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.
I can relate to a few of the stories from the women. This sounds like a great read for our womens group. I would love to view it and get better insight of how and when women chose to pray in any circumstance.
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.
I could use this
I need this greatly.
i would LOVE to read this!
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!
Enter me, please.
Would be a great book, I know some people who need this book, actually everyone could use it.
I would like to read this book!
Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!
What an awesome book….Count me in please!
my sister and i could both use this book. I would love to win this prize.
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.
Best of Luck to ALL Who Enter
I pray instead of “talking to myself”.
Enter me please/
Should I pray that I win this so my prayer life will be enhanced?
I would really like this.
I’m willing
What a wonderful subject for a book. Can’t wait to read it.
Great prize.
This is a book, I would love to read. Thanks!
Sure…Sure….I’d like to win.
God Bless The Troops
lovely prize…thanks for the entry
yes please
Yes, yes, yes. This is something I could really use.
this is a prize I could really use in my life
great giveaway! we could all use more prayer in our lives.
The Power of Prayer.. strong, God loving, prayer warriors. We all need to be one. I need to read this book.
Prayer seems like it should be easy, but often times is not. this book would be beneficial.
love god
I would love this book. Thanks!
THANKS FOR THE CONTEST–hAVE A GREAT YEAR TO ALL!!
would love this prize !
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!
sounds like a really good book would love to win this
:)nice
I’m interested! Count me in!
What a great subject for a book. Please enter me!
TY!! 4 the nice contest!!:)
Sounds interesting
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.
Count me in please
I could really benefit from this book!
I would love a copy of this book!
please count me in. Thank you!
Prayer is an important part of my daily life. Prayer is for the strong, the weak, and all those between the two.
Thanks for the chance to win
Prayer is an area I have often struggled with
and would love to read this book.
I would love to have this book for my grandmother
please count me in for the drawing. This sounds like a wonderful book.
I really would like help in the praying department. I need this book
I would enjoy reading this book to learn more about prayer.
Good luck!
I would love to win this book
Looks like a nice book! Thanks for the contest!
Would really like to read this.
Count me in!!
Please include me in your drawing!
It would be a very welcomed read!!!
Thanks so much!
Please enter me.
Thanks so much.
Please enter me in the drawing.
this would be great for the new year!
Would love to win!
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!
Sounds like a good read; please sign me up.
Thanks for the contest!
Please enter me.
I would enjoy this book! Thanks for the contest!
This sounds like a great book!
i want to win!!!
Sounds informative and inspiring!
I’d love to win.
I would enjoy this book.
Looks like a great book!
This would be a perfect tool to help me with my new years goal!!
This sounds like a great book.
Prayer is a big part of most people’s lives, especially women. I personally think everyone should get back to god.
Sounds like a wonderful book!
Please count me in. Thanks!
Would like to win this for the wife!!
Oh, I’d love that book!
This sounds like a very inspiring read.
enter me please
Books!
this is a very inspiring book to have.
I want to win
This sounds like a fantastic book. Thank you for the great contest.
What a great way to get the new year started. Count me in, and thanks for the offer!
This is just what I need to keep me positive in such a negative world. Thanks for the opportunity to win~
This sounds like a great book for the new year, I’d love to win!
Sweet niblets!
Thanks.
I would love to read this book.
thanks
smoaks
With 3 kids I NEED to pray
What a great gift for my daughter
I am a strong women and love to pray so this book sounds great !!
Definitely count me in!!
I would love to win this book!! pleasee
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 pray that this book is given to the one who needs it the most.
This sounds really helpful!
please enter me thanks
Please enter me!!
what a good introduction please enter me
Sounds like something I need.
Please include me in the drawing. Thanks!
This sounds like a wonderful book! 🙂
Sounds like an awesome book!
Enter me, Please!!
please count me in thanks.
Please enter me. This sounds like a great book. I can’t wait to read it!
Thanks!!
Enter me, thank you!
Pray is alway good and worthwhile.
