A few years back I picked up a book about praying for the specific needs for other countries. It had big colored pictures and maps. Over the years I have no idea what I did with that book! I really liked the idea of having something like that though, and thought this book would make a great replacement. My initial idea was to use it during our family devotional time. My son has a huge heart for prayer and I want to encourage that! When I started reading An Insider Guide to Praying for the World I quickly realized that this specific resource wasn't the right fit for that (my son is 5).
What I found instead was just the resource I needed to spark a desire to pray for these countries. I obviously want to pray for the world. I want to life these countries up in prayer, but I often just feel sort of lost when doing so. I loved that this book spelled out the specific needs each country has.
What set this book apart for me were the first-hand stories that Stiller told. His "Dispatch" section connects the reader to the country personally.
Contained within the book are 52-chapters that can be used as a personal devotional (one chapter a week for a year, if you wish). For the most part these chapters are focused on a specific country. There are a few chapters that bring in other topics, such as, Persecution and Martyrdom, Prison Ministries and The Pope. Each chapter is fairly short, usually about 5 or 6 pages. At the start of each chapter is a map or sometimes a photo from the country. A brief history is included with location, population and religion. Stiller then jumps into his "dispatch" which contains a personal story from the country. Next there is a scripture, itemized list of things to pray for and a specific prayer for the country.
For me, this book has been a great and inspiring resource. I cannot wait to use it throughout the year. Thanks to Bethany House for a copy to review.
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