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Before Amen stays on top of my reading list!
The idea of a
simple prayer, one that would be good enough, powerful enough, dare I say it- Christian enough was intriguing to me. I am a Christian woman, living smack dab in
the middle of the Bible belt, so I have heard my fair share of impassioned
prayers.
In church, in bible study group, in the pick- up line at my kid’s
school… and my simple prayers always felt small and somehow less than when compared to others wordy
and usually, lengthy prayers. To put it bluntly- I would never be asked to join
the Prayer Warriors group!
After reading and
in some parts, re-reading the amazing Before Amen, I now know something that
gives me great confidence and helps me stand tall when I feel the need to pray.
My simple prayers of “Dear Lord, please help me in this moment”, are perfectly
okay to the only one that matters; Christ.
About Before Amen: The Power of
a Simple Prayer by Max Lucado:
“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.
In Before Amen, bestselling 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.”
My Thoughts:
Max Lucado
welcomed me into this book, like a dear friend would welcome me into their
home. He hit the perfect mix of being an authority on the subject of prayer and the Bible without being overbearing. There wasn’t one single moment in
this book where I felt I was being talked down to, or preached to.
I
actually learned biblical lessons
from reading Before Amen that I
somehow hadn’t retained from church sermons or bible study. For instance, did
you know the first followers of Jesus needed prayer guidance? In fact, the only
tutorial they ever requested was on prayer!
There
really is something in the delivery of information folks and Max Lucado teaches
in a way that I get.
I have
leaned heavily on the pocket prayer since first reading because it is such a
simple, yet powerful prayer.
The Pocket Prayer:
Father,
You are
good.
I need
help. Heal me and forgive me.
They
need help.
Thank
you.
In
Jesus’ name, amen.
Now
that I know more about Intercessory prayer, I can expand on my prayers without
feeling I’m not “Christian” enough.
As Max says; “Intercessory prayer isn’t
rocket science. It acknowledges our inability and God’s ability.”
If
you are just entering your walk with Christ, or if you are like me and you feel
like your prayers don’t quite measure up, I highly recommend you read Before
Amen because the author is a self- professed prayer wimp that gets us!
The best
part about reading Before Amen is that the words and teachings are staying with
me. I’m praying more in the moment, not just for myself or my family, but for
the world at large.
I’ve shared many passages with my family as well and they
have been moved as well. In fact, my youngest daughter who’s 12 asked if she
could please read this book next. That’s
how impactful this book is.
Family
Christian has named Before Amen their 2015 book of the year, so I invite you to
visit their website where you can read more thoughts on Before Amen and if you
are so moved, purchase a copy for yourself or a loved one. You’ll be able to
discover more books and guides from Max Lucado as well.
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