My Favorite Books on Prayer

my favorite books on prayer

In my book, to be released this October 1st, I write for the first 5 chapters in-depthly about my Walk with the King.  I share about my quiet times as a child, teenager, college student, newlywed, and mother.

My walk with God often feels like a hike –some days the journey is easy and other days –it is steep, bumpy and difficult. I have to wrestle my blankets in the morning to get out of bed and turn away from the facebook, instagram and twitter feeds that woo me to come visit them first.  But after drinking a tall glass of living water I am always refreshed.

But my time alone with the Lord is not just spent in reading his word, it is also used for a time of prayer and pouring my heart out to God.  In February I wrote about my prayer journals and how I put my prayer life in order.  That post included a video with my favorite verse on prayer.

Here I want to share with you some of my favorite books on prayer.

Some of my books I could not find around the house.  One that is not in the photo below is my prayer book by E.M. Bounds. I love it and have half the book highlighted. lol!  (I am actually quite upset I could not locate it for this post because I wanted to give you some great quotes from it!!!)

Another is John Piper’s book titled “A Hunger for God: Desiring God Through Fasting and Prayer” (available for free download if you click on this link)

Fasting seems to be something less and less people do these days –but it is Biblical!  (and I don’t mean dieting – I mean fasting with the purpose of drawing closer to God in prayer).  In my book, I give a list of tips on how to do a 24 hour fast and share my experience with it along with some quotes from John Piper’s book.

So here are my favorite books on prayer that I pulled off of my bookshelf:

prayer books

The little black book on top is titled The Valley of Vision. This book is a book of compiled Puritan Prayers.  It sits on my nightstand and when I don’t know what or how to pray, I open it and use these prayers to guide me.  They are so deep!  Click here to read an example of how one of the prayers read.

The second book is by Kay Arthur and it is titled Lord, Teach Me To Pray in 28 Days and it is about the Lord’s Prayer.  This book taught me SO much about the Lord’s prayer that I had not considered!

Next is one of my husband’s books – The Remarkable Prayers of the Bible by Jim George.  I love all of Elizabeth and Jim George’s books.

Then you will see a trio of Stormie Omartian books:  The Power of a Praying Wife, The Power of a Praying Husband and The Power of a Praying Parent. (each of these include a prayer and study guide book)  These books are SO practical.  They do not teach you how to pray but rather what to pray.  She goes through a list of areas in our spouse’s and children’s lives that we can be praying over.  We will never master prayer and sometimes when words don’t come easily these books guide me through my prayers for my loved ones.

And the final book is a classic titled Spurgeon on Prayer and Spiritual Warfare by Charles Spurgeon.

Spurgeon writes:

“We can teach our children to “say their prayers,” but we cannot teach them to pray…Some of you perhaps may read prayers in the family.  I will not denounce the practice, but I will say this much about it; you may read those prayers for 70 years and yet you may never once pray, for prayer is quite a different thing from mere words.  True prayer is the trading of the heart with God.”

“You do not need to have scholarship, training, talent, or wit for prayer.  Ask, seek, knock –that is all…Will you believe the promise?  It is Christ who gives it.  No lie ever fell from His lips.  Oh, do not doubt Him.  Pray on if you have prayed, and if you have never prayed before, may God help you to begin today!”

OH sweet wives and mamas, if we do not pray for our families – who will?  Rise up today by lowering to your knees and lifting your loved ones up in prayer.

“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16

Walk with the King!

Courtney

Chime In: What are you favorite books or verses from the Bible on prayer?

**This post is a part of the Top 10 Quotes on Marriage and Motherhood Series.  Each Monday I am featuring books that were used as a resources for my book that is about to be released October 1st!  I want to invite all my blogging friends to join this series by sharing your favorite books and quotes on marriage and motherhood in your blogs and then link it up here so we can read your favorites too!  Just put this little graphic in your post and then link up below!

Top 10 Marriage and Motherhood Quotes



37 Comments

  1. Oh Courtney we again have many of the same books. I love your picture. I I will post a picture of mine when I get my post finished. You will have to hop over to my blog to see them. Super excited for the release of your book.

