Prayer Reminders

I haven't participated in a Works for Me Wednesday in ages but this is that kind of tip that is working for me and I just had to share.

I hate when I promise to pray for someone in a particular situation and forget. I'm not talking about praying for family and friends so much as those once in a while events like surgeries, moving, traveling, etc. And I'll just say it - prayer lists never really worked for me.

Again, this has to do with using the multiple calendar feature on Google Calendar. You can add several different "calendars" to show up on one calendar, and differentiate them by color. For instance, I have my personal calendar, meal planner, work schedule (came in handy to track overtime last fall), etc. So now I have a prayer calendar.

Since I look at Google Calendar several times throughout the day, it's a helpful reminder of people and events I want to keep in prayer. For example, a group from church is going to the Biloxi area to help with post-Katrina rebuilding efforts there. My mom is going on a mission trip to Spain. A family is moving. Someone is having surgery. So these events show up in bright teal several times a day throughout the month and kind of jog my memory.

I really do think Paul had the right idea - to pray without ceasing, or always be in an attitude of prayer. But with so many things vying for our mental and otherwise attention these days, sometimes a visual reminder goes a long way in keeping matters of prayer at the forefront of our minds.

So that's what is working for me right now, at least where prayer for others is concerned. Feel free to share something that works for you.