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!
Sounds like a good book….
I sure could use this book!
Id love to read this Book
What a way to start the new year!
I would love to read this one…such a great topic!!! Thanks…
This is a book I could really use!
love to win this
This would be awesome…thank you.
Enter ME!!
This is exactly what I need to support me in staying centered in the new year!
🙂
Amy
This book is right up my alley…Thanks! 🙂
I would love to win a copy!
I would like to read this
I’d love to win!
Great book. Thanks.
I would love to win this to give to a good friend.
Please enter me.
I need help praying, this book would be nice.
This would be wonderful to have as a bedside book
Wow- y’all are covering so many of my 2008 goals! I want this book!
Would love to win!
Sounds like a great book. Enter me too please.
I really need this!
I would love to read this book
Hi! What a great offer for an inspirational start to 2008! Thanks!
nice
for my wife
Sounds like a good book!
I would love to win!
I would love to win this book, blessings!
Oh, I’d love to read this book. Please count me in!
Good Read!
Please pick me!
this is a great giveaway, thanks
People dsay I’m strong and I pray constantly so I’d like to read this
I want to enter this contest.
fabulous!
This sounds wonderful. I’d be thrilled to win this book.
We all need alittle help once in awhile……..especially praying
blogged ya:
http://laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com/2008/01/monday-edition-of-contests-galore.html
I am a strong woman, I am a Strong woman…….. I think.
Prayer is an element of my spiritual life that I’m sure I could improve. I’d love to win this book. Thanks!
I would love to win this for my mom….please pick me!
Thank you for the chance to win.
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.
What a super way to start the New Year!
This is a book I think that I would really enjoy reading.
Sounds great!
Sounds like a book I would enjoy and learn something from.
Can never pray too much.
I would love this.
I could use this.
i would love to win
MY MOM WAS A PRAYER WARRIOR!!!!
Sounds like a book that would be helpful to me.
This is just what I need to start the year off on the right foot. Thanks!
Please enter me Thanks!
Im praying that I will win:)
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.
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.
great book
Id love to win this!
What a wonderful giveaway,
Looks like a great life changing book. Please add me to the drawing 🙂
this looks like such a good book-and exactly what I need!!
We’d love to win- Im in a bible study and wer’e looking for books on prayer.
count me in
Sounds like a book I need!
Pray, Pray, Pray
I have already commited to engaging in bible study and I think this book about prayer woud help me in my spiritual quest
I gotta read this book!
I can use all the help I can get!
my spiritual life is an area that I am really trying to improve this year! This book would fit right in!!
I need this because often I do not think of myself as a strong woman.
i’d love to win this!
I am very interested in this book. Would love to win it.
sounds like a good read
This would be a great read!
I could use this book.
I would love to read about this. It just might help me a little too.
I would love to read it.
I would love to read this book. I lead a prayer ministry, so I would be very interested.
Love to read it…maybe it will help me want to live again
Add me! I would love to have this on my “spiritual retreat” to cancun at the end of the month.
Prayer starts and ends each day for me and thus, I would love to have this book.
I would love to read this book.
Would luv to have this book.
This would be great for my group
Count me in too!
Please and thank you.
I’d love it!
This is my number one goal for the new year. I’d love to read this book.
That’s so cool, I randomly gave this book to my sis for Xmas. I’d love a copy!
With 2 little ones around I can use all the advice I can get.
this would be great
I would love to win this. I have been going through a lot and my faith has been tested. This would be excellent!!
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!
My prayer life needs a boost. Count me in.
Strong women pray for things besides husbands.
I’d love this book!
We ALL could use the prayers
I would love to win this. Great giveaway!
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.
What a thought-provoking giveaway! Hubby and I have been talking about something similar recently. 🙂
beautiful gift
Count me in!!!
my grandmother would love this
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE
I’d love to win this. You always have great books to give away.
This book is a must read; we all could use prayer in our lives.
Awesome book – I have added this to my books to read in 2008!
