Becoming a Woman of Prayer

Becoming a Woman

by Cynthia Heald, Bill Hull

Intimacy with God is His idea. He has taken the initiative and prayer is His gift to us. Prayer is our response to the One who has called out to us and desires to be in a relationship with us.

In Becoming a Woman of Prayer, a topical Bible study written for women by Navigator author and Bible teacher Cynthia Heald, you will be encouraged to respond to God's invitation to deeper intimacy with Him.

• Personal study between meetings
• 11 sessions

Genres: Christian, Prayer, Christian Non Fiction, Nonfiction, Christianity, Religion, Faith

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

CYNTHIA HEALD is a popular speaker and author of the Becoming a Woman Of . . . Bible studies, which have sold millions of copies. Her passion to help women walk more closely with God and live life to their full, God-given potential is seen in Drawing Near to the Heart of God. She and her husband, Jack, are full-time staff with The Navigators in Tucson, Arizona.

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read a chapter every morning and used it as a devotional. It was a great way to start my day.
Prayer changes things and this reminds you how to be a better prayer warrior, etc.

[Kav · Rating 4 out of 5]

A devotional style bible study with some great quotes and thought-provoking questions, which lead a reader into a deeper understanding of her own personal prayer life. I read this as part of a small woman's bible study and each chapter took us under an hour to review and share our answers to the week's questions. A great choice if your group is looking for a lighter study between more intensive ones.

[TLC Nielsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently rereading this and on page 72, I am once again amazed at this best treatment of what it really means to pray. Humans may put prayer on their "To Do" list but it far more belongs in our daily relationships. The book is filled with quotes from writers and saints throughout the ages and here's one that has me really reflecting on how far I've yet to learn:

"Spiritual lust makes me demand an answer from God, instead of seeking God Who gives the answer... The meaning of prayer is that we get hold of God, not the answer." Oswald Chambers quote on p. 41

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the Bible study book I started back last semester right before my life got very crazy and never finished, but I decided I needed to finish before this semester's study begins! This was a solid study on the basics of prayer. The homework load was perfect--just a few pages per week with scriptures to look up and reflect on and places to include your own prayers. My favorite part of this Bible study were the amazing quotations from famous writers such as Oswald Chambers, Andrew Murray, and even George Herbert.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent study into prayer and its practical application in the life of a Christian woman!

[Brenda Garrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book encourages people to draw closer to God through prayer. When we come to God in Christ, He can answer those prayers and guide us into God's will for our lives. God wants us to come to Him with every need and concern so that He can take control and care for us.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was fairly good. I highlighted a lot of text and wrote down a lot of quotes that I wanted to remember. I don't think I grew a whole lot from the Bible study, but that may very well be because I was trying to participate while holding an infant in my lap. :)

[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great study, I think only because of God's timing. I think had I have just picked it up spontaneously and read it without God's leading, I may have found it lacking quite a bit. But, for the timing in my life, it was good.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book, God really spoke to me through this book

[Monta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord teach me to pray! This book will give you concise keys on how to pray and what to say. I grew in my prayer life and learned to listen!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a nice little self guided bible study and it was rather inexpensive. It helps you to pray more effectively.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book for those who desire a closer walk with the Lord.

[Ann Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

really thought provoking

[Katie Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

powerful study. loved it!

[Frances]

Did this as part of a bible study. It was a good study and I would recommend this book as bible study material.

[MHA Bookclub]

Shelf 2

[Vanessa Rivero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was truly a wonderful and encouraging book on prayer. If you desire to grow in your prayer life, Cynthia Heald faithfully points you to the Word of God. No frills or fluff, only simple, solid, scripture-reflecting guidance. With only 11 short chapters, she begins and ends each chapter with a scripture pertaining to the chapter focus. She includes encouraging quotes and prayers throughout the book but mostly includes scripture to reflect and meditate on then gently affirms necessary disciplines and heart reforms to grow in one's prayer life. When you finish the book, and even as you go through the book, one can't help reflect on your own prayer life and desire to improve it. This book is excellent for both individual and group readings/study. I read it both as a personal read and with a group. It is easy to read and discuss with a group. I look forward to reading her other "Becoming a Woman of..." books.

