Draw the Circle: The 40 day Prayer Challenge by Mark Batterson

First of all, this book is a 40 day devotional with most of the chapters ranging from 4-5 pages, but I didn't take the 40 days to read the book. I read through it whenever I had a moment to spare. Most of the chapters only took a precious few minutes to read through, but the content stuck with me. "Draw the Circle" changed my outlook on prayer. Prayer isn't something we should just do when we get up in the morning, go to bed at night, or something to say before meals. Don't get me wrong...I make an effort to pray throughout the day, but this book has definitely changed HOW I pray.

The author (Mark Batterson) explains the importance of having faith when we pray. Meaning if we are going to pray to God asking for a miracle, shouldn't we have faith that God will do it? We shouldn't be doubtful of God's ability to answer our prayers just because He may not answer them the way we expected. Batterson even suggests "drawing a circle" around the things we are praying for. For example, Batterson is a church planter and when his church was trying to figure out where God wanted them to plant their next church, Batterson took a prayer walk around the perimeter of the area they were looking at. He prayed through a 4 mile circle, asking God to show Him where to plant their church. And God provided an answer to Him.

There is no gimmick involved in the truths Batterson writes about. If we pray for God to show us miraculous things, He will. "Draw a Circle" around your failing marriage, your illness, your child who doesn't know Christ and your money problems. Pray without ceasing and see God answer in miraculous ways. Sometimes He answers yes, sometimes no, and sometimes it's a not yet but He always answers. Have faith that God will do what He says.

I think everyone would benefit from reading "Draw the Circle" by Mark Batterson. It's changed the way I talk to God, and how I view prayer! I would recommend this book to everyone I know, and I hope to get this book in our church library so more people are able to read it! Definitely 5 stars! Loved it!

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