This is a Great Prayer Devotional



I’ve always been a little against trying to use a prayer book that has pre-written prayers. Maybe it’s from childhood. It seems strange to but ohhh how much deeper my prayers began to go! 



For those who are seasoned prayer warriors or those just beginning to pray I can see how this could help deepen your prayer life!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

As a person continually seeking to grow in my prayer life, I picked up Suzanne Eller’s book, Prayer Starters: Talking with God About Hard Times, and found a new prayer mentor. In each of her prayer starters, Eller taught me how to be raw and real with God and how to find refuge in Him as I pour out my heart to Him.

I appreciate that Prayer Starters is a God-focused and not me-focused book. Sure, the prayer starters often begin with topics like, “Overwhelmed” or “Help Me Hear You,” or “The Heart of the Storm,” but Eller helps readers look to the Lord and His character and attributes, ultimately learning to trust Him more. And essentially, that’s what prayer is anyway, isn’t it? Our drawing near to God and communing with Him, relying on His character and learning to trust Him more.

These 90 days of prayer prompts lead readers into deeper prayer on a variety of topics, with a short paragraph prayer starter, some space for continuing your own prayers, and a scripture passage to round out each day’s reading. Readers can go straight through the book or pick and choose what topics seem relevant on the day. The book is divided into three main sections – Trusting God in Hard Seasons, Growing in Hard Places, and Freedom in Hard Places.

If you’re looking to grow in how to talk with God with honesty and transparency in every season, you’ll find no better mentor that Suzanne Eller in her book Prayer Starters. I highly recommend it.

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review.

I loved this book! It is a great help with helping you to pray and starting your prayers to help you in your prayer life. It’s great! I love it. If you would like after finishing, you can use it over again with a blank journal. It is so helpful in your prayer life. I recommend to all especially anyone trying to strengthen their prayer life. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers, for the opportunity to read and review #PrayerStarters with my honest thoughts and opinions.

A necessary resource for those of us who are unsure of how to pray.

Prayer prompts are lengthy enough to use on their own. Suzanne Eller assists you in continuing the prayer with a sentence starter.

Contains 90 prayer starters plus added tidbits to think about during prayer.

Absolutely love this beautiful book/journal that calls us into a deeper connection with God through prayer. Too often, we know we should pray but we struggle with what to say or how to get started. Plus we have a tendency to overcomplicate it. That’s why I love these simple yet profound prayer starters that call us to begin or begin again the sweet communion of conversation with our Creator. As Suzie says, it’s not about the words we say, it’s about showing up and leaning in to a conversation with the King of kings. Get a copy today and while you are at it, pick up a copy for a friend, trust me they will thank you. I ordered copies for my secret sister and a friend going through a hard time.

A book for every season of life. Sometimes we're at a loss for words when having conversations with God. You can read a prayer or more a day, find one for what you're currently going though. Some people are fantastic at prayers and knowing how to deliver them, be at private or at the dinner table. I am not that person. People like Suzie fill in those moments when we're at a loss for words in prayer.

Prayer Starters” by Suzie Eller is a collection of 90 prayers. Read one in morning and one in the evening. Or read one a day. This is not a devotional book, it’s a prayer book where the author has written her personal prayers. As you pray through the book, the words “Me” and “I” help the reader recite the prayer from their own voice. Many of these prayers are similar to what my friends post on their Facebook pages. So its comfortable and familiar, demonstrating a conversational style we see online. Anchored below each prayer is a short journal prompt and then a Scripture verse.

Fans of Suzie Eller will appreciate the collection of prayers. Its easy to read and written in everyday language.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Netgalley.

Susanne writes, “The prayer starters within are an invitation to begin the conversation you’ve been longing to hold with God. Each prayer starter was birthed out of a specific Scripture and is a launching pad to talk about what’s been on your heart. Prayer Starters is a creative, interactive invitation to help you pray right where you are.”
And it’s true. I found many prayers that provided me an opening, in a certain topic, which made it easy to begin a conversation with God. And the size of the book made it easy to carry anywhere.

