Where Prayer Becomes Real
How Honesty with God Transforms Your Soul
About
Your guide to deep, life-changing prayer
Prayer isn't a place for us to be good or right. It isn't a place for us to perform or prove our worth. It's a place for us to be honest, present, and known--a place for us to offer ourselves and receive God.
Spiritual formation experts Kyle Strobel and John Coe want to show you what you've been missing when it comes to prayer. In this down-to-earth and practical book, they show you how to
· pray within the forgiveness Christ offers
· pray as one beloved of God
· pray as a way to open your heart to the truth of yourself
· pray in a way that moves beyond clichés to discover where prayer becomes real
"Where Prayer Becomes Real is not only one of the very best books on prayer I have ever read, but it is one of the most practically transformative books I have ever read, full stop."--Ann Voskamp, author of the New York Times bestsellers The Broken Way and One Thousand Gifts
"If you are seeking to grow in the life of prayer or you are helping others do the same, Where Prayer Becomes Real is an excellent place to begin."--Scott Sauls, senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and author of Jesus Outside the Lines and A Gentle Answer
"As I read these pages, a mountain of spiritual shame lifted off my shoulders. Real prayer is possible. This book is oxygen for the soul."--Anjuli Paschall, author of Stay and founder of The Moms We Love Club
Kyle Strobel is a speaker, writer, and professor of spiritual theology and formation at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. The author of Formed for the Glory of God and coauthor of Beloved Dust and The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb, Strobel and his family live in California.
John Coe is director of the Institute for Spiritual Formation and professor of spiritual theology and philosophy at Talbot School of Theology and Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University. A leading expert and popular speaker on spiritual formation, Coe lives in California.
Endorsements
"Where Prayer Becomes Real is not only one of the very best books on prayer I have ever read, but it is one of the most practically transformative books I have ever read, full stop. Because this is more than a book to read--this is a book that you practice, that you live, that you become. If you have ever longed for the practice of your faith to include an authentic, intimate prayer life or if you have longed for your life to become prayer, I have no higher recommendation than these pages. Not only will I be earnestly recommending this book to anyone who wants to truly learn how to pray, but this is the book on prayer I will personally be returning to again and again because these pages genuinely turn the soul toward intimate communion with God."
Ann Voskamp, author of the New York Times bestsellers The Broken Way and One Thousand Gifts
"As a pastor and teacher of Scripture, I am always looking for resources that can help me and the people I serve practice faith, versus merely talking about faith. This is especially true regarding one of the most mysterious practices of faith: prayer. In this wonderful volume, prayer is made less intimidating and mysterious on the one hand and much more compelling and accessible on the other. If you are seeking to grow in the life of prayer or you are helping others do the same, Where Prayer Becomes Real is an excellent place to begin."
Scott Sauls, senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and author of Jesus Outside the Lines and A Gentle Answer
"If you ever read a book on prayer, let it be this one! Just the word prayer can evoke guilt and 'never good enough' feelings. But as I read these pages, a mountain of spiritual shame lifted off my shoulders. Real prayer is possible. This book is oxygen for the soul. When it comes to the spiritual life, Coe and Strobel are trusted voices I return to again and again. They teach us that prayer isn't just something we do but is someone we are with (or, better yet, is someone with us). Anyone who desires a meaningful prayer life needs this book."
Anjuli Paschall, author of Stay and founder of The Moms We Love Club
"This book gets right at the heart of the church's weakness in prayer--we don't pray from the heart. In fact, we shut down our hearts, thus killing any desire to have real communication with God. By wrapping prayer in the gospel, Coe and Strobel liberate us for communion with God. The authors drive home this message: Be yourself. Be honest. Be real. Only then will your prayer life come alive. I hope the Lord Jesus uses this book to break through centuries of calcification in prayer. I highly recommend When Prayer Becomes Real."
Paul E. Miller, author of A Praying Life and J-Curve
"Whether you're new to prayer or have been praying for decades, Where Prayer Becomes Real offers something to enrich your friendship with God. Solidly theological, it doesn't settle for sleepy truths about God. This is a book to get you praying when you wake up, when you're angry with your spouse, when you feel disappointed, when praise is hard to come by. It's about prayer as honest, desire-full living before God--prayer that self-examines, self-discloses, and ultimately frees the self from having to be at the center of everything."
Jen Pollock Michel, author of Surprised by Paradox and Teach Us to Want
"Many books have been written about the various aspects of prayer, but this one is refreshingly perceptive. My assumptions were challenged and my hope renewed. Strobel's and Coe's leadership by example gives us a window into how the supernatural Word of God works in our hearts and inspires prayer."
Gloria Furman, author of The Pastor's Wife and Treasuring Christ When Your Hands Are Full
"God knows everything in our hearts and on our minds, so why would we struggle to talk with God about anything? But we do, and in When Prayer Becomes Real, Kyle and John serve us as gracious, wise guides to praying more honestly. You'll find help here for deepening your conversational relationship with God. Thank you for writing this important book!"
Alan Fadling, president of Unhurried Living and author of The Way of Presence
"Prayer--conversation with the supreme animating force of space and time. Is there any act more transcendent? Is there any act more mystical and mystifying? In this book, Strobel and Coe share the practitioner's approach to demystifying prayer. What's more, they show the true nature of this foundational spiritual discipline: prayer is a means of attachment to the Divine Love, one that forms and transforms even the most chaotic soul."
Seth Haines, author of The Book of Waking Up
The Authors
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Kyle Strobel
Kyle Strobel is a speaker, writer, and professor of spiritual theology and formation at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. A popular speaker, Strobel is the author of Formed for the Glory of God and coauthor of Beloved Dust and The...
Continue reading about Kyle Strobel
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Marissa Lundy John Coe
John Coe is director of the Institute for Spiritual Formation and professor of spiritual theology and philosophy at Talbot School of Theology and Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University. A leading expert on spiritual formation, he is a popular...
Continue reading about John Coe