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Praying Circles around Your Children
Based on his New York Times bestseller, The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson shows ordinary parents how to become extraordinary influencers in the lives of their children through prayer in Praying Circles around Your Children. You'll never be a perfect parent, but you can be a praying parent!
112 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 17, 2012
711 people are currently reading
2445 people want to read
About the author
Mark Batterson
188 books1,116 followersMark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, DC. One church in seven locations, NCC owns and operates Ebenezers Coffeehouse, The Miracle Theatre, and the DC Dream Center. NCC is currently developing a city block into The Capital Turnaround. This 100,000-square-foot space will include an event venue, child development center, mixed-use marketplace, and co-working space. Mark holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Regent University and is the New York Times best-selling author of seventeen books, including The Circle Maker, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, Wild Goose Chase, Play the Man, Whisper, and, most recently, Double Blessing. Mark and his wife, Lora, live on Capitol Hill with their three children: Parker, Summer, and Josiah.
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March 25, 2013
I appreciate the concept of this book, that parents need to intentionally enter into a life of prayer for their children, to cover their lives with that prayer and "circle" them. So, to that extent, this is a good book to remind us as that.
However, the presentation of the concept, while peppered with "You need to make sure you're praying God's will, not your will" admonitions, still came across strongly as "If you pray for it, it will happen". The stories and examples told came across as a matter of all that needed to happen for one daughter to gain self-confidence, for a son to have a miraculous healing, for the children to have good morals at school and at home, is simply for the parents to pray fervently, frequently, and earnestly.
But what I saw in all the stories was a different dynamic. While the book presented prayer as some way of making God do the things that needed to be done, instead what I heard were stories of parents who actually spent time discipling their children with prayer, reading scripture with them, modeling a life centered around God and God's purposes, and simply parents actually being parents and spending quality time discipling their children. Prayer is part of that, but not as some formulaic means to a miraculous end, but as a connection between the parents and God which leads to a changed life on the part of the parents. That changed life ends up positively influencing the children. So, yes, the prayer was answered... but not through a "magical" influence, but because God made the parents the instruments of the answer.
Don't get me wrong, I know prayer does miraculous things. I have a story in mind right now of a two-year-old little girl with a serious head injury who has made an amazing recovery. That was certainly beyond just the parents being changed. But while the praying was happening for that little girl, the parents WERE being changed by the outpouring of prayer and support by their community, including very tangible and practical activities that the community did in order to support the family. So, while the girl received what amounts to a miraculous healing, the parents and their faith community experienced a deeper appreciation for Christian community, a greater sense of peace of God being in control, and a deeper reliance on God's promises. That is what happened with that prayer.
So, while there are some good practical tips here as to ways of praying, I see them as tips more on how to incorporate prayer in with parenting to make the parents more godly parents than any formula for getting more miraculous answers to prayer.
Note: I received this book for free from Zondervan as part of a blog tour, eliciting reviews, with the understanding that the book would be reviewed honestly. I was in no way compensated for this review and all views are solely and completely my own. I was not required to offer a positive review either through the publisher or author.
However, the presentation of the concept, while peppered with "You need to make sure you're praying God's will, not your will" admonitions, still came across strongly as "If you pray for it, it will happen". The stories and examples told came across as a matter of all that needed to happen for one daughter to gain self-confidence, for a son to have a miraculous healing, for the children to have good morals at school and at home, is simply for the parents to pray fervently, frequently, and earnestly.
But what I saw in all the stories was a different dynamic. While the book presented prayer as some way of making God do the things that needed to be done, instead what I heard were stories of parents who actually spent time discipling their children with prayer, reading scripture with them, modeling a life centered around God and God's purposes, and simply parents actually being parents and spending quality time discipling their children. Prayer is part of that, but not as some formulaic means to a miraculous end, but as a connection between the parents and God which leads to a changed life on the part of the parents. That changed life ends up positively influencing the children. So, yes, the prayer was answered... but not through a "magical" influence, but because God made the parents the instruments of the answer.
