Experiencing God's Presence: Learning To Listen While You Pray

by Linda Evans Shepherd

Popular author and speaker Linda Evans Shepherd guides readers into a closer relationship with God through prayer.

Genres: Spirituality, Christian, Prayer

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2013

About the author

Author of When You Don't Know What to Pray-How to Talk to God About Anything & Potluck Club novels, speaker, TV host, President of Right to the Heart & AWSA.com

Reviews

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you had a conversation with God, but never listened to what He had to say back would you really be conversing? The logical answer is that we need to listen as much as we talk. The author has taken this and written a book about how to listen better when praying. Filled with scripture and probing questions, it takes the reader on a journey that will change and revolutionize their prayer life.
Each chapter begins with a quote or scripture. The author then presents her thoughts on prayer with a clear, concise and easy to read manner. A prayer, several questions, and a section called "Making It Personal" are included at the end of each chapter.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The author was able to present facts and scripture without it being too dry. The message was beautiful and so relevant to today. The book will be an added bonus to any Bible study or devotional time. I will definitely be keeping this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their prayer life.

I received this book free of charge from Book Fun in exchange for my honest review.

[Diana Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Experiencing God’s Presence
By: Linda Evans Shepherd

I really liked this book. I believe it would make a wonderful study guide for a group study or one alone. I know it was a blessing to me. Linda is trying to show us how we can be better in our prayer life. We need to come to god boldly in our prayers and in our walk of life. We have not cause we ask not. Hebrews 4: 16
The book is set up in 12 Experiences each has the experience , discussion , prayers and Question and answering section. Linda is showing us how we need to be open to hear God. Are we listening to Him. I loved the part about blessings. She spoke of how people are hurt for being a Christian. Made fun of or sometimes even abused and killed for their belief. God will Bless you for all you do in His name. So many ways in this book to enrich your prayer life I recommend it to all.

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Experiencing God’s Presence” reads much like a step-by-step manual with journal entries. Author Shepherd provides multiple ways to instill devotion into your day. Each chapter consists of Biblical retellings or personal stories, passages of scripture, follow-along prayers, and a journal reflection.
With themes about God’s presence, love, blessings, healing, and power – I truly did learn to “Listen While You Pray”. It was refreshing to remember prayer as a conversation, and not just as a voicemail left on Jesus’ answering machine. I recommend this book to anyone looking to start back at the basics of getting in touch with God.

[Darlene Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book slowly, copying each prayer into my prayer journal--and found myself changed in the process. I was doing this at the same time I was preparing to write devotions on assigned passages and seeking to hear God's voice as I studied the material. That plus multiple computer problems led to a unique, intensive school in hearing God. Also Linda's daughter died during these two months. So thank you, friend, and praying that God will bring these hard-earned lessons back to help you as you heal from your loss.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning to Listen while you pray

Great book that pulls you in right from the beginning:
Come Boldly to God
pg 11


"These days, I can tell you that my prayer times bring me the closeness to God I'd longed for, I discovered that as I reached for a more vibrant friendship with God, he reached right back with his presence." pg 13

Through 12 Chapters Linda takes us through teaching, prayers, and time focusing on a passage or verse, we learn to 'Behold Him'. Sometimes our prayer times are nothing more than a wish list or shopping list of situations, people, and things we want changed, fixed or taken away. We place our list, like placing an order over the phone or online then move on waiting for 'it' to arrive.

Chapt. 1 Praying to Experience God's Presence
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
James 4:8 NKJV

This book is not only for the Christian, as she takes us through the sinners' prayer pg.16, and prepares each and every reader for the blessings of prayer that God has planned for us.

"If God loves you enough to send his Son to rescue you, then do you think this God is interested in seeing you draw close enough to hear his voice?"
pg 17

When was the last time you heard his voice? Do you feel far from God? Do you need to come and sit in his presence? Then this is the book for you.

