100 books like I Told the Mountain to Move

When we think prayer is hard, we need a reminder of God’s listening ear. While there are limitless ways to connect with the Lord, Praying God’s Word invites us into conversation when we don’t know what to say.

Scripture is alive and active, and God Himself gives us words when we don’t have any. The thing I loved about this book is that it’s a springboard to get us started with this type of prayer. When I tried praying this way, I felt closer to God because His words were right there.

Live a Praying Life is, hands-down, my top pick when it comes to making a study of prayer. Jennifer Kennedy Dean understands that we want to know the “why” and the “how” behind prayer, and she tackles the thorny questions to equip us to persevere when it doesn’t look like the needle is moving. In looking at the lives of folks who’ve gone through more than a few tricky places (guys like Joseph, who thought he was supposed to be a ruler but wound up being sold as a slave), Dean warns us not to mistake God’s will for his ways, or confuse what he is doing with how he is doing it. We only see part of the picture. And, she writes, “We cannot control God or tell him how to accomplish his plan.” We can, however, partner with him to accomplish his best purposes—and the way that we… show more.

Mark Batterson writes, “If you press into God’s presence like never before, you will experience God like never before.” This small book has led me back to a richer prayer life again and again. I’ve prayed through it many times and have given away countless copies to others. Each day Batterson invites a new way to look at prayer and a practical way to start a morning devotion time all grounded in scripture. As a writer I love the focus on creativity and honoring ideas. He writes, “I don’t type on a keyboard, I pray on one.” 

There are plenty of books on prayer. Lots and lots of them. But I have never read one prior to this that helped me understand conversing with God in ways that come so naturally to me. In Praying Personalities, Janet Holm McHenry skillfully helps readers understand what Jesus taught and practiced when it comes to prayer, while providing tools to help everyone discover the prayer styles that work best for them.

I am recommending this invaluable resource to all those longing for a richer, more meaningful life of prayer.

Not every person prays the same. It’s not helpful to teach children that the only way to pray is with eyes closed, heads bowed, and words uttered.

Children are all different – they learn different, and they express themselves different. This book teaches kids that you can pray in a number of different ways, especially the ones that come most naturally to you. Prayer can be done in word, dance, song, service, and so on. If you want to teach your kids about prayer, this is an excellent resource.

The Kneeling Christian illustrates the importance of sincere prayer.

I read relatively short sections of this book at a time because I would get an overwhelming desire to pray. In fact, it was during a prayer that was prompted while reading this book that I had one of my most profound encounters with God. 

If you’re looking for a well-loved prayer “classic,” you won’t find many books with more staying power than Andrew Murray’s With Christ in the School of Prayer. Murray doesn’t see prayer as one facet of the Christian life; rather, he says that it is the “root and strength” of all that we do. “Jesus never taught his disciples how to preach,” Murray writes, “only how to pray.” And the secret to a powerful prayer life is abiding in Christ—growing into his likeness—so that our lives (including our thoughts and desires) look more like his. As we enroll in Jesus’ “school of prayer", we will learn to pray in harmony with God, be equipped to impact our world, and discover the true purpose of prayer.

This beautiful book includes thirty morning and evening readings of Celtic prayers, poetry, and quotations. I love the fresh look at nature and God through the eyes of the Celts. Readings are from Psalm 119 and from the Carmina Gadelica, a collection of traditional Gaelic Songs.  A lovely and inspirational way to start and end your day. 

If all the other books I’ve recommended are like going on a good spiritual retreat, I Heard God Laugh is like hanging out at a backyard barbecue with your favorite neighbor. That’s not to say that Matthew Kelly isn’t a spiritual master (he is), but he writes in a colloquial, friendly style, preferring personal anecdotes and homey little parables over explicit callbacks to Scripture and other Christian mystics. That’s not to say his approach isn’t solidly rooted in the Christian tradition; it is, but here his aim is to encourage the reluctant pray-er by stripping away anything that might get in the way and offering lots of encouragement. Kelly’s approach is most similar to my own; we both have a heart for helping people to begin their conversation with God. As he says, “Once the conversation has begun, it can lead anywhere.”

This book has helped me learn, while we are asking “Where is God in all this?” God is asking “Where are My people?”

Learning to pray with power and purpose consistent with God’s will produces God’s ways on earth! God wants us to be the vessels through whom He works to produce the abundant, victorious life Christ died to give us. I love how Dutch Sheets takes the reader through their personal life, then into their sphere of influence, all while teaching us God’s intended broader realms of influence and authority He wants us to experience into the whole world.

This book is great for helping us understand and wield the authority we have in Christ.