Prayer: Warrior Confessions

by Harriet E. Michael, Shirley Crowder

True accounts of prayer in action.Come along with other prayer warriors and read their stories. Some of the stories will make you cry while others will make you laugh. Each story ends with a confession from the writer in which he or she shares an insight about prayer or something new they learned through their experience.Readers of Prayer Warrior Confessions will learn more about prayer as they enjoy the true and candid stories of other people's experiences with prayer. They see the stories through the writers' eyes and glean the insights the writers learned. True stories of prayer in action that will make you cry, laugh, sigh, smile, and stand amazed.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 1, 2018

Reviews

[Chautona Havig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of prayerful testimonies is full of yeses, noes, and insteads from the Lord in the lives of some of His saints. Many of the stories take place in Africa among missionary families, but not all.

It’s an easy read—each testimony taking only a few minutes. I found it difficult to keep reading and reading, one after the other. Had I realized how it would play out, I would have chosen to read one or two a day over the course of a couple of weeks or so.

To that end, I think this being part of a family or personal Bible study on prayer would be a great idea. Reading how the Lord works in the lives of others is always a great addition to prayer.

Also, those who enjoy missionary stories will find Prayer Warrior Confessions rich and rewarding to read. I really enjoyed the book, and am glad I requested a review copy, but as I said, I personally would have enjoyed it more in smaller doses. My fault, not the authors’.

I suspect I’ll be buying a few copies for gifts over the next year—the first going into the library at The Lighthouse. I mean, we need it, right?

[Joy Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my goals this year was to become a prayer warrior.  (I've done pretty well in working towards that goal.  So much room to grow, but this year I developed greater consistency than ever before.  Baby steps!).  So it seemed fitting that I would finish off the year by reading a book called Prayer Warrior Confessions.  This book is a collection of prayer stories from the lives of the editors and others.  Here's what I thought about it:

#1 Prayer Warrior Confessions was not what I expected.
But not in a bad way!  When I think of "prayer warriors," I think of folks going to battle in prayer for big things and getting big results.  I think of the movie War Room.  Obviously, it's a lot more than that.  My own journey to grow into the prayer warrior God created me to be has been first a fight for consistency in the small things.  But I expected a book about prayer warrior confessions to be about those big victories.  And indeed, there were many of those stories in this book!  But there were also stories that would seem much smaller, and even some stories that didn't seem like they were about prayer at all.  And then there were some that the world might not consider victories...but they were still answered prayers.

#2 I loved the missions stories in Prayer Warrior Confessions.
I've always been a sucker for missions stories.  My mom grew up as a missionary kid, just like the compilers of Prayer Warrior Confessions, and between home and Missionettes (now Mpact Girls), I read and heard stories of God's work on the mission field over and over.  They are still some of my favorites.  I loved the way that many of the stories in this book were missions stories. Not all of them, lest we fall into the trap of thinking God only answers prayers in big ways on the mission field. But enough of them to remind us of a faith that God desires for all of us.

#3 Some of these prayer warriors got off topic on their preambles.
Some of them lost me for a bit.  They would get into a little too much backstory, so I was confused about where some of the stories were going, or how those events or descriptions related to the point of the story.  If there is one thing I would change about this book, that would be it...trim some of those introductions that were longer than the prayer stories themselves.  That memory might be really special to you since you experienced it, and in the right context, it might even be really special to me.  But if it causes me to lose your point, you might be robbing from the impact of this little book.

Would I recommend Prayer Warrior Confessions?
Yes. Despite #3 above, I think this was a really enjoyable little book and would even be neat to read as a family with older kids.  (Some of the subject matter may be a little too intense for little kids).

I received a review copy of this book; all opinions are my own.

[Deana Dick · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories in this book helped me to remember that He doesn't care how small or unimportant a prayer may seem to some; He wants us to have faith that He hears us and answers prayers in His own way. There were many stories in here that made me cry and gave me hope. What a wonderful feeling to know that your parents pray for you daily. We may not know who prays for us, but through these stories those prayers are powerful and are heard.

The one story that really stood out to me was "When My Son Calls." I have three sons and I related to the author's wonderful journey with her sons. Like the author, when one of my grown sons call, I get excited and a bit anxious at the same time. They are each different but bless my husband and I everyday. One is very outgoing and loves to give hugs. The other two are more reserved and quiet. I cried as I read this story because I know how much I love to hear from my boys. I did forget that God likes to hear from His children as well. He wants us to talk to Him, come to Him in prayer and spend time with Him. Thank you for reminding me that as a child of God, I need to spend more time with Him in prayer.


Prayer is such a vital part of a Christian's life and I have always thought that no matter how insignificant a prayer may seem to some, for me it was of the most powerful ways to talk to God. He does hear our prayers but He may not always answer them the way we want. I encourage you to take your time reading through this book and allow the words to encourage you, bless you and remind you how powerful prayer is.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

[Jessica Baker (A Baker's Perspective) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. I think going in I expected it to be a bunch of people telling how all their prayers were answered, and if I just had faith all my prayers would be answered too. And let me be honest about something – I fully believe that God will answer all of my prayers, because He does, just not always the way I want them answered. Follow me? This book kind of highlights that at times.