Don't get me wrong, I know prayer does miraculous things. I have a story in mind right now of a two-year-old little girl with a serious head injury who has made an amazing recovery. That was certainly beyond just the parents being changed. But while the praying was happening for that little girl, the parents WERE being changed by the outpouring of prayer and support by their community, including very tangible and practical activities that the community did in order to support the family. So, while the girl received what amounts to a miraculous healing, the parents and their faith community experienced a deeper appreciation for Christian community, a greater sense of peace of God being in control, and a deeper reliance on God's promises. That is what happened with that prayer.
So, while there are some good practical tips here as to ways of praying, I see them as tips more on how to incorporate prayer in with parenting to make the parents more godly parents than any formula for getting more miraculous answers to prayer.
Note: I received this book for free from Zondervan as part of a blog tour, eliciting reviews, with the understanding that the book would be reviewed honestly. I was in no way compensated for this review and all views are solely and completely my own. I was not required to offer a positive review either through the publisher or author.
December 31, 2021
Wonderful short read with lots of great advice and insight regarding our children, how to pray for them, and tips on raising them.
January 13, 2013
THE OVERVIEW:
Praying Circles Around Your Kids is a short book that takes the principles of his previous book - The Circle Maker - and applies them to praying for your children. Batterson combines his personal thoughts with Scripture along with tips to apply what you learn as you read. The main point of this book is praying for your children, but this book could also be read by grandparents and others involved in the lives of children.
THE READABILITY:
As I already mentioned, this is a short book - a mere 103 pages - and can be read in about two hours of time. The author writes from a personal viewpoint so you feel like you're having a chat rather than just reading an essay. Batterson shares many personal stories and gives a variety of examples that keep it interesting. I have not read his first book, so I'm not sure if you should read that first or not to understand the whole "circling" principle, but in this book I felt that it was a bit vague. And since 5 of the 9 chapters where about "5 Circles", the flow was fairly rough.
THE HIGHLIGHTS:
I agree with Batterson that prayer is the first step in solving problems and I also liked the whole focus on the importance of praying for our children. This is something that too often we easily let slip.
The section titled "Love Girls" found on page 50 was probably my favorite part of this book. He talks about praying for his children in light of a culture that perverts sexual orientation from God's loving plan. His application of Psalm 37:4 in this section is right on and sound Biblical counsel. He soundly addresses something that needs to be said a whole lot more!
I also appreciated the practical examples and tips on praying for your kids or incorporating prayer into their lives. For example, he highly encourages you to pray with your children, not just for your children.
THE DOWNSIDE:
Unfortunately, the "downside" points of this book far out weigh the good points. While I agree that prayer is important and we each need to grow in this area of spiritual discipline, I feel that this book treats prayer more like a tool than part of a relationship. Prayer isn't about getting what we want, it's about a relationship with Christ and it's part of the process of changing our desires to be God's desires for us.
Several specific points that I disagree with are as follows:
- On page 40 he says: "When you catch them doing something wrong, gently rebuke them. Lovingly remind them: that's not who you are." While I agree that we should lovingly correct our children, I also believe that according to the Bible we (and children) need to be reminded that they are sinners in need of a Savior. We have all fallen and the gospel is appealing not when we think about how good we are, but about how amazing the Savior is.
- Batterson talks through out this book as if the children we are praying for our saved. I am sure many are, but I am also sure many are not - including my own three. There is a distinct difference in how you should pray for an unsaved person and in how you should pray for a believer and that is not addressed here.
- On page 48 he talks about searching the Bible for every verse that mentioned the word "confident" and using those verses to pray over one of his children. This would mean pulling verses out of context. Need I really say more on this?
- Also on page 50 (just before the part I actually liked) he says: "Irrational fears only submit to prayer." He goes on to quote Philippians 4:6-7 and says that: "When we circle the promises of God, those promises then encircle us." Let me quickly explain two things- (1) the promise he mentions is found in verse 7 and is linked to a command found in verse 6, and (2) he doesn't quote verse 8 which tells us that changing our thinking - which controls our fears - is a major part in overcoming fear...NOT just prayer...NOT only prayer.
Sadly, I could go on...but I won't.
