The five basic patterns for writing devotionals listed below were originally suggested by Mary Lou Redding, managing editor, The Upper Room (used with permission).

1. The Interior Monologue: One person reflects on past experiences. An individual looks inward to seek understanding.

2. A First Person Interacting with Others: One individual is talking to and/or sharing an experience with others. (My friends and I, my daughter and I, etc.)

3. A Third Person Reports or Observes: The writer didn't participate in the incident. He is telling about someone else’s experiences.

4. The Object Lesson: Take a common object and reflect upon it. Use items such as a turtle, a sunset, a rock formation, or ocean waves.

5. Phrase or Motto Set in a Christian Context: Take a well-known motto and think of how Christians could understand it in a different way.
Example: Crossover means taking the Cross over to an unsaved world.