Faithful missionaries sharing in a prayer seminar in a small church in Mississippi challenged me to start a prayer journal. 

It was October 1977. The prayer seminar was led by OMS Director Richard Weber. OMS missionaries Alice Huff, Peggy Patrick, and Mary Gilam shared their unique approaches to prayer. 

Alice taught on conversational prayer. Beautiful experience to just pray as the Lord leads and as a conversation with others.  Agreeing with prayers and sharing something about the subject that was not covered in the prayer.  For example, prayer 1 mentions someone in the hospital, prayer 2 shares that the person was dismissed from hospital today.  It is just inviting the Lord into your conversation.

Peggy suggested keeping a prayer journal – recording requests and then following up with answers.

Mary shared to pray first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.  As her husband was dying, he said, “I wish I had prayed more.”

This began my commitment of recording prayer requests in a notebook. Sometimes just names, or a specific request.  Then as answers came, I would just place PTL on right margin to indicate answer and Praise the Lord. 

I saved my prayer journals for over 48 years.  Many pages are yellow from age. Periodically I love to go back and look at the lists and answers to prayer.  This not only bolsters my faith but also brings back wonderful memories of people I have known and loved.

Each year, as I start a new journal, I review the last year and thank the Lord for the way He has led me and provided what I need.

The last few years I have used a small handmade cloth binder (made by a special friend) that fits a small 7×5 notebook bought at Walmart. 

After I retired my husband suggested I write about our life journey for future generations.  It was easy to use my prayer journals for reference of our many moves and the people we encountered. God used these adventures to bless our lives.  

In 2016 I published Shekinah Lane – the story of our lives and ministry. Our prayer listed in the last paragraph of the book:

Our desire is that future generations and those who read our story will experience this Shekinah Glory – God’s indwelling and presence in their lives – and decide to fall in love with Jesus and follow Him.

Another FIRST memory for this year as I seek to put God first in all I do.

Do you keep a journal, a prayer journal?  I recommend you start.  It will encourage you to see how God works in your life.

Does this memory cause you to think of any other FIRST in your life?

I have many more to come – first table, first born, first job – stay tuned!