Prayer journal: how to start one
A prayer journal is simply a place where you write to God and keep track of what you prayed. It slows your thoughts down, keeps you honest, and gives you a record of how God has been at work. You do not need special supplies or beautiful handwriting. Here is everything you need to begin today.
Free, no email needed
A free printable prayer journal
Six Letter-size pages, light on ink: how to use it, a daily prayer page with prompts, an ACTS prayer page, a prayer list, an answered-prayers tracker, and a weekly reflection. Print as many daily pages as you like, or open it in a PDF app on your phone and type straight into the lines.
What you need
- A journal. Any notebook, a binder with tabs, or the printable above.
- A pen you like. Some people add a highlighter for answered prayers.
- A Bible, on paper or on your phone, if you plan to use SOAP.
- Five minutes at a time you already have.
How to start a prayer journal in 7 steps
1. Choose your journal
Any notebook works. A small one you can carry is easier to keep than a large one you save for special days. If you would rather not buy anything, print our free prayer journal below or type into it on your phone.
2. Pick a time and a place
Attach journaling to something you already do: morning coffee, a lunch break, or the last minutes before sleep. Leave the journal and a pen where you will see them at that moment.
3. Start small
Plan for five minutes and three or four sentences. A short entry you write most days does more than a long one you write once a month.
4. Write the date, then begin with thanks
Dating each entry is what lets you look back later. Opening with one specific thank-you turns your attention toward God before you turn to your needs.
5. Use a simple pattern
A pattern keeps you from staring at a blank page. Try ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) on most days, or SOAP when you are reading Scripture. Both are explained below.
6. Pray for others by name
Keep a running list of people and needs at the back of your journal, and pray for a few of them in each entry. Our guide on how to make a prayer list shows how to set one up.
7. Record answers and review weekly
When a prayer is answered, or changes, note the date. Once a week, read back over your entries. This is where a prayer journal becomes encouraging: you can see God’s faithfulness in your own handwriting.
Two simple methods: ACTS and SOAP
ACTS, for everyday prayer
Adoration: praise God for who he is. Confession: be honest about where you fell short. Thanksgiving: thank him for what he has done. Supplication: bring your requests, for others and for yourself. ACTS keeps prayer from becoming only a list of needs.
SOAP, for praying with Scripture
Scripture: write out a verse or two from today’s reading. Observation: what does it say, and what stands out? Application: how does it speak to your life today? Prayer: write a short prayer in response. SOAP works well alongside a reading plan.
Not sure which to use? Use ACTS on most days and SOAP on days you read the Bible first. Or alternate. The printable includes an ACTS page and room for a verse on every daily page.
30 prayer journal prompts
When you do not know where to start, pick one line and finish the sentence.
Thanks and praise
- Three small gifts I noticed today were…
- A way God has been faithful to me this year…
- Something about God’s character I am grateful for…
- A person I am thankful for, and why…
- A prayer I have seen answered…
- Something beautiful I saw this week…
Honesty and confession
- Where I fell short today…
- Something I keep carrying that I want to hand to God…
- A habit I want God’s help to change…
- A person I need to forgive, or ask forgiveness from…
- What I am afraid to say out loud…
- What I want to hear from God right now…
For other people
- Someone who is struggling, and what they need…
- My family today…
- My church and its leaders…
- A friend who does not know God…
- My town, my country, and the world’s news this week…
- Someone I find hard to love…
When life is hard
- What I am grieving…
- The decision in front of me, and what I need to decide well…
- Where I need peace…
- What I wish I understood…
- A verse that has held me before…
- What hope looks like this week…
Listening and next steps
- After a quiet minute, what came to mind…
- A verse or phrase that stood out today…
- One thing I sense I should do…
- One thing I should let go of…
- How I want to love someone today…
- A prayer for tomorrow…
An example entry
Tuesday, March 3. Psalm 23.
Adoration. Lord, you are my shepherd. You lead, and you do not get tired of leading me.
Confession. I was short with Mark this morning because I was anxious about work. I am sorry.
Thanksgiving. Thank you for the quiet drive, for Mom’s good test results, and for coffee with Jen.
Supplication. Please give Mom strength for the next appointment. Help Sam with his interview on Thursday. Give me patience at home tonight.
Listening. “He restores my soul.” I think I need to rest tonight instead of finishing email.
Answered: Sam got a second interview (prayed since Feb 10).
That took about six minutes. Yours can be shorter.
Paper, phone, or spoken?
Paper is slow in a good way, has no notifications, and is easy to look back through. A phone or tablet is always with you, can search old entries, and can remind you; our printable can be filled in on a phone, and our comparison of the best prayer journal apps covers apps built for writing. Spoken prayer suits people who think better out loud.
Called to Pray is a spoken companion, not a written journal. It is an iPhone app with up to three prayer moments a day. It reminds you at the times you choose, and the Prayer Call rings your phone for a short, two-way prayer conversation of up to 5 minutes. It can pray with you for people by name. Many people use it as the reminder that gets them to their journal.
How to keep going
- Keep the journal open on the table or in your bag, not on a shelf.
- On busy days, one line counts: the date and one thank-you.
- Missed a week? Write today’s date and start again. There is nothing to catch up on.
- Mark answered prayers in the margin and review them on Sundays or any day that suits you.
- Keep your prayer list separate so it is quick to find; see how to make a prayer list.
Questions about prayer journals
What should I write in a prayer journal?
Write the date, something you are thankful for, what is on your heart, the people you are praying for, and anything you sense God saying. Patterns like ACTS or SOAP give each entry a simple shape.
How do I start a prayer journal for beginners?
Pick any notebook, choose a five-minute moment you already have, write the date, and start with one line of thanks. Add one request for yourself and one for someone else. That is a complete first entry.
What is the ACTS prayer method?
ACTS stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. You praise God for who he is, confess honestly, thank him for what he has done, and then bring your requests for others and yourself.
What is the SOAP method?
SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. You write out a verse, note what it says, write how it applies to your life today, and end with a short prayer in response.
Should I use a paper journal or an app?
Use whichever you will actually open. Paper is quiet and free of notifications. A phone is always with you and can remind you. Many people use both, and our printable journal can be printed or filled in on a phone.
What if I miss days?
Simply pick up again with today’s date. A prayer journal is not a test, and there is nothing to catch up on. Gaps are normal, and the pages you do write are still a record of your prayers.
Ready to begin?
Print the free six-page prayer journal, or keep it on your phone and type into it.