Prayers that Changed History

Prayers that Changed History
Written by Tricia Goyer
Published at Zondervan

About the book

Twenty-five stories of historical figures who prayed to God and as a result, history was changed.

One prayer can change everything.

Martin Luther. Sojourner Truth. Helen Keller. St. Patrick. We read their stories, and of other people like them, in history books, and hear about the amazing things they did to change the world. But one part of the story is often left out: Each one of them wouldn’t have accomplished what they did without prayer.

In this book from bestselling author Tricia Goyer, the stories of twenty-five notable people are presented along with the major prayer that changed their lives and changed history. Following each historical example is a biblical story that ties to that person’s life and actions, as well as ways you can use the power of prayer in your life as well. Because God isn’t done changing the world yet, and he would love to use you to make history.

My Thoughts

As soon as I saw this book promoted on facebook, I thought it would be great as a homeschool resource.   I wasn’t mistaken.  The book is packed with interesting stories about prayer but it doesn’t stop there.   Following the historical example of prayers you will also find a section of the chapter that will find a biblical story that ties to the person’s life and actions, learn how that person changed history, and finally how you can apply the lesson learned in your own life.

There are over 25 stories of notable people presented through the pages of this book; Polycarp, Constantine, St. Patrick of Ireland, Oswald King of Northhumbria, Christopher Columbus, Martin Luther, Governor William Bradford, John Eliot, Susanna Wesley, John Newton, Robert Raikes, Mary Jones, Sojourner Truth, Catherine Booth, David Livingstone, Florence Nightingale, George Müller, Billy Sunday, Helen Keller, Amy Carmichael, John Hyde, Mother Teresa, The British People of WWII, Corrie ten Boom, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  Each of these people is chronologically presented in the book.  

As much as this book is originally intended for kids, I think it is a great read for parents as well.  It could be used as part of your homeschool as a read-aloud or as part of family devotion in reading and discussing a specific person.  The book can complete a study on prayer or be used as part of your history lessons.   We recently studied the explorers as part of our homeschool coop and right inside this book I could use Christopher Columbus and David Livingstone for read-aloud with my kids.  One of my boys did a presentation on Christopher Columbus and we made sure to read the chapter on his prayer before the presentation.  No matter how you plan to use the book, it is definitively a fabulous addition to your personal library whether you read it aloud or you assign the book as a personal reading for a child.  It is a great resource to teach about prayer.

Prayers that Changed History is available for purchase at your favorite bookstore, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

The book is also available for Kindle or Kindle app.

 

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Prayer Warrior Mom

Prayer Warrior Mom – Covering Your Kids with God’s Blessings and Protection
Written by Marla Alupoaicei
Published at Thomas Nelson

About the book

Moms, are you struggling with patience? Worrying about your children’s spiritual development? Concerned about their social or behavioral issues? Wondering how to get it all done when there’s just never enough time?

Author Marla Alupoaicei knows that today’s Christian moms want to be the parents God intended. They desire to pray boldly and stand in the gap for their kids. But many mothers haven’t been equipped with the prayer skills, scriptural knowledge, and practical strategies to fight the spiritual battle for themselves and their children.

Marla is no stranger to these trials. She has felt the simmering frustration and discontentment that come from the constant tension of trying to do it all for her family. But as Marla began to turn everything over to God in prayer, He granted her an attitude of gratitude, the antidote to despair. “When you and I choose to praise the Lord, He will be fully present in our hearts, in our homes, and with our children,” she says.

In Prayer Warrior Mom, Marla invites you to walk with her through fifteen life-transforming principles that will empower you to effectively intercede for your children. Learn to cultivate your own attitude of gratitude, pray Scripture, be persistent, pray with power and authority, be your children’s #1 advocate, hear God’s voice above the noise of daily life, and much more! 

