Mini Prayer Retreat

This is a post from the archives. I was thinking about this post today because I am trying to figure out how to get away for a few hours either on Friday or Saturday for a mini prayer retreat because we are going to kick off our new school year on Monday, August 22nd. How about you? Do you ever like to get away for mini prayer retreats? For me, this might mean going to a park or the library like I did last year. It might also mean locking myself in my bedroom while my husband keeps the children away.

________________

2 weeks ago I spent one hour alone curled up on a comfy couch in a local library. My time there was quiet, peaceful, and encouraging. I spent time organizing a prayer calendar to use . For several years now I have used this prayer calendar for my children. Would you like to download one for yourself? You can, by clicking here. The calendar is divided up into 31 different character qualities to pray for your children, and the prayers are based on Scripture, and I absolutely love praying God's Word! Teri Lynne over at Scripture Dig calls this a Double Whammy. (please click over and read...it's a great article)!

I am using Stormie Omartian's "The Power of a Praying Wife" to help organize my prayer times for my husband. Once I go through the book once, I will simply refer to this calendar I created to remind me what specific thing to pray for my husband each day of the month.

On the bottom of this prayer calendar, I have specific requests for each day of the week.

Monday: My Extended Family

Tuesday: My Husband's Extended Family

Wednesday: Missionaries

Thursday: Sick or grieving

Friday: Church (the church we currently serve in and others)

Saturday: Neighbors

Sunday: Sabbath - prepare to worship

I pray daily for my husband, children, and myself. I personally like using the ACTS model. A stands for adoration, C for confession, T is for thanksgiving, and S is for supplication. Following the ACTS model and using the prayer calendars truly helps me stay focused during my prayer times and not my to-do list that is waiting for me each day. While I spent time in the library, I prayed and asked the Lord to help bring order and focus to my prayer times (I struggle with being easily distracted), but I also shared my desire with the Lord for my prayer times to be Spirit-led.

To read about how Teri Lynne over at Scripture Dig uses a prayer calendar, click here. She shares how she even prays for certain things certain months of the year.

Do you use a prayer calendar? If you struggle to focus during your prayer times, I would encourage you to have a mini prayer retreat and ask the Lord to help you develop a prayer calendar to use. It has been a HUGE blessing in my life the past two weeks. I used to write out all my prayers, and that did help me to focus, but it takes a lot of time. Now my journaling is for study notes, prayer requests and updates, and thoughts I want to write down.