[Deborah Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There is no way to learn to pray but by praying. No reasoned philosophy of prayer ever taught a soul to pray. No book about prayer ever made a man a man of prayer." – Samuel Chadwick

Cynthia Heald’s Becoming a Woman of Prayer was exactly what I needed. At the start of this year, I set out to grow closer to God, and using this book as a devotional for a month and a half has truly deepened my prayer life. It reminded me that prayer isn’t just a duty—it’s an intimate invitation from God, one we should feel honored to accept.

Heald’s insights, paired with scripture and powerful quotes, reinforced a simple yet profound truth: the only way to truly learn to pray is by praying. And through this, I can confidently say my prayer life has improved. I’m now looking forward to reading Becoming a Woman of Excellence next!

A 5-star read. Highly recommend for anyone seeking to grow in their prayer life!

[Rhonda Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cynthia Heald is an excellent author of Bible study books. Her books are targeted toward women but the Bible truths apply to men also (my husband and I have done a couple of them together and I just marked through "Woman" and wrote in "Man" on the book cover). My Bible study group has done at least four other of the Becoming a Woman of . . . studies and each of them drew me closer to the Lord. Mrs. Heald backs up all her points with scripture so you know she's sharing God's word not just her opinion. This particular study is probably my favorite because it reiterates that God invites me to pray, He wants me to talk with Him, He wants me to sit quietly with an open heart and listen. I am so very thankful for Mrs. Heald and her extraordinary gift of outlining each topic so that I can follow and delve into scripture to learn more about the Lord and live so that His light shines through me.

[Claire Flieder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed this book, which can be seen by all of the parts I highlighted. However, I will say that there were a few parts that I didn't quite agree with. Maybe they needed to be worded differently, I am not sure, but those few passages weren't enough to turn me off from the book. It was still reflective and encouraging!

For any Christian book, I always try to check scripture to make sure the author is aligned with that. For about 97% of this book, I felt that the author did. There were just a few items that felt a little like works-based theology.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book I read for my church's women's bible study. As a bible study book, it was far less reading and more questions, but nevertheless it was well put together and full of things that made you think about prayer and about how it affects your life. I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed the bible study. I thought the quotations sprinkled throughout the book were very well selected.

[Sieara DeLone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gave me a lot of insight on prayer and its structure, but most importantly it provided me with the insight from the Word that has incentivized me to pray devotedly. I'm grateful. A great simple workbook on prayer and understanding the why and how.

[Mikayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up for free as part of a rewards program I'm part of. I loved the length of the chapters, and how easy it was to do it each morning.
There were a couple of questions that I just didn't understand where they were going, but that could just be me.
Overall, not life-changing, but a good book to get you thinking.

[NeemaGrace Kalole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, learnt a lot about my intimacy with God! It’s a book I will still be re-reading for a while! So practical, speaks to the inner soul with valor!

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this study on prayer, well worth your time and energy.

[Darla Ebert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not, as I had expected and wanted, a Bible study, more of a devotional book with some questions. It was ok. I liked some of the quotes

[Diane Bateman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very good and learning book . I loved how it made you think and work hard to become a prayer warrior . I recommend this book to all the woman out there that is interested in prayer .

[Kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! Such a helpful and beautiful resource for studying prayer and learning to accept Gods invitation for relationship!

[TopazCoyote · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent study as always. I look forward to reading the rest and recommend a second (third) read to any who have read it already.

[Pamela Fernandes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a study guide. It's beautifully crafted. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter are apt and have been well-searched for the purpose of each. If you're struggling with prayer in any form, it is a good study guide, a reminder of what, why and how about prayer.
Maybe because it was a guide, many Bible quotations had to be found and read. Since I wasn't using it as a study I found this tedious. I would have liked for all the quotations to be there. Some I knew them by heart, but for whole paragraphs I wish it had been different. Overall it is a lovely read.