THE RECOMMENDATION:
As you may have already concluded, my recommendation for this book is to read it with GREAT discernment. And quite honestly, in my opinion the downside of this book so highly out weights the good points that I can't encourage you to read it at all.
Praying Circles Around Your Kids is a short book that takes the principles of his previous book - The Circle Maker - and applies them to praying for your children. Batterson combines his personal thoughts with Scripture along with tips to apply what you learn as you read. The main point of this book is praying for your children, but this book could also be read by grandparents and others involved in the lives of children.
THE READABILITY:
As I already mentioned, this is a short book - a mere 103 pages - and can be read in about two hours of time. The author writes from a personal viewpoint so you feel like you're having a chat rather than just reading an essay. Batterson shares many personal stories and gives a variety of examples that keep it interesting. I have not read his first book, so I'm not sure if you should read that first or not to understand the whole "circling" principle, but in this book I felt that it was a bit vague. And since 5 of the 9 chapters where about "5 Circles", the flow was fairly rough.
THE HIGHLIGHTS:
I agree with Batterson that prayer is the first step in solving problems and I also liked the whole focus on the importance of praying for our children. This is something that too often we easily let slip.
The section titled "Love Girls" found on page 50 was probably my favorite part of this book. He talks about praying for his children in light of a culture that perverts sexual orientation from God's loving plan. His application of Psalm 37:4 in this section is right on and sound Biblical counsel. He soundly addresses something that needs to be said a whole lot more!
I also appreciated the practical examples and tips on praying for your kids or incorporating prayer into their lives. For example, he highly encourages you to pray with your children, not just for your children.
THE DOWNSIDE:
Unfortunately, the "downside" points of this book far out weigh the good points. While I agree that prayer is important and we each need to grow in this area of spiritual discipline, I feel that this book treats prayer more like a tool than part of a relationship. Prayer isn't about getting what we want, it's about a relationship with Christ and it's part of the process of changing our desires to be God's desires for us.
Several specific points that I disagree with are as follows:
- On page 40 he says: "When you catch them doing something wrong, gently rebuke them. Lovingly remind them: that's not who you are." While I agree that we should lovingly correct our children, I also believe that according to the Bible we (and children) need to be reminded that they are sinners in need of a Savior. We have all fallen and the gospel is appealing not when we think about how good we are, but about how amazing the Savior is.
- Batterson talks through out this book as if the children we are praying for our saved. I am sure many are, but I am also sure many are not - including my own three. There is a distinct difference in how you should pray for an unsaved person and in how you should pray for a believer and that is not addressed here.
- On page 48 he talks about searching the Bible for every verse that mentioned the word "confident" and using those verses to pray over one of his children. This would mean pulling verses out of context. Need I really say more on this?
- Also on page 50 (just before the part I actually liked) he says: "Irrational fears only submit to prayer." He goes on to quote Philippians 4:6-7 and says that: "When we circle the promises of God, those promises then encircle us." Let me quickly explain two things- (1) the promise he mentions is found in verse 7 and is linked to a command found in verse 6, and (2) he doesn't quote verse 8 which tells us that changing our thinking - which controls our fears - is a major part in overcoming fear...NOT just prayer...NOT only prayer.
Sadly, I could go on...but I won't.
THE RECOMMENDATION:
As you may have already concluded, my recommendation for this book is to read it with GREAT discernment. And quite honestly, in my opinion the downside of this book so highly out weights the good points that I can't encourage you to read it at all.
February 19, 2023
A great quick read.
Gives practical steps and and valuable tools for every parent to use. I think I will read this yearly to give fresh eyes for each season of my children’s lives.
Gives practical steps and and valuable tools for every parent to use. I think I will read this yearly to give fresh eyes for each season of my children’s lives.
July 23, 2018
Great book, easy and quick read with lots of practical ideas on how to pray with and for your children!
January 1, 2013
It has been a long time since I have read a book so immediately applicable, a book that literally drove me to my knees. It is a book that instilled a greater desire and conviction of the need for prayer and ways to pray specifically. But this book is much more than just a guide book. It is amazing that a book of just over 100 pages can have so much power and an incredibly lasting impact. This book was so powerful I did not trust myself to write a review at first; I waited until after a second reading and a month had passed to have some more perspective. All I can say is that it truly is an amazing book. I honestly believe that every Christian parent should read this book to be better equipped to pray for their children.
