• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

A Joyfully Mad Kitchen

Easy recipes for building confidence in the kitchen

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
    • appetizers
    • Desserts
    • Main Course
    • muffins, breads & scones
    • holiday
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Desserts
  • Dinner
  • Breakfast
  • Meals for Sharing
×
Browse More: lifestyle » faith » 31 Days of Prayer

31 Days of Prayer

Published: Jul 1, 2014 · Last Updated: Oct 25, 2019

20.9K shares

I’m going to be completely honest with you guys, my prayer life is something I really struggle with. I’m not talking about the kind of struggle where you forget to have quiet time one day or you don’t feel like you’ve spent enough time with the Lord lately. I mean the kind of struggle where I have been telling myself for years that I need to devote daily time with God. Some weeks I do well at kind of devoting time, sometimes I go months without it. I’m just being real here, y’all.

So I’m putting my foot down. I’m setting goals and I’m committing my prayer life to the Lord. I know that when I seek Him fully, He will draw close to me. I pray that over the next 31 days I would develop a prayerful heart and cultivate the habits of spending time daily in intentional prayer.

I got this idea for 31 days of prayer from a variety of places. Originally I was going to do 31 days of prayer for my husband, which I do hope to do someday. But instead I wanted to keep things even simpler and give myself a different person to pray for each day. For some reason, I do a lot better with praying for other people than I do praying for myself. But I’m hoping that over the next month I’ll be able to develop the prayer life that I’ve always wanted to have.

The Bible talks all the time about how important prayer is, for example 1 Chronicles 16:11 says, “Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.” 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says “Pray without ceasing.” I do pray throughout my day and feel like in a way I’m in constant conversation with God but the area I specifically want to grow is setting aside a few minutes here and there to really?pray over these people in my life.?I would love for y’all to join me on this journey no matter what stage of your faith you’re in.

I made a list of 31 people to pray for over the next month and you can feel free to use this list or create on that works for you. My idea is to pray for this person in different ways. It might be someone you know a specific need for and you can pray for that, or it may be someone who is far from the Lord and you can pray for that. You may not know a thing about them but you can still pray for the Lord to be working in their life.

Day 1: Spouse (current or future)
Day 2: Parents
Day 3: Neighbor (Literal)
Day 4: Neighbors around you (community you live in)
Day 5: Co-worker (specific person)
Day 6: Boss
Day 7: Friend (specific)
Day 8: Group of friends
July 9th: Distant/Lost friend
July 10th: A new baby
July 11th: Siblings
July 12th: A member of your extended family
July 13th: Church friend or family
July 14th: Your pastor
July 15th: An ex

Click here for part two including a printable list of all 31 prompts!?

Learn more about faith and blogging. 

20.9K shares

Filed Under: faith

Looking for more recipes?

Be sure to check out the recipe index where you can browse recipes by meal type and category!

Check Out the Recipe Index

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Caroline @ In Due Time says

    July 01, 2014 at 4:54 pm

    Love this!!! What a great idea 🙂

    Reply
    • Madison says

      July 01, 2014 at 5:20 pm

      Thanks girl! 🙂

      Reply
  2. In Due Time says

    July 01, 2014 at 4:54 pm

    Love this!!! What a great idea 🙂

    Reply
  3. In Due Time says

    July 01, 2014 at 8:54 pm

    Love this!!! What a great idea 🙂

    Reply
  4. Teresa says

    July 01, 2014 at 4:59 pm

    I struggle with this as well! There are weeks where I am really good about and then it drops off for a few months or so. Not something I’m proud of, but it happens. I love the idea of 31 days of prayer!

    Reply
    • Madison says

      July 01, 2014 at 5:21 pm

      I am totally on the same page. Let’s do this as a blogging community and all grow closer to the Lord! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Teresa says

    July 01, 2014 at 8:59 pm

    I struggle with this as well! There are weeks where I am really good about and then it drops off for a few months or so. Not something I’m proud of, but it happens. I love the idea of 31 days of prayer!

    Reply
  6. TheJessaOlsonBlog says

    July 01, 2014 at 7:32 pm

    I am LOVING this!! I need to do be better about this. I feel like I’ve been slacking in this dept.

