Keeping a prayer journal

I don't know if you know this or not, but I'm a writer.

That means that, often, I think better on paper.  So I keep a writing journal and a personal journal to help me think things out, but I've also started keeping a prayer journal to help think out that aspect of my life.

My prayer journal is in the same book as my personal journal (since many times what I'm writing about in my personal life leads to prayer), and it's both prayer request lists and actual written prayers, as well as helpful verses, quotes, and clippings.  Whatever I find spiritually helpful goes into my journal.

Starting a prayer journal was not a big leap for me because I do keep a personal journal.  And I do still pray aloud or silently without writing the prayers, but sometimes writing prayers helps me really think about what I'm praying and meditate on the issues at hand.

One of the big benefits I've found in keeping a prayer journal is the lists of prayer requests I have.  The physical act of writing prayer requests helps me remember them, and when I get my prayer journal out to pray, the lists are right there in front of me.  It works well for my prayer life.

I recommend that anyone who prays regularly keep a prayer journal.  You may not want to write out prayers in yours, but even if you just have a place to keep your prayer requests, your prayer journal would be a help to your prayer life.  (You could even get a notebook small enough to fit into your Bible bag.)

Do you have a prayer journal?  If so, how do you use it?