Prayer Journaling: Daily Prayer for Hearing God’s Voice | Spiritual Guidance | Discerning God’s Will

About Prayer Journaling: Daily Prayer for Hearing God’s Voice | Spiritual Guidance | Discerning God’s Will

Prayer Journaling with Sara Tucker is the podcast created to help you recognize God’s voice so you can thrive in a Holy Spirit–led life. Each week you’ll discover actionable strategies for experiencing God’s presence when life feels overwhelming, along with the wisdom and clarity needed to face life from deep security in the Father’s love. Each episode explores the patterns that keep people spiritually stuck, then focuses on simple, practical ways to enjoy God’s presence and follow His guidance in everyday life. The podcast also features interviews with authors, influencers, and other notable guests who have helped others build a fresh and consistent daily prayer life. Do you ever wonder: Why does prayer sometimes feel clear and alive, and other times confusing or distant? How do you recognize God’s direction when decisions actually matter? And what does a real friendship with God look like in everyday life? If you believe God is present and speaking but want to understand how that relationship actually works, you’re in the right place. _________________________________ No matter where you are in your prayer life, Sophiculture offers a safe place to slow down, ask deeper questions, and discover what He’s really saying to you. Next Steps: Get our free "Hearing God Starter Kit" at: Sophiculture.com/guide (http://sophiculture.com/guide?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExbjBkU0ZaYURySVQwTFJRYnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4YhALGH3ixRt4XLH9FxNxCuR_UmS66qkzNx2EqxguUXA4NpgBFRv1V-omz6w_aem_vbJn6vpW9ogk__URevjC6Q) Get more personalized support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus at: Sophiculture.com/illumination (http://sophiculture.com/illumination?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExbjBkU0ZaYURySVQwTFJRYnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6YoM7ikMrna_GTnoqDjULbDi_Skg1RDZCE_VZfyeAjNS5b1iqfj_RDXiLNYg_aem_s_Qxkf49nN-waaFzqcnWGw)

Publisher

Sara Ruth Tucker | Prayer Life Coach

Category

education · religion & spirituality

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 May 2026

Latest episode

20 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

15 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Oct 2026

   EP 14 - Can't Feel God's Presence? Here's How to Know He's Close

   When you're longing for a closer connection with God, it's easy to focus on whether you can feel his presence. But what are the reliable ways to recognize his involvement in your life when you need to know he's close? God's communication can become much easier to recognize when you begin paying attention to the personal ways he's already been interacting with you. In this episode, we'll explore how to recognize God's responses and develop a more natural, ongoing connection with him. You'll discover: How to recognize insights God's already been giving you through Scripture, conversations, and everyday circumstances. How to invite God's personal perspective into your prayer journaling. How to develop relational teamwork with God as you respond to what he's showing you. How the Ask, Write, Test process can help you discern his communication. As you learn to recognize God's involvement in your everyday life, you can grow more confident that he's near, even when you don't feel anything unusual. Next Steps: Get our free Hearing God Starter Kit and learn the journaling process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personal support for your relationship with God in our membership community at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

2. 

   12 Oct 2026

   EP 13 - Overthinking Surrender to God? 3 Checks to Get Your Joy Back

   What if trying harder to surrender to God is actually stealing the joy from your relationship with Jesus? You want God to guide your everyday decisions, but sometimes the pressure to pray more, listen more, and surrender more leaves you wondering whether you're doing enough. Even your time in the Bible can start feeling like just another responsibility. In this episode, discover how to recognize when you're trying to control your relationship with God and begin enjoying the freedom of having his support. We'll explore three simple checks to help you recognize what's getting in the way of your joy: The Identity Check: “Am I operating from my royal identity as a child of the King?” The Attitude Check: “Does my work feel like a privilege from God, or just a burden I’m expected to carry?” The Activity Check: “Are my actions coming from overflowing love, joy, and peace?” You'll discover how prayer journaling can help you recognize where you're seeking satisfaction, bring your deeper needs to Jesus, and experience a more natural, peace-filled relationship with him. Next Steps: Get our free Hearing God Starter Kit and learn the journaling process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personal support for your relationship with God in our membership community at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

3. 

   6 Oct 2026

   EP 12 - Crying Out to God With No Answer? Here’s What’s Really Going On

   You sit down to pray, but God feels distant. So you start searching yourself. Have I done something wrong? Is there sin I haven’t dealt with? Do I need to get more serious, more disciplined, or more pure before I can feel close to him again? When prayer feels blocked, it’s easy to start searching yourself for the problem. In this episode, we’re talking about what happens when that desire to be right with God turns into spiritual self-monitoring, and how to bring the whole struggle directly into conversation with him. You’ll learn: Why feeling distant from God can trigger an exhausting cycle of self-examination How trying to make yourself pure enough can actually make the block in your prayer life feel bigger What to ask God when you’re afraid he may be disappointed with you How the Ask, Write, Test process helps you explore what God may be saying without assuming every thought came from him Why God’s enjoyment of you doesn’t begin after you’ve successfully improved yourself If you’ve been wondering why you can’t feel God’s presence, whether something is wrong with your relationship with God, or how to hear God’s voice when prayer feels stuck, this episode will help you go directly to him with confidence. Next Steps: Get our free Hearing God Starter Kit and learn the journaling process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personal support for your relationship with God in our membership community at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

4. 

