Prayer Jars: Asking and Thanking

I was homeschooled when I was a child and we had morning devotions with my mother every day. After we read the Proverb of the day, we had a Prayer Jar that we passed around from which each of us drew 2-3 prayer requests. The requests included names of people we wanted to pray for each day like the president, our pastor, each family member, as well as prayer needs that our family had been made aware of. As a family, we saw many answers to prayer. We also saw that some prayers that were not answered the way we had hoped. The times when the prayers seemed to go unanswered gave us an opportunity to talk about God and His sovereignty. I hope this set of Prayer Jars will help your family to…

•  Constantly watch for needs that God can meet.
• Grow in compassion for others as you bring their needs to God.
• Become more confident in prayer.
• Strengthen your faith as you watch God answer prayers, large and small.
• Develop a grateful heart and express your thankfulness to God.
• Deepen your love and trust in God.

What to do:

1.  Decorate two Jars. One says “Prayer Jar: Asking” the other says “Prayer Jar: Thanking”
2. Make strips of paper and put them with some pens where everyone can find them.
3. Write each prayer need or name and the date on a single strip of paper and add them to the Asking Jar.
4. Pass the Asking Jar at any family meal, devotions, or maybe at bed time. Everyone can draw two or three to pray for each time. (Or pray for all of them every time if you choose) Then put the paper back in the Asking Jar for the next time.
5. When God answers, shout Hallelujah and thank Him for His goodness as earnestly as you asked for it.
6. Write the date on the back of the strip of paper and put it in the Thanking Jar.