Martin Luther says that "to be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing."
As believers, we know that prayer is essential to a relationship with God. We can recognize our need for prayer, and may even desire to grow in our understanding and discipline of it, but often, prayer seems like a distant concept that takes a backseat to the other aspects of the Christian life that we deem to be more worthwhile. We forget just how important prayer truly is.
So if we want to grow in prayer, where do we start?
As with any discipline, prayer is a spiritual muscle that takes time to form and strengthen. The key to unlocking a life of prayer is taking the first step.
To that end, East-West recommends nine books to help you discover the essence of prayer and gain practical understanding of how to exercise prayer in your life. These pages offer encouragement from believers who have gone before us on how God reveals Himself through prayer and how they have learned to walk in deeper intimacy with Him.
A Praying Life
“How do we make conversation with God a part of daily life?” In answer to this question, Paul Miller addresses how to uproot unbelief and converse with God in a rhythm of prayer by sharing personal stories that point to finding and experiencing the heart of God, often in the midst of suffering.
Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God
In this book, Timothy Keller examines the nature of prayer and offers biblical guidance on how to establish a practice of prayer that is genuine, meaningful, personal, and powerful.
The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions
Arthur Bennett shares a variety of Puritan prayers in order to prompt and encourage Christians in the growth of genuine spirituality established through ordered prayer.
The Practice of the Presence of God
In this short book, letters, conversations, and stories from Brother Lawrence teach us how to cultivate and remain in the presence of God in the midst of the busyness of the world and monotony of daily life.
Praying for Your Missionary
Eddie Byun addresses the challenges of praying for missionaries around the world who are often out of sight and out of mind in the eyes of many Christians. This book presents the essential connection between prayer and missions and how it is vital for Christians to pray for missionaries, their well-being, and the fruit of their work.
Pray for the World
This resource from Operation World helps individuals impact the nations through prayer. This book walks through prayer points for every world country, offers updates on each country’s population, economy, and challenges and shares how prayers for each country can impact the global Church.
The Power in Prayer in a believer's life
Charles Spurgeon addresses many of the fears and questions that are present as we learn to pray. In this book, Spurgeon emphasizes God’s promise to hear our prayers, the humility of pleading prayer, and our position before the throne of grace, all of which leads to a place of true communion with God.
Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation
Ruth Haley Barton presents seven spiritual disciplines that create space for intimacy with God and examines prayer, silence, and solitude as practices that lead to deeper understandings of faith.
How to Pray: Reflections and Essays
In a compilation of many of his essays, letters, and articles, C.S. Lewis shares practical wisdom and guidance to help Christians cultivate their faith and embrace prayer by highlighting the significance of prayer and its centrality in walking with God.
