The One Year Praying through the Bible for Your Kids

by Nancy Guthrie, Sinclair B. Ferguson (Foreword)

Daily encouragement for parents who realize the things they want most for their kids are things only God can do . . . so they pray.
As parents we want to protect our children; we want them to move forward in life; most importantly, we want them to take hold of and grow in Christ. And while the advice offered by parenting experts can be helpful, at some point we realize there are no simplistic formulas or sure-fire methods. We need wisdom from God’s Word for this all-important task.

In The One Year Praying through the Bible for Your Kids, trusted author Nancy Guthrie weaves together wisdom and insight from each day’s reading in The One Year Bible, providing encouragement through the triumphs and turbulence of parenting. Day by day you’ll find your dreams and desires for your children are becoming shaped more by Scripture than by the culture around you. Worry less, pray more, and help yourself to a daily dose of perspective, hope, and grace as you parent.

Genres: Parenting, Christian, Prayer, Devotional, Nonfiction, Faith, Family

383 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2016

About the author

Nancy Guthrie teaches the Bible at her home church, Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee, as well as at conferences around the country and internationally, including through her Biblical Theology Workshops for Women. She is the author of numerous books and the host of the Help Me Teach the Bible podcast at The Gospel Coalition. She and her husband host Respite Retreats for couples who have faced the death of child and are co-hosts of the GriefShare video series.

Reviews

[Blythe]

While I don’t always agree with Guthrie’s theology, I think that actually enriched my experience reading this, as it helped me pause and consider what I do believe; also, I don’t want to discredit a book simply because I don’t agree with everything—I think I can still learn and enjoy the book. I appreciate all the scripture and how Guthrie encourages the reader to dig deep. I love the prayers because they often prompted me to think of ways to talk to God about my children that I maybe wouldn’t have on my own.

[Robin Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ii read this at night before bed and used it to pray for my family. It was a great way to end each day.

[Julia Burford · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent book! This book gives you the option to either just read each days devotion and prayer, or it has readings for each day that will have you reading through the entire Bible in a year.
The devotions and prayers are theologically rich and the prayers can be applied to anyone. Often I prayed them for myself and my husband as much as for my kids.
Nancy has done an excellent job, and I will be recommending this for years to come.

[Ruthie Turpin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved spending the last year in this book. It really helped me find scripture-rooted focus in my prayers for my children. I look forward to going through it again one day.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Nancy Guthrie pulls out apt prayers from every day's reading, sometimes addressing our heart for our kids, but every once in awhile she turns the prayers back to our own hearts. I found this book moving, consoling, encouraging, and convicting. I'm going right back to the beginning starting January 1.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

It actually took me a year and a half to finish this devo and the entire Bible as outlined in the devo. The devo was inspiring and thought provoking and surprisingly appropriate no matter the age of your children.

[Shasta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book to have for a daily read. It’s simple and to the point and if you have a few minutes I think a great opener to the day. It’s given me the tools and the ability (in my opinion) to pray with more intention. I tend to fall short of the depth in which I pray and this really helped me see how I can form my prayers for my life, kids, family, job, etc. in so many ways. It’s been a little blessing this book, highly recommend.

[Deon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great One Year® Bible. Each day there is a verse, devotional, prayer, and scriptures (an added bonus is the daily scriptures are in-sync with other One Year® Bible plans).
The format is clean and simple. This was such a practical book for me. I enjoyed be able to pray specific things for my kids. Some of the prayers had blanks so I could really personalize to my kids. The devotionals touch on topics such as thought life, favoritism, perseverance, and contentment. This would be great for parents & grandparents who desire to get in the Word and pray for their kids.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE this. The focus is on reading through the Bible with a short, pointed prayer application of the readings for your kids (& you!!). As you can see it’s a constant read of mine but wanted to “review” it & my mom gifted me a gorgeous new hard back edition ! 🥰

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich devotional and one year Bible reading plan that I thoroughly enjoyed. I didn't manage to read it every day but loved it and plan to repeat in the future.

[Unchong Berkey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Great way to stay on track to pray for your kids as you read Scripture and a short devotional each day from Nancy.

[Joelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been using this throughout the past year, and I love the earnest nuggets of truth of the scripture and the prayer prompts. It has given me new in sights about my heart and the heart of my children and has also taught me new ways to pray for them. Highly recommend!

[Michael Philliber · Rating 5 out of 5]

With each epoch of our family's life changes in relationship with our children are constantly evolving. When our children were little, we had concerns and desires for them that reflected their young, inexperienced stage in life. As they grew into adolescence, we had new worries and delights. And now that almost all of them are adults, this has opened up a whole fresh bundle of prayers, anticipations, and sometimes, anxieties. Nancy Guthrie has handed parents a wonderful 400 page tool that reflects all of this in her "The One Year Praying through the Bible for Your Kids." It is ideal for the busy mom and dad, and can be adapted to be used in different ways depending on your season of life. As Sinclair Ferguson points out in the foreword, "It is not a "how to do" manual. No, it is a "how to be" guidebook" (viii).

