Prayer lists
Prayer list examples for family, friends, church, and more
· 4 min read
Prayer list examples you can copy for family, friends, church, work, health, and the world, plus a weekly list and how to pray through it.
These prayer list examples show what to write and how to keep each line short and specific. Copy the ones that fit, change the names, and you have a list you can pray through today. Each example puts one person or need on a line, with one request next to it.
What does a good prayer list look like?
A good prayer list has one person or need on each line, with one specific request next to it, like “Mom, recovery after her surgery.” It covers the people close to you, your church, and the wider world, and it includes a few lines of thanks. Short lines are easier to pray, and a specific request lets you notice when God answers it.
A prayer list example for family
A family prayer list names each person with one need for this season.
Mom, recovery after her surgery
Dad, peace at work this week
My sister, wisdom as she starts college
My grandparents, health and joy
Our home, kindness to each other
For a longer family list with Scripture to pray over each person, see this prayer list for family.
To word each need as a clear request, see these prayer request examples.
A prayer list example for friends
A prayer list for friends works best when each line says what they are facing right now.
Ben, a new job
Grace, a good first semester
Michael, healing after his surgery
Lily and her new baby, rest and health
A friend who doesn't know God yet, to come to faith
A prayer list example for church
A church prayer list covers leaders, members, and the church’s work outside its walls.
Our pastor, faithful preaching
The elders, wisdom in decisions
Families with new babies
Members who are sick or grieving
Our missionaries, safety and fruit
For a fuller list to copy, with pastors, members, and missions, see this prayer list for church.
For more, see how to pray for your church.
A prayer list example for health
A health prayer list names the person, the condition or appointment, and what to ask for.
Michael, healing after surgery and patience as he rests
Aunt Ruth, clear results from Thursday's scan
Sam, sleep and calm during a hard season
Our neighbor, strength through chemotherapy
The doctors and nurses caring for them, wisdom and skill
A prayer list example for work and school
A work and school prayer list brings everyday responsibilities to God.
My manager, wisdom and patience
Coworkers going through hard things
My work, honest and done well (Colossians 3:23)
Exams this month, clear thinking and calm
A prayer list example for yourself
A prayer list for yourself keeps your own needs honest and specific, next to everyone else’s.
Forgiveness for impatience this week
Wisdom for the decision about the new job
Courage to talk to my neighbor about Jesus
A heart that loves to read the Bible
Rest, and trust instead of worry
A prayer list example for the world
A prayer list for the world looks past your own street.
Christians who are persecuted
Leaders and those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
People affected by the latest storm or war
Missionaries and Bible translators
A weekly prayer list example
A weekly prayer list spreads all of these across seven days, so each day stays short. Family comes up every day, and everything else takes one day.
Every day: Mom, Dad, my sister
Monday: Our pastor and elders
Tuesday: Ben, Grace, Michael
Wednesday: Coworkers and my manager
Thursday: Health list
Friday: Missionaries and the persecuted church
Saturday: Neighbors and friends who don't know Jesus
Sunday: Thanks for the week
Add thanks to every list
A prayer list with thanks on it reminds you how God has already answered.
Thanks for a safe trip home
Thanks for Michael's good report
Thanks for our church family
Paul tells us to pray “with thanksgiving” (Philippians 4:6, ESV).
How to turn these examples into a list you pray through
- Copy the lines that fit your life and change the names.
- Keep one need per line, in a few words.
- Decide how often each one comes up, daily, weekly, or monthly.
- When God answers, write down how.
Not sure who else to add? These prayer list ideas cover people and needs that are easy to forget, from your city to requests straight from Scripture.
See the full steps in how to make a prayer list, or start from a blank prayer list template.
Paste your prayer list into The Pray App
Any of these examples can go straight into The Pray App, because each one already has one request per line. On Home, tap New prayer card, then Have a list?, paste up to 20 lines, and tap Generate Prayers. Each line becomes a prayer card with a short prayer, a category, and the people it mentions.
On Review Prayers, each line has become a card, sorted into a category like Health, Work, or Relationships.
On Review Prayers, set each card’s Frequency, Daily for family and Weekly for the rest, then tap Create. To put a card on a set day, open it from Manage, tap Repeat, and pick the day of the week.
Get The Pray App free on the App Store, then follow the guide to add many prayers at once.
Questions people ask
What is a good example of a prayer list?
A good prayer list has one person or need on each line, with one specific request next to it, such as "Mom, recovery after surgery". It includes thanks as well as requests.
How do I write a prayer request on my list?
Name the person, then the specific need, in a few words. "Ben, a new job" is clearer and easier to pray than "pray for Ben".
Should I include things I'm thankful for?
Yes. Philippians 4:6 tells us to bring requests to God with thanksgiving. A few lines of thanks keep the list from becoming only a list of problems.
Related guides
- How to keep track of prayer requests without forgettingHow to keep track of prayer requests from friends, church, and family, so you remember to pray, follow up, and see how God answers over time.
- Prayer cards, how to use them to pray for peopleHow to use prayer cards to pray for people, what to write on each card, how often to pray through them, and what to do when a prayer is answered.
- Prayer list for church, what to pray for your congregationA prayer list for church you can use on your own or in a prayer meeting, covering pastors, members, missions, and the city, with Scripture for each.
- Prayer list for family, what to pray for each personA prayer list for family with what to pray for parents, siblings, children, and extended family, plus Scripture to pray and a way to keep it going each week.