Welcome!

A few months ago, I read Priscilla Shirer’s book Fervent, and the Lord used it to propel me into a journey toward becoming a real pray-er.  Now just for context, I have been praying since I was small, so that’s a long time.  Decades, to be honest.  But my personal prayer life was just…dull.  My best prayers lately were while I was driving in the car or while I was by myself getting ready for the day.  Plus my husband and I have prayed together nightly since we were engaged, but even those prayers had become a little repetitive and lackluster.  I would offer to pray for someone, and if I thought of it, I’d throw up a one liner while I was washing dishes.  

In her opening pages, Priscilla Shirer describes a prayer meeting she attended in which a large group of women met for over an hour and just individually fervently, passionately prayed.  She describes her grandmother’s journals, pages and pages of a life lived through prayer.  Records of her persistence and the Lord’s faithfulness.  

I wanted that.  My prayer life didn’t even compare to these examples, or the stories in the Bible of the persistent widow, or the gut-wrenching prayers in the Psalms, or Jesus’s own deep communication with the Father.  

As I reflected on this and did some more digging, few convictions arose.

1. Prayer should be comprehensive.  God wants us to talk to Him about everything in our lives.  It’s a way of expressing our dependence on Him and a mark of our true friendship and connection with Him. (Ephesians 6:18, Phil 4:6)
2. We should ask for things specifically.  James 4:2 states that “You do not have because you do not ask God.”  If there are things we want or need, we should ask boldly!  Of course, we must also have a spirit of submission and trust that whatever God’s answer is, we will accept it as His best.  (Matthew 7:11)  
3. We must pray persistently.  Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow who approached an unjust judge again and again asking for her case to be resolved (Luke 18:1-8).  The judge eventually gives in just because she has been so bothersome!  Now the judge in the story is the opposite of Jesus—Jesus is willing and able to answer us, never annoyed.  But the point is clear: we should “always pray and not give up” (verse 1).
4. Prayer should not be all about me.  The focus should be a conversation with God.  That means I need to listen!  Also, it means that I should spend focused time in His presence worshipping and thanking, not only asking.  Not only does this honor the Lord, it changes my perspective.  (Psalm 111:2)
5. We should remember the works of the Lord to remind us of his faithfulness when we doubt it, and to pass on to our children a legacy of faith that will hopefully lay a foundation for their own thriving prayer lives one day.  (Psalm 102:18, Psalm 78:4b)

But how?

I felt like I needed some tools to make my prayer the way I wanted it to be.  In my internet research, I stumbled upon a number of bloggers who had created “War Binders.”  This seemed like a great idea and I determined to make my own.  Gina Garland and Valerie Woerner were two big inspirations, but I wanted to create a binder that would be practical for me.  

Why a binder?  I wanted to compile all of my prayer tools in one place.  I wanted a book full of prompts that would encourage me to stay focused and more fully praise, thank, confess, and of course, ask.  I wanted it to be fluid, so that I could add or remove pages on my timeline.  I didn’t want it to be cumbersome—I didn’t want to have to write a lot, just be able to grab it and start praying!  I wanted to be able to easily add to it and I wanted a hard copy record of the Lord’s work in my life that will exist long after I have forgotten about those answered prayers, and that will be a model and inspiration to my children one day. 

I can honestly say that this little binder has remarkably changed my prayer life.  I have made these little books for my family and friends, even a more manly version for my husband, and a kid-friendly version for my boys!  Over the next few posts, I will share each section with a printable for you to make your own prayer binder!

In the meantime, gather your supplies (available at office supply stores, Walmart, and of course Amazon):

1. a mini binder
2. a set (or 2) of mini binder tabs
3. a three-hole punch that can be adjusted to punch holes to fit your mini binder 
4. a pack of 8.5”x5.5” filler paper recommended

That’s pretty much it!  If you would like a binder and cannot make it yourself for whatever reason, please contact me and I’ll work with you!

My heart is that more and more people would see their prayer lives flourish as the quality and consistency of their prayers improves.  I am praying that these pages become tools to help you step up your prayer life, and by doing so, draw you into a closer relationship with Him.  And, that this becomes a beautiful record of God’s faithfulness and love to your family as you see Him answer prayers and provide all you need.  

Let’s do it!