Re-purposing 3 Ring Binders

When you were in high school and college, did you have a 3 ring binder that you kept everything in? I did! I became very dependent upon my notebooks for information that had attached due dates, or reminders, or syllabi updates. I kept all of that stuff in one place for easy access and in order to keep it all straight. I distinctly remember receiving my syllabi at the beginning of a semester, and writing all important due dates into my agenda, and then keeping my agenda in my 3 ring binder so that nothing would be missed! Of course, I didn't do this my freshmen and sophomore years as diligently as I did it my Junior and Senior years, but I still did it.

A few years after graduating from the small private Christian college I attended, I realized I missed my handy 3 ring binders. Purses just don't keep you nearly as organized as the binder does. So, I went back to having one. I don't use it nearly as much as I did in my college days, but there are times in my life where I still depend on a binder now and again.

The binder that I've come to lean on the most these days is my prayer binder. This idea was not original to me, but I've latched onto it full force. Unfortunately, I don't crack my prayer binder open everyday as I once did, but I still try and sit down with it as often as possible. (I'll get back to everyday as soon as I can!) I love my prayer binder. I have different sections and categories to keep me on track, and there are people I pray for in my prayer journal that I haven't talked to in years. I love it. This is how I do it.

My "Gorgeous" Binder...It's Pretty Boring

A Place for Pens and Highlighters

It helps to not have to go searching for everything....

First Section: Daily Prayers
In this section, I have a prayer request page for each member of my immediate family.
I have a page for Dave, Julia, Lydia and Saige. Then I have 2 prayer pages for myself. I know I am not worthy of my wonderful family or the Lord's grace, and I honestly need the most prayer sometimes. On these pages I list specific prayer requests or praises for the person at the top of the page. I pray for the future and present.

Daily Prayers

There are Scribbles from my Girls on Almost Every Page

Second Section: Weekly Prayers
I have this section split up into days of the week. I only have Monday through Friday listed. I pray for my parents and siblings on Mondays. I also pray for Dave's siblings and parents and other family members. Were you ever in a small group or Bible study with me? Chances are, you are prayed for during the week. (This is why I don't want to skip any more days!)

Weekly Prayers

Third Section: Monthly Prayers
I use a printed guide to help me say an additional prayer for my children according to the date. Click here to see what I mean. I also have one for my pastor. Since we are in-between churches, I sometimes skip this section. But sometimes, I still pray for Pastor Gregg, or for my pastor before him, Pastor Joe. I also use this section for praying for other men in my life like Dave or my dad. Click here to see a similar example to what I use.

Fourth Section: Listening and Journaling
This section is very important to me. I ask the Lord, "What would you like to say to me today?" and then I write down whatever comes to me. I believe it is mostly from the Lord, and not from me. I date each day, and find it really interesting to look back at and see what was going on with me at different times in my life. Mostly, God tells me He loves me, that He is with me, and that I shouldn't despair. But sometimes He shakes things up a bit according to what I'm going through. For example, when I moved to Houston, I was extremely lonely. I later realized I was also pretty depressed. During that time, there are hardly any journal entries. But, I do have two really long ones from that 2009 summer of hard knocks. Those two entries weren't voluntary ones. They were from the Lord waking me up in the middle of the night. When I couldn't shut down any longer,  I wrote down what I felt he said to me. Somehow, he got me through my ugly time of continual anger and on the other side where grace lives again. That's the beauty of Christ.

Fifth Section: Scripture Memory
This is where I list scripture that I am working on memorizing. --One prayer I have listed for myself is that I would speak scripture to my children and others. But, I'm so dang bad at memorizing scripture. It's like a pop-quiz for me. It's in my brain for a few days, and then poof it's gone as if I've never memorized it before. This is a section I need to work on more diligently.

(As you can see, there is absolutely nothing special about my journal. The importance, of course, is what's inside.)

I also keep some miscellaneous stuff in my journal. Notes from Bible study lessons that inspired me, or things I should revisit, like a piece of paper with the names of God on it. You know, all those things that I need to have a better grasp on, that I don't have a very good grasp on yet.

 FYI, It honestly only takes me about 25-35 minutes to get through my journal on any given day. I can race through it in 10, and unfortunately, sometimes I just skip parts... however, I am so blessed when I do go through all parts of it everyday.

Well, that's all from me! Do you have a similar method of praying? Let me know! I'd love to hear your tips and maybe some re-purposing tricks.

Blessings, Amber