Recommendations for “A Praying Life”

This season’s small group series will be focused on the topic of prayer in the Christian life.  We will be going through a book titled, A Praying Life by Paul Miller.  Miller is the director of seeJesus.net, an organization that creates small group materials.  The book intertwines biblical truth with real life application of how he and his wife have grown in their relationship with Jesus Christ resulting from being brought to their knees in prayer.

The back cover of the book says, “Let’s face it, prayer is hard!  In fact, prayer is so hard that most of us simply do not pray unless an illness or a public setting, such as saying grace at a meal, demands it.  Prayerlessness is rooted in a core unbelief that can shape our lives, even as Christians.  Because of prayerlessness, our lives are often marked by fear, anxiety, joylessness, and spiritual lethargy.  If prayerlessness marks your life more often than not, then this book is for you.”

Here is what different people have written about this book:

Dr. Philip Ryken, senior minister, Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania writes, “Paul Miller refuses to separate the spiritual life from the rest of our daily living.  In A Praying Life, he shows the difference that constant communication with Christ makes in the everyday experiences of life, especially the life of the family.  Reading this book will help you make prayer a more important part of your own life story by integrating prayer into the daily routine of life.” 

Bob Russell, retired senior minister, Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, Kentucky writes, “Like many Christians, I struggle to maintain a meaningful prayer life.  Too often my prayers are hurried, shallow, and perfunctory.  In his book A Praying Life, Paul Miller has provided an inspirational and helpful resource for all of us who want to pray better.  Paul uses compelling stories, solid scriptural support, and insightful spiritual principles to first explain the nature of prayer and then to provide practical suggestions on how to pray.  You will enjoy reading this book and then, I think, marvel at how much more meaningful your prayer life can become.”

David Powlison, faculty member at Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation writes, “A Praying Life will bring a living, vibrant reality to your prayers.  Take it to heart.”

You can also read a review of the book by Tim Challies at http://www.challies.com/archives/book-reviews/a-praying-life.php

So we invite you to join one of our weekly small groups as we set our sights on loving God through connecting with Him in prayer!