With each new beginning, be it the new school year when I have another chance to create a system that works for me, or the flip of the calendar, my spiritual life is always a key area of scrutiny. How can I improve? How can I get closer to God? How will I be able to do that?
In How Strong Women Pray Bonnie St. John (former paraolympic medalist, White House staffer, and Rhodes Scholar) tackles the issue of prayer–one area in which I always feel that I am lacking. She clearly explains why we often stumble through our prayer lives (p. xiii):
Conversations about prayer are rare. People can go to church together every day and never talk about how they pray. Husbands and wives can pray separately for a lifetime and never share the experience. Even in a prayer group, most people talk about what they are praying about, not how they actually pray.
In the pages of this book St. John shares her own story–personal and professional successes and failures, the hurt of abuse, and her spiritual journey. She also lets 25 women share how prayer has impacted their lives, but more than that, they simplify and demystify the experience by sharing how they pray. I enjoyed reading her story and the profiles of the other strong women who acknowledge the importance of prayer. I found this book practically helpful in the area of prayer, encouraging, funny, touching and inspiring. Here are some examples from a few of the women profiled:
“I always feel that I should have a regular prayer routine, but I don’t. I usually talk to God about three times a day.” Heather Whitestone McCallum, former Miss America
Olympic medalist Vonetta Flowers: Today my husband and I get up before the kids and pray before the day gets started. I go downstairs in the basement and sit on a
comfortable couch with my eyes open.
Amy Domini, CEO of a company which uses investments to build a better world says, “I always pray last thing before I go to sleep. Sometimes I get on my knees. Mostly, I don’t.”
Marilyn McCoo, speaking of her marriage, shares “The Lord gave me the patience. Before I was praying, I tried to handle it all through arguing. Prayer worked much better than arguing. It helped me tremendously. I learned not to take matters in my own hands.”
There are discussion questions included, which would make this book perfect for a book club or small group Bible study.
If you’d like to win a copy, please leave a comment on this post, and check out the New Habits in the New Year guidelines at this main post.
Come back on January 9 to see if you have won. Please be sure that the email address that you enter with is one that you check regularly, and also check your spam folder when the winners are announced if you see your name.
Thank you for all your great comments on your favorite reads of 2007. I really enjoyed reading them. The winner of one (or more) surprise books from my stash is Melissa Markham. You should have an email from me requesting your address.
5 Minutes for YOU to read, relax, & connect with other moms. We're here to inspire, encourage & empower you.
{ 356 comments… read them below or add one }
I’d love to win!
Please add my name to the drawing!
Kat
Count me in please!!
Prayer is an area I definitely want to focus on and improve this year. I’ve read several books on it, but this one sounds like it has the perspective I can relate to and benefit from. Thanks!
count me in please
This would be nice. I’d like to do the study on it with some of my friends.
Sounds like a powerful book. My prayer-life need this book! I know I am lacking in powerful prayer! The fact that it has a study guide/question is super. Please put me in the drawing for you book giveaway.
Thanks so much, Cindi
could always use more help with prayer!
Please enter me. Thanks!
I love the title of the book! Our family has discovered that no day is complete if it doesn’t begin and end in prayer. We have also discovered how fun it is to listen to each other pray – we all have a different approach, and you can always hear our personal concerns come out when we have family prayer. As a final note…you find it a lot harder to stay grumpy with someone you’ve just knelt in prayer with! (a big plus when you have so many siblings!)
Oh yep, we are starting a new group and would love to share this.
this sounds like a fabulous book that I’d love to read!
this book sounds fabulous…….would love to win it!!! Count me in!!!
Very nice!
Do strong women prey on weak men?
I’d like to read this. Thanks for the chance to win!
Thank you for the opportunity to win this exciting prize!
Would love to win!
Prayer is something I need to incorporate in my life. I would really use this prize.
thanks!
Please enter me. Would love to win this.
Please enter me.
a great win
Count me in please!
I really need help and direction in the area of prayer
Another great book introduction, thanks.
My spitual and prayer life has been much in my thoughts lately because I hear so many people talk about their wonderful relationship with God, and while I do pray, I don’t feel I have that, so I would love to read these stories of how women developed their prayer lives. I need ispiration.
It is so easy to begin each new day with the intention to stop, get quiet and listen for Him to speak, but so often for me, I get whisked away by the hustle and bustle of my 4 children, each going in a different direction. I believe this book would be a huge asset to my mornings in helping me re-construct and make a priority, beginning and ending each day in communion with my Creator.
Thank you for the opportunity to win!
I’d love to read this book, thanks for offering it!
I’d love to win this book!
