A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World

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A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World

4.3 of 5 stars 4.30 · rating details · 2,378 ratings · 343 reviews

Author Paul Miller shares his insights and conclusions about how to connect the broken pieces of your life and allow prayer—even poorly delivered—to fill the gaps with meaning and substance.

Miller's down-to-earth approach and practical nature will help you see that your relationship with God can grow and your communication with Him can get better.

Parents will find Miller's...more

Paperback, 288 pages

Published May 15th 2009 by NavPress (first published 2009)

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Jan 15, 2013 Bill Stutzman rated it 4 of 5 stars

After hearing this book referenced in sermons from a few different pastors and friends, I added it to my reading list with modest hopes but not high expectations. I have long desired to grow in my prayer disciplines, but I am also wary of books I perceive to be "self-help" or systematic regarding such disciplines. There is no doubt that pitfalls abound in the genre, but Miller navigates the subject with wisdom and humility. As for me, I found my skepticism conquered by Miller's sound, sincere, a...more After hearing this book referenced in sermons from a few different pastors and friends, I added it to my reading list with modest hopes but not high expectations. I have long desired to grow in my prayer disciplines, but I am also wary of books I perceive to be "self-help" or systematic regarding such disciplines. There is no doubt that pitfalls abound in the genre, but Miller navigates the subject with wisdom and humility. As for me, I found my skepticism conquered by Miller's sound, sincere, and practical treatment of prayer. Best of all, I found myself refreshed and spurred on to love and good deeds through prayer in ways that I had hoped but never anticipated. This book persuaded me to change several habits in my life while avoiding guilt-tactics or programs bound to fail. I soon found myself joining the chorus of voices recommending this book for its challenging call to recapture one of Christendom's central spiritual disciplines in our own time.

Miller's approach depends on a blend of scriptural examples and personal anecdotes as he helps the reader see his own relation to God in a new light. He powerfully blends truths from the word with his own successes and failures in the practice of prayer, drawing upon years of trial and triumph in his own family. Through his vulnerability he challenges readers to give credit and glory to God for answering the smallest of prayers up to the grandest, both in a moment and over years and years of faithful pleading. Miller invites the reader to consider the way God uses prayer for others to shape and prune us at the same time. He begins with qualifications for approaching God: childlike faith and genuine need. Avoiding overly prescriptive advice, he presents the principles of prayer through reorienting the reader to the nature of God's character, the purpose of prayer, and our own dependency upon Jesus. His own stories of God's powerful work in his family (and especially the way prayer influenced his roles as husband and father) provide powerful testimony to the wisdom and grace of God, much of which takes a long view to see. Through these examples we are invited to look back on the narratives of our own lives for what God has done, and we are given a reason to hope and expect even mightier things in the narrative to come. Miller shows us how prayer opens our eyes to that narrative and magnifies God before our eyes and those of others. Perhaps most importantly, he reminds the reader of the power of using God's own word in prayer, offering back to Him scripture as applied to our own lives and for those for whom we are praying. I have been amazed at the power of this simple suggestion and practice as captured from the spirit of the psalms and other scriptures.

Miller's book resonated with me on a number of levels, dealing with the specific discipline of prayer and seeing our lives in the context of God's narrative for us (and all the world) particularly. I approached this book looking for a way to refresh my ideas of prayer and see if I could latch onto something that would jog me out of my rut. While most of what Miller offers through the book works to get the reader reawakened to the power of God through specific prayer (thus accomplishing the reorientation of the heart), he also provided helpful suggestions for making changes, both practical and attainable. While never presented in the form of legalistic rules, these suggestions nonetheless gave traction around his guiding principles. Since reading this book and following just a few of his suggestions as adapted to my own context, I have been amazed at how God has opened new vistas in this area of my life.

Like many life-changing books, this one may have to come across your desk at just the right moment in order to grip you. Perhaps you are already well-established in prayer. In that case this book may reinforce what you already know (as it often did for me as well). God had been preparing my heart and desires for some time in this topic through my own need and the recommendation of others, and I am grateful for how He used Miller's book. I was ready for help but wary of taking poor advice, trying and failing, or setting up a new legalism. Miller's A Praying Life answered each of those concerns directly (and more) and, through the work of the Holy Spirit, encouraged me with a renewed attitude toward God, His word, and my neighbors in prayer. If you are interested in principles of corporate prayer, you will find this book addresses more the private disciplines, though similar principles may be extended. With a multitude of books to choose from and only so much time to spend, no one wants to read a bad book. For the 21st century Christian in need of a return to the priceless heritage of personal prayer, I couldn't recommend a book more worth your time.