My Thoughts

As soon as I saw this title announced on a Book Sneeze email, I knew I wanted to review it.  The best part is that it became available on my birthday so in a way it was a gift to get this book to review.   I find this book very inspiring and encouraging for me.  It’s offers guideline in how to strengthen and make your prayer life more alive when it concerns your kids.   This year I am on a journey in not only discovering God as my Father but in learning to become more proactive and constant when it comes to pray for my family.   Having a book like the one here is a marvelous tool to have and carry with you around when you have a device for ebooks.   

The book will slowly train you to become a mighty warrior of prayer for your children.   It will start with teaching you how to be grateful and train your kids to be grateful on a daily basis.   A friend of mine gave me a beautiful leather journal for my birthday.  I decided to use it as my gratitude journal like the author strongly suggest to have.   Each day since I received this journal, I jolt down some of the things I am thankful for.   At night I sometimes ask my kids what they are thankful for …  I’m still working on the daily part of it… *grin*   I do it daily but there are days I forget to ask the kids about it.   Then you will learn to pray scriptures, to stand in the gap (enjoyed reading this chapter a lot!), be aware that answered prayers doesn’t always mean “YES” it could mean “NO” or “NOT NOW”, praying with authority, the power of persistence, fasting for spiritual breakthrough, holding our children losely, hearing God’s voice above the noise in our life, be your children number one advocate, discern God’s will for your kids, live with a spiritual perspective and model forgiveness and grace to your kids.

The author pours her teaching and personal experience through the pages of this book.   At the end of each chapter you will have the opportunity to pray the prayer, dig in the Bible with specific verses that will become your Sword of the Spirit on the subject covered in the chapter and ponder how the teaching apply in your life with the Small Group Discussion Questions. 

I am personally deeply encourage with this book and highly recommend it to every mom out there.   I know that I do struggle with patience and worry about my kids on various levels.   Being trained to become a prayer warrior for them is essentials for every mother who loves their kids.   Consider expanding your prayer life with Prayer Warrior Mom this year.  You won’t regret it.

Prayer Warrior Mom is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

  

The book is also available on Kindle.

   

Disclaimer: Thanks to Thomas Nelson for sending me the above mentioned product in the e-pub edition for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Praying the Scriptures for Your Children

Praying the Scriptures for Your Children – Discover How to Pray God’s Will for Their Lives
Written by Jodie Berndt
Published at Zondervan

About the book

An inspiring guide for mothers on how to pray scripturally for their children, filled with encouraging true stories and handy resources to begin praying powerfully today.

Who is Jodie Berndt?

Jodie Berndt is the author of several books, including Celebration of Miracles, Generous Living (coauthored with Ron Blue), and Praying the Scriptures for your Teenagers. She is also a former writer and producer for The 700 Club. She and her husband, Robbie, have four children. They live in Virginia Beach, VA, where Jodie leads a weekly prayer group for mothers who have learned to trust God and his promises to work in their children's lives.

My Thoughts

Let’s go back in time for a minute or two.   Back on January 2nd, I realized that Family Matters had a challenge to pray for your kids throughout the month of January.   Each day of the month, they were posting a specific prayer item for your kids via the 31 Days of Prayer for Your Children.  I enjoyed it so much that I wanted to pursue this habit in praying for my kids using Scriptures.   So just before January ended, I stumbled on that came out in 2001 and requested it to review.    One February day, I received the book Praying the Scriptures for Your Children in the mail.   I was delighted and immediately embarked in new praying habit for my kids.

The book is divided in five important theme for our kids’ lives.  

• Praying for Your Child’s Faith – salvation,love God’s Word, gifts, and promote God’s Kingdom.
• Praying for Your Child’s Character – wisdom and discernment,servant’s heart, kindness and compassion, self-control, diligence and self-discipline.
• Praying for Your Child’s Safety – physical health and safety, protection, emotional well-being, crisis.
• Praying for Your Child’s Relationship – with friends, with siblings, with teachers and coaches, with you.
• Praying for Your Child’s Future – purpose in life, marriage, management of time and money, when he/she leaves your nest.

