Praying Circles Around Your Children (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
As a parent, praying for your kids is one of the most, if not the most important thing you can do. Mark's book inspired me to keep circling in these very important, formative years in the life of Jesse and Cole.Here are some take-aways: * Make sure your Heavenly Father hears about your kids daily.* You'll never be a perfect parent. But you can be a praying parent.* Your prayers must be in the will of God and for the glory of God.* Your worst mistakes double as your greatest opportunities.* Psalm 103:17: "But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children's children."* Drawing prayer circles is a metaphor that simply means, "to pray without ceasing." It's praying until God answers. It's praying with more intensity, more tenacity. It's not just praying for, it's praying through. * Lamentations 2:19: "Rise during the night and cry out. Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to him in prayer, pleading for your children."* I've taken courage from this simple truth: it's not just my wife and I who are raising our kids; we have a Heavenly Father who compensates for our deficiencies, weaknesses, and mistakes. Where we fail as earthly parents, I believe our Heavenly Father can succeed. * If you asked me what I pray for as a parent more than anything else, the answer is the favor of God. The favor of God is what God can do for you that you cannot do for yourself. * Irrational fears only submit to prayer. * Pray Philippians 4: 6-7 for your kids as a promise. Our most powerful prayers are hyperlinked to the promises of God. * Your focus determines your reality. Raising children is easier said than done. And being a parent is no less easy. Mark Batterson bluntly writes, "You'll never be a perfect parent," yet he exhorts, "...but you can be a praying parent."Mark Batterson, the lead pastor of one of America's most innovative churches authors an equally innovative little book Praying Circles Around Your Children, published by Zondervan, which is ostensibly an offshoot of his earlier New York Times bestseller The Circle Maker.Praying Circles Around Your Children basically talks about five biblical and practical ways to circle your children in prayer:1. Circling the Promises of God2. Making Prayer Lists3. Creating Prayer Mantras4. Forming Prayer Circles5. Praying through the BibleThis small book is inspiring, practical, easy-to-understand, and most certainly provocative. It offer a revolutionary and unique methodology of prayer by which parents can not only pray for their children but also incorporate prayer into their lives.But the book has also drawn much criticism for various reasons. The first and, perhaps, the most controversial, is the use of the term "mantra" for the third prayer circle. While I may not be the right person to remark on the validity of its use, and its biblical soundness, it may be pertinent to point out that it is a term intrinsically linked to Hinduism. It is a mystical formula of invocation or incantation as widely practiced in Hinduism. And that's exactly what I thought when I saw it. Some may be doubtful about the appropriateness of its use, or could even argue that Satan is surreptitiously planting tools in the form of new ideas and practices.And that brings to mind the widespread adoption of yoga in Christian circles around the world. Though that is not the subject of this review, it is imperative to mention it. Christians need to be vigilant and discerning.Another area where the book has come in for sharp criticism is it over emphasis on prayer as a tool, and not as a part of relationship with God.Whatever be the flip side to this book, I personally discovered a gold mine of practicable ideas which if channeled correctly have the power to shape not only the destiny of children but also parents. It is no bed of roses walking children through their growing years. The task is a difficult one. And there are many difficult children. But as parent, one should never give up. God will answer our prayers, if necessary, even long after we are long gone.This book has the potential to change families worldwide! As Mark Batterson suggested, all we need to do is to start circling!Don't lose heart. Don't lose hope. Don't lose faith. Keep circling!
What do You think about Praying Circles Around Your Children (2012)?
really liked...very easily applicable techniques to practice and start doing right away.
—Ivan
Short and simple. Good biblical principles for praying for and with our kids.
—Yoshin
Excellent book on praying for your children. I will definitely read again.
—Noelle
A must-read for parents, especially of younger children.
—Esthel97