My first time reading this book I highlighted 20 passages. I have pulled out some of the best to highlight for you in small glimpses, some of the knowledge and wisdom that this book will impart.
Mark starts off by acknowledging that becoming a praying parent is hard work. To be disciplined to pray for our children is work and many in family life start to let things slide. "You don't become a praying parent by default. You do it by design, by desire, by discipline. Spiritual disciplines take sheer determination, but if you determine to circle your children in prayer, you will shape their destinies, just like Susanna Wesley shaped the destinies of her children. Your prayers will live on in their lives long after you die. Your prayers for your children are the greatest legacy you can leave." p. 18. From there he moved on to remind us that all our prayers must pass two tests: "It's imperative to distinguish between your will and God's will. Every prayer, including your prayers for your children, must pass a twofold litmus test: your prayers must be in the will of God and for the glory of God. … Prayer is the way we take our hands off and place our children in the hands of God." p. 20-21. We need to pray God's will and God's glory or else we are just not doing it right.
Mark's earlier book, The Circle Maker, has been immensely popular. This book is an off-shoot but can easily be read without reading the first one. Mark States: "Drawing prayer circles is a metaphor that simply means "to pray without ceasing." It's praying until God answers. It's praying with more intensity, more tenacity. It's not just praying for; it's praying through. … We need to start praying ALAT prayers - as long as it takes. That's what praying circles is all about. It's resolving in your heart of hearts that you will pray until the day you die." p. 29 And that is what God is after for us as parents, to be Prayer Warriors in our children's corner, interceding for them, to stand between them and the enemy and them and the world, to raise them up in the ways of God. "Parenting is the hardest thing you'll ever do. And the more you love your kids, the harder it is." p. 31. The more we love, the more we can be hurt.
Finally, he reminds us this will be a life-long journey. "Does this mean the final battle has been fought? We know better; we're parents! The challenges never end, but we need to celebrate our victories along the way. And for the record, prayer is the way we fight our battles. Prayer is the difference between you fighting for God and God fighting for you. Secret prayer is our secret weapon." p. 33, 34. We will be praying until we go home to God or until Christ comes again.
This was an incredible little book. I cannot say how beneficial it was to my prayer life and know I will be reading many more of Batterson's books in the months to come. Give it a try - it is more than worth the low price tag!
Read the review and with links to other reviews of books by the author on my blog Book Reviews and More.
My first time reading this book I highlighted 20 passages. I have pulled out some of the best to highlight for you in small glimpses, some of the knowledge and wisdom that this book will impart.
Mark starts off by acknowledging that becoming a praying parent is hard work. To be disciplined to pray for our children is work and many in family life start to let things slide. "You don't become a praying parent by default. You do it by design, by desire, by discipline. Spiritual disciplines take sheer determination, but if you determine to circle your children in prayer, you will shape their destinies, just like Susanna Wesley shaped the destinies of her children. Your prayers will live on in their lives long after you die. Your prayers for your children are the greatest legacy you can leave." p. 18. From there he moved on to remind us that all our prayers must pass two tests: "It's imperative to distinguish between your will and God's will. Every prayer, including your prayers for your children, must pass a twofold litmus test: your prayers must be in the will of God and for the glory of God. … Prayer is the way we take our hands off and place our children in the hands of God." p. 20-21. We need to pray God's will and God's glory or else we are just not doing it right.
Mark's earlier book, The Circle Maker, has been immensely popular. This book is an off-shoot but can easily be read without reading the first one. Mark States: "Drawing prayer circles is a metaphor that simply means "to pray without ceasing." It's praying until God answers. It's praying with more intensity, more tenacity. It's not just praying for; it's praying through. … We need to start praying ALAT prayers - as long as it takes. That's what praying circles is all about. It's resolving in your heart of hearts that you will pray until the day you die." p. 29 And that is what God is after for us as parents, to be Prayer Warriors in our children's corner, interceding for them, to stand between them and the enemy and them and the world, to raise them up in the ways of God. "Parenting is the hardest thing you'll ever do. And the more you love your kids, the harder it is." p. 31. The more we love, the more we can be hurt.