Each and every single prayer theme contains a chapter on how to pray for the highlighted theme (ex: servant’s heart) which will give you example from the author’s life, perspectives to consider on the theme and wisdom in how to pray for this specific issue.   You will also have prayer principles through the chapter to encourage you to pray specific things about the subject of the chapter.   Then at the end of the chapter, you will have numerous prayer examples  which are base on scriptures.

I’ve been using this book daily through the month of February in order to pray more for my kids.   What I particularly like about this book is the fact that I can pick different scriptures prayers for each of them at the end of a specific chapter.   I would say that I would go through one of two chapters each weeks.   I am definitively planning to pursue this reading and pray for my kids on a day-to-day basis on specific issues that could happen in their lives.

I think this book is a gem in itself.  Not only will it encourages you to pray scriptures on your children but it also guide you in deepening your daily conversations with God.   I highly recommend it to any parents out there who would like to expand their prayers for their children.

Praying the Scriptures for Your Children is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

     

The book is also available for the Kindle.

     

Disclaimer: Thanks to Zondervan for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Praying Circles around Your Children

Praying Circles around Your Children
From Mark Batterson
Published at Zondervan

About the book

Based on his New York Times bestseller, The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson shows ordinary parents how to become extraordinary influencers in the lives of their children through prayer in Praying Circles around Your Children. You'll never be a perfect parent, but you can be a praying parent!

My Thoughts

I was expecting a book.  I received a booklet.  My first reaction was “What the heck?” but when I started to read it I realized that I could improve my prayer time for my kids.   And I got new ideas and opportunities to do so.  

The booklet contains nine chapters which starts with an introduction on praying circles if you haven’t read the book The Circle Maker – like me. From there, you  are propelled into praying in circles for your kids.  The first circle consist of circling the promises of God for your kids.   Then you are instructed in making prayers lists, creating prayer mantras, forming praying circles and praying through the Bible.   The book can easily be read in one day but I suggest that you take one chapter at a time and ponder on what you have read.    It will help you to stretch the potential of praying for your kids and develop new techniques in doing so.

Needless to say you can judge a book by its cover or the size of it.  This little gem is packed with great ideas on how to get your prayers for your kids even more meaningful and according to God’s will for them.   No two children is the same.   I sure know that praying for my four kids differ in many ways.   I have three boys who are quite different in character from each other and then God blessed us with a marvelous spunky girl.    Each of these kids are unique in many ways whether in their learning or in their way of dealing with things.  Consequently, I can’t think that one prayer fits all…   No sometimes, I will need to pray for God to help one of my child to understand his math lesson because he has more trouble learning or pray that another one learn self-control when we ask him to stop doing something instead of continuing whatever he is doing that gets on our nerves.   This booklet is a great reminder for me that my kids are different and consequently my prayers for each of them should be different as well.

I would recommend that every Christian parents get this booklet in order to spice up their prayers for their kids. 

On another note, I had received two other copies of the booklet to give away.   I have decided to bless my two sister-in-laws with them because I know that they would want to expand their prayers for their own kids as well.    With the guidance of Mark Batterson, I suspect that my kids, nephews and nieces will be covered in prayers in various ways through their life.

Praying Circles Around Your Children is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca and amazon.com.

     

The booklet is also available for the Kindle.

    

Disclaimer: Thanks to Zondervan for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

365 Pocket Prayers for Women

365 Pocket Prayers for Women
Published at Tyndale

About the book

Sometimes it can be difficult to know what to pray for or even how to talk with God. Following in the footsteps of the popular 365 Pocket Prayers that has touched so many lives, here is an edition just for women. 365 Pocket Prayers for Women lets you grow closer to God through this honest and heartfelt collection of daily prayers. There’s a topical index in the back of the book so whether you need to pray about conflict, self-esteem issues, health and healing, your family, or a recent disappointment you’ve experienced, 365 Pocket Prayers for Women helps you open your heart to the one who listens. Each reading in this convenient, easy-to-carry, quick-access guide begins with a daily prayer and ends with a promise from Scripture.