"And that's exactly what this book is about-prayer, or conversations, to help you draw closer to God, to help you more deeply experience his love for you. Together, we will experience a closeness to God that will ignite our very beings with even more of the oil of his loving presence." pg 18

In this chapter we quiet our minds and focus on Psalm 23. Definitely a well know Psalm, but what does God have to say to you today, about this? and you? Do you hear him right away? Fret not.

"You may hear from him right away, or you may have to continue to practice this listening prayer as you continue to meditate on his Word." pg. 26

And to close we make it personal.

As we continue through the chapters we will experience: God's Transforming Power, Blessings, Hope, Trust in God, Deliverance from Evil, Healing Power, Praising God, God's Love, Joy of the Lord, Peace of God, More of God.

I loved the ABC's of Chapter 2: Experiencing God's Transforming Power.
A-Acknowledge Him
B-Bring it-tell him of concerns/needs
C-Chat...wow chatting with God? How cool is that?! No need to be intimidated in prayer. He knows all about us, but he wants to hear it from us.

"Whatever you bring to God, he'll help you through. Then when you look back, you'll see his fingerprints on the things you brought to him in prayer." pg. 31

Another part of the book I enjoyed, which happened throughout the chapters under the heading Behold Jesus. The author takes well known Bible stories (Mary/Martha, mothers bringing children to Jesus, five loaves/2 fish and more) and brings us right into the situation of the time. You can feel the harried Martha, while Mary sits and soaks in Jesus, or the disciples shooing away the children but Jesus, with smile on his face and arms open wide welcomes them, etc. The encounters with Jesus are brought to life, and reminds us that just as back in those days, Jesus wants to meet with us, with me.

Many well known authors such as Max Lucado, Billy and Ruth Graham, Stormie Omartian, Charles Stanley and many more. And if that isn't enough there is also a discussion guide enclosed, which would be perfect to do in a small group.

This book is going to take you down the road closer to Him. Pick it up, read it today. You'll be glad you did.

Thank you to bookfun.org for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Linda Evans Shepherd for listening to him and writing this book to share with us. Blessings on you.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book, but in the end, I simply liked it.

This book takes you through different experiences of the LORD in prayer, such as His joy, His peace, and His Presence. There are prayers scattered through each chapter, so you learn to pray as you read this book and as you read Scripture. The chapters begin with an explanation of the experience, usually through a testimony of the author or quotes from others. Then the chapters each have a section called "Behold Jesus". This was my favorite section. The author takes a Biblical character and imagines what it would be like to be him or her in the Presence of Jesus using the Biblical narrative as a guide. The author is very creative and I would like to read more of her fiction as I think she has a great imagination. After the brief section on beholding Jesus, she shows us how to pray through the lessons learned. The final section of each chapter is for meditating on Scripture with an opportunity to pray through the Scripture.

Pros:
The author is a good writer and I enjoyed her style. Her heart for the Lord and for others to know Him really came through in her writing. It was obvious that she reveres the Bible and gives it authority.
Some of the chapters touched my heart personally.
The meditative section at the end gave a practical aspect of the book while keeping it in line with the Bible.
The prayers in the book made me have to stop and pray, which is a delight.
The Behold Jesus section shows us how to use our imaginations as we read Scripture.

Cons:
Each section seemed rushed to me. I would have enjoyed it more had the author taken the time to flesh out each chapter in more detail. I finished it feeling I was missing something and some of my questions and concerns were not answered.

My conclusion:
I am glad I read this, but would have liked a longer book so the author would have had space to slow down and go deeper into each chapter. This was an easy read, so those who might be intimidated by a more intellectually difficult book, should be fine reading this one. Also, anyone just beginning a life of prayer, will learn much about praying the Scriptures through the leading prayers in this book.

