Over the years I’ve tried to journal prayers in the morning. Sometimes my commitment only lasts one day, while other seasons I’ll keep it up for three months . I see great value in writing out prayers of repentance, thanksgiving and supplication to God; but, frankly, I hate writing by hand. Handwriting has never been fun for me. I break pencils, I chew pens (some habits are hard to break), I press too hard, and my hands get soar within minutes. I know that writing out prayers by hand isn’t what you’d call suffering for Christ, but I can’t seem to stay in the discipline. I’m pretty sure God wouldn’t be able to read my handwriting, anyway. While I prefer typing, writing out prayers in a tattered journal always seemed like the most spiritual option.About six months ago, I tried a different approach. I gave God an email account. I set Him up with his own Gmail address. (Don’t ask me for His email address – it’s a private account.) So now my first email of the day is addressed to God. Whenever I want to read my past entries, I enter the password I gave God and can read or search through the entries I have made. It’s a great way to securely record and track your prayers.
Some days, when there is a sense of urgency to my prayers I will even flag my prayers as “High Priority”. By going back and reading these prayers I’ve been reminded that they are not going to His junk mail folder, because He is at work in my life. Part of my prayer time is listening to God. Sometimes I will send a reply to my own messages from God and write what I believe God is saying to me, or I’ll email myself truths from Scripture that the Holy Spirit brought to mind. Often times I will copy these prayers to my wife so she can listen in on my prayers about life, family and ministry. Someday, I will go back and forward some of the prayers to my daughters, and they will be able to see the date and time their dad prayed for their future spouses.
If you have never tried journaling your prayers, give it a try. It reminds you to put the focus on God’s greatness and grace first. It helps you be more intentional with a time of confession. It allows you to be thankful and count your blessings. It gives glory to God for answered prayers. It teaches you not to just be focused on yourself and your needs. Whether you set God up with a free Gmail account, or you go old school and pull out a journal and a pen, try writing out your prayers to God.
Permanent Link to God Has Email Comments 23
What a great idea. And while we know God always remembers, sometimes we don’t. And what a great way to share with your children when they’re older.
I can and will do this. Thank you for the idea. Yet another reason why God wants me to call you my preacher/teacher! Thanks for working so well for Him!
ps… your post about grief… I may not have had a loved one pass away, but the grief associated with other factors of loss still ring true. I do appreciate The Word you shared.
Thanks,
Bev
This is totally Cool.
Way to go.
Jim in Harrodsburg, KY
That is such a great idea.
Dear Kyle, Your insight to write to God thru email is more technical than I am, but our age difference expains that. But just knowing that someone else writes prayers, feelings, verses, sayings down encourages me. I scribble on everything whenever it touches me. I want you to know how u have touched me and our bible study, we don’t plan on talking about what nerve u’ve touched but we end up discussing some aspect of what u’ve said. You reach more people than u probably realize, just know that we pray for u and somewhere behind the deaf section each Sunday u r reaching with just your language and a gift from God more people than u know! Thank you for your many blessings and gifts!
Thanks for sharing this great idea! I always start with good intentions of writing all my prayers and blessings in a note book. It’s like all the notes I take every Sunday that I have been planning to put into a notebook for my children every year for Christmas as a gift in their stocking. Somehow the basket with them in it keeps getting full and I never seem to find the time to put them all together. I reread them over and over, just never put the journal together.
Today, I wrote a final letter to someone who I miss in my life. Though they may not read it, I know that God led me to write it so that his grace could be glorified.
Thanks for the reminder of how much God loves to hear not just our prayers for need, but our prayers of thankfulness.
Blessings to you and your family.
this is good to go ! i plan to share this with all my FB friends
Loved this idea Kyle! I shared it on my FB page!
WOW, I never thought of that, giving God his own email address…..I have to share this
coo
thanks !! very helpful post!
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I like to read this stuff.. if helps me understand my own decisions better. It’s just good to know someone else is thinking the same things.
I think that is an interesting point, it made me think a bit. Thanks for sparking my thinking cap. Sometimes I get so much in a rut that I just feel like a record.
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