Review: Praying the Bible

Praying the Bible book cover on blue background

This small volume has appeared on a number of Christian reviewers' accounts in the last while, so I was glad to find Praying the Bible by Donald S. Whitney at a used bookstore recently.

Book Synopsis

When you pray, does it ever feel like you’re just saying the same old things about the same old things?

Offering us the encouragement and the practical advice we’re all looking for, Donald S. Whitney, best-selling author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, outlines an easy-to-grasp method that has the power to transform our prayer life: praying the words of Scripture. Simple, yet profound, Praying the Bible will prove invaluable as you seek to commune with your heavenly Father in prayer each and every day.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

This short book didn't take long to read through and if you take the mindset of someone who is new to praying or seeing the Psalms as a book to be prayed, this is a helpful resource as it is lays out the steps in a practical manner. Though not everyone requires a structure when praying, it does remove one further thing to figure out for those trying this process out for the first time. While not a lengthy tome on prayer, it may be an unintimidating book to pass on as part of the discipleship process as it answers frequently asked questions and dispels some of the concerns that people may have about praying for long periods of time.

I recognize that some have questioned why this book exists as the very beginning is fairly repetitive. I actually took that to be a literary device at first to show how tedious it is to read or listen to something that keeps repeating itself, but perhaps that was not the intention of the author – even if it was slightly effective at reinforcing the message about adding diversity to our words. Other reviewers have pointed out concerns about the practice of reading into Scripture, that is, eisigesis; however, I admit that this did not cross my mind while reading the book as I saw the Psalms treated as more of a prompt for prayer rather than a praying person's interpretation into the Psalms themselves. If this is not the case and the book communicates it differently, I do wish to be aware of that. While biblical interpretation is certainly a matter of gravity, I viewed Praying the Bible as an introductory and pragmatic way to help believers pray the Psalms and other books of the Bible if they haven't done so before. This is a resource that I would have loved to have on hand while working in discipleship programs as it's not complex, and it gives assurance to readers that prayer doesn't have to be onerous. It can instead be a joy, especially given that actual practice is strongly recommended as part of the reading experience.

Book Summary

Format of book: 📖
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendation: 👍

Comments

Christian as a Genre

I've always found it interesting that Christianity as its own genre can be used across music, film, books, and virtually most forms of artistic or creative expression. While most secular items tend to be labelled by their style, works produced by Christians tend to get labelled by the faith of the one producing it. I remember seeing an article years ago about how the Grammys put Christian artists under the genre of Gospel and Contemporary Christian who would then be further separated out by their musical style, such as Gospel, Bluegrass, Rock, Pop, Country, etc. I can't recall the specifics of the article, but I believe that the author of the article thought it was both a little unfair that artists would be lumped together in a giant pool despite varying styles or backgrounds, and that it was also a label that didn't really tell audiences what they would be getting, other than Christian content. I wish I could remember a bit more, but as I read it in passing, the only thou...

Review: Doting on His Best Friend - Christmas at Redemption Ridge #11

It's been lovely to pick up some more Christmas titles as the weather changes! Doting on His Best Friend by Liwen Y. Ho has been fun to read as I can picture myself being by a fireplace with hot chocolate and playing board games with my best friend, my husband. What a great start to the season! I am grateful to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Can two best friends overcome their age gap and the past to become something more? Phoebe Cordle moved to Redemption Ridge after experiencing loss and was grateful to find a ranching town where she could start her own equine therapy practice. She also found a confidante in a handsome and generous man nine years her junior who's captured the attention of all the single ladies in their community—including her own. However, after zero signs of interest on Milo’s part for the past six years, she’s given up hope and decides to help him find love instead. Milo Gibson wa...

Review: The Darkness Deepens - The Day Draws Near #2

If you've read The End Begins , the first book in the The Day Draws Near series (previously The Seven Trilogy) by Sara Davison, The Darkness Deepens takes you further as this sequel further delves into Jesse and Meryn's story. I wouldn't say that this book is a standalone book as it builds upon the previous one, but I would say that reading the first book will certainly whet your appetite for this one as you find out what's next. I am grateful to the publisher, Mountain Brook Ink , for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. Book Synopsis Their secrets protect them... but secrets are hard to keep. No one in the army can find out that Captain Jesse Christensen has become a believer. He and bookstore owner Meryn O'Reilly are forced to meet in secret, facing imprisonment-or worse-if they are found together. As their relationship deepens, so does Lieutenant Gallagher's hatred for the Christians in their city, putting all be...