    Reply
    • Madison says

      July 01, 2014 at 10:07 pm

      I think it’s really important to not feel guilt and shame over “not doing good enough” but to remember that the Lord offers us grace! I think it’s great for us to all want to strive to be better but we shouldn’t let guilt consume us 🙂

      Reply
  7. TheJessaOlsonBlog says

    July 01, 2014 at 11:32 pm

    I am LOVING this!! I need to do be better about this. I feel like I’ve been slacking in this dept.

    Reply
  8. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 8:22 pm

    Oh I will definitely look into that app, that sounds like a great tool! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  9. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 8:23 pm

    I’m going to check out your post now! 🙂 I totally know that struggle between a check list and true fellowship. Thanks for the encouragement 🙂

    Reply
  10. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 8:23 pm

    Thanks Ashley! I appreciate it 🙂

    Reply
  11. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 8:23 pm

    Yay! I am so thrilled to have you joining me! I’d love to chat with you about some of them 🙂

    Reply
  12. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    That’s awesome Felecia! I can’t wait to work through this list as a blogging community!

    Reply
  13. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    I hope that you will Madaline 🙂

    Reply
  14. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    Thanks Courtney!

    Reply
  15. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 8:49 pm

    I agree Rachel! I’m excited to have this blogging community coming together to try to all grow closer to the Lord! It’s so exciting 🙂

    Reply
  16. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 8:49 pm

    I hope this list is helpful to you 🙂

    Reply
  17. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 9:20 pm

    Thanks girl! 🙂

    Reply
  18. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 9:21 pm

    I am totally on the same page. Let’s do this as a blogging community and all grow closer to the Lord! 🙂

    Reply
  19. Life as a Convert says

    July 01, 2014 at 9:44 pm

    Great list. I am very good at spending time with God alone at night, but I always have a better day if I do it in the morning. I am working on morning devotions.

    Reply
    • Madison says

      July 01, 2014 at 10:03 pm

      I can definitely relate! I’m such a night owl anyway, but my day definitely starts on a great foot if I spend time with God in the morning!

      Reply
  20. Madison says

    July 01, 2014 at 10:08 pm

    Hey Lena! I would love for you to join me 🙂 I totally know what you mean, setting aside time is definitely a challenge for me too. I’m actually planning on using my drive to work every day! It’s a time I normally just fill with eating breakfast and listening to the radio. But spending it in prayer (with my eyes open of course 😉 ) is a much better way to spend it I think! My drive is 10-15 minutes. For me, this challenge is more about dedicating some amount of time every day, rather than a specific amount of time if that makes sense. It’s about building the habit for me!

    Reply
  21. Madison says

    July 02, 2014 at 2:03 am

    I can definitely relate! I’m such a night owl anyway, but my day definitely starts on a great foot if I spend time with God in the morning!

    Reply
  22. Madison says

    July 02, 2014 at 2:07 am

    I think it’s really important to not feel guilt and shame over “not doing good enough” but to remember that the Lord offers us grace! I think it’s great for us to all want to strive to be better but we shouldn’t let guilt consume us 🙂

    Reply
  23. Madison says

    July 02, 2014 at 2:08 am

    Hey Lena! I would love for you to join me 🙂 I totally know what you mean, setting aside time is definitely a challenge for me too. I’m actually planning on using my drive to work every day! It’s a time I normally just fill with eating breakfast and listening to the radio. But spending it in prayer (with my eyes open of course 😉 ) is a much better way to spend it I think! My drive is 10-15 minutes. For me, this challenge is more about dedicating some amount of time every day, rather than a specific amount of time if that makes sense. It’s about building the habit for me!

    Reply
  24. rebecca lewis says

    July 02, 2014 at 3:33 am

    “Thought of the week: experience vs knowledge”!

    Reply
  25. Emily says

    July 02, 2014 at 6:08 pm

    This is so great! I love this challenge and the list! Thank you for sharing at The Wednesday Round Up!

    Reply
  26. Emily says

    July 02, 2014 at 10:08 pm

    This is so great! I love this challenge and the list! Thank you for sharing at The Wednesday Round Up!