Finally, he reminds us this will be a life-long journey. "Does this mean the final battle has been fought? We know better; we're parents! The challenges never end, but we need to celebrate our victories along the way. And for the record, prayer is the way we fight our battles. Prayer is the difference between you fighting for God and God fighting for you. Secret prayer is our secret weapon." p. 33, 34. We will be praying until we go home to God or until Christ comes again.
This was an incredible little book. I cannot say how beneficial it was to my prayer life and know I will be reading many more of Batterson's books in the months to come. Give it a try - it is more than worth the low price tag!
Read the review and with links to other reviews of books by the author on my blog Book Reviews and More.
July 17, 2020
I read this in one sitting. It gave me a lot to think (and pray!) about as far as praying intentionally for my children - for their lives now and their futures. The two ideas this struck me most were the concepts of prayer as legacy and prayer as prophecy. I know I’ll read this one again.
October 17, 2012
Great, and important, reminder to always 'pray circles around', or pray without ceasing, for your children. I do this daily, actually at least twice a day.
Favorite Quotes:
Just as one decision can change your destiny, so can one prayer. If you were to map out your spiritual history, you would find countless answers to prayer at key intersections along the way. Before you were even born, even named, many of your had parents and grandparents who prayed for you. I believe that every blessing, every breakthrough, every miracle traces back to the paryers that were prayed by you or for you. ... And when God finally reveals His strange and mysterious ways, it will drop us to our knees in worship. We wil thank Him for the prayers He did answer. We'll also thank Him for the prayers He didn't answer because we'll finally understand why. And we'll thank Him for the answered prayers we weren't even aware of. p 5
It's imperative to distinguish between your will and God's will. Every prayer, including your payers for your children, must pass a twofold litmus test: your prayers must be in the will of God and for the glory of God. God is not a genie in a bottle, and your wish is not His command. His command better be your wish. IF it's not, you won't be drawing prayer circles. You'll end up walking in your own circles. So drawing prayer circles starts with discerning what God wants, what God wills. Prayer is the way we take our hands off and place our children in the hands of God. p 6
You can't choose Christ for your kids, but you can pray that they choose Christ. And I've met far too many children who have come to Christ because their parents prevailed in prayer, sometimes for decades, to believe God for anything less. What other option do we have? To pray or not to pray---these are the only options. p. 11
Drawing prayer circles is a metaphor that simply means to pray without ceasing. It's praying until God answers. it's praying with more intensity, more tenacity. It's not just praying for, it's praying through. We need to start praying as long as it takes. That's what praying circles is all about. It's resolving in your heart of hearts that you will pray until the day your die. p 13
I have come to terms with the fact that I've done more things wrong than I've done right as a parent, but I've taken courage from this simple truth: it's not just my wife and I who are raising our kids; we have a heavenly Father who compensates for our deficiencies, weaknesses, and mistakes. Where we fail as earthly parents, I believe our heavenly Father can succeed. p 16
The goal of a prayer list is not to lay out a laundry list before God. In fact, prayer is not aobut our agenda for God at all; it's about discovering God's agenda for us. But once we discover His agenda, we have to write it down. In my experience, it's very difficult to pray with specificity, intentionality, and consistency without a prayer list. p 24
You need a vision for your children. With your physical eyes you see who a person is. With your spriitual eyes you see what that person can be. And it's only when you close your physical eyes in prayer that God will open your spiritual eyes to perceive what is far more real than the reality you can perceive with your five senses. p 29
Until kids get into the driver's seat, they won't know how to get anywhere. What do I mean? You can pray for the their entire lives, but if you never let them pray, they're jsut along for the ride. They won't know how to get anywehre in prayer. One of the greatest responsibilities of parenthood is praying for your kids, but an even greater responsibility is teaching your kdis to pray. Don't just pray for them, pray with them. p 34
Now let's be honest, our children don't always appreciate what we do for them at the moment when we do it. It's usually not until we have kids of our own that we appreciate the sacrifices our parents made. So don't be disappointed if you feel your prayer circles aren't making a difference. They are. They will. Or maybe you feel it's too little too late. Listen, it's never too late to be who you might have been. Maybe your kids are already adults and you feel like you msised your opportunity. God gives us a second chance, and it's called becoming a grandparent. You can do for your grandchildren what you failed to do for your children. p 38
