Prayer journal for women

What is a prayer journal for women?

It is a place to pray in writing. Some women use a paper notebook, some use printed pages in a binder, and some use a prayer journal app on their phone. The format matters less than the habit: you sit with God for a few minutes, you read a little Scripture, and you write to Him the way you would talk to a close friend.

A prayer journal made for women often has room for the things that fill a woman's prayers: a husband or a future husband, children, aging parents, friends, work, church, health and her own heart. It usually gives a verse to start with and a few questions so you are never staring at a blank page.

Writing your prayers down does three simple things. It slows your mind so you can focus. It gives you a record of what you asked. And later, it shows you how God answered, which is the part most women say they treasure. If you are new to this, read what a prayer journal is and how to start one.

What to look for in a prayer journal

There are three main kinds. Each one suits a different kind of week.

A short checklist

• A verse to start with. A weekly or daily verse means you never have to hunt for where to read.
• Room to write freely. Small boxes feel nice at first but get crowded on hard weeks.
• A prayer list. A place to keep names and needs so you do not forget people.
• An answered prayers page. This is what builds your faith over the years.
• A pace you can keep. Weekly guides are easier to finish than daily ones for most busy women.
• Privacy you trust. Prayers are personal. Paper can be locked away. An app should not show ads or ask you to make an account.

A simple weekly prayer journal flow

This flow takes about ten minutes a day. It follows one verse through the whole week, so the verse has time to sink in.

1. Sunday: pick the verseChoose one verse for the week. Write the reference at the top of the page and read the whole chapter around it.
2. Monday: write what it saysIn your own words, what does the verse say about God? Keep it to two or three lines.
3. Tuesday: write your prayer listList the people and needs on your heart this week. Put one name or need per line.
4. Wednesday: be honestWrite what you are struggling with or sorry for. Confess it plainly, then write that you are forgiven.
5. Thursday: give thanksWrite three to five things you are thankful for, including one small thing from today.
6. Friday: hand it overPick one worry from your list and write a prayer that gives it to God. End with one line about trusting Him.
7. Saturday: look backRead the week's pages. Mark any answered prayers with the date. Write one sentence about what God taught you.

Prayer journal prompts for women

Use one prompt a day. Write the prompt at the top of the page above, or in your own notebook. There are many more in our full list of prayer journal prompts.

Your heart

• Lord, this is what I have been carrying quietly that nobody knows about.
• Where did I feel most like myself this week, and did I thank You for it?
• What am I trying to control that I need to give back to You?
• Which lie about myself keeps showing up, and what does Your Word say instead?
• What would rest look like for me this week, in real, practical terms?
• When did I last feel close to You? What was I doing?

Your home and family

• Name each person in my home and write one thing they need from You this week.
• Where do I need patience with someone I love, and what is making it hard?
• Lord, help me speak kindly in this situation at home.
• Which family member have I not prayed for in a while?
• What is one way I can show love at home tomorrow that costs me something?
• What do I hope my children, nieces, nephews or the young people around me learn about You from me?

Friends, work and church

• Which friend is going through something hard right now? What would I ask You to do for her?
• Where do I feel pressure at work, and what would trusting You look like there?
• Who at church or in my town is lonely and needs to be seen?
• Is there someone I need to forgive? Write her or his name and start the prayer.
• How could I use my gifts to serve someone this month?
• Who has been kind to me lately that I should thank, and thank You for?

Trust and thanks

• List five ways You provided for me this year that I almost forgot.
• What prayer have You answered in a way I did not expect?
• What am I waiting for, and how can I wait with hope instead of worry?
• Write a short thank you letter to God about this season of my life.
• What promise in the Bible do I need to hold onto this week?
• Finish this sentence ten times: Lord, You are...

Prayer journal example

Here is one page from a week built on one verse. Yours can be shorter, messier or longer. It only needs to be honest.

See more pages like this in our prayer journal examples.

Our prayer journal app for women

If you would like your prayer journal on your phone, we made Prayer Journal for Women, an Android app that looks and feels like a paper journal. It is coming soon on Google Play. It is Android only for now, so it is not on the App Store or iPhone.

Every week

• A Bible verse to read and hold onto, in the KJV or the WEB
• The whole chapter around it, so you read the verse in context
• A short reflection and three questions to write about
• A prayer page: thank Him, confess, ask and trust Him
• A look back at the end of the week, and one flower in your year for each week you finish

Your prayer list

• Write who and what you are praying for, and choose which days to pray for each one
• Pray now goes through today's prayers one card at a time
• Pin the most important ones to the top and set a reminder to pray for someone
• When God answers, write how, and look back on all He has done

Every day and more

• Today's page: how your heart is, three things you are thankful for, and a short prayer
• A calendar of your days, and verses for how you feel, like anxious, tired, lonely or grateful
• Ready made pages: SOAP Bible study, ACTS prayer, sermon notes, letter to God, prayers for your husband, children, family and friends, and a praise report
• Lock it with your fingerprint or screen lock, save a backup file to Google Drive, and print or save pages as a PDF

Tips to keep your prayer journal going

• Keep it where you will see it. On your nightstand, next to the coffee maker, or on your phone's home screen.
• Set a small goal. Five minutes, four days a week, is a strong start.
• Write like you talk. God does not need perfect words. Short, plain sentences are fine.
• Use the same verse all week. You will notice something new each day.
• Date every answered prayer. On hard days, read that list first.
• Pray for others by name. It turns a worry list into an act of love.
• Do not start over every January. Just keep going from today.

Want a different structure? Try the four part ACTS prayer journal, a devotional journal for women, or a printable prayer journal template.

Questions people ask