Please add me.
That would be a wonderful and timely book for my life right now! I am desiring to resurrect my prayer life.
Sounds like a good book. Please enter me.
would be wonderful to win
I would love to have this book! I have rededicated my prayer life in ’08.
Count me in!!!
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.
add me please
Boy do I need help there!
Sign me up Great way to start 2008
pick us ~ would love this.
Prayer is so imporant! Thank you for this great contest….
I just got baptized 2 months ago. I would love to win this book. I need all of the help I can get.
lol to all
Praying is good.
wanna winnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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.
Include me, please
I’d love to win this book.
Count me in!!!
Add me, please.
Would really enjoy reading this
I could use this book. Everyone should pray
Enter me please!
Great!
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!
This would be a great book to have and read.
Me too please!
who couldnt use a better prayer life?
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.
Wow! Another good one. Throw my name into the hat.
would love this.
count me in too!
enter me
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
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.
This sounds like a great book. I don’t know where I would be without prayer, but it wouldn’t be pretty.
Winning this book would
be an answered prayer! :o)
This sounds like a neat book! Enter me in please, thanks!
Please enter me.
great giveaway- please enter me.
This would be a great read…count me in!
I’d love to win.
Would LOVE to win this one… please add my name. Thank you!!!
Please enter me, it sounds like a great book
Please enter me!
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.
I would LOVE to read this. lisa422 at gmail.com
Please add my name to the drawing. This book sounds great!
Sounds like a fascinating book. I’d love to read it.
I’d love to win this one.
This sounds nice!
Prayer has litterally changed my life! I would cherish this!
An AMAZING giveaway – thanks for the entry!
Be blessed!
enter me please!
Count me in!
I would love to win a copy!
I blogged you too 🙂
http://www.prizeatron.com
Sweet deal.
Enter me.
Enter me please! Sounds like a great book.
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
i would love this
pick me
put me in the drawing for your book – thanks
This would be awesome. Pick me!!
thanx
Would love to read this book.
Enter me, please.
Please sign me up. I think I could really use this.
I would love this.
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!
Please count me in! Thank you! 🙂
I would love this.
I’m intrigued.
Enter Me Please !!
sounds great!!
this sounds like a great book!
I’d love to read this book!
Enter me please..
I would love this.
great book
I would love to win this book.
i need this
This sounds like a great book! I love to hear about others’ experiences, and could certainly use some practical advice. Please enter me!
This is an area I really need help with.
I could use this book.
Count me in! I’d love to win!
With so many struggles I’ve had over the years, I would love to learn how to pray more. Thanks for a great giveaway.
I could benefit from this book.
Sounds like a great book!
This sounds wonderful!
What a wonderful book!
I would love to win this book! Blessings in this new year!
Dori
I so need this!
I would love to read this! please enter me!
Nice.
Please add me to the drawing, thanks.
This sounds like something I could really benefit from- and definitely timely in my life right now!
Steph
perfect for someone I know
Please enter me — this looks great. Prayer is an area where I am always looking for more encouragement, insight, practical advice.
I love to read. Thanks
I’d love to win this book!
I’d love to read this book, thanks for offering it!
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! 🙂
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.
Another great book introduction, thanks.
I really need help and direction in the area of prayer
Count me in please!
a great win
Please enter me.
Please enter me. Would love to win this.
thanks!
Prayer is something I need to incorporate in my life. I would really use this prize.
Would love to win!
Thank you for the opportunity to win this exciting prize!
I’d like to read this. Thanks for the chance to win!
Do strong women prey on weak men?
Very nice!
this book sounds fabulous…….would love to win it!!! Count me in!!!
this sounds like a fabulous book that I’d love to read!
Oh yep, we are starting a new group and would love to share this.
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!)
Please enter me. Thanks!
could always use more help with prayer!
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
This would be nice. I’d like to do the study on it with some of my friends.
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!!
Please add my name to the drawing!
:)Kat
I’d love to win!