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May 14, 2012 Justin Lonas rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the barrage of output from Christian publishers large and small, some truly worthwhile books get lost in the shuffle. Some of these are hidden gems that just take a few years to gain the respect they deserve; others open to wide acclaim, and it just takes some of us a long, long time to recognize and read them. Paul Miller’s A Praying Life is in that second category for me.

I had heard about this book from various quarters for quite a while, but I wasn’t in a hurry to get a copy. Frankly, I’m...more In the barrage of output from Christian publishers large and small, some truly worthwhile books get lost in the shuffle. Some of these are hidden gems that just take a few years to gain the respect they deserve; others open to wide acclaim, and it just takes some of us a long, long time to recognize and read them. Paul Miller’s A Praying Life is in that second category for me.

I had heard about this book from various quarters for quite a while, but I wasn’t in a hurry to get a copy. Frankly, I’m not a fan of books about prayer and other spiritual disciplines because they often share a common flaw—an author assumes that the way that God worked with him in his own life is somehow a measurable, normative prescription for how God works with everyone. Miller delightfully avoids this temptation, and the result is a book that is both bold and helpful.

Miller’s central theme is that prayer is a crucial yet simple aspect of the Christian walk that is often the weakest point of a believer’s faith. He proposes that the reasons for this are manifold, but primarily related to one of two “ditches” on either side of the right path: 1) Christians tend to “over-spiritualize” prayer, making it more complex and difficult than God intends and thereby becoming discouraged by their perceived underachievement, or 2) they undervalue prayer and allow the erosion their faith in God’s ability to change people and circumstances, leading them to cynicism and frustration. In either case, their relationship with God suffers and their ministry to others grows stale.

The antidote he offers to these misunderstandings is as deep as it is uncomplicated. Miller urges readers to recognize that God has build us for relationship, that He wants more than anything for us to speak with Him, and that the best way to get better at praying is to start praying. He shows that there is nothing in life too small (or too big) to be bathed in prayer. He encourages readers to steer clear of prayer formulas and instead pursue a realistic, conversational approach to God.

The book’s title is a good window into the style of prayer Miller recommends. Throughout the book, he shares story after story of how God has grabbed hold of his heart through both the monumental and mundane things of life, through illnesses, deaths, raising children, successes, and failures. Prayer is not an activity as much as it is a way of life; it is like eating, drinking, and sleeping in its importance and regularity. His honesty is what makes this book so refreshing, but his style and serious goal keeps it from falling into mere confessional autobiography.

I’ve been challenged by this book. It has helped me to see the ways that prayerlessness seeps into my life and threatens to stymie my spiritual growth and undermine the ministry outlets God has placed in my path. By its simple repetition of biblical truths, it has renewed my confidence in God to see through His will in the lives of believers and in the work of His Church. I pray it will do the same for you.(less)

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Dec 17, 2011 Matt Bianco rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: theology

I had asked my pastor to recommend a book on prayer, this was the one he recommended. I had read others, like E.M. Bounds, George Mueller, and Rees Howells. My frustration with books on prayer is that they always seem impossible, impractical, and overly pious--something reserved for super saints, of whom I am not one.

Miller's book on prayer is nothing like that. In fact, he is clearly trying to paint a picture of prayer that is possible, that is practical, and that is something that any saint ca...more

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Aug 04, 2011 Chase rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have never read a book about prayer before until I read Paul Miller's "A Praying Life." I'm glad I read this one. The target audience is, "for Christians, for those struggling to do life, who pray badly yet long to connect to their heavenly father." I am not a good prayer and in fact, Paul Miller described my frustrations early on in the book when he said, "The most common frustration is the activity of praying itself. We last for about fifteen seconds, and then out of nowhere the day's to-do-...more

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May 13, 2011 TulipGirl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to TulipGirl by: Staci Thomas, Randy Greenwald

Shelves: 2011, theology

I bought "A Praying Life" over a year ago. . . I respect the author and after the recommendations from a good friend and my pastor, I knew it was a "must read." But. . . I picked it up, put it down. . . picked it up, put it down. . . I even bought it for my mother-in-law, and still hadn't read it.

