Insightful look at prayer
936282
Excellent book on prayer.  Easy to read yet thought provoking. Good illustrations throughout give real world examples of the principles in each section.
575633
This is a book that will be helpful to a broad audience of seekers.  The rich array of styles of prayer offers encouragement for many!
945228
Offers many of his experiences that have help the author in his pastorial duties. Prayer has moved out of the closet and is being used by more people besides those praying for victories on the football field.
624919
Bjorklund had been excited about prayer but, slowly, over the years, his excitement waned.  As a minister, he knew there should be more to prayer than he was experiencing.  His experience had been with extemporaneous prayers and he viewed liturgy and written prayers with suspicion.  Then a friend suggested a book of prepared prayers using Scripture.  He began to experience renewal in his prayer life.
He found other prayer books and discovered that what others had prayed gave voice to his own feelings, longings and struggles.  The structure invited him to pray about things he had never prayed about before.  The discipline produced a greater intimacy in his prayers.  He found areas in him that still needed surrendering.  He found that the struggles of Christians through the centuries were not that different from ours today.
From his personal journey with prayer was born this daily compilation of prayers from classic and contemporary sources.
This book is to be a means of prompting for prayer and reflection.  There are 260 days of prayers (five days a week, fifty-two weeks).  They are undated so one can begin to use them any time.  Each day has a Scripture prayer (his own translation), a written prayer (from a variety of sources), and a prayer meant to be a prompt for continued prayer.
Bjorklund has included ten primary types of prayer: thanksgiving, confession, affirmation, petition, renewal, praise/adoration, Christlike character, wisdom/guidance, intercession, and surrender.  The themes rotate systematically so one is prompted to pray in ways that may not be natural for them.
Bjorklund is quick to note that his book is written from a distinctly Christian perspective.  The existence of the Christian God is assumed as is Jesus Christ as Redeemer and Savior.  The reality, presence and power of the Holy Spirit is also assumed.
These daily prayers are not ones that can be lightly read over and ignored.  Bjorklund's unique Scripture translation causes the passage to be one of personal involvement.  The cry of the psalmist becomes our own.  The promises of Scripture are made to us.  The admonitions of Scripture become our personal commitment.
The prayers from Christians throughout the centuries are both challenging and comforting.  They challenge us to be all God desires of us.  They comfort us as we experience the same struggles as the saints of old.
For those who want to add their own confessions, thanksgiving, and petitions, the last prayer for each day provides for that open-ended experience.

"Through these prayers," Bjorklund hopes, "your experience of prayer will be enriched, your relationship with God will be deepened, and your desire to serve God and the needs of the world will be expanded."  (17)

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Moody Publishers for the purpose of this review.
1793981
Brueggeman's prayers are insightful, articulate and thought provoking.  I have used them in private devotion, small groups and large corporate worship.
2703997
For anyone who is really seeking to understand and participate in the early, actual prayers of the Christian Church this book is for you.  After the Psalms, this book gives insight and inspiration to the intense prayers of the Church Fathers and Mothers.  It is worth the cost, when one calculates the cost of buying multiple contemporary prayer books available.

Steve A.
Scottsdale, AZ
2476817
I love this book.  It has helped me understand prayer in a new, fresh way.  I used to think of prayer as asking for what I need.  Now I think of prayer as also just being grateful for everything I have. This is what the author calls a prayerful attitude. I really see how maintaining an attitude of prayer and celebration fulfills Paul's command to pray without ceasing.  This is a nice quick read. I totally recommend it for anyone who wants to bring a living, breathing spiritual component into everyday life.
1006973
This is a thoughtful book that will very likely leave an imprint on the life of the reader.  Robert Benson presents the practice of "praying the office" as a way of life.  He orients the reader to the origins, history, and significance of the practice, and also tells of his personal experience with it.  Of particular significance to me is the observation that when one engages in this kind of prayer, one adds his voice to the voices of those all over the world and throughout time who have prayed, do pray, and will pray the office.  You will recommend "In Constant Prayer" to others.
3339561
St. Ignatius' "Examen," is little more than a variation of the Examination of Conscience at its core, if you stop and think about it, but it is also so much more, since it encourages a person to review the day as a whole, not simply to discover our faults, but more importantly the see the ways God has worked in our lives and ways we are open to God's will.  Jim Manney, a onetime editor for Loyola Press, wrote this reflection of how the Examen can be prayed and the effect it can have on the life of someone who uses this prayer on a regular basis. The book begins with a discussion of the background of the prayer and how it fits into Ignatian spirituality. He then devotes a chapter on the five parts of the prayer: praying for light (God's guidance), giving thanks to God, reviewing the day, looking at ways that things have gone wrong, and resolving to do something. Manney shows throughout the book ways that the prayer can work in our lives to discover God's will but also to lets us see ways we may not be the person we ought to be.  At times he even shares his own experiences of simple ways we may need to change in ways we often don't realize.

This book is a quick and easy read with plenty of examples and thought provoking aspects. It also has an easy "how to" guide for people praying the Examen for the first time but can be helpful for those who have been praying the Examen for many years who either need a refresher or would like new ways of looking at this wonderful method of praying.
2938675
Simple style, easy to read, but full of profound insights worth 'chewing on.'  The author, the director of an organization devoted to Bible translation, draws personal illustrations from his many years overseas in a cross-cultural setting.  Some illustrations are humorous, some poignant, but all seemed (to me) to achieve their purpose. The Foreword by Max Lucado--a writer whose writing I have long respected and benefited from--was the primary reason why I decided to read the book.  Lucado praised the writer as a person as well as the content of his writing. I figured if Lucado thinks the book is worth my time, it probably is.  I was not disappointed and was even surprised how glad I was that I read the book.

