A sample prayer journal entry can help you provide better instruction to your students. A prayer journal helps focus their thoughts through writing them down. The regular use of a prayer journal allows students to build a relationship with their Lord and Savior. Finally, a prayer journal provides a record of God’s answered prayers and plans for their lives.
Expanding Prayer Vocabulary
After teaching younger grades, I realized that I wanted my fourth-grade students a prayer journal template to develop a prayer vocabulary beyond their requests in younger grades. God hears all types of prayers, but I wanted something to help them feel more comfortable with public prayer. I created some simple prompts based on Bible verses. Each month has a different theme for students to pray. Through daily practice, they become more confident in their prayer skills.
Sample Prayer Journal Entry Lesson
I received a request to explain how I use prayer journals in my classroom. At the beginning of the year, I spend the first week demonstrating the prayer journals as a whole group. I teach them to start their prayer with “Dear God” or something similar and the proper punctuation. The first sentence is modeled after the prompt by rewriting it for the beginning of their prayer. The second sentence is an example of something that could go with the first sentence. Finally, they have to finish the prayer with “In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
After modeling this format with them for about a week, most students are capable of doing it themselves. Some of them will still ask for help with the second sentence. At first, I may give them more examples to write down. Later, I pose questions to help them come up with ideas on their own until they feel comfortable formulating ideas on their own. Throughout the year, students will ask me to explain different words.
If I get a new student in the middle of the year, I use a similar approach. They are allowed to copy a friend’s prayer for about a week until they feel comfortable, or I begin the same process of examples and questions to help them become independent.
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