    Reply
  27. Natalie says

    July 02, 2014 at 6:36 pm

    What an awesome idea! I know that at times I lose track of where my prayer life is and can get so busy that I forget to pray for people in my life. Thank you for following the tug on your heart and encouraging us to do the same!

    Reply
  28. Natalie says

    July 02, 2014 at 10:36 pm

    What an awesome idea! I know that at times I lose track of where my prayer life is and can get so busy that I forget to pray for people in my life. Thank you for following the tug on your heart and encouraging us to do the same!

    Reply
  29. Chantel Klassen says

    July 04, 2014 at 11:27 pm

    This is such a great idea! I’m a couple days late but I’m totally going to jump in!

    Reply
  30. Chantel -A Harvest of Blessing says

    July 04, 2014 at 11:27 pm

    This is such a great idea! I’m a couple days late but I’m totally going to jump in!

    Reply
  31. Chantel -A Harvest of Blessing says

    July 05, 2014 at 3:27 am

    This is such a great idea! I’m a couple days late but I’m totally going to jump in!

    Reply
  32. Devra Pomeroy | thePomeroyLife says

    July 09, 2014 at 1:06 pm

    It’s a few days late, but my husband and I are joining! Made our own list and put it on our blog: http://www.thepomeroylife.com/2014/07/09/31-day-prayer-challenge/
    Thanks for the idea, accountability, and the sense of unity with other Christians!

    Reply
    • Madison says

      July 09, 2014 at 1:29 pm

      That’s totally okay! Join anytime! I am going to check out your list now, but I’m SO excited to have you joining me on this!

      Reply
  33. Devra Pomeroy says

    July 09, 2014 at 1:06 pm

    It’s a few days late, but my husband and I are joining! Made our own list and put it on our blog: http://www.thepomeroylife.com/2014/07/09/31-day-prayer-challenge/
    Thanks for the idea, accountability, and the sense of unity with other Christians!

    Reply
  34. Devra Pomeroy says

    July 09, 2014 at 5:06 pm

    It’s a few days late, but my husband and I are joining! Made our own list and put it on our blog: http://www.thepomeroylife.com/2014/07/09/31-day-prayer-challenge/
    Thanks for the idea, accountability, and the sense of unity with other Christians!

    Reply
  35. Madison says

    July 09, 2014 at 5:29 pm

    That’s totally okay! Join anytime! I am going to check out your list now, but I’m SO excited to have you joining me on this!

    Reply
  36. Christy Murphey Curley says

    August 08, 2014 at 9:15 am

    I love this idea! My husband and I were just talking this morning, during our study time, about how we should be more intentional about praying for the various needs and the hurting in this world. I like the idea of making a list to hold yourself accountable. I may not use this list exactly, but I think I will borrow this idea and make my own. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Madison says

      August 08, 2014 at 10:56 am

      That’s awesome Christy! You can borrow whatever part of the list you’d like! I’d love to see your list when it’s finished 🙂

      Reply
  37. Christy Murphey Curley says

    August 08, 2014 at 1:15 pm

    I love this idea! My husband and I were just talking this morning, during our study time, about how we should be more intentional about praying for the various needs and the hurting in this world. I like the idea of making a list to hold yourself accountable. I may not use this list exactly, but I think I will borrow this idea and make my own. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  38. Madison says

    August 08, 2014 at 2:56 pm

    That’s awesome Christy! You can borrow whatever part of the list you’d like! I’d love to see your list when it’s finished 🙂

    Reply
  39. Tiffany MrsTee Haywood says

    September 26, 2014 at 11:10 am

    What an amazing idea. It is often so easy to fall into the habit of praying for what’s immediate: a need, a want, a dream but taking the time to extend your prayers to others is such an amazing thing. Thanks so much for sharing this…

    Reply
  40. Tiffany MrsTee Haywood says

    September 26, 2014 at 3:10 pm

    What an amazing idea. It is often so easy to fall into the habit of praying for what’s immediate: a need, a want, a dream but taking the time to extend your prayers to others is such an amazing thing. Thanks so much for sharing this…

    Reply
  41. stephanie says

    November 05, 2014 at 3:24 am

    i just saw this on pinterest and it was the most perfect timing of it in the whole entire world because i was literally thinking today about how i feel so lost in my prayer life. i’m doing this.