My Thoughts

As soon as I got this little book I was in admiration with the texture of the cover and the embedded flying birds in it.    I love it when publishers do something special with a book that can be carried everyday in your purse.   Because this book is a definite gem to have handy EVERYWHERE you go.   It is packed with prayers to uplift you every day and you can go back to your readings at any time of the day and reflect more on the scripture that is suggested for that day.

What is also nice about this book is that it doesn’t begin with January 1st and can be started anytime during the year.    Some days you will have a full page to read while other days you will get only half a page.   The book covers issues from healing to family.   Everything you can think off will be covered with a prayer.

The day start with a title and a reason why you could pray that.   Right from the beginning the author don’t waste time and starts the prayer.   Somehow, without realizing it, it can easily fit into your life and what you are experiencing.   To conclude, you can read the Scripture at the bottom of the page and reflect, journal and ponder on how it can be applied in your life.

I am enjoying this little book quite a bit and it can be found closely with my journal and my Bible.   Being an homeschool mom I know I need to spend time to do my devotions and I usually do it early in the morning in the living room.  The kids can see me daily going to read there and learn from me at the same time.   So far, I have two kids independent enough to read their Bible on a daily basis.   I look forward to have all four of them taking the time in the morning to spend time with God!

I would recommend this book to every women no matter where they are at in their walk in life.   It can be a great tool to reflect on God’s Word and grow spiritually and prayerfully as well.

365 Pocket Prayers for Women is available for purchase at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book for review purposes from Tyndale. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Amish Prayers

Amish Prayers
Compiled by Beverly Lewis
Published at Bethany House

About the book

A One-of-a-Kind Collection of Inspiring Prayers Used by Amish and Mennonites for Over 300 Years!

The Amish and other Anabaptist groups have treasured the same book of prayers for centuries, turning to it for inspiration during times of peace as well as persecution. Now a selection of prayers from Die Ernsthafte Christenpflicht is readily available in English. This exclusive, authentic translation from the original German--with an introduction by bestselling author Beverly Lewis--pairs each prayer with a Scripture passage and offers insights into the rich spiritual foundations of the Plain people. Whether used for personal devotions or in a group setting, this beautifully illustrated collection will draw you closer to God.

Who is Beverly Lewis?

Beverly Lewis, born in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, is The New York Times bestselling author of more than eighty books. Her stories have been published in eleven languages worldwide. A keen interest in her mother's Plain heritage has inspired Beverly to write many Amish-related novels, beginning with The Shunning, which has sold more than one million copies and was recently made into an Original Hallmark Channel movie. In 2007 The Brethren was honored with a Christy Award. She has been interviewed by both national and international media, including Time magazine, the Associated Press, and the BBC. Beverly lives with her husband, David, in Colorado. Visit her Web site at www.beverlylewis.com for more information.

My Thoughts

I have been curious about the Amish life for quite some time.   But until this year, I only had a glimpse of their lives via novels written by many popular authors.   However, in 2011, I have received books that give me a better insight on how the Amish live their faith.    Amish Prayers is such a book.  The prayers are simple and quite direct.  Yet they are beautifully written and inspiring.   

Throughout the book, you will also see some drawings of the people or of items from their life like a rocking chair for example or canning supplies.   Simple yet touching I find.   I love the drawings.   They are well done and show the modesty in clothing and accessories.

The book is small enough that you could bring it with you and dig into it anytime you need to.    In it you will find prayers for a new day, for divine guidance, of gratitude, of repentance, for comfort, of praise, for strength, for purity of heart, for unity, of humility, of submission as well as prayers in the evening. Each prayer is accompanied by a scriptures.

I always love to have little books such as this one that I could refer to when my words are missing in my prayers.   I love having a glimpse of prayers that the Amish would say.   Their lifestyle seems to me so peaceful and such.  

See for yourself what the book looks like.

Amish Prayers

Amish Prayers is available at your favourite bookstore, even amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Bethany House for sending me the book for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.