The format is simple. Each day of the year receives its own page with a devotional reading that stands behind the prayer for the day. For the busy parent, Guthrie has set up a program for reading the Bible through in a year that supplements the devotion. For the super-busy mom or dad, a central passage from the Bible reading is printed at the top, and the devotional thought builds from there. Each of those aspects are valuable to help keep parents grounded; yet the prayers will be the most immediate benefit. These prayers are not sticky, syrupy sap, but thoughtfully drawn from the Scripture and devotional thoughts for that day. Some are confessing faults, "Lord, I don't want to be a hypocrite in my own home. But it is very hard for me to be humble before my children and to confess my sins..." (84). Others are specifically aimed at the children, "Lord, do your transforming work in_________ through your Word,..." (210). And almost all of the prayers can be used no matter what stage you or your children are in.

"Praying through the Bible for Your Kids" is handy, and helpful. It is perfect for new, seasoned or empty-nest parents, as well as grandparents. If you need to be encouraged, directed to the goodness of God, or guided in prayer, you will find this volume just what you need. I highly recommend the book.

[Erin Seeders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved the intentionality of praying for my children every single day of the this past year! This is a book that I will come back to often- it applies to praying for your children no matter what age they are, and it focuses on our own hearts as believing parents and how our own conduct should be towards them and in raising them in the fear and instruction of the Lord.

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

These daily meditations and prayers are absolutely excellent and appropriate when your children are any age, including adults.

[Sherry Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is amazing - will have on my yearly rotation.

[City Church of Richmond]

From Jennifer: My default is to worry about my kids. This book is gradually helping to change my default from worrying about them to praying for them. Nancy Guthrie combines a plan to read through the Bible in a year with devotions that focus on the trials and joys of parenting. Each devotion is connected to one of the day's scripture passages and ends with a prayer to pray over your child, or any children in your life. Even if you aren't planning to use the reading plan portion of this book, it's still a wonderful resource that provides encouragement, wisdom from God's word, and hope for the way God is at work in the lives of our kids.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I prefer devotionals that aren’t topical and encourage its readers to read the Bible on their own. Last year, I chose “Praying Through the Bible for Your Kids,” and I love it! It has a one page devotional for every day of the year & it lists out the Bible passages for you to read on your own. If you read all the passages, you’ll read the Bible in one year, too.
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What I love about this devotional in particular is that Nancy Guthrie writes about parenting children with an equal emphasis on God parenting us. This devotional is all about grace and how loved we are by our perfect Heavenly Father. We are blessed to love our children with this same powerful, Spirit-filled love, too.

[Ryan Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A yearly devotional filled with insight and meaningful prayers to pray over your children. Guthrie does a nice job applying Scripture to our everyday family situations, providing conviction, truth, and encouragement to continually portray and give Christ to your kids. I’m not a fan of the NLT version used (just a preference) and some of her hyper-Calvinism is present from time to time. But overall, well put together and a perfect way to kickstart praying for my daughter each morning.

[L.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good daily encouragement of Who God is as our Father and why we can keep going as parents, even on hard days—whether it’s hard because our children are misbehaving or because we are battling our own trials. I will read this again.

My only wish (preventing five stars) is that the daily Bible reading coordinated with the day’s devotional thought. It didn’t, so I skipped that part and just dug deeper into the explicit verses shared with the thought.

[J. Alfred · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great daily devotional. Its Bible reading plan will take you through the whole Bible once and the Psalms twice, and the associated meditations are thoughtful, inspiring, faithful, and searching by turns. And then there is a guided prayer for each text, specifically made with the concerns of a parent in mind. I recommend this wholeheartedly for everyone with kids.
I was given this as a gift last year and gave copies to a number of different people this year. Can't recommend highly enough.

[Miriam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, simple format, that has been a great help for me in how I pray for my children. The devotional text speaks to me firstly as a child of God, and about my realtionship with God, and then goes on to make an application about my children and my parenting or trusting God with what he is doing in my children's lives. Fabulous resource for parents at all stages of parenting.

[rachel schwab · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not usually a devotion-a-day time person but I’ve really enjoyed this one. I’m marking it read now even though the year isn’t through so other people can see it and maybe pick it up for themselves. It definitely reminds me of the need to pray for my kids fervently and has helped enrich my prayers.

[Elisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the short devotionals that follow The One Year Bible daily readings. The daily reminder to pray for our kids and to pray for wisdom as parents were encouraging. I missed some days but that's the beauty of a book with this format. It's easy to dive back in "catch" those missed dates the nect time through.

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this devotional. To have a reading plan to read the Bible in one year, and praying over each section in regards to my children was so good for me. I highly recommend this devotional. For your prayer life, your faith life, and your walk with God as a parent.

[Julie Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used this as my devotional this year, and it really helped me to connect what I had read in my daily Bible reading to praying for my kids. Hopefully it helped to hone a new spiritual discipline of looking for Scriptures to pray for friends and family as I read.

[Stephanie VanAlmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a beautiful way to pray for your children. I have always loved praying scripture and putting my girls’ names into the promises and prayers. I liked how this lead you through specific prayers. I also liked the devotional thoughts.

[Liz Krieg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing devotional for any parent at any stage. This was my second year reading through it and I used the recommended daily Bible reading as well to get through the entire Bible in one year! Highly recommend.

[Anna Grace Paulovkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic daily devotional to guide you in praying over your kids. It has a scripture reading, content to read, and a prayer where you insert your children’s names in the blanks. I will do this one again for sure! The devotionals are one page so it’s manageable to do everyday.

[Kristine Bastin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect this book to be so life changing! Really changed the way I think about praying for my boys. It grounded me every single day. This is a book I will read over and over again!!! So so good!!!!!!! Already looking forward to reading it again. One of the best books of all time for me.