“Prayer Journalling” by Vicki Cottingham: 7 Ways to Pray blog series

04 Nov 2022

I love hearing how God brings Scripture alive in the lives of his people, and appreciate Vicki sharing her experience of Bible journalling and how through it God revealed an area of lack in her life. I trust you too will find encouragement here. How could you journal with the Bible today?

My son and daughter, knowing how much I love reading God’s Word and journalling or writing about it, gave me a wonderful gift for my birthday this summer. It was a set of Illuminated Scripture Journals (the Gospels). Opposite each printed text page is a page with lightly printed dots which provides space to engage creatively with God’s Word.

These books have helped me slow down in my reading of scripture, meditate on it and write down my thoughts and prayers. They have really helped me to engage with scripture and connect with God as I hear him speak to me through his Word and as I respond to him.

Let me share one example with you from Mark 10:35-52. God very clearly drew my attention to Jesus’ response to James and John (his disciples) and to Blind Bartimaeus. He responded to both their requests with the same words. “What do you want me to do for you?” I had never noticed this before. His response is not a judgemental one, or annoyance of being interrupted, but one showing his care and compassion for them.

I had grown up in a family where money was always tight and as our resources were limited, I was always careful what I asked of my parents.

I hadn’t realised I had taken this same mentality into my relationship with God. I realised that day as I read scripture, I had been reticent to ask God for things just as I was reticent to ask of things from my parents. I realised I didn’t like to ask God for things for myself because I didn’t want to be selfish. I thought I should be praying for others, rather than for myself. My belief was that it was OK to ask for my needs to be met but not bother him with things I would like to have.

I had somehow overlooked the truth that God has unlimited resources and that he longs to bless us with everything that belongs to him. He is a good God and a loving Father who loves to give us good things.

That morning, he asked the same question of me, “Vicki, what do you want me to do for you?”

I was amazed by this; He was inviting me to ask him anything. I realised he was genuinely interested in what I would say and ask because he loves and cares for me.

I became aware through scripture reading and journalling that just as the crowd tried to silence the blind man from presenting his request to Jesus, that things in my life try to silence me from presenting my requests to Jesus. The truth is, Jesus wants to know what our desires and requests are, and when they align with his will for us, he delights in meeting our requests. Sometimes in ways which are far better than we could ever have dreamed or imagined.

The whole experience was very freeing for me. I enjoyed a precious time prayer journalling and having a relevant conversation with Jesus.

If you enjoy prayer journalling, then I highly recommend these books to you. As I have used them, I have found my quiet time and prayer time with God have been rejuvenated. Prayer journalling is changing the way I converse with God, and I love that I have a written record of our times of communion.

Vicki Cottingham is a blogger and self-published author and has written several devotional books. Her latest set of books are, “Pause in God’s Presence: Praying the Psalms Vol 1 & 2”. All her books are available from Amazon or directly from her. For more information on her and to read her devotional blogs and book reviews go to her website.