Christian prayer has been described in many ways by many people. Some might see it as a reverent approach to a Holy God that must be accompanied by proper clothing, conduct, and cadence of words. Others might describe it as simply talking with God. When interviewer Dan Rather asked Mother Teresa what she says when she prays, she answered, “I don’t say anything, I listen.” Rather responded, “Well okay . . . when God speaks to you, then, what does He say?” She replied, “He doesn’t say anything. He listens. . . . And if you don’t understand that, I can’t explain it to you.” If you are anything like me, your response to Mother Teresa is “Um . . . thank you?” (while scratching head in confusion).
The truth is that praying to God is much like learning to walk. You start with a crawl, take some tumbles, and eventually you are walking. And the more you walk the smoother your gait until it feels like a natural reflex. Similarly, the more we go to God in prayer, the more naturally we engage with Him. And the more we walk in deep, prayerful relationship with Him, the more joy we experience in our relationship with Him.
Through our personal journeys with God, we have found many books and resources to be very helpful personally or highly recommended by others. We are listing them here for you to review, and we also would love to hear about the resources that have blessed and guided you! Leave us your thoughts in the comments. And may your journey with God grow ever deeper as you communicate with Him through prayer and His word.
Books on Prayer
Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God, by Mark Batterson, is a great book on prayer. It is a practical guide on how to hear and recognize the voice of God in the everyday. In a world filled with noise and constant distraction it can be hard to hear God’s voice. Batterson gives practical tips and personal stories on how we can hear and discern the will of God for our lives. It is written in a conversational way, easy to read and encourages readers to seek God’s guidance in decision making and to align their hearts with God.
The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson – This book was published in 2011 (six years before Whisper), but it still drives home the fresh fire and power of persistent prayer. Using stories from his own life and those of others, Batterson encourages readers to seek God’s guidance in prayer and goal-setting and to persist in prayer even when we don’t see things changing. The key takeaway from this book was persistence in taking everything to God in prayer, a discipline that will never leave us wanting, because we gain communion with our Father – a glorious gift!
Praying like Monks, Living like Fools, a book on prayer by Taylor Staton, is a wonderful book that invites readers to rediscover prayer as both deeply spiritual and relational. It will move us from guilt or routine to a vibrant, honest relationship with God. We explore the power of prayer by addressing common challenges and misconceptions while pursuing a deeper connection with God. He draws from the ancient practices of the monks who saw prayer as their heartbeat. This book reminds us that prayer isn’t just talking to God but learning to listen, trust, and bring ourselves fully to him. Prayer is not a duty but it is a vital, life-giving relationship with God. This book encourages readers to listen and engage in real conversations, not just list off our requests. Staton talks about some of the barriers, the history, and the practices of prayer through the years, and then gives some exercises to help readers engage and foster a deeper prayer life. He even talks about the challenges of unanswered prayers. If you want to connect deeper with God this is a book for you. This book will enrich your prayer life.
Donald Whitney, a professor of Biblical Spirituality and Associate Dean at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote a practical guide called Praying the Bible. This book serves as a valuable resource for Christians seeking to grow their prayer life. He says all Christians should know how to pray but often, we pray and our minds start to wander. We also often pray repetitive prayers and requests. Donald Whitney encourages readers to pray scripture, a simple, time-tested method that can transform our prayer lives. He offers some methods to pray, reading and praying Scripture line by line, using the Psalms. It helps readers stay focused on God’s words. Whitney suggests some benefits might be deeper intimacy with God and combatting boredom, and he provides tips for adding scripture to prayers. It will invigorate your intimacy with God and profoundly impact your prayer life.
What if Jesus was Serious about Prayer? by Skye Jethani — Co-host of Holy Post podcast, pastor, author, and speaker Skye Jethani has written this wonderfully brief, yet meaty devotional on prayer that really expands our pre-conceived notions about Jesus and what/who He holds dear. A slow, thoughtful journey through this book will deepen your understanding of God and enrich your journey with Him.
Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard J. Foster – Richard Foster encourages Christians that disciplines aren’t merely spiritual practices but instead are pathways to a richer relationship with God. I first worked through this book as I prepared for a 40-day season of fasting and prayer. Foster not only outlined the reasons for fasting (among other disciplines), but also how to prepare mind, body, and heart for the discipline and why. This is a great resource for all Christians to own.
How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People by Pete Greig. As a complement to his free, online prayer course, this book guides people through every aspect of prayer, from how to start, to how to pray without words. This detailed journey through age-old practices of prayer brings refreshment to the soul of those desiring to journey more closely and intentionally with God.
Prayer Apps
Abide – Meditate on Scripture verses alongside a varity of narrators. Abide includes a daily schedule of Scripture meditation, topical Scripture meditation guides, and even bedtime Scripture stories.
Pause – Created by Christian author and counselor John Eldredge, Pause guides listeners through deeper connection with Jesus through prayer. The app breaks down prayer pauses into one-, three-, five-, and ten-minute prayer increments, and also divides prayer pauses by topic. Eldredge also has developed prayer “programs” based on two of his books: a 20-day program called Experience Jesus, and a 30-day program called 30 Days to Resilient. This app has been a rich blessing that has positively altered our relationships with God!
Lectio 365 – This free daily devotional guides listeners through morning, midday, and evening prayers of God’s word. It is based on Lectio Divina, which is a way of meditating on the Bible that has been used by Christians for centuries. Narrators from around the world lead these prayers, which adds a glorious connection to Christians from cultures around the globe.
YouVersion Guided Prayer – YouVersion’s guided prayer leads app users through meditations, devotions, and prayers centered on one Scripture verse each day, oftentimes adding other resources that allow people to dive more deeply into their understanding of God, His plans, and His purposes. There is also a prayer journal that allows you to capture your prayers daily and to review them, adding to them, and celebrating answered prayers.
This list is by no means exhaustive, but we pray that the resources we have shared can be a blessing to you in your own journey with God. Please let us know which tools helped you the most, and add to our list through the comments!
Sue Lindsey & Linda Maynard for The Sublime Soiree © October 2025