You never completely know who you are praying for and who is praying for you. You never know how or when God will answer your prayers. But you can be sure of this: Your prayers will shape the destiny of your family for generations to come. And if you are willing to interrupt your sleep cycle, if you are willing to get on your kenes and intercede for your family, God will answer your prayers long after you are gone. Don't lose heart. Don't lose hope. Don't lose faith. Keep circling! p 43
Favorite Quotes:
Just as one decision can change your destiny, so can one prayer. If you were to map out your spiritual history, you would find countless answers to prayer at key intersections along the way. Before you were even born, even named, many of your had parents and grandparents who prayed for you. I believe that every blessing, every breakthrough, every miracle traces back to the paryers that were prayed by you or for you. ... And when God finally reveals His strange and mysterious ways, it will drop us to our knees in worship. We wil thank Him for the prayers He did answer. We'll also thank Him for the prayers He didn't answer because we'll finally understand why. And we'll thank Him for the answered prayers we weren't even aware of. p 5
It's imperative to distinguish between your will and God's will. Every prayer, including your payers for your children, must pass a twofold litmus test: your prayers must be in the will of God and for the glory of God. God is not a genie in a bottle, and your wish is not His command. His command better be your wish. IF it's not, you won't be drawing prayer circles. You'll end up walking in your own circles. So drawing prayer circles starts with discerning what God wants, what God wills. Prayer is the way we take our hands off and place our children in the hands of God. p 6
You can't choose Christ for your kids, but you can pray that they choose Christ. And I've met far too many children who have come to Christ because their parents prevailed in prayer, sometimes for decades, to believe God for anything less. What other option do we have? To pray or not to pray---these are the only options. p. 11
Drawing prayer circles is a metaphor that simply means to pray without ceasing. It's praying until God answers. it's praying with more intensity, more tenacity. It's not just praying for, it's praying through. We need to start praying as long as it takes. That's what praying circles is all about. It's resolving in your heart of hearts that you will pray until the day your die. p 13
I have come to terms with the fact that I've done more things wrong than I've done right as a parent, but I've taken courage from this simple truth: it's not just my wife and I who are raising our kids; we have a heavenly Father who compensates for our deficiencies, weaknesses, and mistakes. Where we fail as earthly parents, I believe our heavenly Father can succeed. p 16
The goal of a prayer list is not to lay out a laundry list before God. In fact, prayer is not aobut our agenda for God at all; it's about discovering God's agenda for us. But once we discover His agenda, we have to write it down. In my experience, it's very difficult to pray with specificity, intentionality, and consistency without a prayer list. p 24
You need a vision for your children. With your physical eyes you see who a person is. With your spriitual eyes you see what that person can be. And it's only when you close your physical eyes in prayer that God will open your spiritual eyes to perceive what is far more real than the reality you can perceive with your five senses. p 29
Until kids get into the driver's seat, they won't know how to get anywhere. What do I mean? You can pray for the their entire lives, but if you never let them pray, they're jsut along for the ride. They won't know how to get anywehre in prayer. One of the greatest responsibilities of parenthood is praying for your kids, but an even greater responsibility is teaching your kdis to pray. Don't just pray for them, pray with them. p 34
Now let's be honest, our children don't always appreciate what we do for them at the moment when we do it. It's usually not until we have kids of our own that we appreciate the sacrifices our parents made. So don't be disappointed if you feel your prayer circles aren't making a difference. They are. They will. Or maybe you feel it's too little too late. Listen, it's never too late to be who you might have been. Maybe your kids are already adults and you feel like you msised your opportunity. God gives us a second chance, and it's called becoming a grandparent. You can do for your grandchildren what you failed to do for your children. p 38
You never completely know who you are praying for and who is praying for you. You never know how or when God will answer your prayers. But you can be sure of this: Your prayers will shape the destiny of your family for generations to come. And if you are willing to interrupt your sleep cycle, if you are willing to get on your kenes and intercede for your family, God will answer your prayers long after you are gone. Don't lose heart. Don't lose hope. Don't lose faith. Keep circling! p 43
July 20, 2024
I loved this book. It was a quick and easy read but heavy considering the topic that is being addressed. The practical tips were helpful, even for my own prayer life. Despite not having my own children yet, I know that I will circle back to this in the years to come!