Suzie has done it again. What an incredible, inspiring read to help you grow closer with God. Those prayer starters really were heartfelt and inspiring.

Whether we are new to prayer or not, I think we all go through seasons where it feels that the words to articulate what we are feeling/going through don't come easily. Seasons when prayer is difficult and God's presence feels far away.

Suzanne Eller's book "Prayer Starters" is a wonderful prayer companion in and out of those difficult seasons. It includes 90 topical lead-ins to prayer + accompanying scripture, and other inspirational quotes and journal prompts throughout. I appreciated the author's personal, relatable note at the beginning of this book - inviting the reader to "just show up," even when you feel stuck in your prayer life, and that by doing so our intimacy with God continues to deepen and grow.

This book is great to go through day by day, or to pull from when you are feeling stuck or going through something specific since all the prayer starters are titled. I liked the journal prompts that encouraged me to take the prayer time even deeper.

Thank you to Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book is exactly what I needed for this difficult season. Prayer has been feeling like something I need to check off my to do list this year. I miss when praying felt more like a conversation. This book came into my life in His perfect timing. Suzie’s words have been such a blessing and I love that she included both space for journaling as well as creative coloring pages to help keep my focus while I’m praying. I’ve already placed an order for a few copies to share with friends.

Prayer Starters
Talking to God About Hard Times
By: Suzanne Eller
Bethany House, Bethany House Publishers
Release Date: 10/11/2922
Genre: Christian, Nonfiction (adult), Religion and Spirituality

Suzanne Eller's book Prayer Starters provides inspiration and encouragement for women who pray and believe in the prayer of prayer. Ninety entries are included in three parts in this well-structured devotional. Readers can make it their own by adding journal entries with thoughts, reactions, goals, and illustrations. I appreciate that it is interactive, and I think that makes it more individualized to readers' needs.

Each prayer has a Scripture passage, and allows for follow up study. On good days, bad days or in times of confusion, anxiety, or fear, I find Eller's writing uplifting and reassuring. I needed the section on impatience. Her book is a wonderful companion on our journeys of faith, gratitude, courage, and peace.

Thank you to Net Galley and Bethany House, Bethany House Publishers for the advance reader's copy and opportunity to provide my unbiased review.

Review:
What an amazing resource. I wish I had this when I was first starting our my prayer journey, this would have save me a lot of headache and heartbreak when I did not think I was praying "the right way". There are days when you just really don't feel like praying and those are the days we most need it. I enjoyed how Suzanne had many different types of prayer starters in here everything from praise, to doubt, reassuence, anxiety and more, she truly has one for whatever prayer you need.

There were so many that I loved and wanted to keep for future uses that I wrote out 14 of them in my prayer journal so that I could have them forever and reference them again and again. The thoughtfulness of the words and composition of each prayer inveloped you into a warm embrace. Sometimes you don’t know the words to say to or get concerned with what you are saying that you lose the heart of prayer, these starters are a great way to get your prayer life back on track.

This little book packed a big punch in my prayer life.

Final Thoughts: This book could not have came at a better time in my faith journey. I recommend this book to all Christians, everyone from the brand new who has never prayed before to the lifelong Christain who is going through a hard time and is having trouble praying.

Disclaimer: Thank you Netgalley and Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This little book is packed with ideas to get your prayer life going. There are ninety days of prayers, so you use this book as a devotional. You can also look up the prayers topically as needed. There are journaling prompts and scripture to add to your prayer journey. Highly recommended!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley for the purpose of review.

This is devotional full of beautiful writings/prayers that help believers realize that God is present with us and for us at all times, especially during the hard times when we are tired, fearful, and/or uncertain. Ms. Eller shows us how to talk to God when we have no words, don't know what to say, or even what to pray for. This book has brought me a lot of comfort and I have shared its words with several friends.

My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for allowing me to read an ARC of this book via NetGalley. The book is scheduled for publication 10/11/22. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

Journaling 6 Months Talking with God

Suzanne Eller began this book with the following touching personal experience as she was preparing to speak at an event and as she prayed quietly. "Lord, I need you", a woman came up to her and handed her a small bag. In the bag was a note that read:

“I was praying for you before the event,” she said. “This is for you.”