   29 Sept 2026

   EP 11 - Am I Backsliding? 3 Journaling Steps When Prayer Feels Dry

   What if feeling far away from God doesn’t mean something’s wrong? Sometimes the love, joy, and peace that used to flow naturally in your relationship with God start to feel dry. You may wonder if you’re backsliding, especially when you’ve continued praying, seeking God, and studying scripture. Dry seasons can bring up old questions, wounds, and half-truths about God’s character. And learning to recognize what’s happening underneath those feelings can help you become more secure in your friendship with Jesus. In this episode, you’ll learn: how to recognize what may be going on underneath the surface in a season of spiritual dryness how to uncover assumptions you may be making about God’s heart for you three prayer-journaling steps for working through a dry season how to become steadier when your feelings about God start to wobble If God has felt harder to perceive lately, this episode will help you explore what’s happening and bring those questions honestly into your prayer journal. Next Steps: Get our free "Hearing God Starter Kit" at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personal support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus in our membership community: Sophiculture.com/illumination

5. 

   21 Sept 2026

   EP 10 - Am I Missing God's Voice? How to Interpret His Confirmation

   You think God might be confirming something. But what exactly is he confirming? Maybe a scripture stands out. Someone says something that fits exactly what you’ve been thinking. Something you needed suddenly falls into place. It feels like God is responding to you. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s giving his stamp of approval to the whole decision. And that’s where things can get confusing. In this episode, we’re talking about how to receive confirmation from God without making it mean more than it does. We’ll get into: What confirmation from God can actually tell you about a decision you’re making Why a real response from God may not be an answer to the question you thought you were asking Two questions that can help you figure out what God is showing you How to live with a decision for a while without constantly rethinking it What to do when something new gives you a reason to reconsider Why changing your mind later doesn’t automatically mean you missed God before I’ll also tell you about the time a dog door answered months of prayer, but still didn’t tell me whether God wanted us to keep the dog. If you’ve ever thought, “God, I know you’re showing me something. I’m just not sure what,” this episode will help you know what to do next. Next Steps: Get our free Hearing God Starter Kit and learn the Ask, Write, Test process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personalized support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

6. 

   8 Sept 2026

   EP 9 - Still Second-Guessing? How to Discern God’s Will in a Big Decision

   What if you make the decision and realize later that you overlooked something important? That possibility can keep you asking God for more clarity even after you’ve prayed and gathered a lot of the pieces you need. When the stakes are high, it can be hard to tell whether your hesitation means there’s still something you need to work through or whether you’re simply second-guessing yourself. So how do you know when you need to keep discerning and when it’s finally time to decide? In this episode, you’ll discover: How to tell whether you need more puzzle pieces or you’re second-guessing the ones you already have Why self-doubt can interrupt the honest conversation with God that still needs to happen How to bring your thoughts, feelings, and desires into the discernment process How to recognize when you need more time, deeper biblical study, or qualified counsel Why getting a decision wrong doesn’t mean you’ve missed your chance to live inside God’s will You don’t have to keep searching for a hidden golden pathway and worrying that a wrong decision will take you off course. You can learn to work through a big decision in partnership with God, pay attention to the pieces that still don’t fit, and recognize when you're ready to move forward. Next Steps: Get our free "Hearing God Starter Kit" and learn the journaling process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personalized support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

7. 

   31 Aug 2026

   EP 8 - Rules or Relationship? Why Hearing God's Voice Takes Two

   Maybe you’ve heard people say, “It’s not about religion for me. It’s about the relationship with God.” But what does that actually look like? If you have a relationship with someone, you talk with them. And this is where things can get confusing with God. We know how to pray, read the Bible, and try to follow what it says. But when we ask God a question and something comes to mind, we wonder, “Was that God, or was that just me?” That’s what this episode is about. Sara gets really practical about what it looks like to have a two-way conversation with God. She talks about what to do when your mind goes blank, how to handle thoughts that might be from God, and why knowing what the Bible says doesn’t always mean you know just how it applies to your situation. And you won’t just hear about it, you’ll get to try it. You’ll discover: Why feeling disconnected does not mean you are disconnected from God How the Holy Spirit might be communicating through your ordinary thoughts Why knowing what the Bible says doesn’t always tell you how God wants you to apply it How to stop running both sides of the conversation A guided prayer-journaling exercise for writing and testing what comes to mind If you’ve ever struggled to trust yourself to hear from God, even though you trust the Bible, this workshop will give you a scripturally grounded place to begin. Next Steps: Get our free "Hearing God Starter Kit" and learn the journaling process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personalized support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

8. 