Now, over a year later, I finally read it. (The first book to be read on my birthday kindle!) And. . . wow. . . just what I needed at this point in my life. Unpretentious, Gospel-focused, practical. . ....more

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Apr 25, 2011 Matthew rated it 5 of 5 stars

While I have never met Paul Miller, I can honestly say he has become a mentor for life. He has stirred my prayer life in ways I didn’t know were possible. Mind you, my prayer life has been vigorous for almost a decade, since God came knocking back in 1993 and introduced me to a whole new way of communicating.

“Many people’s frustrations with prayer come from working on prayer as a discipline in the abstract. You don’t experience God; you get to know him. You submit to him. You enjoy him. He is,...more While I have never met Paul Miller, I can honestly say he has become a mentor for life. He has stirred my prayer life in ways I didn’t know were possible. Mind you, my prayer life has been vigorous for almost a decade, since God came knocking back in 1993 and introduced me to a whole new way of communicating.

“Many people’s frustrations with prayer come from working on prayer as a discipline in the abstract. You don’t experience God; you get to know him. You submit to him. You enjoy him. He is, after all, a person.” (21)

Miller takes us on a journey with God by our side. He opens his life in the process, speaking from the pain in his life and how he simply talked with God through it all. In this journey, he draws us along, sharing his successes and failures, and most of all, his friend, the God of the universe who cares about every detail of our lives.

He has a format to the book: Learning, Living, Praying.

• Part 1: Learning to Pray Like a Child. “Come overwhelmed with life. Come with a wandering mind. Come messy.” (33) These words bring hope and tell us to stop pretending before God. We are simply to touch our father’s heart with our simple honesty and transparency. This means asking like a child – something many people have a very hard time doing in prayer. Citing the Apostle Paul, he encourages us to follow his “ADD praying” which Miller feels is all over the map. We need to develop a play-like quality to our prayers. He shows us how.

• Part 2: Learning to Trust Again. This section is all about following Jesus out of cynicism and developing an eye for Jesus. “To be cynical is to be distant. It leads to creeping bitterness that can deaden and even destroy the spirit. A praying life is just the opposite. It engages evil. Prayer is feisty. Cynicism, on the other hand, merely critiques.” (79) Helping us move away from our pharisaical whining, Miller encourages us to hope again – from the heart of God. Again, we are called to cultivate a childlike spirit and, also, a thankful spirit. All of this moves us to repentance, which allows us to develop an eye for Jesus. Humility makes us disappear and allows Jesus to appear, as he works in and through our life situations and the people we encounter. (God is ALWAYS at work around us!)

• Part 3: Learning to Ask Your Father. Why is it so hard to ask Jesus for things? Much of this has to do with our practical theology of a personal God. No, not our theological statement, our personal, life application, of that issue. Reminding us that David called God, “my shepherd,” Miller challenges us to rethink our lifestyle of prayer. He does this by stretching us with the extravagant promises of Jesus about prayer. Miller wants us to deal with what Jesus actually said, not what some commentator opined. I was struck by this statement: “Learned desperation is at the heart of a praying life.” (117) How many of us are desperate for a fresh encounter with God and weary from the unrelenting onslaught of life? All of this is focusing on the bottom line issue concerning prayer: He is King and we need to submit to him in order to enjoy the abundant life he promises. “At the center of self-will is me, carving a world out of my image. At the center of prayer is God, carving me in his Son’s image.” (156) Losing control of life and returning it to the Father is what makes prayer a joy once again.

• Part 4: Living in Your Father’s Story. This section is most valuable as it returns perspective to our prayer lives. Using the imagery of the story, Miller calls us to imagine that we are a part of God’s unfolding story. This counters most of 21st century humanity’s script, for in their version, they are the star and God is an extra. The author shows us how God places us in his story of life and how we can have hope, because he has already told us the end of his story! Miller reminds us of the heart that doesn’t comprehend the Father’s story – his list sounds like the average pastor’s counseling load! (Bitter, angry, aimless, cynical, controlling, hopeless, thankless and blaming.) Then he shows how living inside God’s story for life changes us. When we have his story for our life, we are waiting, watching, wondering, praying, submitting, hoping repenting and thankful. He demonstrates how we can live life in God’s story.

• Part 5: Praying in Real Life. Wrapping the book up Miller talks of prayer tools – prayer cards, journaling, and such. He is quick to remind us that prayer is not about the tools, it is an interior journey. It involves real-life praying. And most of all, Miller points out that our stories are unfinished, hence the motivation to keep in constant contact with God.