We commonly bemoan our need to pray 'more.'  But author Pruett says whether or not this is true, it's crucial that we pray DIFFERENTLY.  I was intrigued by his perspective on two aspects of prayer that I felt I already knew a lot about:  persistent prayer and what it means to ask in Jesus' name (a chapter devoted to each).  For the first of these, I had felt I understood Christ's parables of the persistent friend and the desperate widow so well that I could teach about them.  Yet, reading Pruett's articulation of principles of persistent prayer made me see my blindspots on this topic. I'm now more encouraged to keep praying about things for which the answers I long to see have not yet come after years of praying, and to change the ways I have prayed about these things/people.  For example, if someone we care about is not following Jesus, we shouldn't pray for things that would require God to violate that person's free will because God won't do that. But we can pray that believers acquainted with that person will take seriously their role as 'salt and light' in the unbeliever's life, living out the light of the Gospel and speaking truth as opportunity arises. We can pray that God will use circumstances to help the unbeliever recognize his or her need and see the foolishness of remaining in spiritual darkness.  Etc.

As for praying in Jesus' name, we must pray the kinds of prayers that we know align with God's will because they echo what Jesus himself taught and prayed.  "In His name" doesn't mean praying anything we want and then tacking on the words "in Jesus' name, Amen" at the end. Rather, "in His name" references the person and purposes of Jesus.  What honors Him? What pleases Him? What matches His heart?  Many of our 'prayers' are rote or self-absorbed or miss a key biblical emphasis of advancing God's Kingdom.  Sadly, too few of our prayers actually resemble the prayers we see in scripture. So this book actually has a secondary benefit--it can drive readers back to scripture to see what God says is important to Him so that, in turn, our prayers will match His priorities.  Along with this, the chapter on group prayer was unforgettable.

One additional helpful aspect of the book is a set of questions at the end of each chapter that can be used for personal reflection, personal discipleship with another person, and/or group discussion.  Readers of any level of spiritual maturity will find helpful material herein.
4250669
I give it 4 stars.
It gives good insight as to how we are to approach prayer, in heart, mind, an attitude, before ever saying a word.
I would reccomend this book to anyone truly seeking how to pray.
477851
I have quite a few prayer books, but there's something different about this one.  It really does make me slow my breathing and calm for a bit and transition into a more contemplative frame of mind.  The prayers are beautifully-written, and are for the most part short (a few sentences), but I find that I want to read them slowly so I can let the words really sink in.  The prayers cover a range of topics -- one might be about asking forgiveness, another about praying for others, another about surrendering our desires -- yet all focus on pulling us closer to God.  This is a terrific resource for anyone who wants a little extra help in making the chatter of the world recede in order to enter a more prayerful space.

I received this as a review copy from Paraclete Press.
3177936
Prayer is one of my favorite topics so when anything comes out on prayer, I want to consume it! This title was particularly timely in this obsession I have though because I have been wrestling with how a more formalized prayer purpose or intention should look in our church setting. Thus, the title, Praying Together sparked my interest in my search for helpful, practical answers.

This book was Biblically sound on prayer, which is important because I find many that are not. The author even gave a span of when people started calling out in prayer from Genesis to Revelation. She then addressed occasions of contemporary movements of prayer which I found very interesting as well.

There were also basics on prayer and personal stories. Then the information that I was most interested in was praying together practically in the here and now. I loved the practical ideas that were included in this which will help me apply these in my own setting. There is power and unity that comes in praying together as groups. I was thankful for this timely book at a moment when I was processing this same issue. I know I can implement some of these things personally. I think if you take the time to read this book it will greatly encourage your prayer life.

I received a copy of this book at no charge from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.
1220331
I chose this book because I was curious about what someone from another time might think about how to pray. I wasn't disappointed! This short booklet gives a deeper understanding of the way Jesus modeled praying for all of us. I'll read this again and see what other nuances I can glean from Andrew Murray's perspective.
2961228
This little volume is an excellent primer on prayer. J.C. Ryle is direct, impassioned, and convicting as he addresses Christians on the importance and practice of prayer. The book is direct, well reasoned, founded on Scripture, and addresses readers in a personal and didactic way. I highly recommend this work for Christians seeking to learn more about prayer as well as much needed motivation and encouragement.

"Do not lose heaven for want of asking."~pg. 29
1748450
I find this book thoughtful and reflective as it uses the perspectives of several saints in evaluating the relationship between prayer and contemplations.
223909
I love Holman's interpretation of Saint Paul's curious phrase, "Pray without ceasing," found in Thessalonians.

Holman's definition of "Pray without ceasing is "an unceasing attitude of appreciation and delight which may be offered to God as an unending prayer." Alternative words for appreciation and delight are thanksgiving and joy. When we are thankful and joyful we are prayerful. These are root attitudes of prayer. A wonderful insight! This prayerful attitude that Holman illuminates is essential for making prayer accessible in the twenty-first century. There are many who still think of prayer as getting on one's knees and praying specific auditory prayers. On the contrary, Holman teaches that prayer is primarily a disposition of our minds and hearts. This disposition is more important than the position of our bodies or any specific words uttered. I resonate with this!

The two attitudes of prayer, thankfulness and joy, also feed off of one another. When we are thankful we become joyful and vice versa.

This is a brief and practical book that can be read in one sitting and that has instructions to develop a prayerful attitude. Toward the end, the book sketches various forms of prayer in Christian Contemplative Tradition. It ends with a summary, daily practices to reverse negativity, and with suggested affirmations to develop and deepen a prayerful attitude.

Books that seriously engage teachings of scripture then work to make those teachings relevant and accessible for our times are important. This is one such book!

-Amos Smith (author of Healing The Divide: Recovering Christianity's Mystic Roots)