Before Amen {Book Review}

Before Amen {Book Review}

 

As a busy mom, grandmother, business owner, wife, teacher and so on, I can honestly say I have a busy schedule! A full plate! But I'm also a Christian, and prayer has always been important to me. But what happens when you get too “busy” to remember to pray? This is an area that Max Lucado covers in his book, Before Amen.

We all pray . . . some.

We pray to stay sober, centered, or solvent. When the lump is deemed malignant. When the money runs out before the month does. When the marriage is falling apart. We pray.

But wouldn’t we like to pray more? Better? Stronger? With more fire, faith, and fervency?

Yet we have kids to feed, bills to pay, deadlines to meet. The calendar pounces on our good intentions like a tiger on a rabbit. And what about our checkered history with prayer? Uncertain words. Unmet expectations. Unanswered requests.

We aren’t the first to struggle with prayer. The first followers of Jesus needed prayer guidance too. In fact, prayer is the only tutorial they ever requested.

And Jesus gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer. Couldn’t we use the same?

In Before Amen best-selling author Max Lucado joins readers on a journey to the very heart of biblical prayer, offering hope for doubts and confidence even for prayer wimps. Distilling prayers in the Bible down to one pocket-sized prayer, Max reminds readers that prayer is not a privilege for the pious nor the art of a chosen few. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child. Let the conversation begin.

Prayer is so easy to do, right? No matter what faith, you probably have a standard format, if you will, that you follow on a regular basis. Praying for your home, your family, your health, the country, etc etc. I know some friends of mine spend an hour or more in prayer every day, and I'm in awe of that.

Honestly…I tend to bow my head and start, will the best intentions, then find myself either falling asleep, making to-do lists, or coming up with something else that takes my attention away from communicating with Jesus.

I don't think it makes me a bad person, but it does make me feel awful when I realize it's happened. Something so simple, that can be done virtually anywhere, and I can't keep focused long enough to get it done.

That's why I enjoyed this book, Before Amen, for helping me in my prayer life. By starting with a very basic prayer, “Father, You are good. I need help. Heal me and forgive me. They need help. Thank you. In Jesus name Amen”, you at least get started. Then, as the author covers in each section, how to expand and use each of those “pieces” to help you live a more meaningful prayer life.

Now, that's not to say you have to spend hours every day on your knees, but by doing it purposefully and with some practice, you will improve. And it should no longer feel like you need to make an appointment on your calendar or leave a sticky note on the bathroom mirror. It will become second nature, and you will be satisfied with the power of your prayers.

What is more awesome, more sweet and personal, than communicating with your Lord, Jesus Christ?

You can find your own copy of Before Amen by Max Lucado on the Family Christian website.

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a sponsored post. The company who sponsored it compensated me with some form of payment or service. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”