    Reply
  42. Johny says

    February 17, 2015 at 8:16 pm

    I am confused. If we have free will (because I guess we have no choice other than to have it, so it’s not free will, but still), how can prayer be effective? If the Lord intervenes he will be interfering with our free will. So therefore, prayer is completely pointless. Or is it that God wants us to constantly thank him for things that come naturally to him?

    Reply
    • Madison says

      February 19, 2015 at 3:46 pm

      Hi Johny, thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts! Free will is definitely a hard topic to grasp and I definitely don’t think it’s something I understand 100%. I will say though that I know a few things to be true. 1) Prayer isn’t just about asking God for things. Prayer is about building a relationship with Him, which is ultimately what religion/Christianity is all about. 2) I would challenge you to ask yourself (as I ask myself often) if not understanding the way that something spiritual/super natural works is enough to shake your faith in God. Does not completely knowing how free will/pre-destination works change your understanding of a Creator? If it does, then I would encourage you to take a look at what you believe and ask God to help you to believe and see His works.

      I truly believe that having a relationship with Jesus has trumped all uncertainty I have in things in the Bible that I cannot understand or principles in the Christian faith. At the end of the day, I know where I was before Jesus and my relationship with Him and I know where I am now, and that in itself is enough for me to know that He is real and He loves me more than I can imagine. So it’s only natural for me to want to respond to that good news by prayer and having communion with Him.

      Reply
  43. Chelsea Eubank says

    April 20, 2015 at 9:10 am

    This is really great. I think I’ll write out a list like this and tape it to my mirror.. that way while I’m getting ready I can also be praying. Thanks for sharing your list!

    Reply
  44. Sophia says

    April 22, 2015 at 9:44 pm

    This is an awesome idea! I’m Muslim but I sure can do this as well, can’t wait to get started! Thanks for sharing <3

    Reply
  45. Shaylynn Cherry says

    November 17, 2015 at 9:38 am

    I love this so much! And I love your blog! I was looking around at it a few weeks ago and it really gave me the encouragement I needed to start writing again. Thank you for setting a beautiful example in all that you do!

    Reply
    • Madison says

      November 17, 2015 at 6:19 pm

      Thank you Shaylynn! Definitely keep writing, your blog is such an encouragement!

      Reply
  46. Valerie says

    January 31, 2016 at 8:57 pm

    Hello! I just stumbled upon your post and thought I’d say hi. My middle name is Wetherill. My parents named me after my moms maiden name. I have a Christian Family Blog at http://www.cordof6.com. Great to see a family name!

    Reply
    • Madison says

      January 31, 2016 at 9:31 pm

      That’s too funny! I’ll check out your blog 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!

      Reply
    • Madison says

      January 31, 2016 at 9:33 pm

      So cool! Thanks for the sweet comment 🙂

      Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hey there!

I’m Madison. I’m passionate about helping you find confidence and joy in the kitchen through easy, delicious recipes!

Looking for something?

recently

Orange Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream

All-American Sugar Cookie Bars, the perfect patriotic dessert! Light cookie bars topped with homemade icing and fresh strawberries and blueberries. Celebrate American with this festive dessert! sugar cookie | cookie recipe | sugar cookie bar | cookie bars | july 4th dessert | july 4th recipe | independence day dessert | red white blue dessert | patriotic dessert | fruit dessert | strawberry dessert | blueberry dessert

Berry Sugar Cookie Bars

two chocolate banana smoothies on a wood board

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Veggie packed pasta salad is a perfect side dish for any occasion. It's great for the warmer weather for potlucks outside and perfect for brightening the colder months, too! The pasta salad is made with a mayo-free dressing and packed with vegetables like cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, corn and topped with feta cheese.?

Easy Pasta Salad without Mayo

LET'S GET CONFIDENT

Subscribe for tips to help you grow more confident in the kitchen!

Footer

follow along

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Privacy Policy

 

top categories

  • holiday recipes
  • desserts
  • Main Course
  • appetizers
  • meals for others
  • breakfast
Copyright © 2022 A Joyfully Mad Kitchen · Designed by Grace + Vine Studios