A Praying Life http://amzn.to/fIAZtf is surely one of the best books on prayer in the new millennium. It is heart-filled and heart-felt. Not preachy, Miller pulls the curtain back on his own journey and allows us to learn from him. This is definitely a book I will read every year. I would highly recommend this book.
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Nov 08, 2010 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Praying Life by Paul E Miller has got to be the most practical, all-inclusive, intimate, deep, personal, and relational book on prayer I have ever read! His personal life examples illuminate his prayer perspectives, goals, and illustrations. Helplessness equals power when God is in charge of your prayer life.

Parts 1-5 include some of the following:

1. Learning to Pray Like a Child: talking to your Father, spending time with your Father, and learning to be helpless.

2. Learning to Trust Again: co...more

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Jun 09, 2009 Shaun rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you were to ask the average Christian on the street for a list of the top five things they struggle with, I’m willing to bet that prayer will more often than not appear at the top of that list. Some may say the busyness of modern life steals away too much of their time. Others may say they feel like prayer just doesn’t make a difference. While I’m willing to concede that time management challenges and feelings may affect our outlook on prayer, I’m not willing to accept these and other similar...more

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Oct 25, 2011 Travis rated it 4 of 5 stars

In A Praying Life: Connecting With God in a Distracting World, Paul Miller offers us a different kind of book on prayer. This book has things that I found wonderfully encouraging and helpful. At the same time, this work is not an exhaustive work on the doctrine of prayer.

Positives

So many books on prayer offer lists of how to pray without seeming to be a part of real, modern, human life. Miller’s book does not fall into this trap. Paul Miller is about as real in his description of his prayer li...more In A Praying Life: Connecting With God in a Distracting World, Paul Miller offers us a different kind of book on prayer. This book has things that I found wonderfully encouraging and helpful. At the same time, this work is not an exhaustive work on the doctrine of prayer.

Positives

So many books on prayer offer lists of how to pray without seeming to be a part of real, modern, human life. Miller’s book does not fall into this trap. Paul Miller is about as real in his description of his prayer life as any author I have read.

Miller’s work is full of helpful stories and illustrations that help us to connect with him in his prayer life. Paul and his wife have an autistic daughter. As you might imagine, his stories of praying with his wife for the benefit of their daughter are touching and helpful to others who have experienced prayers that were answered by God in different ways than they expected.

I personally found myself encouraged by the way that miller talked about prayer in such a non-mystical way. Sometimes, in books on prayer, readers may get the impression that those who do not pray for hours at a time are missing the point of prayer. Of course, there is nothing wrong with long seasons of prayer. Yet, Miller shows how prayer can be beautiful for a Christian in the middle of the confusion of daily life.

Negatives

While I enjoyed this work, it was not the deepest handling of the issues of prayer. Miller teaches us more from his experience than from a systematic theological strategy. Miller cautions readers against being mislead by their own impressions while “listening to God,” but then does not offer a deep theological defense of how this issue is to be handled.

Conclusion

I enjoyed A Praying Life, and would certainly recommend it to Christians who are struggling with their own lives of prayer. I think many will find the ideas present in this work encouraging and helpful. While the book is not as theological as some might want, it certainly has much to recommend it.

Audio

The recording of this work that I received as a part of the reviewers program from Christian Audio.com was well done as usual.
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Jun 28, 2010 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction-spiritual

I wish I had read this book 30 years ago so that by now I would have re-read it several times. As faithful as I have tried to be to my spiritual habits, personal prayer has often eluded me and felt dry and mechanical. I've read books about it and talked to friends about it, but there was always a disconnect between the idea of prayer (and now I realize my misconceptions about prayer) and the reality of a regular prayer life. Paul Miller's gift in this book is to bring prayer into the realm of a...more I wish I had read this book 30 years ago so that by now I would have re-read it several times. As faithful as I have tried to be to my spiritual habits, personal prayer has often eluded me and felt dry and mechanical. I've read books about it and talked to friends about it, but there was always a disconnect between the idea of prayer (and now I realize my misconceptions about prayer) and the reality of a regular prayer life. Paul Miller's gift in this book is to bring prayer into the realm of a real person's real life by lifting the burden of legalism and formulas and the notion that there's a right way to pray and a wrong way to pray. That's like telling a child he can only talk to his parent in one way or the parent will ignore him!