*Note* I received a free copy of this book through the Goodreads Giveaways program.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author in a giveaway on www.bookfun.org in return for my honest opinion. This book was very moving and overall amazing! I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this book! It has already helped me to start thinking about life and my relationship with God in a much different way. For example, I was getting ready to leave work today and out of nowhere this torrential downpour begins. Needless to say I was dreading the walk to my car once I was out from under the covered walkway (of course I left my umbrella in the car)! I tried to stay positive about the situation, telling myself that it could always be worse. As soon as I was out from under the covered walkway the rain quickly slowed to a light drizzle, giving me enough time to get to my car before it started pouring again. All I could think about was Linda’s book and how she encourages the reader to look at situations differently and try to see how God fits into these situations and how blessed we are. If I never read Linda’s book, I probably would have just been upset at the fact that I left my umbrella in the car and now I’m all wet. Instead, by reflecting on the author’s words, I was able to smile and know that it was God who blessed me by slowing the rain so that I could get to my car safely.

This book is a definite eye-opener and one that I will definitely be reading again as I try to incorporate the principles discussed by the author into my life; so that I can become a better Christian by becoming closer to God. I appreciate what the author has done by incorporating prayer throughout the book. This provides the reader with a baseline of where to start if they are unsure of how to pray or what to say. It also teaches us how to slow down and listen. Whether you are new to praying, or a seasoned Christian, this book is helpful to all. I highly recommend every Christian, or those who are curious, to read this book! It is an essential that should be added to every Christian’s library.

[Nana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A self-help book in learning how to pray effectively and listen for God's response, this book is a valuable tool in discovering God's direction for our lives. Each chapter focuses on a topic that relates to conversations with God and scriptural lessons that confirm Jesus' examples and teachings on faith, renouncing the evil one, and believing the promises in scripture through Jesus' teachings. Lessons in quieting one's mind and praying conversational prayers lead to exercises in developing trust and listening for answers to those prayers. An exercise at the end of each section gives the reader space to write down significant highlights from each prayer which may reveal an immediate answer from God, or a response that may be revealed in time.

Linda Evans Shepherd has written a powerful book illustrating practical tools for those who want a closer relationship with God. Scriptural references accurately support her examples. Lessons and prayers are practical and create an effective method of releasing the holds of evil from our lives and replacing those thoughts with faith-based beliefs. I found this book very informative and helpful in my prayer life, and will read this book again and again. I highly recommend it for those looking for a closer relationship with God. I look forward to reading more of this author's books!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through the Book Fun For Readers Only program and Revell in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review. Thank you to Fred St. Laurent and Revell for providing this book.

[Janelle Zeeb · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can see how this book would be helpful for some people, but I didn't really connect with this book. It just didn't do much for me.

I will commend the author for sticking closely to scripture, as books on prayer can sometimes start to wander away into speculation and mysticism. The author's imaginative expansions of bible stories to illustrate aspects of Jesus' character were also interesting and helpful to show how to read the gospels in a way that we can learn about Jesus. So overall, this could be a useful book to teach newer Christians how to pray and how to use the Bible during devotional time.

Personally, there were many reasons I didn't click with this book. I hate being told what to pray by someone else, and so the author's written prayers only made me frustrated. Some of the prayers were a little sappy, and probably appeal more to women than to men or people who are more logical than emotional. Her method of "hearing" God relies mostly on lectio divina, where one reads scripture verses several times and then tries to see what stands out, and then claims that this must be God speaking to that person. But I don't like lectio divina because it is too formulaic and forced. The rest of the book was filled mostly with personal stories from the author's life, which could come across as bragging, and quickly became tiresome.

If you get something from this book, then good. But it shouldn't be assumed that everyone has to have a relationship with Jesus which is exactly like the author's, and everyone doesn't have to pray the same way or do devotions the same way to be close to Jesus.

[A.C. Cuddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“God wants to hear from you – but He also wants you to hear from Him.

What if every time you had a conversation, your best friend never got a word in edgewise? Your relationship would be less than fulfilling – for both of you! In the same way, a fulfilling prayer life is more than just regularly talking to God. And it’s more than checking items off a prayer list. God loves us so much that He wants us to draw close enough not only to talk but also to listen.”