   24 Aug 2026

   Ep 7 - Need Spiritual Guidance? Try These 3 Steps

   You keep asking God for His plan. Why isn’t He telling you? You’ve prayed about the decision. You’ve asked God what He wants you to do. Maybe you’ve even journaled about it more than once, but the pieces still aren’t coming together. When that happens, it’s easy to wonder whether you’re missing His voice, or whether He’s answering you at all. But what if the uncertainty is actually part of how you and God are working out the answer together? In this episode, Sara shares what she learned during a season when she needed God’s direction for her future but still had practical decisions to make about work, money, ministry, and where to live. She explains how God’s direction can become more clear as you gather the pieces you already have, talk through your options with Him, and allow experience to fill in what’s still missing. You’ll also learn why asking for God’s plan can sometimes be connected to wanting reassurance that He sees and knows you. You'll see how Scripture, common sense and experience can help you discern what to do. Questions for Your Prayer Journal Do I feel seen, known, and enjoyed by God right now? God, how do You feel about me right now? Here’s how I feel about You. What do You want me to know about Your heart? What is already obvious about this situation, even if I’m not sure it represents what God wants? What have other people recommended or pointed out that might give me more options, even if I don’t like their ideas? What biblical scenes or principles come to mind when I think about this situation, and what do they help me notice? What hangups or barriers might need to be overcome so the path forward becomes more clear? How do I feel? What does my gut say, and what does my heart desire? God, what do You want me to know about the thoughts and options in front of me? Does this thought sound like something the God of the Bible would say? Where do I see Him thinking this way, or not thinking this way, in Scripture? If you keep asking God for the whole plan and still don’t have it, you may not be failing to hear Him. You may simply have more pieces to work out together. Next Steps: Get our free "Hearing God Starter Kit" and learn the Ask, Write, Test process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personal support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

9. 

   17 Aug 2026

   Ep 6 - Feeling Like You Don't Measure Up? Why We Sometimes Avoid God

   Have you ever hesitated to talk to God because you thought you already knew what he was going to say? Sometimes an atmosphere of constant Christian improvement can come right along with us into our prayer journals. We know the biblical ideals, we know where we’re not measuring up, and before long, we’re supplying God’s correction before we’ve given him a chance to tell us what he actually thinks. In this episode, I’m sharing a recent prayer journaling conversation that challenged what I thought God was doing in one area of my life. We’ll look at what Revelation 3 reveals about correction, fellowship, and hearing Jesus’ voice, and then we’ll practice a simple process together for bringing one barrier to God, asking what he wants us to know, and testing what we hear. Because the things that make us want to hold back from God may be the very things we need to lay out on the table with him. Next Steps: Get our free "Hearing God Starter Kit" and learn the journaling process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personalized support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

10. 

    10 Aug 2026

    Ep 5 - How to Recognize the Enemy's Lies When You Pray

    Why do some situations leave you feeling discouraged every time you pray about them? If you’ve ever felt weighed down by a problem and wondered where your thoughts were leading you, this episode is for you. In this episode, Sara explains why spiritual warfare doesn’t require us to identify every attack. Instead, awareness helps us recognize when painful experiences and the enemy’s lies have become mixed into the way we see a situation. Using a personal story that began with an unexpected image during prayer, Sara shares how years of disappointment in friendships shaped what she expected for her daughter. She explains how God brought that hidden interpretation to the surface, reminded her of truth He had already been teaching her, and showed her how it applied to the conflict she was facing. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why the hardest lies to recognize contain real history and partial truth How the enemy’s influence can raise doubts about God’s character and His relationship with you Three questions for testing what a thought leads you to believe about your Father How awareness differs from spiritual hypervigilance A simple Ask, Write, Test practice for bringing a situation into partnership with the Holy Spirit If you've ever found yourself assuming the worst, wondering why hope feels so difficult, or questioning whether God has anything meaningful to say about your situation, this conversation will help you notice what's happening beneath the surface and take the next step toward hearing his voice with greater confidence. Journal prompts from this episode: Questions for testing your own thoughts: What is this thought leading me to believe about the way God treats me? Does this agree with what Scripture shows us about Him? Does this way of thinking draw me to enjoy our relationship, or move me away from it? The basic Ask, Write, Test process for listening to God’s voice: Ask God what He wants you to know and write down any thoughts that come to mind, whether they seem important or not. Then test those thoughts by what you know of God from Scripture. Ask yourself whether this is something He would say to you, if he were sitting next to you. Next Steps: Get our free "Hearing God Starter Kit" and learn the journaling process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personalized support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

11. 