I love to read. Thanks
Please enter me — this looks great. Prayer is an area where I am always looking for more encouragement, insight, practical advice.
perfect for someone I know
This sounds like something I could really benefit from- and definitely timely in my life right now!
Steph
Please add me to the drawing, thanks.
Nice.
I would love to read this! please enter me!
I so need this!
I would love to win this book! Blessings in this new year!
Dori
What a wonderful book!
This sounds wonderful!
Sounds like a great book!
I could benefit from this book.
With so many struggles I’ve had over the years, I would love to learn how to pray more. Thanks for a great giveaway.
Count me in! I’d love to win!
I could use this book.
This is an area I really need help with.
This sounds like a great book! I love to hear about others’ experiences, and could certainly use some practical advice. Please enter me!
i need this
I would love to win this book.
great book
I would love this.
Enter me please..
I’d love to read this book!
this sounds like a great book!
sounds great!!
Enter Me Please !!
I’m intrigued.
I would love this.
Please count me in! Thank you!
One of my resolutions this year is to nuture my relationship with God so I would LOVE to have this awesome spiritual tool to help me on my way! Thanks for the chance to win this!
I would love this.
Please sign me up. I think I could really use this.
Enter me, please.
Would love to read this book.
thanx
This would be awesome. Pick me!!
put me in the drawing for your book – thanks
pick me
i would love this
count me in
I would love to win this for my mom who is having a tough time but keeps going each day with her faith.
Thanks and Happy 2008!!
Count me in!
Enter me please! Sounds like a great book.
Enter me.
Sweet deal.
I would love to win a copy!
I blogged you too
http://www.prizeatron.com
Count me in!
enter me please!
An AMAZING giveaway – thanks for the entry!
Be blessed!
Prayer has litterally changed my life! I would cherish this!
This sounds nice!
I’d love to win this one.
Sounds like a fascinating book. I’d love to read it.
Please add my name to the drawing. This book sounds great!
I would LOVE to read this. lisa422 at gmail.com
Prayer is a daily part of my life. It’s awesome to see God move as a result of prayer. I’m a firm believer in prayer.
Please enter me!
Please enter me, it sounds like a great book
Would LOVE to win this one… please add my name. Thank you!!!
I’d love to win.
This would be a great read…count me in!
great giveaway- please enter me.
Please enter me.
This sounds like a neat book! Enter me in please, thanks!
Winning this book would
)
be an answered prayer!
This sounds like a great book. I don’t know where I would be without prayer, but it wouldn’t be pretty.
I re-learned prayer when I was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. While I have made the leap to faith – I still need a lot of fine tuning.
Prayer is a part of my life but I would like to find a way to incorporate it more into my overall lifestyle. This book sounds like it could do that for the lucky winner
enter me
count me in too!
would love this.
Wow! Another good one. Throw my name into the hat.
I pray each day…usually by the time my feet touch the floor I have ask for protection over our family and friends all over the globe and from there the conversation continues throughout the day. I would love to pray more mindfully, more earnestly…to slow down and really focus on the power I am addressing.
who couldnt use a better prayer life?
Me too please!
This would be a great book to have and read.
Prayer seems to be the weakest point for me. I just get so busy that it is easy to ignore. So I would love this book!
Great!
Enter me please!
I could use this book. Everyone should pray
Would really enjoy reading this
Add me, please.
Count me in!!!
I’d love to win this book.
Include me, please
I would like to win this book. I know since I’ve had surgery and met so many nice authors who have prayed with me and encouraged me when no one at my church even asks how I am doing, it has been such a blessing. I am even a leader in the church.
Yet it has been authors who have been there while I have been shut in to encourage and uplift me and pray with me. God Bless them all.
wanna winnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Praying is good.
lol to all
I just got baptized 2 months ago. I would love to win this book. I need all of the help I can get.
Prayer is so imporant! Thank you for this great contest….
pick us ~ would love this.
Sign me up Great way to start 2008
Boy do I need help there!
add me please
Just today in the car I was thinking how I need to be praying more and how that will look in my life. This would be a great booster book.
Count me in!!!
I would love to have this book! I have rededicated my prayer life in ’08.
would be wonderful to win
Sounds like a good book. Please enter me.
That would be a wonderful and timely book for my life right now! I am desiring to resurrect my prayer life.
Please add me.
Awesome book – I have added this to my books to read in 2008!
This book is a must read; we all could use prayer in our lives.
I’d love to win this. You always have great books to give away.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE
my grandmother would love this
Count me in!!!
beautiful gift
What a thought-provoking giveaway! Hubby and I have been talking about something similar recently.
