Prayer Pail

A privilege I have teaching at a Christian school is praying with my students.

I want them to see prayer for the blessing it is! (Isn't it amazing that God hears our prayers at any moment of the day!)

He loves to spend time with us. He loves when we talk with Him: when we bring Him our joys, worries, or requests.

Just like we spend time talking with those we love, prayer is a spiritual discipline that grows us closer in our relationship with God.

It's easy for me to unintentionally turn my prayers into a Christmas list: "God... I need this, and this, and this..... if you could provide, help, give...." But prayer is so much more!

I found this practical idea that many people call the prayer pail. It's a simple way to pray for a variety of things.

Each morning, I have a girl and boy student each pull a green stick. I pull a 3rd. We take turns praying for our topic and then return the sticks (red side up). When all the sticks are red, we flip them and start over.

To Make Your Own Prayer Pail

You need:
         1 container
         Large Popsicle sticks (One side colored green and the other red. I used a Sharpie for this.)

Write a topic, or person's name on each stick.

     Here are a few topic we have in our prayer pail to get you thinking...
        - Families
        - Houses (and toys)
        - Missionaries
        - Pastors
        - Our President
        - Community Helpers (police officers, firemen/women)
        - Wisdom
        - Loving others
        - The Bible
        - Our School
        - Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace...

       I've had students ask to write their own ideas on popsicle sticks and add them to the pail.


Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18