I love this book! Every page is a blessing! It is rich with the author’s stories and experiences, as well as her clever way of re-telling of Bible stories that will just bless the reader and bring home the message that will help you nurture your prayer conversations with God.

As each chapter unfolds, we are reminded that our prayer life is about more than a list of sick folks and issues. It’s about coming into His presence… spending time with Him… and savoring His power, love, healings and blessings.

This is not a book that I would read once, mark it done and put it up on the shelf. In my opinion, this is a book that I will return to for help and guidance and just to remind me that He is waiting not just to hear from me… but for me to hear from Him.

*Disclaimer: I won a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway. All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

*Reviews of this book were posted at the following locations:
Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Deeper Shopping, Goodreads, and to be featured on my blog at http://titus3.wordpress.com

[Janice Garey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go Deep Into the Heart of God (review of Experiencing God's Presence by Linda Evans Shepherd)
Reviewer: Janice S. Garey

Experiencing God's Presence by Linda Evans Shepherd is a precious book. It will touch your heart with the love in God's heart as you go through its pages, practice its prayers and learn to really listen for God's response to you. The book helps the reader to learn the many situations in which we can reach out to God. People tend to have blind spots and will reach out to God in certain scenarios but not in others. The book gives direction with prayers to reach God at various points of need in one's life.

The author has a nice way of topping off each chapter with a "Beholding Jesus in Prayer" time with fill in the blanks to make the prayers fit the needs of individual readers. Then a "Listening Prayer" section gives exercises to facilitate hearing what God wants to speak into your life. Finally the "Making It Personal" prayer encourages acknowledgement of a deepening relationship with God.

The book is fashioned much like a workbook to be written in. For my purposes, I believe the book may be used alongside a journal book to record thoughts so the book itself may be kept for use on an annual basis. The book is one that would be relevant and fresh for each new year's challenges and praises. Yes, it is that precious. I can see using it for many years.

I received this book from Bookfun.org in exchange for reading it and posting an honest review of the book.

[Suzette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. We studied this book as a small group (5 to 10 women meeting weekly). we were very interested in learning to hear FROM God rather than just pray TO God. Women tend to talk more easily than they listen, after all. I do think it was helpful to all of us in that regard. Much as with nearly every other discussion-type book, it seems that the usefulness of the book peters out toward the end (what more is there to say?), yet I believe it is important to read it all because different chapters were helpful to different people, and you don't know until you read them.

Most chapters stirred up our thoughts as we were reading it, and many (not all) chapters provided some great discussion. Often her ideas challenged our previously held assumptions. [I don't mean this to say that it is controversial so much as it puts into words some topics, some feelings, some questions that we hadn't really thought about before.]

one caveat that I do have. I think it may be better to read an earlier book of hers first--or at least parts of it--to understand where SHE is coming from and what troubles she has endured in her own life. When I read some passages from her previous book==When You Can't Find God: How to Ignite the Power of His Presence--to the group, it was a real "aha" moment as her point of view made more sense and it lent more credibility to her writing.

[Carolyn Gelb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Experiencing God’s Presence

I liked Experiencing God’s Presence by Linda Evans Shepherd because the author’s focus is to “learn to listen while you pray.” She provides twelve experiences, discussion questions, sample prayers, and ways to participate to help enrich your prayer life. Understanding the experiences has helped deepen my relationship with the Lord. I loved Shepherd’s use of scriptures throughout the book and her own stories which illustrate the point she is making.

I especially liked the way the author encourages the reader to be still and know God’s voice because our lives could depend on slowing down to know what God has for us. This book is very appropriate for the time and age in which we are living because many of us seem to have the busyness disease and have trouble taking time to really listen to God.

I thought the book was excellent and, because I am a how-to person, I liked the author’s creative, practical ideas for helping my prayer life go from routine to experiencing a more intimate relationship with God.

Thank you Revell for offering Experiencing God’s Presence free in exchange for my honest opinion and BookFun.org that made it all happen!

