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Five Easy Steps to Start a Prayer Journal

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I am a lazy journal writer. I begin to write, then start to daydream.  A teacher in high school accepted doodles and drawings in  our journals–it saved me! When I am going through devastating times, the pages flow, all of my feelings just pour out of me.  When I am happy and fulfilled–who has time to for this?!!!

My answer to that is a prayer journal. Prayer journals are easy and so beneficial.  I started mine as an exercise for one of my small groups years ago. These journals give you time to review good and hard times, and time to talk to God.  It is interesting to review old journals and see how God has answered your prayers.  He sometimes does it in the most unexpected ways!

  1. Find a journal that you like.  Personally, I like ones that have scripture on the page. It gives me something to focus on as I write. Walmart, Walgreens and the Dollar Store have inexpensive journals. My present journal came from Family Christian.
    Prayer Journal 1

    Example of Prayer Journal from Family Christian

    Prayer Journal 2

    This one is from Walmart and similar to the one that I use.

  2. Decide the time of day that works for you to write. It really depends on your schedule and your personal time clock. Find a time with no interruptions and little background noise, so that you are able to concentrate on the prayers.  God may whisper to you and place other prayers on your heart as you write in the journal.I like to start my day with my prayer journal. It just starts the day off right.  I write down all those things that have floated through my mind as I was waking up.  I address any issues I see coming up through the day.
  3. My rule in my prayer journal is that I start each day with something I am grateful for — a prayer fulfilled, a beautiful day, my family, I kept my mouth shut during a meeting or a beautiful song.  After I thank God for something in my life, then, I continue on with other prayers.
  4. What do you put in your prayer journal?  Is this slowing you down?  Here are some suggestions.
    • Consider what areas you need to lift to God. Let’s face it…He already knows what is happening, but there are times you need to quiet everything down to talk to Him and listen.
    • Have you told anyone you would pray for them?  This is your chance to do just that with a written document.
    • Is there a scripture that has captured your thoughts?  Read through it or just write it down.  Explain why it is meaningful.  For example, one that has been on my heart lately is–
    • “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.  Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:3-6
    • This scripture has been on my thoughts and highlighted in many of my entries over the last few weeks due to some challenges in this life.  But isn’t it a beautiful passage in general?!
  5.      Look at what you have written and lift it to God.

And you are done!  Sometimes my entries are two lines and sometimes they are two pages.  What I love about this format of a prayer journal is that it makes me stop and think about what is good in my life.  It is not just a journal asking God for everything, but it is also a journal that thanks Him.  We should always be praising Him.

Make sure that you occasionally go back and review to see what prayers are answered.  My favorite pray answered is my husband.  I asked for years for a good man.  One day after we married, I found a couple old prayer journals and there were the prayers, that described my husband exactly.  God is good!

 

 

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Autumn Wreath With Items Around The House!

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Yesterday morning I got the creative itch. One of those days when you have so much to do, but you keep thinking about a project. I realized I had everything to make a fall wreath in my house!!!  How often does that happen? I mean really?!

I gathered the remnants of a partially finished wreath, garland that I have used around the house in the past and began to get busy.

  1. The pieces — I found a 12 ” wire wreath, burlap ribbon, bittersweet garland, a fall garland, and two fall planter sticks. I had florists’ wire and wire cutters. A glue gun was within reach, but I like using wire. You can easily rearrange and re-use pieces whenever you want. I started the burlap ribbon wreath earlier and realized that I did not have enough of the burlap, so I stopped. I decided to use it in this wreath.
  2. Next, I folded each piece of bittersweet garland in half and wired them to the remaining open areas of the wire wreath. You can see the first one on the wreath in photo 1, below.
  3. After securing the bittersweet garland, I took the autumn floral sticks and bent them to flow with the wire wreath. I secured those to my wire wreath also. You need to “fluff” this till it looks full.
  4. I used the rest of the burlap to create a ribbon for my wreath. I tied it directly onto the burlap section of the wreath. This makes a nice accent.  I finished the back with a loop made of wire to hang it from my hook on my door.
  5. My wreath looked a little lopsided. So, I took the other garland that I had and added some texture to the area that was bare. Yep, I wired those in place. Since this is for me, I can just play with it until I am happy. You can see the finished product for today in photo 3.

The take-away from this is that you can do it yourself! Look around your home  Do you have old arrangements that you do not put out anymore? Do you have decorations shoved on the top shelf? Get them out! Deconstruct and remake something today!

Let me know what you think!  Tell me what decorations you have made from items you already had around your home!

Pieces

Almost Done

2. The Wreath is Almost Done!

Finished

3. Finished!

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Thank you for your response. ✨

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Life on the Prairie Today

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I’m trying to write a piece on overcoming. It is gorgeous outside. As I sit here taking in the first essence of fall, the smells, the colors and the feeling of changes on the way, I know I should be working. The dogs are in the backyard with me. I read somewhere that a walk for a dog is like a video game or movie for us. It is entertaining. That is in my mind whenever they are outside. But, that is neither here nor there.

There is this bird in the prairie grass that makes the loudest call. No, I don’t know what kind of bird it is…just that is makes a piercing call. Tucker, the Wonder Dog, as my husband calls him, immediately comes running across the yard and jumps on my lap. He sticks his head behind me. He is shaking so badly that he is vibrating the chair. Really?! The bird continues to call. Tucker continues to shake. The Wonder Dog is now cowering in the house and the bird has merrily flown away. I guess we all have things to overcome.

New Day Notebook on the prairie.

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Four Steps When Starting a New Journey in Your Life

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Do you feel like an imposter sometimes?  When you start this journey into a new life, a new phase, a new job, a new whatever…do you feel like you are not really “that” person?  Maybe you wonder if you have the skills, the ambition or the gut-wrenching want to succeed.  I am with you.

How do you fight that voice inside your head that tries to hold you back?

  1. Just get out there and start trying. Actually, this was the best advice that I have seen. Stop procrastinating and telling yourself you won’t be good enough. Just do it!  Once you show others what you can do, you will show yourself!
  2. Set your goals and put them in writing. Putting them in writing makes them real. Set time limits for your goals. Put them on a calendar.
  3. Use the old saying “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” (I know it is pretty disgusting, but it is a word picture. One of my friend’s boss had a picture with this saying on his wall–we did eye rolls every time we walked by it. But hang with me!) Chop that overwhelming project or new plan into small pieces. Set a deadline for each step and put them on your calendar. Celebrate completing each step. The celebrations will help you move forward. The calendar will give you a visual reminder of how far you have come toward your goal.
  4. Find an Encourager.  Tell someone about your dream.  Let them in on your new adventure. It is wonderful to have a cheerleader on your side.  It would be a big help if that someone is organized and able to hold you accountable.  Some of us need that person who asks if you wrote, created, made calls, did whatever is on your calendar. Find the person who will check-in with you on a regular basis–sort of like “mom” asking if we did our homework.

Wanting this goal is the most important factor. What you want, you put high on the list of your life.  Put your efforts and heart into the goal.

Let me know what has helped you on your new life journeys!