I would love to win this book! One of my New Year’s resolutions is to deepen my spiritual walk with the Lord by quiet time, prayer & Scripture Memorization, this would really be helpful! Thanks.
I would love to win this. Great giveaway!
We ALL could use the prayers
I’d love this book!
Strong women pray for things besides husbands.
My prayer life needs a boost. Count me in.
Awesome!!! Just what I need right now – I know for sure I am feeling God’s pull to deepen my spiritual life. Thanks for the wonderful recommendation!
I would love to win this. I have been going through a lot and my faith has been tested. This would be excellent!!
this would be great
With 2 little ones around I can use all the advice I can get.
That’s so cool, I randomly gave this book to my sis for Xmas. I’d love a copy!
This is my number one goal for the new year. I’d love to read this book.
I’d love it!
Please and thank you.
Count me in too!
This would be great for my group
Would luv to have this book.
I would love to read this book.
Prayer starts and ends each day for me and thus, I would love to have this book.
Add me! I would love to have this on my “spiritual retreat” to cancun at the end of the month.
Love to read it…maybe it will help me want to live again
I would love to read this book. I lead a prayer ministry, so I would be very interested.
I would love to read it.
I would love to read about this. It just might help me a little too.
I could use this book.
This would be a great read!
sounds like a good read
I am very interested in this book. Would love to win it.
i’d love to win this!
I need this because often I do not think of myself as a strong woman.
my spiritual life is an area that I am really trying to improve this year! This book would fit right in!!
I can use all the help I can get!
I gotta read this book!
I have already commited to engaging in bible study and I think this book about prayer woud help me in my spiritual quest
Pray, Pray, Pray
Sounds like a book I need!
count me in
We’d love to win- Im in a bible study and wer’e looking for books on prayer.
this looks like such a good book-and exactly what I need!!
Looks like a great life changing book. Please add me to the drawing
What a wonderful giveaway,
Id love to win this!
great book
I would love to give this to my future daughter-in-law. I know have difficult keeping a marriage together these days are, so I would like her to know that she can do all things through prayer.
I would love to win this book I am just now starting to have a strong relationship with God and I think this book would help me.
Im praying that I will win:)
Please enter me Thanks!
This is just what I need to start the year off on the right foot. Thanks!
Sounds like a book that would be helpful to me.
MY MOM WAS A PRAYER WARRIOR!!!!
i would love to win
I could use this.
I would love this.
Can never pray too much.
Sounds like a book I would enjoy and learn something from.
Sounds great!
This is a book I think that I would really enjoy reading.
What a super way to start the New Year!
Hmmm – would love to check out this book – I like the way you put it – that “we often stumble through our prayer lives”. It would be wonderful to grow more graceful in prayer.
Thank you for the chance to win.
I would love to win this for my mom….please pick me!
Prayer is an element of my spiritual life that I’m sure I could improve. I’d love to win this book. Thanks!
I am a strong woman, I am a Strong woman…….. I think.
blogged ya:
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2008/01/monday-edition-of-contests-galore.html
We all need alittle help once in awhile……..especially praying
This sounds wonderful. I’d be thrilled to win this book.
fabulous!
I want to enter this contest.
People dsay I’m strong and I pray constantly so I’d like to read this
this is a great giveaway, thanks
Please pick me!
Good Read!
Oh, I’d love to read this book. Please count me in!
I would love to win this book, blessings!
I would love to win!
Sounds like a good book!
for my wife
nice
Hi! What a great offer for an inspirational start to 2008! Thanks!
I would love to read this book
I really need this!
Sounds like a great book. Enter me too please.
Would love to win!
Wow- y’all are covering so many of my 2008 goals! I want this book!
This would be wonderful to have as a bedside book
I need help praying, this book would be nice.
Please enter me.
I would love to win this to give to a good friend.
Great book. Thanks.
I’d love to win!
I would like to read this
I would love to win a copy!
This book is right up my alley…Thanks!
This is exactly what I need to support me in staying centered in the new year!
Amy
Enter ME!!
This would be awesome…thank you.
love to win this
This is a book I could really use!
I would love to read this one…such a great topic!!! Thanks…
What a way to start the new year!
Id love to read this Book
I sure could use this book!
Sounds like a good book….
Prayer is very positive and it does work. I pray that I win this book. I never tire reading, learning more about the power of prayer. Praise God!
Pray is alway good and worthwhile.
Enter me, thank you!
Please enter me. This sounds like a great book. I can’t wait to read it!
Thanks!!
please count me in thanks.
Enter me, Please!!
Sounds like an awesome book!
This sounds like a wonderful book!
