“Prayer Apps and Prayer Lists”
Earlier this year, I explored different prayer apps, and while not all were helpful, my prayer life grew from the exercise. I settled on a personal favorite called "PrayMinder," which is just a well-done prayer list app. I want to reflect on what many Christians have known for years — the game-changing power of a prayer list — and why I have come to love this particular app. I'll also mention a couple of other apps at the end.
4 Ways a Prayer List App Can Strengthen Your Prayer Life
1. The Scriptural Solution to Anxiety.
I've long appreciated the value of a brain dump, from my first discovery of David Allen's productivity classic, Getting Things Done. But I had never thought of it as a weapon in my spiritual warfare against worry, fear, and doubt.
Recently, I’ve faced heavy trials and often found myself waking up at 2 AM to work through them. At some point in the midst of those prayer struggles, I realized that my prayer app gave me a bucket to pour my concerns into, knowing I would continue to come back to them each day, asking God to bring his all-good, all-wise solutions (with or without me, as he saw fit). It's amazing how my brain and heart started releasing them as I typed them in, prayed about them, and set them on the schedule to return to and witness God's work.
As Paul directed, "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Phil. 4:6). It's a command with a promise: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:7).
2. Goals, Hopes, and Attitudes.
But prayer isn't just for the problems in our lives. It also helps us "press on … straining forward" (Phil. 3:12-13) to grow in the Lord. I love to dream up ways the church and our family could do more for Christ and be more like him. A good list lets me write out character traits I need to work on and lift them up to the Lord. And to “roll” my big projects to him (Prov. 16:3), enlisting his help in all my work.
3. Pray Without Ceasing.
When you always have your list with you, any free moment can be the “sweet hour of prayer.” One thing I like about a good prayer app is its ability to bring me back to prayer throughout the day with prompts. I used to use alarms for this, but the prayer app I use nudges me much more frequently to send little “arrow” prayers (cf. Neh. 2:4) up for specific topics I've identified.
4. Stand with Others in Times of Need.
We can make an unseen impact on each other when, like Paul and Epaphras, we struggle in prayer for one another (Col. 2:1; 4:12). I used to hesitate to tell people I'd pray for them because I was afraid I might forget and break that commitment. I've now found a better way to encourage them — not by promising them I will pray for them — but letting them know I have prayed for them every day since we talked.
When you ask someone what you can pray about for them, they usually pause, and then give some specifics you can capture and spend time repeating to God throughout the week.
I find it helpful to have my list app open during our church announcements (listing the sick and other needs) which helps me integrate into the concerns of the church family. For a guy that admittedly can get wrapped up in my own projects and concerns, it has helped me stay focused on others.
And as meaningful as it is to let a friend know you've prayed for them, it's also a blessing to keep many of those prayers for someone throughout the year between you and God (Matt. 6:3-6).
While any prayer list—paper or digital—can make a difference, I’ve personally settled on one app that I want to recommend. Here’s why PrayMinder has stuck for me, where other solutions for this never have.
Why PrayMinder Is My Favorite Prayer App
1. It's Simple
When a concern comes to mind — whether I’m sitting alone studying or listening to the announcements at church — it’s easy to hit the “+” button and add it to my list. I have it set to bring topics up throughout the day, prompting me to “pray continuously.” Each prompt is short and sweet: it says the prayer topic followed by a big green “Amen” button. The prompts work well with my phone and watch.
2. It's Pleasant
When I'm ready to pray, the list lets me sit with a collection of all my prayer commitments and concerns. It’s satisfying to follow up a prayer by touching the “Amen” button, knowing the Lord has heard the prayer. It’s a tangible action that helps me give the concern to God and leave it there until I pray again. I also love writing longer notes within some of the items on the list, using it as a prayer journal to pour out requests for others, personal concerns, and thankful praise.
The idea of constant reminders has always sounded like my personal nemesis — annoying interruptions disrupting the flow of my work and relationships. But these feel less like nagging notifications and more like appropriate, edifying prompts to keep the line of communication open throughout my day (1 Thes. 5:17).
3. It’s Free
It’s run by a couple who began the project after asking themselves “How can we pray more?” They do take donations, but have kept it free and ad-free.
Other Prayer Apps Worth Trying (With Pros & Cons)
My approach at the beginning of this process was to search for “prayer apps” and download almost every one. I tried several guided prayer apps, like the “Abide” app that celebrities like Mark Wahberg, Chris Pratt, Gwen Stefani, and Jonathan Roumie are always promoting in my YouTube feed. That one had too much of a Roman Catholic flavor to be worthwhile for me, and required a paid subscription.
The Bible app by YouVersion also has a daily guided prayer as part of its Daily Refresh — at times I’ve found that really helpful. It's free and integrates with regular Bible reading.
The one dedicated, guided prayer app that I've kept on my phone is Lectio 365 by Prayer 24/7. The app provides a written morning, mid-day, and evening prayer with audio. The prayers feature Scripture prominently and follow thoughtfully chosen themes. They're rich and packed with Biblical imagery. Plus, it’s nice to have a prayer partner handy any time of the day, someone who has prepared their heart to lead your time with God.
So on the one hand, the Lectio 365 app has made a difference in my spiritual life — particularly in a season of trial I went through earlier this year. Still, I find myself disagreeing with some of their theology, which makes me hesitant to give a hearty recommendation. It’s essentially a digital lectionary focused on prayer — a set calendar directing worship throughout the year. As such, it also focuses more on a liturgical calendar than I usually prefer to organize my prayers around. So because of the positives, I’m noting it here with some disclaimers.
No app will replace the faith and dedication required to grow in prayer. There are no shortcuts to devotion. Worship and fellowship can’t be downloaded like a game. And a prayer list might as well be a basic to-do list if we don’t slow down and reverently recognize the Holy One we approach. But may we always seek to use every blessing — digital or otherwise — for his glory.
This one small habit — keeping a prayer list — has anchored me in trials and kept me connected to God throughout the day. If you’ve never kept one, try it this week — paper or digital — and see what God does through it.