Last year, I became part of a review panel for new books published by Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing.  The deal is, I occasionally receive emails containing the title and description of a book.  It could be just about any kind of book… Christian fiction, parenting, homemaking, self-help, etc.  If it looks like something I’d like to read, I respond to the email, and a few weeks later, my book arrives.

I was thrilled when the opportunity came up to review Praying God’s Word for Your Life by Kathi Lipp!

Before I get into this particular book, let me say that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Kathi in person (at a local MOPs meeting, and at the MOPs Convention ’12), and learning a lot from her books as well (I own all of them… and two of some of them, for gifts).  If you haven’t yet checked out her website (and subscribed to her emails), friended her on Facebook, or followed her on Twitter, you’re totally missing out.  What you see is what you get with this gal… she’s funny, and as real as they come, and knows how to teach women how show the love of Christ to others in a non-threatening, encouraging way.  She writes from the heart, and uses personal experience to fuel her passion.

From the back of the book:

You pray for others–but are you forgetting to pray for yourself?

Many of us find it easy to pray for the concerns and well-being of others. But when it comes to praying for ourselves, we may wonder, Should I pray for my own needs? Are any prayers too big or too small? Are my prayers selfish? Does praying really make a difference?

Praying God’s Word for Your Life gives women the direction and Scripture we need to bring purpose and power to our prayers. In her warm, approachable style, Kathi Lipp shares more than one hundred specific prayers for our lives, relationships, worries, mistakes, faith, and more. The simple strategies Kathi reveals will help each of us create a habit of praying with renewed boldness, consistency, and expectation.

“May this book be another tool that sends you to your knees, seeking God in the way he has always been found.”–from the foreword by Jen Hatmaker, bestselling author of 7: An Experimental Mutiny against Excess

In case you missed it, let me draw your attention to something special… Jen Hatmaker wrote the forward for this book.  Again – if you haven’t yet checked out her website, friended her on Facebook, or followed her on Twitter, you’re totally missing out!  She is another gal whom I’ve met (at Chicks & Chocolate at Community Christian Church in Naperville, IL) and learned from… who is hysterically funny, and real-er than real.  I didn’t even make it past this first tiny section of Kathi’s book without tearing up!

There are obvious benefits like learning about how to deepen your prayer life, and grow your relationship with God.  But my favorite thing about this book is that it doesn’t contain a heavy, exhaustive list of ornate prayers that “must” be followed verbatim.  Kathi offers a few relevant verses for the many things women face in their everyday lives, and provides attainable examples of how to turn those verses into prayers.  The book is arranged by topic, making it easy to refer to later on.  Each chapter ends with “Practical Steps” to help readers weave these prayers into their lives.  For someone (like me) who kinda sucks at consistent, purposeful prayer, this book serves as a valuable tool; a springboard for inspiration – not a script or just another item on the never ending to-do list.

This is one of those books that I can never sell or give away… partly because I’ll refer to it over and over again as long as I live, and partly because I’ve highlighted practically every page.  In multiple colors.  With notes in the margin.

Don’t.  Miss.  Out.

NOTE: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.  This book is available June 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.