Here are some of my take-aways from this book:

1) I need to talk to God in the same way and with the same attitude I would use in speaking to a trusted friend or loved one.
2) I need to stop worrying about whether I've carved out the proper prayer time or quiet time and just start talking to God whenever or wherever it occurs to me."Prayer is meant to be the conversation where your life and your God meet." "Talking life over with this on-scene God is the sort of conversation worth calling 'prayer.'"
3) I need to stop categorizing the things that are worthy--or not worthy--of prayer and remember that God cares about every aspect of my life. If it matters to me, it matters to Him.
4)Meaningful prayer is not achieved by focusing on prayer itself but on God. "In prayer, focusing on the conversation is like trying to drive while looking at the windshield instead of through it."
5) Prayer is not an isolated part of life. "Many people's frustrations with prayer come from working on prayer as a discipline in the abstract."
6) Prayer is not supposed to take us out of the world. Prayer is a tool for connecting with God in the midst of our life's craziness. My favorite quote from the whole book is this: "Learning to pray doesn't offer us a less busy life; it offers us a less busy heart. In the midst of outer busyness, we can develop an inner quiet."

Now that is a goal worth praying for!

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Jan 04, 2010 Beth rated it 4 of 5 stars

Helpful book on prayer - a couple of things that stood out:
1. The recognition that we often are prayerless because we feel that we have things under control. We don't pray about what we view as trivial matters because we don't think we need God's help. The reality is that we don't have anything under control and need God's help in everything.

2. Persisting in ambiguity when God is not seeming to answer our prayers is how we truly grow in intimacy with God.

3. Poverty of spirit is a result of "sta...more

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Jan 03, 2013 Alicia Zhang Fangfang rated it 5 of 5 stars

"Should I only pray for big issues like career success or healing , and not to bother God with tiny daily stuff like finding a car park? "
" My prayer is answered after a few years after that I prayed for it. Is it that even without prayer, things will work out that way anyway with the passage of time?"
" I prayed for no harm, but why harm still came?"
"God is silent."
.....
All these questions that almost every Christian once has in their minds are discussed in the book, using the most practical an...more

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Jan 02, 2013 Jacob Coldwell rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World

“Oddly enough, many people struggle to learn how to pray because they are focusing on praying, not on God (p. 20).”

A Praying Life is a unique journey through prayer. Paul Miller unbolts the doors of prayer by teaching about what prayer is about and ends with a practical piece of developing habits to begin recognizing the work of God in our lives. Specifically Paul deals with learning to pray, trusting as we pray and asking our Father wel...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Jon rated it 5 of 5 stars

an emotional devotional meets a kick-in-the-pants encourager

God has used this book to awaken my heart to the "child-like prayer" of the needy

very well-written, beautiful style.

countered misconceptions and clarified assumptions and cliches about prayer through biblical and systematic depth

endearing family stories and personal humility. Made me want to keep coming back to finish the book

felt a little slow toward the end, but really needed the last chapters

very interesting thoughts on the work of t...more an emotional devotional meets a kick-in-the-pants encourager

God has used this book to awaken my heart to the "child-like prayer" of the needy

very well-written, beautiful style.

countered misconceptions and clarified assumptions and cliches about prayer through biblical and systematic depth

endearing family stories and personal humility. Made me want to keep coming back to finish the book

felt a little slow toward the end, but really needed the last chapters

very interesting thoughts on the work of the spirit in guiding and leading...well balanced freedom tethered to solid truth. explained it very clearly.

I feel God used this book and the vision it casts about a life of prayer to help me see him and be with him more deeply. so thankful.

some of his word pictures gave immediate clarity to struggles in my own prayer life...

[You must learn to] believe like a child. Children are supremely confident of their parents’ love and power. Instinctively, they trust. They believe their parents want to do them good. If you know your parent loves and protects you, it fills your world with possibility. You just chatter away with what is on your heart."

"A praying life feels like our family mealtimes because prayer is all about relationship. It’s intimate and hints at eternity. We don’t think about communication or words but about whom we are talking with. Prayer is simply the medium through which we experience and connect to God.
Oddly enough, many people struggle to learn how to pray because they are focusing on praying, not on God. Making prayer the center is like making conversation the center of a family mealtime. In prayer, focusing on the conversation is like trying to drive while looking at the windshield instead of through it. It freezes us, making us unsure of where to go. Conversation is only the vehicle through which we experience one another. Consequently, prayer is not the center of this book. Getting to know a person, God, is the center."

