This little book is basically a manual covering just about every aspect of personal prayer. It recommends being read slowly, pondering each chapter - and that's exactly what I did, so that it took me a month to complete, despite being only around 150 pages.

There are three broad sections of this book: principles of prayer, a pattern of prayer (looking specifically at the Lord's Prayer), and finally the practice of prayer. Yes, good alliteration - but that's where the gimmicks stop. The chapters are short, the theology sound, the advice excellent. There are some good anecdotes to break the teaching up, but even the teaching isn't dry or heavy. It's wise, practical, and above all do-able. The authors give suggestions rather than commands, and there's an appendix with several proposed ideas of spending time with God early in the day.

It's easy, sometimes, to feel inferior when listening to lengthy, carefully crafted prayers in a church service or other meeting. This book encourages every believer to chat with God, to use brief arrow prayers as appropriate, and to listen and learn in ways that suit their personalities and learning styles. Gentle words that got right under my skin in more ways than one.

Highly recommended. ( )