  2. Such a great post! I always love hearing book recommendations from others!
    My two favorite books on prayer are The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson and Praying Circles Around Your Children, also by Mark Batterson.

    1. Reading “A Praying Life” right now… Awesome!!! So full of the Gospel! Encourages me to continually fall before my LORD, and worship Him in childlike Faith. Definitely Holy Spirit inspired!

  3. I love to read for encouragement in prayer ! I also love keeping prayer journals.
    Here are my faves (mostly on praying for children) : Every Child Needs a Praying Mom by Fern Nichols, Praying the Scriptures for Your Children by Jodie Brendt, How To Pray For Your Children by Quin Sherrer, When Mothers Pray by Cherie Fuller, and Prayer Warrior Mom by Marla Alupoaicci, there’s more but these are my most useful. I appreciate Evelyn Christenson and Stormie as well as a number of male authors on the subject.

  4. Oh I love book lists!!
    I agree with Amanda, “A Praying Life” by Paul Miller is great.
    I also love “The Bible and The Closet” by Samuel Lee and Thomas Watson.
    But one of the best is “Prayer” by John Bunyan. It is nice and short, only 55 pages (and you can find it for free online).

  5. Well bless my soul, The Valley of Vision! Love the prayers in that book. I’m very blessed know someone else has that little little book too.

  6. The verses that I relate so strongly with prayer is Hebrews 4:15-16. Drawing near to the throne of grace when we are in time of need, which is all the time! Praise Jesus that he is our High Priest!

  7. I have a lot of those same books, especially the Stormie Omartian ones. I must have ADD when it comes to reading books like that though because I start them, get a few chapters in and then go on to something else having never finished the first book!! I have stacks of books in my house. No bookshelf to put them on. I also have e-books but there’s nothing like holding a book in your hands.

  8. The Power of a Praying Wife is one of my favorites. It has been a while since it has been off the shelf. After reading this I think I am going to pull it out again and spend a week praying each chapter over my husband.

  9. Wow! Thank you for writing this post! Just this week I have felt the Lord nudging me to find out more about the Lord’s Prayer and prayer in general. This post has given me such wonderful direction and affirmation to do what He wants me to do! Thank you!

  10. I’ve been reading (digesting, really) Catherine Marshall’s Something More. It’s not just about prayer but it’s chock-full of faith lessons on prayer. I noticed up thread Debbie recommends Adventures in Prayer by the same author, so I’m off to put that one on my Amazon list!

  11. I was so excited to find Stormie Ormartian’s The Power of a Praying Wife in a local used bookstore for only $.40, as I remembered that you recommended this book. However, when I got home, I noticed that it was actually the study guide that goes along with her book. I was so excited to see Stormie’s name on the book that I didn’t actually read the title! LOL

  12. Two more great books are “How to Develop a Powerful Prayer Life” and “Returning to Holiness” – both by Dr. Greg Frizzell

  13. I always enjoy your posts and series you write about. I am looking forward to attending the WLW Conference too. i don’t usually comment but had to today….God is so amazing! I was out walking earlier this morning praying and I was praying specifically for guidance on any books to read that would help deepen my walk with Him….. Specifically on prayer. Funny thing was – i felt God put on my heart – fasting too. I just checked my email and there was your email that came in at 2:02am earlier this am on this very subject! How awesome is our God! This was just the answer to my prayer! I downloaded John Piper’s (I’ve read another of his before too) and purchased E.M Bounds’ book on amazon. Also, while looking at Ormartian’s website, I found a book she wrote on The Power of a Praying Kid for kids ages 7-12 (I have two within that range) to read. Ordered that too! We’ll be busy reading in days ahead- very excited! Thanks Courtney! I look forward to meeting you in person at the conference.

  14. The author’s comments about reading prayers reminded me of a brain study I read about. Sorry I do not remember the source. A university or hospital somewhere studied what the brain looks like while praying versus meditating. The results showed that when believers pray, the parts of the brain that activate are the language centers. The brain scans looked the same as when people have a conversation. Those who were meditating did not show the same images. So for believers, a prayer looked like a conversation in the brain. I thought that was really cool and made perfect sense.