    4 Aug 2026

    Ep 4 - Is This Thought From God or Just Me? Here's How I Test It

    How do you know if a thought is from God or just from you? If you've ever asked yourself that question in the middle of an ordinary day, this episode is for you. In this episode, Sara shares a simple, practical way to test your thoughts by remembering God's presence, asking Him what He wants you to know, and noticing whether the thoughts that come to mind reinforce the biblical principles He's been teaching you. Using a personal story about losing her job, Sara explains how God brings fresh reassurance by reminding her of truths He's already been building into her life. She also shares the questions she uses to untwist anxious thinking and reconnect with God's perspective in everyday situations. In this episode, you'll discover: Why forgetting about God's presence keeps us from recognizing His thoughts. Three simple questions to help you test your thoughts in real time. How to recognize when a thought reinforces what God has already been teaching you. A practical way to create a personal battle plan for recurring frustration and anxious thought patterns. How to use reminders to help you return to God's perspective during stressful moments. If you've ever wondered whether a thought is from God or just from you, this episode will help you develop a simple, biblically grounded way to test your thoughts and reconnect with what God has already been showing you. ______________________________________________ Next Steps: Get our free "Hearing God Starter Kit" and learn the journaling process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personalized support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

12. 

    27 Jul 2026

    Ep 3 - Is God Really Speaking to Me? Discerning God's Voice

    Have you ever wondered whether God's really speaking to you or whether you’re just making things up? You may be waiting for His voice to feel more clear while overlooking the ordinary ways He's already communicating. In this episode, we’ll explore how your past relationships can shape what you recognize as love, correction, and safety from God. You’ll also learn a practical way to discern God’s voice by writing down what comes to mind, and comparing it with what you know about Him in Scripture. You’ll discover: Why God’s voice may feel less obvious than you expected How your personal history can affect the way you receive God’s love Why knowing God helps you recognize when He is speaking How to evaluate thoughts, Scriptures, convictions, and promptings A simple practice for everyday prayer conversations Next Steps: Get our free "Hearing God Starter Kit" and learn the 4-step journaling process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personalized support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

13. 

    18 Jul 2026

    Ep 2 - Doing Everything Right But Still Not Feeling Close to God?

    You've prayed. You've searched scripture. You've applied biblical principles. You've asked for wisdom. So why does God still feel distant? In this episode, Sara explores a subtle misunderstanding that keeps many sincere Christians stuck. Sometimes we're looking for more clarity when what our hearts are really longing for is deeper interaction with God himself. You'll discover why biblical principles alone can't replace an ongoing relationship with your Father, how self reliance can gradually replace real intimacy, and a simple journaling practice that can help you begin a genuine, two-way conversation with God. In this episode you'll learn: Why knowing God's truth and experiencing God's presence aren't the same thing How biblical principles lead to interaction, and interaction creates intimacy A practical framework for beginning a two way prayer journal with God Why God's affection, not just his guidance, brings lasting peace Remember, intimacy grows through repeated interaction over time. You don't have to measure up in order to feel God's enjoyment. You can begin experiencing it today. Next Steps: Get our free "Hearing God Starter Kit" and learn the journaling process featured in this episode at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get personalized support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

14. 

    7 Jul 2026

    Ep 1 - Not Sure What to Say to God in Prayer? Start Here

    Wondering how to pray from the heart, hear God's voice, and stay focused during prayer? Do you start talking to God, only to get lost in your own thoughts a few minutes later? In this episode, I'm sharing a simple prayer journaling routine that helps you stay connected with God, hear his voice through scripture, and avoid the distraction, overthinking, and confusion that often make prayer feel difficult. You'll learn why prayer can be hard to sustain when everything stays inside your head, how visualization, scripture, and journaling work together to create meaningful conversations with God, and the three common prayer approaches that often leave believers feeling disconnected. I'll also share the story of how I first learned to recognize God's voice as a child, the discernment lessons that shaped my prayer life, and the 4-step prayer journaling shortcut I still use today to help women experience a more personal, biblically grounded connection with Jesus. If you've ever thought, "Prayer should come from the heart, but I don't know where to start," this episode will give you a simple place to begin. Get our free "Hearing God Starter Kit" at: Sophiculture.com/guide Get more personalized support to build a thriving friendship with Jesus at: Sophiculture.com/illumination

15. 

    25 May 2026

    Welcome to Prayer Journaling: Daily Prayer for Hearing God’s Voice

    Prayer Journaling with Sara Tucker is the podcast created to help you recognize God’s voice so you can thrive in a Holy Spirit–led life.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

6 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings