“Love, Pray, Listen” is the book the author confesses she didn’t want to write. Its subtitle highlights just one of the themes — how to joyfully parent adult children by loving, praying and listening. Mary DeMuth’s own dysfunctional childhood of sexual abuse, her father's early death, and her mother’s multiple divorces all contributed to her own fear of parenting. This fear led to a later false belief that she was a poor mother. This fear has been countered by a learning journey with triumphs and trials plus humour and heartache.The book is presented as Mary's own lessons learnt in parenting her adult children. One key theme not in the title is the importance of embracing God amid trials, which may include parenting adult children. From this theme flow themes of joy and love.Mary takes 1 Corinthians 13, that discusses agape love and each aspect, covered in 15 chapters, book-ended by an introduction and a conclusion.In the introduction Mary outlines her purpose of loving, praying and listening: “... you'll have a better understanding of how to practically live in the midst of this parenting teeter-totter ... You’ll unpack what it means to tangibly love your adult kids … You’ll understand the importance of deepening your prayer life … You’ll decipher the true gift that listening is.”Love. Pray. Listen.Three little words that bring big challenges. The God-focused life is essential to fulfill the task of living well.Each chapter follow a pattern, with the relevant title e.g., “Love is Patient." A quote then follows, e.g., “‘Humility and patience are the surest proofs of the increase of love.’ John Wesley.” The Greek is explained, e.g., for ‘patient’ the Greek is ‘makrothumeo’ meaning ‘long emotion.’ Interspersed in the discussion are highlighted summary points, such as, “What if our act of patience, fueled by the Spirit, is not merely so that we can endure our adult children’s choices, but for our betterment? What if this is not about this is not about us but about our relationship with God?” (I agree with Mary. This last question is the core theme.) Each chapter ends with a practical application to love, to pray and to listen.The conclusion is based on the Parable of the Prodigal Son. There is a practical demonstration of loving, praying and listening by the Father for the prodigals, us first and then for ourselves to love our children in the same way. We love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19.There is also a key underlying theme of the ways words are to be used. To listen and to pray well are clear examples of using words well. But to love well incorporates using loving words plus the practical action of agape love. And we are reminded that in the beginning God spoke and brought families (i.e., community) into being. He has spoken by His Son and He is still speaking today by His Spirit. He is the source of how we are able to love, to pray and to listen well.I think that Mary DeMuth has done a great job. This would work well for a Bible study group Each chapter has points for discussion. A study guide could be a later development.It is very meaty and needs to be read slowly, thoughtfully and prayerfully. At 224 pages, it is a medium-length work. I just wonder whether this book could have become a little shorter and snappier.