  15. This is a very timely post, Courtney!

    Last night, I was praying, (I must admit I was fairly petulant about it too) I was whiny to God about our financial needs, and how I was tired of this struggle. My prayer eventually turned to thanksgiving, and I could feel the heart change as well. A peace came.

    Today, a blank white envelope came across our mailbox, and in it was a gift from God, to meet the needs I’d been busy complaining about last night. Oh what a humbling thing, that my Lord is so loving that he provides and gives, even when his child is throwing a tantrum!

    Lesson learned: be thankful, and when your heart is troubled to see beyond your hurtle, pray until that hurtle is no longer what you see, but the Lord himself!

    Peggy

  16. I also love The Power of a Praying Wife as well as any book by Elisabeth George. Prayer by Richard Foster is another great read. Thank you for letting us see what you are reading. I love to read and am always looking for more books! 🙂

  17. QUESTION…….

    As I new Christian, I struggle with the “why” we need to pray over and over. If God knows our every need and we are to rely on Him for His timing, why must be constantly pray for the same thing? For example, my husband is off work and needs to find a job. I feel guilty by constantly praying to the Lord for my husband to get a job. If I am to rely on the Lord and wait patiently for His timing and Him to open the door, shouldn’t I ask if the Lord to provide a job for my husband and then turn it over to Him and not continually to pray and beg everyday for work? Why do people keep telling me to “just keeping praying” that my husband will find work? On one hand, we are to trust in the Lord for His timing and His perfect will, yet I am supposed to pray every day about it? Confused in Texas.

    1. This is a good question Leslie. There are a few reasons that I believe we should persist in prayer:

      1. In I Thessalonians 5:17 we are told to pray without ceasing. We are always to have an attitude of communion with God through out the day. So when we are concerned about something – as it comes to mind – rather than being anxious we can turn it over to him again and again and he strengthens us through it.

      2. In Luke 18 Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow. According to verse 1 – Jesus told this parable to teach his disciples to always pray and never give up. I really encourage you to read this parable.

      3. Often times God uses our prayers to change us – speak to us and to help us see him at work. When we are praying and watching and depending on Him – we see Him working and He gets all the glory.

      Hope that helps 🙂

  18. Courtney – I just linked up without reading first. I came back to read and saw this wasn’t your usual link-up. Wednesdays?! Right. :0) So please delete my post “The Blessing of Breathing”. I’ll come back and link-up tomorrow! ;0) And on the topic of prayer – I highly recommend any books written by George Mueller! My prayer life changed dramatically after reading “The Power of Prayer”.

    Blessings, Courtney!

  19. Hi Courtney! I have never commented on your blog before as I just came across it a few weeks ago but I just want to tell you what a blessing you have been to me every day since reading it. Your transparency, your humble spirit and your huge love for God is so refreshing to read and you truly draw me closer to the King! 🙂 I have kind of a weird question, but do you know of any blogs for men to read that is similar to your blog for women?? I’m looking for a blog that my boyfriend (soon to be fiance:) can read to dig deeper in the Word each day and has posts about marriage ect. like I have here on your blog and on GMG. If you know of anything I would so appreciate your recommendations. Thanks for being such a blessing! 🙂

  20. I would add Bill Hybels book “Too Busy Not to Pray,” and Becky Tirabassi’s “Let Prayer Change Your Life.” They are both older books, but I keep going back to them. Both highlight journaling.

  21. Hi Courtney! I followed over to your post about getting your prayer life in order. There, you mentioned that each year you write out spiritual goals. I would have no idea where to start with this! Pray more? Tithe more? I’m not really sure! Could you explain a little more or give some examples? Thank you!

  22. hi Courtney,
    Just wondering how you use Power of a Praying Husband? I thought it was written for husbands, praying for their wives. 🙂

  23. Hi, I thought you might like to use this on your web site, or for yourself. A free prayer book by Matthew Henry called ‘A Method for Prayer’ 1710 edition, with added devotional prayers, Bible helps and a glossary of 2400 words of the KJV. You can use the audio files for the book if you like. http://www.mrmatthewhenry.com

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