Whispers of Hope

If there is one common struggle that I’ve come across in my years of involvement in women’s ministry I would have to say that it’s prayer. Most women I know suffer from (or have in the past) a fear of praying out loud or just prayer in general. Whether it’s “I don’t pray well” or “My prayers don’t sound as good as yours” or “I can’t pray in front of other people” or “I have no idea what to say” and everything in between, I hear it again and again. That is why I jump at every Biblical resource on prayer that I can get my hands on, especially those that instruct on how to pray.Beth Moore never seems to disappoint in this area on prayer. She is a devout prayer warrior herself, no doubt because she has firsthand experienced the power it unleashes into the life of the believer, and she desires the body of Christ to live in the power that we have available to us. She’s written other books on prayer (Praying God’s Word is one of my favorites), and her focus tends to be infusing God’s Word into the discipline of prayer, which I love.I was asked to write a review of her newest book that just released a few months ago, and when I found out it was all about prayer, I jumped at the opportunity. “Whispers of Hope” is a 10-week prayer devotional that includes 70 daily devotionals, a daily prayer guide, and an answer log where you can record answers to the prayers you’ve been praying. What I love about this format is that it offers order and structure to my scatterbrained self. I love prayer, and I’ve learned that it is far more effective in my life when I approach it with some discipline. Journaling out my prayers is so beneficial, which is why I love “Whispers of Hope”. Each day, you’re given a few pages to not only journal your prayers, but you’re instructed to do so in an orderly fashion. Beth breaks down the word “praise” as an acronym for a guided format of prayer, which allows each one of us to go through the necessary steps of communing with God – Praise, Repentance, Acknowledgment, Intercession, Supplication for self, and Equipping. And just in case any of these big words are lost on you as they would be for me, the introduction of the book gives a thorough description of each to jumpstart you into this prayer devotional with success.I love a good devotional resource where I can get a little bit of everything wrapped up in one book. This is that book, my friends. Each day includes some scripture reading, a short devotional from Beth herself, followed by application, which is your personal response in prayer. It seems our world is in increasing measure a mile wide but only an inch deep. I’m blessed by such a resource that invests in the depth of the faith of the believer. I can’t encourage you more to go grab yourself a copy and get to it! You will never be disappointed by time spent on your knees at Jesus’ feet. It is well worth the effort.