A New Year’s Goal We Should All Make A Priority (Free Download)

One of my priority goals for 2015 is in regard to my personal Bible reading and prayer life. And honestly, I hope all of us draw closer to God in prayer this year. I can’t think of anything better. One of the ways I challenged myself in the arena of prayer for 2014 was in praying for the nations via OperationWorld.org. You can read how this changed me HERE.

Reason #1 for Making My Prayer Life a Priority

My adult-onset ADD has really motivated me to make some changes in the way I approach prayer. I am so easily distracted nowadays, and more often than not, in the middle of my prayers, I’ll find my mind wandering down endless rabbit holes.

On the big screen TV of my imagination, I see myself coming boldly into the throne room of God Almighty, the Creator of the universe and my heavenly Father, eager to spend time with Him. But then in the midst of our conversation, my brain goes on a field trip. How rude and shameful of me, and how it must sadden Him. I’m grateful He knows I’m made of dust, but I really want to do better.

Reason #2 for Making My Prayer Life a Priority

Another way I want to improve my prayer life is in taking the time to listen to Him. Rather than rush into the King’s presence with a list reminiscent of a Santa or magic genie list, I want to bask in His Presence, to tune my ears and heart to what He wants me to know. I want to hone my hearing about the areas of my life in which He’s less than impressed, so I can repent, confess, and move forward in my relationship with Him.

Reason #3 for Making My Prayer Life a Priority

I also want to do a better job in my communication with the Lord by moving the focus from me to Him in adoration and thanksgiving for who He is and all He’s done, doing, and will do.

So this year, I’m doing something a little different.

What I’m Doing to Make Prayer a Priority

I’m keeping a prayer journal in which I list an attribute of God for which I’m offering Him my adoration, confess and repent of sins, thank Him for those things for which I’m grateful (more often than not, really simple things like running water, indoor plumbing, and coffee), and then offer up supplications for my needs and the needs of my friends and family. Added to this, I’ve included a special section on what I sense God saying to me for that moment in time, as well as space to list the country and corresponding prayer needs for that day in praying for the nations.

I’ve only been doing this a few days now, but already I sense a difference–a closeness, a sweet fellowship, a precious communion with the One who loves me first and best.

Free Download: Printable Prayer Journal Sheet

If you’d like to give this prayer journal approach a try, you are more than welcome to download this sheet I created for my prayer and Bible study time. For my Bible reading time, I’m writing down the Scripture reference, and answering these questions:

Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
How?
What do I sense God’s Spirit saying to me about this passage?

(NOTE: I don’t always have an answer for these questions, but I answer the ones I can. I’ve also included space to write down a verse from the passage for further meditation/study or memorization.)

I have it in two formats: PDF and a MS Word .doc file. Both links are below.

Prayer and Bible Reading Journal (Word .doc file)

Prayer and Bible Reading Journal (PDF file)

Praying that all of us make our Bible reading and prayer lives a priority in 2015!