I’m a mama.
Which means my brain has approximately 47 tabs open at all times.
Some are about my child. Some are about money. Some are about work. Some are about the future. Some are just random thoughts that decided to show up at 2:17 in the morning when I was very much trying to sleep.
And then there are the heavier things.
Grief.
Disappointment.
The days when getting out of bed feels like a whole assignment.
The days when I’m smiling, functioning, taking care of everybody, and quietly thinking, “Lord… I need You because I cannot keep doing this by myself.”
That’s actually where my prayer jar came from.
Not because I’ve mastered prayer.
Definitely not because I have life figured out.
But because sometimes I need somewhere to put all the things I don’t know what to do with.
So I write them down.
I pray over them.
And I put them in the jar.
What Is a Prayer Jar?
It’s exactly what it sounds like.
A jar where you put your prayers.
But mine isn’t just for the pretty prayers.
It’s for the “God, I’m frustrated” prayers.
The “I don’t understand this” prayers.
The “Please help me because I’m trying” prayers.
The “Thank You for getting me through another day” prayers.
And yes, even the “Lord, please handle this because I am about two seconds away from losing my mind” prayers. 😂
You don’t need fancy words.
You don’t need a perfect devotional routine.
You just need somewhere to start.
So here are 30 things you can put in your prayer jar when you don’t know what to pray.
🙏 10 Prayer Requests
1. Pray for your children
For their safety, health, friendships, confidence, character, future, and all the things you can’t control once they walk out the door.
2. Pray for your family
Even the complicated parts.
Especially the complicated parts.
3. Pray for your finances
Bills, debt, income, unexpected expenses, better opportunities, and the wisdom to handle what you have.
4. Pray for your career
Ask God to open the right doors and close the ones that aren’t meant for you.
And please give us the discernment to know the difference. 🙏🏽
5. Pray for your health
Bring the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual stuff you’re carrying.
6. Pray for your home
For peace in your home.
For protection.
For stability.
For a place where you can finally exhale.
7. Pray about a relationship
Maybe you need healing.
Maybe you need wisdom.
Maybe you need boundaries.
Maybe you’re asking God whether you should stay, leave, forgive, or simply stop trying to fix something that isn’t yours to fix.
8. Pray about a decision
Write the decision down.
Then ask God for wisdom instead of letting fear make the decision for you.
9. Pray for your future
Even when you have absolutely no idea what the future is supposed to look like.
10. Pray for your relationship with God
Sometimes the prayer is simply:
“God, help me get closer to You.”
That’s a beautiful place to start.
🤍 10 Worries to Surrender
Now let’s talk about the stuff that keeps doing laps around your brain.
Because whew.
11. Something you’re afraid will happen
Write it down exactly as you’re thinking it.
You don’t have to make it sound spiritual.
12. Something you cannot control
This one might need its own jar. 😂
Write it.
Pray over it.
Release it.
Repeat as necessary.
13. Something you’re overthinking
If you’ve replayed the conversation 16 times today, congratulations. You have a prayer-jar candidate.
14. Money worries
Write down the financial situation that’s stressing you out.
Then ask God for provision, wisdom, and peace.
15. Something from your past
Grief doesn’t always announce itself politely.
Sometimes something happens on a completely normal Tuesday and suddenly you’re remembering something you thought you’d already worked through.
Write it down.
16. Fear of failing
You’re allowed to admit that you’re scared.
Being afraid doesn’t mean you’re faithless.
17. Fear of disappointing people
You cannot be everything to everybody.
You just can’t.
And that’s okay.
18. Something you’re waiting on
A job.
A relationship.
An opportunity.
An answer.
A breakthrough.
Write the waiting season down.
19. Something you wish you could fix
Some things are simply outside your hands.
That’s a hard truth.
It’s also a freeing one.
20. Fear about the future
Write down the thing you keep worrying about even though it hasn’t happened.
Then remind yourself:
Today is today.
You don’t have to live tomorrow’s problems today.
✨ 10 Things to Thank God For
Because sometimes gratitude doesn’t come naturally.
Especially when life is hard.
Sometimes you have to look around and intentionally find the little things.
21. Thank You for another day
Even if today wasn’t particularly cute.
You’re still here.
22. Thank You for my child
For the little laughs.
The hugs.
The random questions.
Even the chaos. 😂
23. Thank You for protection
For the things you saw and the things you didn’t.
24. Thank You for provision
Maybe it wasn’t everything you wanted.
Maybe it came at the last possible second.
But somehow, you made it through.
That’s worth acknowledging.
25. Thank You for people who love me
Write down their names.
Especially the people who showed up when life wasn’t pretty.
26. Thank You for answered prayers
Write down what you once prayed for that eventually became your reality.
This is one of my favorite things to put in a prayer jar.
Because sometimes we forget what God has already brought us through.
27. Thank You for the lessons
Not every painful season feels like a blessing while you’re living through it.
But you can still thank God for what you’ve learned.
28. Thank You for small joys
A good meal.
Your favorite song.
Your baby’s laugh.
A quiet morning.
A really good nap.
A moment where nobody needed anything from you for five whole minutes. 😂
Count it.
29. Thank You for the strength to keep going
Some days, getting through the day is the accomplishment.
Give yourself credit.
And give God thanks.
30. Thank You for what I cannot see yet
This is the faith one.
The “I don’t know what You’re doing, God, but I’m going to trust You anyway” prayer.
Those are sometimes the hardest words to write.
And sometimes they’re the most powerful.
🩷 Your Prayer Jar Doesn’t Have to Be Pretty
Mine happens to be cute because, well…
I like cute stuff. 😂🎀
But your prayer jar can literally be an old spaghetti sauce jar with the label still halfway attached.
God is not grading the aesthetic.
You don’t need rhinestones.
You don’t need beautiful handwriting.
You don’t need the perfect Bible verse written in calligraphy.
You can scribble:
“God, please help me.”
Fold it.
Put it in the jar.
Done.
Prayer doesn’t have to be Pinterest-perfect.
Neither does faith.
What I Love About the Prayer Jar
For me, there’s something comforting about physically taking a worry out of my head and putting it somewhere else.
It doesn’t magically make the problem disappear.
I wish.
Wouldn’t that be nice? 😂
But it gives me a moment to say:
“This is bigger than me, so I’m giving it to God.”
And sometimes that’s the thing I need most.
Not an immediate answer.
Not a perfectly wrapped-up ending.
Just enough peace to make it through today.
🌸 Try This When You’re Having a Hard Day
Grab a piece of paper.
Write:
What am I feeling?
Then:
What am I worried about?
Then:
What do I need from God?
And finally:
What can I thank God for today?
Fold the paper.
Put it in your jar.
Take a breath.
And keep going.
One day at a time.
One prayer at a time.
One little piece of paper at a time.
And If You Don’t Know What to Pray…
Start here:
“God, I’m tired.”
“God, I’m scared.”
“God, I miss them.”
“God, I don’t understand.”
“God, I’m angry.”
“God, I’m grateful.”
“God, please help me.”
Or just:
“God, I need You.”
You don’t have to have the words figured out before you come to Him.
Sometimes the most honest prayer is the best one.
So grab a jar.
Grab some paper.
Put the pretty stuff on it if that’s your thing. 🎀✨
Then start filling it.
Worry less. Pray more.
And on the days when you can’t do much else…
just pray. 🤍
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