Before Amen by Max Lucado - REVIEWED

About the Book:

We all pray . . . some.

We pray to stay sober, centered, or solvent. When the lump is deemed malignant. When the money runs out before the month does. When the marriage is falling apart. We pray.

But wouldn’t we like to pray more? Better? Stronger? With more fire, faith, and fervency?

Yet we have kids to feed, bills to pay, deadlines to meet. The calendar pounces on our good intentions like a tiger on a rabbit. And what about our checkered history with prayer? Uncertain words. Unmet expectations. Unanswered requests.

We aren’t the first to struggle with prayer. The first followers of Jesus needed prayer guidance too. In fact, prayer is the only tutorial they ever requested.

And Jesus gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer. Couldn’t we use the same?

In Before Amen best-selling author Max Lucado joins readers on a journey to the very heart of biblical prayer, offering hope for doubts and confidence even for prayer wimps. Distilling prayers in the Bible down to one pocket-sized prayer, Max reminds readers that prayer is not a privilege for the pious nor the art of a chosen few. Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child. Let the conversation begin.

My Thoughts:

“Hello, my name is Max.  I’m a recovering prayer wimp.” (p.3)

What an incredible statement made by a man who a LOT of people look to for spiritual guidance.  Wow! Max Lucado has written a book entitled, Before Amen, that takes readers on a personal journey into the heart of prayer.  His premise: that we, as believer’s have made prayer too complicated and God unreachable.  He begins with pointing out that Jesus’ disciples were some of the first people to ask to be taught how to pray!  And Jesus taught them!  I believe, like Max Lucado, that our Father God is closer than we believe, and He really wants us to love Him and come to Him with everything!

“Prayer is not a privilege for the pious, not the art of a chosen few.  Prayer is simply a heartfelt conversation between God and his child.”  (p. 12)  This is one of many statements Max makes to his readers on this journey.  It’s not complicated.  It’s not difficult.  It should be an easy, natural, first instinct for God’s children.  For those who feel they are too far away from a conversation from their creator Daddy…let Max take you steps closer to His heart!

Each chapter deals with a straightforward part of prayer, and by the end of the book, you feel as though you can crawl up into the Father’s lap and tell Him about your day!!  This was an incredibly encouraging book to read!  Read it with a highlighter handy, and expect to re-read large sections of it on your way through!  This isn’t a very lengthy book, but it is packed with truth about prayer that will transform your prayer life!

Purchase you copy HERE!

About the Author:

More than 120 million readers have found comfort in the writings of Max Lucado. He ministers at the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and a sweet but misbehaving mutt, Andy.