"In bringing your real self to Jesus, you give him the opportunity to work on the real you, and you will slowly change. The kingdom will come. You’ll end up less selfish. The kingdom comes when Jesus becomes king of your life. But it has to be your life."

"When Jesus tells us to become like little children, he isn’t telling us to do anything he isn’t already doing. Jesus is, without question, the most dependent human being who ever lived. Because he can’t do life on his own, he prays. And he prays. And he prays."

"Paradoxically, you get holier while you are feeling less holy. The very thing you were trying to escape—your inability—opens the door to prayer and then grace."

"It didn’t take me long to realize I did my best parenting by prayer. I began to speak less to the kids and more to God. It was actually quite relaxing."

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Feb 04, 2012 Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars

I think the title "A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a distracting world" is very appropriate. The author not only tells the reader what the Bible says about prayer but he uses real life experiences from his own family as his research for this book. He puts prayer on a personal level and shows how we need to grow in our prayer life. We start just like small children learning to talk. Children speak their mind and tell what they feel. That is how God wants us to come to him, to pour our burd...more

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Apr 04, 2012 Matthew rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: god

Really liked this, a lot of down to earth practical advice on prayer here -- not so much a book about Prayer (like Yancey's) or big debate about whether it works or doesn't work, or other theological questions -- but practical and thoughtful anecdotes about Miller's own experience with prayer. What a long, long journey. His use of a prayer journal and prayer cards are very useful and i'm going to try to start using something similar.

Separately there is an interesting quote here from Edward Said...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Nathan Moore rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm somewhat ambivalent about this book. Partly because many raving reviews led to high expectations on my part and partly because this is an odd book. The phrase that kept coming to my mind while I read it was "A Praying Memoir" for that's what it felt like. Though perhaps more often than necessary, Miller gave dozens of personal stories that gave the book a helpful, earthy feel. I appreciate the author's grittiness and willingness to take all the frustrations of a praying life seriously. The b...more I'm somewhat ambivalent about this book. Partly because many raving reviews led to high expectations on my part and partly because this is an odd book. The phrase that kept coming to my mind while I read it was "A Praying Memoir" for that's what it felt like. Though perhaps more often than necessary, Miller gave dozens of personal stories that gave the book a helpful, earthy feel. I appreciate the author's grittiness and willingness to take all the frustrations of a praying life seriously. The book was a strange mixture of really helpful thoughts followed by too many antidotes and personal details. I can however, see how this would appeal to some readers.

Using the Lord's prayer in the Garden as the primary model, Miller's treatment of Biblical teaching on prayer was very sparse and thus widely assumed. This is not to say that he did not have some helpful observations, just that this work lacked a Biblical treatment of prayer. His focus was much more on how to fit that practically into life. It should also be noted that there are several places where it is evident that Miller has been influenced by the Mystics. His mystic streaks detract some from the value of this work.

The most helpful parts of the book to me included his thoughts on what it means to become like a child in prayer, praying 'in God's story,' and his prayer card system.

While reading "A Praying Life," I simultaneously read C.S. Lewis' "Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer" Though I wasn't expecting many similarities, these books couldn't be more different. Lewis' thoughts were, as one might expect, much more philosophical as Lewis tried to grapple with the many extravagant promises regarding prayer in the Scriptures. Lewis seemed unable to come away with many conclusions. This reminded me that the current corpus of literature has a massive gap regarding the subject of prayer. This makes me judge Miller's effort more positively because prayer is quite mysterious. There is something good to be said for Miller's admirable attempts to, in spite of many unresolved mysteries, provide us a gritty memoir of how to pray. Notwithstanding this commendable effort, may I suggest that the reception of this book suggests that the church needs to do a whole lot more thinking (& writing) on the subject of prayer?

If you are looking for a deeply intimate, highly practical treatment of how to incorporate prayer into your life, this may be helpful to you.(less)

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Aug 24, 2009 Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-time-favorites, christian, own

What have I learned from this book? That my prayerlessness often stems from feelings of self-sufficiency. That I’ve developed a cynical attitude about prayer. That I ask God for far too little. That prayer, being akin to the infinite God, is not predictable. That unanswered prayer is one of God’s ways of shaping my life. That prayer cards just might be a good idea. But most certainly, that I must put aside my own feelings of clumsiness and desire to perform and starting coming to God in prayer N...more

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Dec 03, 2011 J.E. Jr. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Any Christian

Shelves: christian-life, treadmill-reads, kindle-books

Probably the best book I’ve read this year.

