Prayers and a giveaway!

Yes, the movie War Room is getting a lot of press these days.  That is great.  But even more important is that prayer is getting a lot more press because of the movie!  I haven't seen the movie yet, but I have read these books and they are good!

Peter's Perfect Prayer Place, by Alex and Stephen Kendrick, is a sweet book geared for ages 4-8. This hardback book is about a little boy named Peter who is searching for a perfect place to pray. Written in a simple rhyming fashion, the story tells of a young child named Peter who goes from place to place looking for the right place to pray.  With the help of his parents, he eventually finds that ANYPLACE is a perfect place to pray to God.

We have already read this book more than several times and are thrilled to have added it to our library.  My 8 year old is at the top of the age range but still enjoys it.  The beautiful illustrations keep him engaged and it has been a good conversation starter for us about the ins and outs of prayer. As an extra bonus, a prayer poster can be found in the back.  This is a place for your child to record their prayer requests and God's answers to those prayers, with stickers included so you can note each time you pray for that request.  This is an especially great tool for visual learners to use to show them how God is working in their lives.

This Means War, written by Alex and Stephen Kendrick with Troy Schmidt is a "Strategic Prayer Journal" intended for preteens and teens.  This book is meant to be written in!  Each brief chapter hits upon a specific topic related to prayer, includes questions for your child to answer in short journal form, and ends with a section called Go To War, which gives them a specific thing to focus in payer on.  Chapters address why should I pray, who should I pray for, is God really listening and more. Also in the back of this book is a prayer list where your teen can record their prayer with the date, whether the answer is yes, no, or wait and date answered.  After looking through this myself, I have decided that my 13 year old will be using this beginning in January as part of his personal devotion time.  This 218 page paperback book would also make a great gift for the teens in your life.

The Battle Plan for Prayer has been on my bedside table for a few weeks now.  Also written by the Kendrick brothers, this book for adults focuses on the basics of prayer and then goes deeper into specific strategies for prayer.  Covering 35 chapters, this book covers a lot of ground.  While I have not agreed with everything that has been said, I am enjoying the book.  It has caused me to go back and look at what the Bible specifically says about prayer and examine what I believe to be true.  Let's just say there are a lot of notes in the margins these days!  One of the neat things about this book are the appendices.  There are several pages of scripture verses listed for praying for your wife, husband, children, pastors, government, non-believers, fellow believers, missionaries, and your city.  There are also verses for themes such as anger, depression, and worry as well as a wonderful section of the names of God.  At the very end are discussion questions listed by chapter if you wish to use this book in a group setting.

Other War Room related books published by B&H Publishing Group  include Prayer Works, for ages 8-12 and Fervent by Priscilla Shirer.

As with all books you read, especially ones regarding faith, I would encourage you to hold them up to God's Word.  Man can be fallible, but the word of God never is. Seek His will for your life, pray to Him and Him alone, and know that He will answer according to His will.  Prayer is communicating with God- may you be ready to hear His answers to your prayers!

To learn more about these resources and others, visit warroommovieresources.com.

Icon Media Group, together with B&H Publishing Group, is allowing me to give away a copy of each of these three books to one reader.  Just leave me a comment and a random name will be drawn next Friday!

Blessings,