Vision
What inspired prayer journaling?
Every 1st of January, I have slowly created a culture where I put my plans and goals aside and ask God for what He wants me to do. In 2018, I asked God how I could serve Him and build a relationship with Him and He said very clearly, “Make me a gratitude journal and write something that stands out to you from the day.” I remember asking my friends to join me in the gratitude challenge and we reminded each other at the end of the month to read out every single line and dance around our room glorifying God for that particular month. It was a powerful time. Then in 2019, I asked God how I could serve him and make our relationship flourish on my end and He said Prayer Journal. At the time, I had just turned 19 and my friend had given me a 2019 planner for the new year as a birthday gift. Immediately I saw this planner, I thought to myself Amaka, you can turn this book into a prayer journal. Instead of only writing your plans, how about you write down how your day was to God? How about you write down some of the words God is speaking and singing over you? How about you write what you are thankful for? How about you write in what areas you have seen God evidently in your day-to-day activities? And so I did. I transformed what was just a 2019 planner into a prayer journal. I inserted some new papers, I colored some of the pages, I wrote what I heard my Heavenly father sing over me. As a young girl, I remember dancing with my dad in our living room to 90’s music and although he still loves me a lot as I grew older, I grew apart from my dad. But as I grew apart from my earthly father, my heavenly father stepped into the equation and asked for my hands and I have danced with Him ever since. I write everything in my prayer journal even though I am aware that God knows everything about my life, I still want to tell him.
Why does it say Building an Eden Relationship?
I have always called my prayer journal “My Home”. When I wanted to make the cover for this prayer journal, I reached out to a friend of mine and told him how I wanted the graphics to look. As I described it, I realized that I was describing an Eden moment. It reminded me of the kind of relationship God always wanted from the day He made Adam and Eve. A relationship with no barriers. A relationship where we walked with Him and talked with Him and not just to Him. I searched up what Eden meant and Eden means a delightful, happy, and content place. More like a place of refreshment. My prayer journal built an Eden relationship for me and it connected me back to my heavenly father. I know this would be your testimony as well; that this prayer journal helped you build an Eden relationship with God. That this prayer journal made your heart skip a beat when you thought about your relationship with your heavenly father. A refreshing, delightful happy, and content relationship.
How has prayer journaling changed and Healed me?
When I was a child, my catchphrase was “ nothing” and I am still recovering from saying “nothing” when someone asks me a question. Nothing was a word I used to hide from how I felt about someone or being attuned with my emotions. Nothing was my escape route because I didn’t want to put all my burdens on someone else. I would rather carry all the world’s burden than allow the world to carry just one of my burdens. As I grew up, I realized that if I didn’t speak up about certain things that bothered me, not only would people walk all over me but the word “nothing” started crippling my relationship with God. I could no longer pray honestly and specifically to God. It felt like I was doing God a favor by not being specific about my requests to him. For example, when I started a new school year, my uncle asked me what I needed prayers on and I said I want to pass all my exams in flying colors but I knew deep inside that I wanted all A’s. I knew that I wanted nothing below 85%. But I was too scared to say it and that was my little way of saying nothing. I mean what if that was too much to ask? What if I gave up or God gave up on me? What if and more what if’s? Picture me, as Adam and Eve in the garden hiding from God. “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and the man and his wife hid from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3 vs 8. I once hid like Adam and Eve. The trees were my catchphrase “nothing”. But as I started to write, I heard God’s footsteps walk into the garden of my life and ask Amaka where are you? Amaka why are you hiding when Jesus has died for you? Do you not know you can now come boldly before the throne of Grace? Do you not know that it is okay to cast all your burdens at my feet? I cried as I felt God wrap me around His arms. Prayer journaling opened a new world for me and changed my words from nothing to everything. Prayer journaling has taught me grace and the act of opening up. Prayer journaling has taught me that I can’t carry everything by myself. Prayer Journaling has helped and reminded me to pray for others when I say I would. Prayer journaling has encouraged me to keep track of the salvation prayers, sicknesses, events and more. Prayer Journaling has shown me that God wants to know every detail of my life. Prayer journaling has slowly become not just what I do, but a lifestyle. Prayer Journaling has helped me to pray without ceasing(on the bus, as I write, as I eat, and beyond) because now, I can boldly come before the presence of God, trusting and believing that God wants to speak with me. Prayer journaling has also helped me remember what God has done for me in the past and has encouraged me to show gratitude.