Inside the bag was a small picture of a tree with these words: Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit (Jeremiah 17: 7– 8 esv).

The author provides the following suggestions on how to use this book:
• Begin with one prayer starter a day at a time. Start with the first or flip through to find what lights up your heart.
• Have a pen handy or some fun markers or colored pencils. Invite the Lord to join you as you begin (he’s already there).
• Some of the prayer starters include prayer prompts. If they resonate with you, see where they take you.
• If you have more to say, and often you will, write the rest of your prayer on the page. If you have a question for him, write that down too. This is just you and God, and he loves, loves, loves you.
• If there is a day where your words are absent, let the prayer starter simply allow you to breathe in his presence. That’s intimacy too.
• If you sense the Holy Spirit leading you, teaching you, offering words of comfort, hope, or even a challenge for the day, write that down.
• If you have concerns about those you love, jot those down as they come to mind. If you are like me, a hundred different things might pop into your brain— like a grocery list. Write those down and then tune back in to God.
• If you are creative and desire to color the illustrations in the book, have fun with that. This is something I love to do! My Bible and journals are filled with color and words in the margins. It’s just one more way to center our hearts on what we are reading or hearing from God.
• As a prayer is answered, find the day that you prayed that prayer. Record the answered prayer and the date. This is not only a way to celebrate what God has done, but it becomes a remembrance that you can look back on one day when you need it most.

The author provides 90 prayer starters that covers almost every imaginable dry season in one's life. Each prayer can be expanded to cover your specific situation. Furthermore, the above suggestions can be very valuable, especially if you choose to journal your prayers daily.

This book can be a great resource for anyone and it offers many prayers.

For someone who often doesn’t know where or how to start this was great. The coverage on topics is appreciated!

The 90 "entries" or prayer starters includes a paragraph of a prayer, usually an italicized sentence at the end (sometimes it's something the reader should do, sometimes it's just a random thought or sentence), and a verse. That's it. I was underwhelmed, confused by the lack of structure or flow throughout the book (Example: The italicized sentences... Why do some entries not one have? Why are some random and others a task for the reader?), and disappointed because it could have been so much more. It really is prayer *starters* with some journaling pages.

I loved this book- I often struggle with being creative enough to start prayers and having prayer starters was surprisingly helpful!

I would highly recommend it to anyone struggling with talking to God with more structure to your spiritual conversations. I found the good to be helpful in also starting spiritual reflection prior to praying which isn’t something I was taught to do in the past and I greatly appreciated that aspect to this book.

A great ressource to any Christian who often finds themselves tongue-tied when it comes to self reflection and spiritual conversations with God! 😊

Prayer Starters
By Suzanne Eller
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Rated: 4
Obtain: Buy it
Back of the Book: “This is not a book on how to pray. There are many great books on that topic. Instead, Prayer Starters is a creative, interactive invitation to help you pray right where you are. If you ask a woman if she wants to pray, the answer is almost always yes. If you ask that same believer if she ever struggles to pray, not surprisingly the answer is the same. So, Suzanne Eller has provided the lead-in to 90 conversations with God about the difficult season you're in, whether in your prayer time or in the middle of the night when there are no words to be found.
A topical index and space for readers to write in your own words will help you replace the fear of not knowing what to say with the power of simply showing up, trade a list of rules for taking one small step, and stop comparing your prayer life to others' as you discover the beauty of your own.
It's not the longevity of your faith that determines your struggle. It's the clash between your longing to connect and all the things that seem to stand between you and prayer. Allow this book to draw you into daily, intimate conversations with a God who loves you like crazy.

Impressions: To be fair I did not read all the prayers in this book; I’m still working through them. From what I’ve read so far however these prayers are wonderfully prepared. The thoughtfulness of the words and composition was like a warm hug. Sometimes you don’t know what to say to God or how to express your heart and these prayer starters were a great way to get your prayer rolling.

I received an ARC of this book via the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here. For more book reviews go to: https://simplyannehere.wordpress.com