This book was challenging, encouraging, strengthening, and edifying. Miller presents himself, and the lessons God has taught him, in a personal and vulnerable manner, rich with accounts from his and others' (in his family, mainly) experiences. He debunks several of the common struggles that keeps us from praying, offers solid theological foundations for right approaches to prayer, and includes concrete and practicable methods and approaches to living a...more

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Mar 04, 2013 Kevin Kirkpatrick rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am very skeptical of self-help books. They usually always are written from the viewpoint that YOU are the master of your destiny; YOU are the one who can change your future; that the power is within YOU. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I've also read several books on prayer and they usually are pretty good but don't really give any helpful tips. I usually put them down no better off than I was before.
A Praying Life is different.
The very first two pages hit me right where I live. I have...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Meredith rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have to admit, another book on prayer didn't sound too exciting, particularly if it is going to give me a 5 step method or formula. This book is anything but! Really this book has helped transform my idea of what prayer is, how I come to God and what I ask for. This is very conversational in tone and comes with very personal application from the author's own life. The author has a special needs child and he is very honest in his struggles of how do I pray, what is God's will, and how is God wo...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Holly rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: spiritual

My daughter and I attended church services in different churches a couple weeks back (I was in Knoxville, and she was in Oxford at Miami U.), and both sermons were about prayer, and this book was mentioned in both sermons. It seemed we were both meant to read it! I loaded it onto her Kindle, and I just finished the paperback. I'm so glad I did. It followed Epic: The Story God is Telling perfectly. Miller gives practical ideas on how to make your prayer life richer and more effective. He also wri...more

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Aug 11, 2011 Jared Totten rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am not much of a prayer. I mean, I pray, but no one that knows me would put me in the category of "prayer warrior". In fact, I have trouble finding the time to pray and, even when I do find that, finding the words to pray.

This is perhaps why I loved A Praying Life by Paul Miller so much. While it is packed with wisdom and helpful instruction, it is written by and intended for the struggling prayer. If you're like me, a book on prayer sounds about as appealing as a book on having your cavities...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Scarlett Sims rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: real, religious, sunday-school

This book was just ok. I think Miller has a lot of good things to say about prayer, I just wasn't always crazy about the way he expressed his ideas. Some of the examples he uses are really weird, either they don't seem germane or are just off-putting. Also, he uses a lot of "diagrams" which I felt didn't add anything and often confused me. However, his descriptions of what prayer has done in his life and his personal recollections on his prayer life are really interesting. He also gives some ide...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the most important book I've read all year. Nearly all of it is highlighted in my copy. I believe in God a thousand times over in my head, but this book has helped me apply that belief to my ACTUAL LIFE.

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Jul 11, 2011 Jeff Bettger rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Jeff by: Colin Day

Shelves: prayer

This is one of the best books I have ever read on prayer. I loved it. Paul Miller gives insightful stories from his personal, spiritual, and missional journey of talking to God as Father. Of relating to Him and understanding Him as a child relates and understands his/her own parents.

I love the practical application suggestions at the end of the book. Things that have proven to be fruitful in his own life. I love that it is not overly dogmatic, or a huge heady theological rant on the way things s...more

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May 13, 2013 htanzil rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: buku-rohani

Bagaimana kehidupan doa Anda? Kita mungkin sering mendengar istilah bahwa doa adalah nafas hidup orang Kristen, namun sejauh mana kehidupan doa kita? . Walau tampaknya mudah kita pada umumnya terus berjuang untuk memiliki kehidupan doa yang lebih baik dan berarti. Seringkali doa kita sekedar formalitas, buru-buru, dangkal, dan asal-asalan. Lewat buku “Kehidupan yang berdoa”, Paul Miller memberikan pada kita semua sebuah cara yang dapat menolong kita yang mungkin jenuh dalam berdoa dan ingin berd...more Bagaimana kehidupan doa Anda? Kita mungkin sering mendengar istilah bahwa doa adalah nafas hidup orang Kristen, namun sejauh mana kehidupan doa kita? . Walau tampaknya mudah kita pada umumnya terus berjuang untuk memiliki kehidupan doa yang lebih baik dan berarti. Seringkali doa kita sekedar formalitas, buru-buru, dangkal, dan asal-asalan. Lewat buku “Kehidupan yang berdoa”, Paul Miller memberikan pada kita semua sebuah cara yang dapat menolong kita yang mungkin jenuh dalam berdoa dan ingin berdoa dengan lebih bergairah lagi.

