20th - 26th October 2025
Recently I had the opportunity to travel down to a small village called Drimoleague. It is close to Bantry, west of Cork, in the south of Ireland. We spent a few days staying in a wooden pod at a place called Top of the Rock. During our time in this stunning part of Ireland we took a drive out to a beach called Barley Cove. This is a beautiful windswept beach framed by green hills and open sky. It was a place my parents brought me when I was about four or five years old. As I stood there again, beside the rusted metal signpost with its distinctive zigzag top, the kind used across Southern Ireland to mark landmarks, my memories were stirred.
When we returned home I went to visit my father to show him the photos we had taken of Barley Clove and other landmarks around the area. My father, who now lives in a nursing home with dementia, looked at the photo of the sign, taken from the hillside overlooking the cove, and something remarkable happened. Though his short-term memory is all but gone and he struggles to remember our visits and conversations from one day to the next, his eyes brightened as he recognized this place. He smiled and I saw my father, for in that moment he remembered.
That small, almost insignificant moment was one of real connection that felt like a gift from God. Dementia has taken so much from him, his capacity to do what he once loved to do, his ability to remember daily visits, even my name at times. He lives in a nursing home instead of living with my mum, his wife of over 66 years – it truly is a cruel illness.
Yet in that flash of recognition, I saw my dad again, the man who once brought me to this beautiful cove as a small child. It reminded me how precious memory is and how much of God’s word is about remembering. We are told to remember the Lord our God, to remember our creator in the days of our youth, to remember what God has done for us, to remember his promises, to remember Jesus and his sacrifice for us, to remember how God has changed us, to remember the poor and needy. But how do we do that, how do we remember and not forget?
In the Old Testament, God’s people built memorials, piles of stones, altars or monuments to help future generations recall his faithfulness. Like the signposts in Ireland that remind you where you are, these landmarks in the Old Testament said, “Something important happened here. Don’t forget.”
I love this idea of remembering, not forgetting, because it is so easy in the busyness of life to forget what God has done and is doing in our lives. Hopefully this week’s prayer diary will give us an opportunity to pause, remember and give thanks to God for what he has done.
Written by David Mairs
MONDAY
Remembering God’s Wonders
“I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.” Psalm 77:11
The psalmist speaks of deliberate remembering, not letting the past fade away but rather holding it close. When trouble comes, as it so often does, our memory can become like medicine to us when we recall how God delivered us previously and, as a result, our trust and hope rises again because we know God is faithful.
Today, take time to remember one moment when God helped you, even in something small. Thank him for his faithfulness. Like that Barley Cove sign I mentioned, let that memory point you back to God’s goodness.
Heavenly Father, help me to remember the times when you have revealed yourself to me and helped me in my times of need. When I forget, remind me again of all you have done for me. Let gratitude steady my heart and hope renew my faith. I love you, Father, Amen.
TUESDAY
Forget Not All His Benefits
Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Psalm 103:2
Forgetting comes so easily. The psalmist tells his soul to remember and in some way to list God’s mercies and blessings. Gratitude opens our eyes to God’s presence in the everyday.
Pause today to count three blessings. Write them down or speak them aloud. Let each become a signpost of God’s grace in your life.
Heavenly Father, I thank you for the blessings I so easily overlook … for breath, for family, for food on my plate, for a roof over my head. Teach me to live in remembrance of all you have done and are doing for me and make me always aware of your goodness in my life. Amen.
WEDNESDAY
The Power of Memory
I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. Psalm 143:5
Memory shapes our faith. The psalmist does not just recall, he meditates. He lets his memories shape his worship of God and his trust in God.
What story from your past reminds you of God’s strength or mercy in your life? Reflect on it slowly. Let it form fresh confidence for today’s challenges.
Heavenly Father, I thank you for the stories you have written in my life. Help me to treasure them and draw strength from them. Remind me again and again of who you are and what you have done for me. Amen.
THURSDAY
Stones of Remembrance
In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them …
Joshua 4:6–7
When Israel crossed the Jordan, God told them to set up twelve stones so future generations would know what he had done for them. Memory was meant to be shared.
What “stones” could you set up today as a memory of what God has done or is doing in your life? Maybe a journal entry, a photo to set in a prominent place, a song to play on repeat or an inspiring story that resonates with your heart and reminds you of God’s faithfulness! These are gifts not only for you, but for those who follow and will read, see, listen to what God did in your life.
Heavenly Father, you are the God of generations, help me to mark the moments of your faithfulness in some way so that others may see, understand and believe. Let my life tell the story of your steadfast love. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
FRIDAY
When Memory Fades
Even to your old age and grey hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. Isaiah 46:4
For those who suffer memory loss, or care for someone who does, this promise shines bright: God remembers us. Even when our minds fail, his unfailing love never fails us.
If you carry grief over what has been lost, rest in this, God’s memory of us is perfect. He holds our stories when we cannot.
Heavenly Father, thank you that you never forget your children. When our memory fails and strength fades, you promise to remain faithful. You promise to hold us in your remembrance and your unfailing love. I love you, Father, Amen.
SATURDAY
Stirring Up Remembrance
I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God. 2 Timothy 1:6
Paul encouraged Timothy to remember the gift of faith that he had been given and to rekindle it. Faith, like memory, can fade if neglected but it can also be stirred again.
What gift or calling have you let grow dim in your life? Ask God to remind you of it and to rekindle it. The Holy Spirit still works through old embers and can fan them up into a flame again.
Holy Spirit, awaken my heart again. Stir fresh faith, fresh hope within me. Remind me of the gifts you have given to me and teach me to use them for your glory once again. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
SUNDAY
Come and See What God Has Done
Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind! Psalm 66:5
Remembrance leads to testimony. When we recall what God has done, we are moved to invite others to come and see. Memory becomes mission.
Think of someone who needs encouragement or hope. Share one story big or small of God’s goodness in your life. Let your remembering become someone else’s awakening.
Heavenly Father, may my life be a witness to your faithfulness. Give me the courage to share the stories of your goodness in my life through the tears and the laughter so that others may come to you and believe. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.