Notecards: a simple tech-free method for prayer.

Notecards.

Oxford Dot Grid Index Cards, on top of the 1662: International Edition, affixed with a library catalog card sleeve

Faced with trying to keep track of prayer requests, and actually praying for them, I picked up a method of parish prayer from a Coptic priest, and have expanded upon it:

1. Carry 3x5 notecards everywhere. As above I use Oxford Dot Grid

2. Ask someone how you can pray for them.

   1. If you’re a pastor, this may come up frequently, but this can be a conversation started in the course of everyday evangelism and missionaries-to-the-world

3. Write the request on the front of the card.

4. On the back of the card write the person’s name (Or other identifying information to place the context of the prayer: be careful with carrying personal data!).

   1. Keep at least a connection—on the card or digitally—with the card’s prayers, so you can contact the person to follow up.

   2. Note: be mindful of identifying information, whether content of the request, or of contact information. : if you were struck dead and someone came across these, or they were stolen, would this be hurtful to the person asking for prayer?

5. Append future prayer requests from the same person to the card.

6. Add it to your “deck of cards” and regularly rotate these prayers with your Daily Office / daily prayers. this may be once a month, or once a week, etc.

   1. Revisiting the prayer allows you opportunity to continue the conversation based on the info in (4).

   2. If the prayer is answered, you can mark it for thanksgiving.

7. When no longer “in rotation” move the card to a filed box (available inexpensively as “recipe boxes” at thrift stores). Or more expensively, Libary Card Catalog boxes:

   

8. If the person has new requests, add to same card, until full. If full keep in file and start a new one. This will be a record of answered prayers in pastoral counsel, follow-up, etc.

   1. Or, according to preference and content of request, prayer cards may destroyed when no longer in rotation.

I use a self-adhesive library catalog card sleeve (pictured at top) in the back of a prayer book for holding these notes, and also keep them in a “Field Notes” wallet:

{ιμκ☩}