Bagi Miller doa bukanlah sekedar sebuah permintaan dimana Tuhan pasti mengabulkanNya secara instran. Doa adalah sebuah hubungan kita dengan Allah, doa adalah sebuah proses pertumbuhan. Ketika kita berdoa dan menantikan jawaban doa itulah yang membuat kita berkomunikasi dengan Tuhan dan membuat kita semakin bertumbuh.

Buku ini dibuka dengan sebuah bab tentang rasa fustrasi terhadap doa karena pada kenyataannya saat kita berdoa kita bukannya berdoa melainkan sibuk dengan khayalan dan kekhawatiran kita. Satu bab berikutnya menjelaskan arah yang hendak kita tuju dalam berdoa atau apa yang hendak kita capai dalam berdoa.

Setelah dua bab pendahuluan, Miller membagi buku ini dalam 5 bagian, Bagian 1, “Belajar Berdoa sepeti Kanak-Kanak” mengajak kita mencermati prinsip relasi antara kita dengan Tuhan yang bagaikan hubungan antara seorang ayah dengan anak-anaknya. Pada Bagian 2, “Belajar Percaya Lagi”, kita diajak masuk lebih dalam dan melihat beberapa kebiasaan orang dewasa yang bisa menumpulkan hati kita terhadap doa dan menghalangi kita masuk dalam hadiran Bapa. Bagian 3, “Belajar Meminta Kepada Bapa” akan membantu kita memeriksa, hal-hal apa saja yang menghalangi kita untuk meminta kepada Bapa. Sementara, di bagian 4 “Hidup Dalam Kisah Bapa”, menegaskan pada kita jika kita memiliki kehidupan yang berdoa, mudah bagi kita untuk menyadari dan memasuki rencana yang sedang Allah persiapkan untuk kita. Bagian terakhir, “Berdoa Dalam Kehidupan Nayata,” memperkenalkan kepada kita beberapa alat bantu dan cara-cara sederhana untuk berdoa.

Miller menulis buku tentang kehidupan doa ini bukan sekedar berteori melainkan juga dilandasi atas pengalaman hidupnya, tentang dirinya dan keluarganya khususnya dalam pergumulannya mengasuh dan membesarkan salah seorang anaknya yang autis. Miller membuka kehidupan diri dan keluarganya apa adanya termasuk kelemahannya, kekecewaannya, kemarahannya, pertobatannya, dll. Semua itu dikisahkan Miller dalam buku ini apa adanya, tidak terkesan didramatisir namun hal inilah yang membuat buku ini menjadi begitu membumi, praktikal, dan menginspirasi pembacanya untuk membangun kehidupan doa yang bergairah. (less)

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Jul 01, 2010 Jeannie rated it 4 of 5 stars

The difference between Miller's book on prayer and others that I have read is that he does not focus on the self-discipline of the Christian nor on techniques for incorporating more mediation into your life (though he does give some really helpful practical advice at the end.) Instead he shows how our prayer life (or lack thereof) is wholly motivated, sustained, and informed by our view of who God is. How true! My prayer life is sorry not because I am too lazy to get up at 5am (though that is ce...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Bethany rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't know what I expected, but this book shattered my expectations. True, the author uses lots and lots of family stories, but for me they gave tangible credibility that he's walked through what he is talking about. I especially appreciated the lack of 12-step better prayer programs (he actually is very cautious about using systems, though he does detail two at the very end). And I loved the portion 3/4 of the way through where he talks about what God teaches us in the desert. We are so much...more

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Mar 31, 2013 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If I could, then I would rate this 4.5 stars. Except for the first few chapters, this book was exceptional. Mr. Miller writes in prose that sweeps you along with examples that bring his points to light. His first few chapters didn't ring as true for me but he more than compensates in his later chapters. I was especially struck by how deftly he handles the question of unanswered prayer. His explanations are well-thought and explained with simplicity and clarity. And his personal experience gives...more

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“God takes everyone he loves through a desert. It is his cure for our wandering hearts, restlessly searching for a new Eden...
The best gift of the desert is God's presence... The protective love of the Shepherd gives me courage to face the interior journey.” — 16 people liked it

“Sometimes when we say "God is silent," what's really going on is that he hasn't told the story the way we wanted it told. He will be silent when we want him to fill in the blanks of the story we are creating. But with his own stories, the ones we live in, he is seldom silent.” — 12 people liked it

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