An Autumn Prayer Journal: A Gentle Beginning

It began with a journal, not necessarily an autumn prayer journal or anything. Just a journal – a very pretty one.

I bought myself one recently (the same pretty one), although I have never really journalled properly before. I love the idea of keeping a journal. The beautiful pages, the possibility of gathering little thoughts and memories, the promise of having somewhere to put everything that is currently floating around in my head.

And then, of course, comes the slightly awkward question.

What exactly am I supposed to write in it?

Do I start with Dear Diary? Do I need a special pen? What happens if I miss three days, or my handwriting looks dreadful, or I simply have nothing interesting to say?

So, with autumn approaching, I started looking into journalling and found myself particularly drawn to the idea of keeping an autumn prayer journal.

Somewhere to slow down, gather my thoughts and bring them before God.

And I thought, perhaps we could try this together.

No expertise required. No perfect pages. Just a journal, a little curiosity and a willingness to begin.

What Is a Prayer Journal, Anyway?

From what I’ve discovered, prayer journalling is simply the practice of writing our prayers, thoughts and reflections as part of our conversation with God.

That’s it.

We might write a prayer, copy a Bible verse, record something we’re grateful for, or put into words a worry we’ve been carrying.

Some days, perhaps we’ll write paragraphs. Other days, one sentence might be quite enough.

I rather like that.

Prayer doesn’t have to sound impressive, and neither does our writing.

God already knows our hearts. The autumn prayer journal is not there to inform Him of something He doesn’t know. It gives us a place to pause, be honest and become more attentive to His presence in our ordinary lives.

And autumn seems a lovely season in which to begin.

The changing light, the garden slowly settling, the little shifts in our daily rhythms. They all offer gentle reminders that life moves through seasons, and God remains faithful through every one of them.

How I’m Thinking of Beginning My Autumn Prayer Journal

I have decided not to make this complicated.

The journal doesn’t need an elaborate system, a perfectly coordinated stationery collection or an ambitious commitment to write every morning at 6 a.m.

Although, if beautiful stationery makes the whole experience more enjoyable, I certainly won’t argue.

I’m thinking of beginning with just a few simple things.

A little gratitude. Something good from the day, however ordinary.

A little honesty. Something I’m thinking about, worrying over or trying to understand.

A little Scripture. Perhaps a verse that speaks to whatever season I’m walking through.

A little prayer. Bringing it all before God, in my own words.

And perhaps the occasional sketch, pressed leaf or scribbled observation along the way.

There are no marks for presentation.

If we miss a day, we can simply turn the page and begin again.

21 Autumn Prayer Journal Prompts to Get Us Started

The blank page can feel surprisingly intimidating, so I’ve gathered 21 prompts around seven themes.

We don’t need to answer them in order, complete one every day or even answer them all.

They’re simply places to begin.

1. Arriving in a New Season

Autumn gives us a natural opportunity to consider where we are and what we’re bringing with us.

• What am I carrying into this new season?
• What am I looking forward to, and what feels uncertain?
• Lord, what might You be inviting me to notice or give attention to?
  

2. Gratitude for What Has Been Given

Before looking towards everything ahead, perhaps we can pause to appreciate what is already here.

• What ordinary blessing have I almost stopped noticing?
• Where have I experienced God’s provision recently?
• What can I thank Him for today, even if life feels difficult?
  

3. Trusting God With What I Cannot Control

Not everything can be neatly resolved, however much we might like it to be.

• What am I holding onto too tightly?
• Is there a worry I keep taking back after placing it in God’s hands?
• What would trusting Him look like in this particular situation?
  

4. Growing Through the Season

Scripture reminds us that faith can be refined through testing, much as gold is refined through fire.

• Where have I noticed my faith being stretched?
• What might God be developing within me?
• Is there something I need His help to change?
  

5. Remembering Others

Our prayer journals needn’t contain only our own concerns.

• Who could use a little encouragement this week?
• Is there someone I need to forgive, reconnect with or pray for?
• How might God use me to bring kindness into someone’s day?
  

6. Making Room for Rest

Sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is acknowledge that we are tired.

• What has been draining my energy lately?
• Where am I confusing busyness with fruitfulness?
• What would it look like to receive God’s rest rather than continually striving?
  

7. Looking Ahead With Hope

We don’t need to know everything about the coming season to enter it with hope.

• What am I praying for in the months ahead?
• Where do I need courage to take the next step?
• What promise from Scripture would I like to carry with me through autumn?
  

When We Don’t Know What to Write

I suspect there will be days when I open my autumn prayer journal and stare at the page.

And that’s perfectly fine.

Perhaps I’ll begin with:

Father, I’m not quite sure what to say today…

That is a prayer too.

Romans 8:26 reminds us that the Spirit helps us in our weakness, even when we do not know what we should pray for.

What a comforting thought.

We don’t have to arrive before God with carefully organised thoughts and beautifully constructed sentences. We can arrive as we are.

And if all we manage is a few words of gratitude, a question, or a simple “Lord, help me,” that is still a beginning.

A Little Invitation to Begin Together

So here we are.

A new autumn prayer journal. A new season. Twenty-one little invitations to pause and pray.

I have no idea whether my pages will end up beautifully organised or full of arrows, crossings-out and thoughts squeezed into the margins.

Probably the latter.

But perhaps that is part of the joy.

We aren’t creating a perfect record of our spiritual lives. We’re making a little room to spend time with God, notice His goodness and bring Him the things that matter to us.

And who knows? By the time autumn gives way to winter, we may have gathered something rather lovely: a record of prayers, ordinary blessings, little discoveries and moments of grace we might otherwise have forgotten.

One page at a time. We can do this together.