook and put one category on each page. Another simple way to use categories is to use one sheet of paper and draw columns for each category.
List of Names
Perhaps the easiest way to write and organize a prayer list is just to write down specific names. You may have a small list of people that you pray for every day. Start small, and add needs or people to your list as you learn about them.
Digital Prayer List
None of us are usually very far from our electronic devices, whether it be a phone, tablet, or laptop. If you’re more of a digital gal, organizing your prayer list on your phone might be a good method for you.
You can use your phone’s free notes app, or even get a paid app like Evernote, along with any of the previous methods for organizing prayers. You just type it in instead of writing it down.
The ladies in my church have a texting prayer group, and we often get text message prayer requests. Simply copying the request directly to my notes app is a better way than trusting myself to remember it!
Prayer List Examples for Biblical Prayers
Ready to get down to the nitty-gritty of writing and actually using a prayer list? Here are ## examples to get you started.
The Daily Prayer List
If you’re a person who thrives on repetition, or if you’re just getting started building a daily prayer habit, a daily prayer list is a great place to start. Simply put, you write a list of things, people, or situations that you want to pray for and pray for them each day.
Over time, this will become a routine, but that doesn’t mean that your prayers will become rote and meaningless. Instead, you’ll find yourself dependent on this daily quiet time with God to start or end every day.
The Days of the Week Prayer List
If you have a long prayer list and not a long time each day to pray, a days-of-the-week list is a great option for you. Just choose the people or things you will pray over and assign them to a day of the week. On Monday you may pray for your family members, on Tuesday for friends and neighbors, and on Wednesday for lost or sick people.
I have found that praying for members of my church on Wednesday or Thursday is a natural fit since we have a prayer meeting on Wednesday night and their urgent requests are usually at the top of my mind. Use a prayer journal or a notebook to track your weekly prayer list.
The Seasonal Prayer List
We all go through different times and seasons in life when we need different things or face different situations. Having a seasonal prayer list is a great way to remember a specific request that applies to a certain time.
For instance, if it’s summertime and your kids are headed off to church camp, you’ll want to pray for safety as they travel, that God will do a work in their hearts, and that they’ll have a great time and make long-lasting friends.
This isn’t a request that you’ll pray for year-round, but it’s important enough for you to pray for during this season. Having a small section of your prayer list for seasonal or temporary prayer requests is an excellent way to remember to pray for them.
Here are a few more seasonal prayer ideas:
- A time of sickness
- A friend facing surgery/recovery
- Pregnancy/childbirth
- Financial struggles
- Looking for a new job
The Index Card Prayer List
Index cards are so handy and portable, and they make a great option for writing a prayer list. You can use some that are pretty colors, or even get some that are bound in a little spiral notebook. Keep a few in your purse, on your nightstand, near your computer, or anywhere else you can grab one quickly.
Write prayer requests as you hear them, then organize your cards in a box. Pull them out to refer to during your daily prayer time.
The Category Prayer List
The category prayer list is similar to the days-of-the-week prayer list and can be as simple or complex as you like. You may want to create a whole prayer journal and use separate sections for each category, and be really detailed about your request.
For instance, you may have a category for family members, then list each family member and their specific needs.
A few category ideas include:
- Family members
- Friends
- Church members/requests
- Missionaries
- Lost people
- National, state and local leaders
You may choose to pray through every category every day, or you may choose a couple of categories to pray each day. You can pray however it works best for you.
The Praise and Gratitude Prayer List
We should never forget to thank God for all He’s done for us. Having a time when you specifically thank God for answered prayers is a vital part of growing a strong relationship with Him.
Most of us face times of doubt in daily life. When we have taken the time to list the prayers God has answered, we can refer back to them to plainly see the evidence of His love and grace.
The Mix and Match Prayer List
Create your own personalized prayer journal by mixing and matching any of the above lists. For instance, you may pray a daily prayer list, plus one category each day, and add seasonal prayer requests at the end. And don’t forget to include praise and gratitude!
How to Put Someone on Your Prayer List
How many times in a week do you hear of something you want to pray about? Prayer requests come to us in many different ways:
- Church bulletins/prayer requests
- Calls/texts from friends
- News stories
- Personal experiences
- Social media
There are a few ways to remember to add them to your prayer list.
- Save a post.
If you’re scrolling on social media and find a prayer request you don’t want to forget, simply save the post to a file. Both Facebook and Instagram have a “save” option. You can always refer to the file and add the needs to your prayer list. - Send a text.
If you hear a prayer request, but can’t add it to your list immediately, send yourself a quick text. Next time you open your messages, you can see them and write them down. - Jot it down.
Keep a small notepad in your purse or diaper bag for prayer requests at church. This is my preferred method. I write the needs that I hear at prayer meetings and write them in a small notebook. I can easily refer to it the next day and put the requests where they belong in my prayer notebook. Or, they may be requests I choose to pray for once and don’t add to my prayer journal.
Download the Printable Prayer List Template
You don’t have to start out with a long and complicated prayer list right away. Start slow with a short list each day. Over time, you’ll figure out what you want to add.
I created a printable prayer list template to help you get started. This free printable will help you create your create a simple week-long prayer list, with extra space for praise.
It’s a great way to get started writing a weekly prayer list. Since starting my own prayer list, I’ve found a new peace and joy in prayer.
I can tell a friend I’ll pray for her, and actually remember to do it. And that’s a wonderful thing.
Get access to the free prayer list template here!
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