Prayer Tools: More on using colored note cards (Prayer Part V)

It's been a while since I last wrote about my index card system for organizing my prayer times. (See this post.) And I've promised to explain more about how I use various colored cards to keep things organized, so here goes.

To recap -
You'll need a 3x5 file box, 3x5 dividers marked 1-31, and colored index cards.

Pastel

Colored cards come in many varieties such as these:

Lined cards with colored tops

How many colors will you need? That depends on the categories you decide to go with. It's also easy to make cards from manila folders or cardstock, and that gives you access to a larger variety of colors.

Next, you'll need to think of your cards in two categories:

Moving cards vs. Stationary cards

STATIONARY CARDS - these stay in place behind their day of the month divider.

MOVING CARDS - these are ones I cycle through very frequently. So after praying through them on a particular day, I then move them forward either 1, 3, or 5 days.
   

Today I'll explain the moving cards.

Each day I start with some scripture to help me focus on and worship the LORD. (I'll explain more about that next time.) And I also want to always remind myself to STOP and give thanks. So I use this traveling card to prompt me to do that:

This card reminds me to think through the previous day, reflecting on and giving thanks for God's daily mercies!

Cards for Tim and the grandgirls - these cards are light peach

Every day I pray for my husband, so after I pray through his card, I move it one slot forward.

Normally I divide my children and grandchildren cards into three stacks and rotate through them every three days. After using, they just proceed forward three spots.










Finally, there are other people and things I wanted to pray for, but I knew if I tried to do all every day, I would become overwhelmed. (And likely quit.) So I divided these prayer needs over five days. Naturally, each category has its own color.

Category	Color	Days of the month
Prodigals and others who need Jesus	Blue	1, 6, 11, 16, 21, 26, 31
Friends (also struggling marriages and single moms)	Pink	2, 7, 12, 17, 22, 27
Church	Green	3, 8, 13, 18, 23, 28
Small group	Purple	4, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29
Missionaries and Ministries	Yellow	5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30

On the top of these colored cards I write the numbers which indicate the days they will be used. That helps me know where to move them. (But since the card dividers fit five across, each time the colored cards simply move back one layer. In other words, #1, 6, 11, 16,  21, 26, and 31 all line up, front to back. As do the numbers for each of the cards.)

Oh - I should mention another reason I've found this card system SO very useful in every day life. You know those times a friend asks you to pray for something, and you agree to? But maybe you pray a couple of times and then forget. The prayer cards give you a place to capture that request and then faithfully follow through in prayer!


When I first set up my prayer cards, these are the ones I began with. But after a while, I wanted to add more cards with scripture to help guide my prayers. I'll explain about those next time!