January 30, 2023
Great quick read !
November 11, 2014
Many of the most important things in life take a lifetime to master, and many of those take only a moment to explain. Even relatively unimportant things, like golf, fall into that category. (Yeah, I know a lot of you may disagree on the importance of golf).
Prayer is definitely one of those things. Mark does a great job here of giving practical ideas of how to pray for our kids--our own biological children, and the children of the community around us. If you're interested in becoming better at interceding for your children, consistently and effectively, then I highly recommend this book.
It's a book written from Protestant perspective, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to my fellow Catholics. Prayer is one area where we can agree! I really liked his idea of praying the entire Bible on behalf of your kids, any my next pass through will be done exactly that way.
Prayer is definitely one of those things. Mark does a great job here of giving practical ideas of how to pray for our kids--our own biological children, and the children of the community around us. If you're interested in becoming better at interceding for your children, consistently and effectively, then I highly recommend this book.
It's a book written from Protestant perspective, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to my fellow Catholics. Prayer is one area where we can agree! I really liked his idea of praying the entire Bible on behalf of your kids, any my next pass through will be done exactly that way.
April 28, 2018
This book had some very great points and really has encouraged me to be more specific in prayer. On the flip side, there was a lot of emphasis on our prayer being prophecies. I had a hard time finding that scripturally accurate. I didn't dig too deep but the word prophecy is a big word. It also lead on that the responsibility of our children's salvation is in our (parents) hands. However, only Jesus saves and our children have to make that choice to follow Him. Yes we PRAY, PRAY, PRAY over our children but at the end of the day it is their choice.
Really liked the specific verses for each child. Loved the testimonies and stories as well.
Really liked the specific verses for each child. Loved the testimonies and stories as well.
December 31, 2021
Short read with lofty goals. The title is a promise that doesn’t quite get realized. The directions given about prayer for our children are misleading. Prayers always answered in the positive “I got what I prayed for” vein are all that is really presented and in my study and understanding, prayer doesn’t work like that.
Praying for our children is important but if Mr. Batterson doesn’t want us to pray our will on them, his words say the opposite. A reminder of ways/ideas to pray for our children is the biggest take away. It is not some step by step guide to praying. Ways to find scripture related to the prayers we have for our children would have been a great addition and more helpful.
Praying for our children is important but if Mr. Batterson doesn’t want us to pray our will on them, his words say the opposite. A reminder of ways/ideas to pray for our children is the biggest take away. It is not some step by step guide to praying. Ways to find scripture related to the prayers we have for our children would have been a great addition and more helpful.
October 2, 2012
I was with him until he said one of his most important prayers was that his son would like girls. Yet early in the book he claims we shouldn't pray for our children to be what we want them to be. I hope his son hasn't read this book. Batterson does not really seem to know what he wants to say here. I'll keep looking. If anything, it taught me some ways not to pray for my children.
July 5, 2019
This book, although small, was filled with so much information! I will be making changes.
June 9, 2021
Great guide to praying for your Children.
I saw a lot of controversy tied to this book (in the Christian community) about it being “new age” “prosperity teachings” etc..
I’m VERY cautious about what I read and what Christian leaders I follow… But this book is very biblical, talks about praying the scriptures for and over your children.
The book emphasizes the need to align our prayers with God's will and His plan and that even if our prayers aren't answered.. we shouldn’t be offended. One of the quotes from the book demonstrates this: "One of the greatest moments in eternity will be the day God peels back the space-time curtain and unveils His sovereignty by connecting the divine dots between our prayers and His answers. That infinite web of prayer crisscrosses every nation, every generation."
