A Planner for a Life of Prayer

I received this book in return for an honest and unbiased review from Crossway Books in participation with the Crossway Review Program.

You may be wondering why I have opted to review a prayer journal and planner geared towards women. Fair question! First, I have a wife, 2 daughters, and a very large female reading audience and my goal is to encourage just a few to devote more of life to prayer. That goes for you too, guys! And to be honest, I think many of us men could actually benefit from a planner like this, as well.

So let’s have a look at Lois Krogh’s Planner for a Life of Prayer!

First Impressions of Pour Out Your Heart

My first impression of this book was what a beautiful, well crafted design. The book is hardcover with cloth over board and it feels like one of those well made books that’s a pleasure to handle. It has a classic feel, like when bookbinders spent time perfecting their craft.

The pages are high quality as you would hope for in a book that you’ll be writing in. There is plenty of space for journaling, notes, or for your own expressions.

The cloth cover is an attractive light blue and there are 2 matching ribbons attached.

A Different Prayer Journal

Usually, you’ll find detailed instructions and nearly page by page guidance in a typical prayer journal. They can sometimes leave little room for your own creativity or expression, and may even feel micro-directed at times.

The Pour Out Your Heart Prayer Journal has a completely different approach and serves more as a prayer planner than a micro-managed step-by-step guide.

Pour Out Your Heart: A Journal, Planner, and a Record for Prayer

I find this refreshing because instead of giving you ideas and pre-formulated opinions on Scripture or prayer, this journal leaves that up to you. There are guidelines to follow, but you are led to put in the effort of reading Scripture, interpreting and applying it to your life or circumstances.

This comes as a huge benefit because the format allows you to step out of what may be comfortable to you, encouraging you to place your focus on prayer, Scripture, or on your thoughts around a hymn. This will help to strengthen you against following pre-made patterns that ultimately end up becoming checklists that have little nutritional value, spiritually speaking.

Benefiting from the Pour Out Your Heart Prayer Journal

As earlier mentioned, this book is designed for women of faith and that is exactly who will benefit the most from the Pour Out Your Heart Prayer Journal. It is not particularly feminine, so certainly guys could use it as well. However, it is special to have a solid option to present to the ladies that doesn’t feel like the frilly, run of the mill “women’s ministry” material.

This prayer planner and journal is solid, meaning it will guide the user towards a deepening, authentic, prayerful relationship with the Lord and towards the truth of Scripture.

Crossway’s Pour Out Your Heart Prayer Journal comes with my most sound recommendation and would also make an attractive, useful, and meaningful gift.

About Lois Krogh

Lois Krogh has been in mentoring and discipleship ministries for almost four decades as a homeschooling mother of six, grandmother, and wife of a pastor and missionary. She developed a Titus Two mentoring program and currently leads workshops on the practice of a lifetime of prayer.