Please include me in the drawing. Thanks!
Sounds like something I need.
what a good introduction please enter me
Please enter me!!
please enter me thanks
This sounds really helpful!
I pray that this book is given to the one who needs it the most.
This is the year I’m going to God. This would be great to win to help me on my way.
Thanks for contest…Good Luck all you moms out there!!
I would love to win this book!! pleasee
Definitely count me in!!
I am a strong women and love to pray so this book sounds great !!
What a great gift for my daughter
With 3 kids I NEED to pray
I would love to read this book.
thanks
smoaks
Thanks.
Sweet niblets!
This sounds like a great book for the new year, I’d love to win!
This is just what I need to keep me positive in such a negative world. Thanks for the opportunity to win~
What a great way to get the new year started. Count me in, and thanks for the offer!
This sounds like a fantastic book. Thank you for the great contest.
I want to win
this is a very inspiring book to have.
Books!
enter me please
This sounds like a very inspiring read.
Oh, I’d love that book!
Would like to win this for the wife!!
Please count me in. Thanks!
Sounds like a wonderful book!
Prayer is a big part of most people’s lives, especially women. I personally think everyone should get back to god.
This sounds like a great book.
This would be a perfect tool to help me with my new years goal!!
Looks like a great book!
I would enjoy this book.
I’d love to win.
Sounds informative and inspiring!
i want to win!!!
This sounds like a great book!
I would enjoy this book! Thanks for the contest!
Thanks for the contest!
Please enter me.
Sounds like a good read; please sign me up.
I won’t go into all of the personal details, but the members of my family would certainly benefit from sharing this book. Thank you for this giveaway. Please enter me to win!
Would love to win!
this would be great for the new year!
Please enter me in the drawing.
Please enter me.
Thanks so much.
Please include me in your drawing!
It would be a very welcomed read!!!
Thanks so much!
Count me in!!
Would really like to read this.
Looks like a nice book! Thanks for the contest!
I would love to win this book
Good luck!
I would enjoy reading this book to learn more about prayer.
I really would like help in the praying department. I need this book
please count me in for the drawing. This sounds like a wonderful book.
I would love to have this book for my grandmother
Prayer is an area I have often struggled with
and would love to read this book.
Thanks for the chance to win
Prayer is an important part of my daily life. Prayer is for the strong, the weak, and all those between the two.
please count me in. Thank you!
I would love a copy of this book!
I could really benefit from this book!
Count me in please
Being a mom is the most important job on the planet and I couldnt make it through the day without the power of prayer. Please enter me in this drawing.
Sounds interesting
TY!! 4 the nice contest!!:)
What a great subject for a book. Please enter me!
I’m interested! Count me in!
sounds like a really good book would love to win this
Improving my prayer life is one of my Goals for 2008. I’m in search of some stable advice on ways to strengthen that area of my life, and this book sounds like a great place to start!
would love this prize !
THANKS FOR THE CONTEST–hAVE A GREAT YEAR TO ALL!!
I would love this book. Thanks!
love god
Prayer seems like it should be easy, but often times is not. this book would be beneficial.
The Power of Prayer.. strong, God loving, prayer warriors. We all need to be one. I need to read this book.
great giveaway! we could all use more prayer in our lives.
this is a prize I could really use in my life
Yes, yes, yes. This is something I could really use.
yes please
lovely prize…thanks for the entry
Sure…Sure….I’d like to win.
God Bless The Troops
This is a book, I would love to read. Thanks!
Great prize.
What a wonderful subject for a book. Can’t wait to read it.
I’m willing
I would really like this.
Should I pray that I win this so my prayer life will be enhanced?
Enter me please/
I pray instead of “talking to myself”.
Best of Luck to ALL Who Enter
This is a wonderful subject to be thinking about and to be handing out a prize such as this is great. Thanks for the opportunity.
my sister and i could both use this book. I would love to win this prize.
What an awesome book….Count me in please!
Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!
I would like to read this book!
Would be a great book, I know some people who need this book, actually everyone could use it.
Enter me, please.
It’s so funny that one of the celebrities who comments on this book, sings one of my favorite Christian Songs, “The Me Nobody Knows” by Marilyn McCoo, if she recommends this book, I definitely want to read it even more now!
i would LOVE to read this!
I need this greatly.
I could use this
I WANT TO MAINTAIN MY FAMILY HAPPY MY EXAM WAS STARTED IN 5 MARCH I WANT FIRST RANK PLS PRAY FOR ME TO HELP MY FAMILY AND ALL WHAT THING I LOST I WANT TO GET ITPLEASE PRAY FOR ME.