Prayer Lessons

Here's an interesting book review:

Read this non-lds religious book.  It's great.  I highly recommend it.  Of course it 's not all doctrinally correct. That's okay.  It's got a great message and let me tell you what it is. Pray more.  Use your own words. Don't be surprised that  life is so hard  that you need to ask for rely on the Lord;s help--otherwise, how would you grow?  It was such a shock to me that there was a book giving people permission to say what they wanted in their prayers or that people needed a book to tell them.  I'm blessed to have been taught that my entire life.

It is based on an obscure scripture in the Old Testament that I now count as one that I own.  Stole the insight from a man of another faith--Bruce Wilkinson.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

So, here's the thing:  The first 3 chapters in Chronicles are nothing but genealogy.  A list of son after son after son for 3+ chapters and then it comes to these to verses and the writer stops and takes a breath and is so impressed by the way that Jabez prayed that he has to speak about it and make sure the reader knows that Jabez was honorable, and that God answered his prayers.  That's the premise of the book.

This is the painting that was commissioned for the cover art.  Beautiful huh?

It's been 4 years since I read it.  Bought it at a thrift store on a whim.  I guess it was turned into a series with Bible study journals and special editions just for women etc.  I'm not into that but I did give my copy to a friend to read.  She didn't like/get it.   Next time I see it at a thrift store, I'm going to buy it again.