Short, concise, and full of actionable steps!
I saw a lot of controversy tied to this book (in the Christian community) about it being “new age” “prosperity teachings” etc..
I’m VERY cautious about what I read and what Christian leaders I follow… But this book is very biblical, talks about praying the scriptures for and over your children.
The book emphasizes the need to align our prayers with God's will and His plan and that even if our prayers aren't answered.. we shouldn’t be offended. One of the quotes from the book demonstrates this: "One of the greatest moments in eternity will be the day God peels back the space-time curtain and unveils His sovereignty by connecting the divine dots between our prayers and His answers. That infinite web of prayer crisscrosses every nation, every generation."
Short, concise, and full of actionable steps!
November 1, 2025
If you have not thought about the importance of praying for your children, Batterson offers some helpful ideas. The content seems to be focused more on building a discipling relationship with your child through your prayers than on praying itself. There are creative ideas to give them something tangible to hold on to in the years to come to remember the parents’ prayers for them. One hopes that these connections help the child move beyond just the faith of the parent to actually own this faith for themselves. It would be interesting to hear the fruit of these methods in the lives of Batterson’s children today, nearly fifteen years after the book was written.
February 19, 2023
Wow just wow! What an amazing quick read, it took me about an hour and a half to read this so a super easy commitment. Since having a baby this year I was looking for material about prayer and children and this one hit it right on the nose. First of all I love this author. His delivery and style are second to none in my books when it comes to non-fiction. Some of the testimonies he included moved me to tears and he gave plenty of practical advice. If you are a parent with children of ANY age you NEED THIS BOOK!!!!
October 19, 2024
As a lifetime believer but as a new first-time father, this book was a quick but concise read that inspired me to pray with more direction and intentionality than I had felt in sometime. There is nothing that radically changed my doctrinal view of God , prayer, or faith but there were plenty of instances where I felt challenged to pray prayers I thought were hopeless or irrelevant in this season of fatherhood before my son is even a toddler.
Perhaps the most on topic qeue presented within was to practice praying about what to pray about!
Perhaps the most on topic qeue presented within was to practice praying about what to pray about!
December 7, 2018
"Prayer is your highest privilege as a parent. There is nothing you can do that will have a higher return on investment."
This is a true manual for parenting. It is such a jam-packed, power-punching little book that no parent should pass up! Just when I thought I understood praying over my kids, I turn another page and find even more value and knee-buckling truths. I couldn't recommend this book higher.
This is a true manual for parenting. It is such a jam-packed, power-punching little book that no parent should pass up! Just when I thought I understood praying over my kids, I turn another page and find even more value and knee-buckling truths. I couldn't recommend this book higher.
April 29, 2022
I definitely appreciate the encouragement to expand my prayers for my children further and some ideas on how to do that. But the book felt a little disjointed and theologically felt like it was walking a fine line toward “ask and you shall receive!” I haven’t read his first book so perhaps more context would’ve helped but this felt like it lacked depth and solid biblical footing.
May 20, 2023
This is a practical little guide given to us after our child's dedication service at church. Batterson offers practical advice on how to spiritually lead your children through prayer and intentional conversation. A good read in the very early days of parenting.
December 28, 2025
A short but spurring read on the importance and practical ways of praying for your children! I haven’t read Circle Maker that this book is based off of (I don’t feel like you need to in order to read this) but it made me want to go read it!
January 9, 2020
Great book for parents.
January 23, 2023
Overall I thought this book had some good stuff in it. I enjoyed reading it with my husband in preparation for our baby boy to arrive!
November 28, 2023
Excellent and will be reread numerous times.
April 6, 2024
I don't have children, however my Mom told me how amazing this book is and I decided to read it. It touched my heart. I will definitely be rereading I again.
May 15, 2024
Short read, but so worth it. I gained a lot of insight, but also a lot of simple ideas that I can put into my every day schedule to help. Pray circles around my son.
February 12, 2025
Quick read but nice
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