1. Record individual, or shared prayers in a journal.

Pray using a journal. There are many types of prayer journals, but no matter the type, a few things are common to all.

First, it is important to remember that prayer journals are working documents, not keepsakes. This is particularly important to keep in mind when using journals that incorporate photographs.

Prayer journals, no matter the type, serve as reminders to pray and help us stay focused during our prayers. In addition to providing a place for recording our grandchildren’s prayer requests and other prayer specifics, journals help us take a closer look at what is happening in our own minds and hearts as we pray.

They also help our personal relationship with God to grow deeper and give us a beautiful visual record of God’s faithfulness in the lives of our family.

The following are three types of Prayer Journals that are well suited to praying for grandchildren facing challenges:

Traditional Prayer Journal

For this type of journal, all you need is some type of book (a fancy store-bought journal, an inexpensive composition notebook, or anything in between) and something to write with.

To begin, simply section off your journal by categories. Consider including any of the following: requests, prayers, praises, answers to prayer, favorite Scriptures, favorite quotes, notes, photos. 

In your journal, keep an ongoing record of your prayers for your grandchildren.  

Note: A couple of very helpful tips for keeping this and other types of prayer journals are to:

• Include the date each time you make an entry into your prayer journal.
• Record answers to prayer requests in a second color of ink.

Picture Prayer Journal

A Picture Prayer Journal is perfect for the grandparent who is more visually wired.

Identical in purpose to the Traditional Prayer Journal, the difference lies in the set-up. Instead of being set up by categories, the Picture Prayer Journal is set up by a child.

Begin each new section with an “info” page for one of your grandchildren. On this page, record the child’s name and birthday in the upper corner. In the opposite corner, attach a small photo of the child. On the remainder of that page and all subsequent pages, record prayer requests, praises, answers to prayer, and any other notes you like.

Set-up Note: Determine how many pages are in your new journal. Then divide that number by the number of grandchildren you are praying for. This will help you create balanced sections and enable you to use the book for a longer period of time.

Legacy Prayer Journal

Another take on prayer journals, the Legacy Prayer Journal is kept by multiple generations of a family: grandparents and grandchildren; or grandparents, parents, and grandchildren.

Like the Traditional Prayer Journal, this type of journal is sectioned off by categories. It is different, however, in the fact that it is not “private” to one individual. Rather, all family members make entries, pray, and praise together. 

Keeping a Legacy Prayer Journal promotes communication, builds connection, and encourages modeling and discussion of prayer.

Note: You don’t have to live near your grandchildren to keep a Legacy Prayer Journal. Long-distance grandparents can make use of technology to elicit entries, pray, and share praises.  

Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/lilartsy