Write it…with either ink on a page or keystrokes on a keyboard. A lot of people don’t like to journal. It seems daunting or a waste of time. But when you’re trying to stretch yourself in prayer, you need to try some new things. Even if you’ve become accustomed to praying through writing, you can try a new approach to stretch yourself and grow in your relationship with God. Because we can get into ruts, we need to try new things, even if it’s not something we’ll do again and again (creating a new rut).

What one word is on your mind and heart? Write as many connecting or descriptive words that you can. They don’t have to be full sentences. Or creatively write the word across the page, then doodle and draw around it. As you express what the word means to you, commit it to God. Filter everything through His truth so that He can separate out what misconceptions you have. Let Him re-prioritize your thoughts and desires.

Create a word cloud. A word cloud is a visual arrangement of many words that have something in common. In this case, the general commonality is your prayer. What’s on your mind and heart? Words that carry more importance should be written larger, and less important words smaller. You can write words all over a page without an overall design or create a shape that represents your prayer, such as a cross, heart, or cloud. You can also use free online word cloud websites, such as wordle.net.

Fill your cup. Take a coffee cup and fill it with scraps of paper with your prayers written on them. Commit each one as you put it in the cup. You can write complete sentences if you want, but words and phrases are fine, too. God knows the details. As you place the lid on the coffee cup, seal your prayer with a firm commitment that what you hand over to God is His. Each time you drink coffee (or another favorite beverage from a coffee cup), think about the prayers you’ve given to God. As you firmly grasp the cup, recommit to filling your cup with your concerns, handing them to God, and trusting Him to fill your daily cup with His nourishing, refreshing presence.