[Michelle Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Experiencing God’s Presence, Learning to Listen While You Pray by Linda Evans Shepherd
This is a great book designed to teach you how to have a deeper relationship with God by conversation with Him, seeking Him and seeing Him at work in our lives. The author shows you how the scriptures can speak to you, I would say how it comes alive. I especially like the ABC’s of a conversation with God, acknowledge Him, bring Him your concern, invite him in your day and chat with God about what is on your mind. You will also find examples of how God has worked in other peoples life and answered their prayer. The author also includes prayers and walks you through the steps. You will feel the presence of God after putting the steps into practice. This is a great book to use alone or as a group study. I have already put into practice some of the things I learned. Linda Evans Shepherd shows me how pray is a conversation with God just like a conversation with a trusted friend. I highly recommend this book. I want to thank the author and publisher for bringing Christian books like this one to readers like me. I would also like to thank The Book Club Network Inc. for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Experiencing God's Presence: Learning to Listen While You Pray

By: Linda Evans Shepherd

Published by: Revell

This is an easy to read and follow book on how to praying to our Heavenly Father and learning to listen to Him when he speaks. This would be a great book for a small group or personal study. A lot of people say that they don't know how to pray or that they can't hear God talking to them. Linda shows us how to go boldly to God with all of our concerns and cares and how to be still and hear him. I love the 3 types of prayers that are at the end of each chapter. This is not a book that you just read and put on a shelve. This is a book to keep on your night stand, by your favorite chair, or anywhere that you spend your quite time with God. I am a firm believer in prayer and would recommend this book to anyone who wants a closer prayer life with God. Someone who wants to hear Him and feel His presence. I was given a free copy of this book for my honest review.

[Dianne Butts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I read one of Linda Evans Shepherd’s books I know it is my favorite…until I read the next and I decide this one is definitely my favorite. Linda has done it again. I found Experiencing God’s Presence: Learning to Listen While You Pray incredibly helpful to my growth in prayer.

Like her other prayer books, I definitely want to read this one again and work through the “listening prayers” again.
Like her other books, this one is conversational, down to earth, friendly, loving, and will lead you to a deeper life in your following of Jesus Christ. Includes Linda’s personal stories, her own superb brand of humor, and leads you through many examples of “listening prayers.” Go deeper. Get this book and learn to listen while you pray.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Experiencing God's Presence is a most valuable guide to having a deeper, personal relationship with God through scripture, meditation on the Word, and prayerful listening to His voice. The author includes Biblical lessons and personal stories to illustrate timeless truths of answered prayers and miracles. Sample prayers and steps guide the reader in meaningful, two-way dialogue with God. Discussion questions at the end of the book focus on the personal stories and scriptures mentioned in the chapters. This is an uplifting, helpful resource that provides a strategy for a more rewarding and satisfying communication with God--a resource that will be read and consulted many times. I received this book through the Book Club Network in exchange for an honest review.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the best book I've read on prayer. Rather than just writing about prayer, Linda has us actually pray several times in each chapter. She helps us overcome many of our misconceptions about ourselves, God, and prayer. She creatively retells bible stories to illustrate her points. She has us explore questions at the end of each chapter with space to write. There is also a great discussion guide at the end of the book so this would be a fine choice for a small group. See my complete review at http://bit.ly/17PYmFl.

[Donna Mcginnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It is full of Scriptures and Prayers that will help me in my prayer life, how to listen for God's voice and feel His presence. This book would also be good in a study group. A book not to just to put on a shelf after reading it, but a reference book that I will access again and again.
I recommend this book.

I received this book from bookun.org for my honest opinion and review.

[Taelor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! I have re-read so many portions to pray about and with. This book has been such an inspiration to me. I like that it's written in plain language, yet is still so inspirational!

I am sending my gratitude to the author of this book! This is easily one of my very favorite books!

[Danmcgohan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very predictable. Nothing new. This is not how I communicate. I believe God want you to be real (He already knows what is real with you). It just feels false, fake.