The Dump Prayer Journal: A Complete Guide & Free Printables

This Dump Prayer Journal Guide is also available as videos on Youtube.

Do you want to learn to make beautiful and amazing Bible art? Then this article is not for you.

But if you want a simple, honest way to pray while real life is happening — keep reading. This is everything you need to know about the Dump Prayer Journal method, which I have developed over the last 15 years.

The Most Common Mistake

Most people think prayer journaling has to be pretty. That is actually the most common mistake.

In fact, this prayer journal will be so ugly that when it’s full, you just throw it in the trash. Of course, the prayer does not go in the trash — God reads it carefully — but the paper does. That is why I call this method the Dump Prayer Journal.

You might ask: throw my prayers in the trash? What if I want to read them later or leave them to my children? That is exactly why. If you write thinking someone will read your text later, it’s really hard to be honest. I’ve noticed this myself — maybe you have too. When I think these prayers will be left for future generations, I start to think about how to sound humble or holy, or how beautiful my prayer sounds.

But that is not the purpose. The purpose is to be completely honest. Before God, it is pointless to pretend to be holier than you are. He accepts you and loves you as you are right now.

Why Not Just Pray in Your Head?

We all have our own ways to pray. Some sing, some dance. Writing is just one way — but I do not recommend praying only in your head. When you only pray in your mind, thoughts start to wander. One minute you are praying, the next you are not. Thoughts also easily get distorted; you cannot get a proper grip on them. When you write them down, you can see them more clearly.

Getting Started

Throw away all attempts to look good and come before God as you are. Put on your most comfortable sweatpants and take your coffee mug. All you need is an ordinary notebook and a pen — and a Bible if you have one.

I recommend the calmest time of the day for this — for example, when the kids are sleeping. Settle in a comfortable chair, take a deep breath, and relax. This is the moment to slow down before God.

Yes, you can do this. Adapt the method to your own style.

The Three-Step Flow

1. Gratitude

First, thank God for this moment. What else is good in your life right now? Something you can be truly grateful for. Thank God for that.

2. Dump Your Worries

Now write down everything weighing on your mind. Write freely, like a letter to a friend. It does not matter if you are angry, messy, or ashamed — God can handle honesty. It’s actually the ugly pages that are often the most healing.

Imagine your worries as stones you throw into God’s mighty hands. Ask him to handle them in the best way possible. Also ask him to open your eyes to what you need to do. If there is something you need from God, go ahead and ask him. Tell him what you have done wrong, too.

3. Reflect on the Bible

Read a passage from the Bible and write your thoughts about it as a prayer to Jesus. If reading the Bible feels difficult, you can also read a trusted Christian book or watch a good teaching video and reflect on that.

As you read, ask yourself: if you took one of these pieces of advice, how would you live differently? What would you do about those worries you wrote about earlier? That is the key question that turns reading into real life.

Write for as long as it feels good — that could be five minutes or two hours. You know your life and your season.

After the Session

When you are done, close the book and put it somewhere where no one can read it. You do not need to read the text ever again either. It was dumped on paper once and it is between you and God now.

Jesus says that each day has enough trouble of its own — you do not need to return to yesterday’s sorrows. Prayer has fulfilled its purpose when you have written it and God has read it. So yes, when the notebook is full, shred it or throw it away.

Take with you what you learned into your day. You may notice later that you feel a little lighter. And if you don’t, that’s okay too. You still showed up.

A Safety Note

If you notice you are writing about something really heavy, or you start to feel anxious, it might be a good idea to call a friend. When your mind is shaken, nothing replaces other people. God created us to help each other.

The Heart of It All

When you sit down, get still, and ask for God’s will, you see life in a new way. At its core, the Dump Prayer Journal is about returning to simple truths:

God is mighty
He loves me
I can trust him
Everything is okay and I am called to help others

These are the truths from which all of life should be lived. And even though you and I know them to be true, we easily forget them. Life should not be based on what was on the front page of the newspaper or Instagram this morning — even though that is interesting too.

Dump Prayer Journal is that little moment when you are completely vulnerable and honest. Honesty without an audience.

Free Dump Prayer Journal Printables

These are totally optional — you will do great without them too. The most important thing is that you take a notebook and start, even small.

Here’s a one-page printable with four small cards to support your Dump Prayer Journaling:

Dump Prayer Journaling Cheat Sheet (tuck it into your notebook or tape it inside the cover)
Truth Layers reflection prompts
“I Give You My Worries” card
“Ugly Pages = Healing Pages” card

Download the PDF (all cards)

You’re welcome to print and use these cards for personal use. Please don’t share or edit the digital file. If you want to share, share the link to this page instead.