Monday, April 27, 2020

Reviving the Prayer Journal

The Landscape in Vermont near Mrs. White's Home.  (Photograph taken last year.)


When I was a young wife and mother, I had so many worries and troubles.  There were daily struggles for finances, transportation, and getting the things we needed.  I had no hope for any of it, except from the Lord.  I used to write little prayers in a diary.  I would write out the date and then say something like:

"Our car has broken down again. It will cost $200 for repairs. How will we pay for this?  There is no money in the budget. We have no savings.  I give this burden to you, Lord. Please help us."

This would be written at the top of the page.  The lower portion of the paper was saved to write out the answer and the blessing.

You might wonder how we managed to get by with a broken down car while we waited for the Lord to help.  I will tell you. . . We walked, or gratefully accepted rides from family members to get us to the store, or co-workers helped get my husband to work.  It was more difficult, but we got through until the blessing came.

Once the prayer was answered, I would go back and find the page it had been written on, and I would write out the blessing. The answer might have been something like:

"An unexpected job came up for my husband.  He was able to do the extra work for a couple of weeks. This money paid for the car repair. Thank you!" (The answer always came about in an unexpected way!)

At other times, the prayers and the worries were so hard to bear.  There would be shoes needed for the children.  We may not have had enough food.  My husband was laid off work or lost jobs and those were the hardest times to manage.  I would write down the prayers and the needs and then get back to mothering and homemaking.  I would leave it with the Lord.  Sometimes he answered those prayers before the end of the day. At other times, I waited weeks.  But always the prayers were answered.  I learned to depend on God for all things in this way.  I learned not to rush out and try to fix it all myself. I gained patience and faith and trust and was greatly blessed with a journal of answered prayers.

Our lives are not to revolve around material things, shopping, and money.  The answer to every problem in life is not being rich or having an abundance of possessions.  We are to trust the Lord, working with Him in faith, works, and prayers. This creates an incredible bond and a closeness to our Heavenly Father.   We might say, "How should I manage this, or please guide me in this decision."  We pray, "Lord, please take care of me. Please help."   We say this each day, just like we ask for our daily bread.  The Lord cares for the sparrows who have no home.  He provides us with incredible beauty in sunrises, landscapes, the chirping of sweet birds, and the stunning display of flowers.  There is beauty in trust and faith in the Lord.  He knows all our needs in all times.  He waits for us to ask and to trust in Him.  This is what makes life so precious.

Perhaps this is a good time to revive the old time prayer journal.  Any notebook will work well for this.  It is like a diary of needs and the asking for help from our dear Lord.  Then we write the blessings, the answers, and all the ways the Lord Himself has taken care of us, His dear children.

We can also look back and read these precious entries so that we will always remember that it is the Lord who has provided, and not we ourselves.  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills!  He has the power to give and take wealth, as well as life.  Oh, there is great peace in putting our very lives in His hands and trusting Him for each of our numbered days.  We are grateful for His goodness and His precious care. 


Blessings
Mrs. White


From the Archives -

The Reality - Retirement Planning for the Poor.

It means everything to be - Just a Housewife.

Happy times with Family - Living a Quiet Life.






Mrs. White's special book for homemakers:"Introduction to Home Economics:  Gentle Instruction to Find Joy in Christian Homemaking."

Find stories of home life, with photographs of my home, in this encouraging book. 

 Paperback, 200 pages. 








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10 comments:

SheLaughs said...

You should publish that. It would be interesting to read your struggles and the creative ways He chose to fix them.

Mama Said No said...

This was just what I needed to read this morning. I have the perfect little spiral notebook for this, and it will be put into service as soon as I get home. I have a LOT of pages to put prayers on! Thank you so much for this idea. BTW, I am about to restart the Elizabeth Prentiss Bible Study again. It is truly a wonderful way to help me focus on the Lord. Bless you, hope you are all doing well.

Deanna said...

Blessings to you. A prayer journal is very rewarding to go back and read answered prayer. Wonderful idea and enjoyed visiting your place today,
d

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

OH my! What a journal I would have had. We've had many many years of hard times. God has helped in wonderful ways. Many were miraculous.
This is a very good recommendation.
Blessings,
Laura

Linda said...

I loved reading this. Oh I wish I had kept such a journal as you did. I have kept journals on and off, but never just a prayer journal. It would have been wonderful to go back and read the prayers I would have written as we have had so many times/years when life was very hard financially. You always give such wise counsel and also creative ideas to draw closer to the Lord in faith and trusting Him each and every day. God Bless you ~ Linda.

Homemaker's Heart said...

Hello Mrs. White~Thank you for this post. I really needed this. I had learned of making a daily gratitude journal, but not one of prayers asked for and answered. This seems a wonderful way to be able to let go of what we pray for and be able to let the Lord work in His time. and be able to watch for His answer. It just seems so encouraging.

I have a pink journal I started this year trying to list daily 3-5 things that brought be joy (not just gratitude but joy). I think I will divide the book in half and make the back half my prayer journal.

Thank you again for this idea. I'm also so glad to see a post, you were quiet for a while and I prayed you were not sick. I have been doing well, at home. Going out is so stressful that the going out, the mask, not touching everything...I just want to get back home. Thank fully we are not going out but once a week for essentials, but it seems like everyone here in southern Colorado thinks everything is essential. Boggles my mind. I think I will find a prayer to write and let it go!

Hugs to you and wishing you Peace,
Mrs. Dee Peterson

Deborah Montgomery said...

Mrs. White, you are a true saint. Thank you for the encouragement I find here. Love, Deborah

Amelia said...

This is so nice. I wish I would have kept one and maybe I should start although sometimes my blog is a bit like one... I think if I would have kept a prayer journal it would have been very similar to yours in the way of challenges...Oh yes. God was there through those times and continues to be there with us. It seems every season of life has it's challenges to say the least.

I appreciate you, Blessings to you! ~Amelia

Deanna said...

Happy Mother's Day to you!!!
d

Marilyn @ MountainTopSpice said...

What a beautiful idea, like a written memorial of your prayers, and God's answers. How wonderful our Lord is, to answer our prayers, in His own time. He cares for and loves us so much! Many blessings to you :)