Not every person who submitted a story had a prayer answered exactly like they wanted it answered. Sometimes it took longer, sometimes it was no, sometimes it was maybe, and sometimes yes it was immediate (so to speak). My point is, this book reminded me of the ways that the Lord does answer our prayers, and gave me comfort in knowing that He answers them in His time, in His way, which turns out to be 100% perfect all of the time.

I would recommend reading this as a daily devotional – maybe one or two stories at a time. I think you would gain more from it that way. It is not some self help book to make you feel good. It is real prayers from real people, being answered by our Heavenly Father in only a way that a father can answer them. I hope you’ll be encouraged from it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Stephanie Norton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really surprised with Prayer Warrior Confessions. I thought it was going to be a very preachy book. Instead, it was full of heartwarming stories. There are thirty-seven stories. A lot of personal and missionary stories. Most of the stories I was able to follow along but there were a couple I found hard to follow. All of these stories talked about family, friends, and missionary work.

Crowder and Micheal through these stories explain that not every prayer is answered in the way you were hoping. It shows you the amazing ways God listen to our prayers and points us in the direction to get our prayers answered. At the end of each chapter, there is a confession. I would highly recommend this book, especially for a daily devotional or Bible Study. Prayer Warrior Confessions contains real stories from real people.

Here are some confession examples in the book:

My Confession: There is an old saying, “God

helps those who help themselves.” This may not be

theologically accurate and there are many times

God helps those who cannot help themselves. Often

God expects us to do our part too. With prayer and

effort, much can be accomplished.

~ Nwakuche Emeka ~


My Confession: God’s ways are not our ways.

Sometimes when we are praying for a specific

situation, God has a much bigger plan in mind

which will bear fruit for years to come.

~ Shirley Crowder ~

[Nyla Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a Prayer Warrior myself, I was eager to read this book. What I had envisioned and what I read were vastly different, but that does not mean the book by cimpilers or authors Harriet E Michael and Shirley Crowder is a bad one. Far from it. It means I was far off in what the book actually is.

This collection of stories were captivating. The writing style was easy to read and follow. At the end there was a touching note of what was learned from this experience. That gave to pause to question if I do that with my answered prayers.

The stories touch me. Some were heart wrenching, heart warming, and even a bit funny. All had a lesson to share. It was easy to become engrossed in this book. I wanted to keep reading it. After finishing it, the stories stuck with me.

I highly recommend this book. It would be a fantastic gift. Reading groups would truly enjoy discussing the stories within its covers. Anyone would love this book and draw inspiration from it. It gets a 4.5 out of 5 star rating from me.

A copy was given by Celebrate Lit but I was under no obligation to write a review. These are my own, honest opinions.

[Tiffany Hersh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not what I was expecting as first, but it didn't disappoint. I was enthralled from the beginning. I loved reading the different ways prayer affected the many contributors to this book. I also loved the confessions of what each person learned from their prayer story. There were several things that made an impact on me, but the one that stands out the most was by Harriet E. Michael that said, "God knows what we need before we ask, and sometimes He gives us what we need without our asking. Other times, I think He waits for us to pray before He answers." That particular confession stuck out to me. Sometimes God wants us to put feet to our faith. I know there are times I want to just sit back and let God do all the work, but there are times where even though He can and will do things without us, He wants us to do our part as well. I would highly recommend this book, it will make you see just how powerful prayer is for a Christian is. Now I want to read the other 3 books in this collection!

**I received a copy of this book free from Celebratelit Publishing for review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Mary Hake · Rating 5 out of 5]

The confessions referred to in the title are not about sins or other negative things. Rather, they deal with true stories regarding prayer. The personal testimonies in this book will touch the heart and may even change lives. Readers can learn from the experiences of those who shared and apply the lessons about prayer to their own lives. Many of the instances are by the authors but some come from Nigeria, where the authors parents served as missionaries. These answers to prayer inspire and encourage. The short book is divided into 37 chapters, covering such topics as “Unexpected Answers,” “Desperate Prayers,” and “Miraculous Answers.” Bible verses about prayer are also included in each chapter and listed at the end. I appreciated the honest stories and could identify with many of the experiences. The book stands alone but is part of a series on prayer. I received the book from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

[Janice Sisemore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prayer warriors confessions

A collection of short stories by the authors where prayer was involved. I found the true stories to be very interesting and inspiring. At the end of each story there is an confession. One of those was “we often turn to prayer when all else fails”. This is so true, we should be praying first not after we had already done everything ourselves. I also loved this one “I learned to pray at the feet of my father”. One section was titled “ I Know the Plans I Have for you” , that is something we always need to remember but very hard to do. We need to trust in God for he already knows the plans.

The authors were children of missionaries and I think that made the stories so much more interesting. Prayer definitely does make a difference. This is an fantastic book.

I received an complementary copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Prayer Warrior Confessions" by Harriet E. Michael & Shirley Crowder is a nonfiction book filled with 37 short stories about prayer and how they were answered. There are serious prayers and some with humor. My favorite story isn't about a specific prayer but something that happened during a dinnertime prayer.

These stories are a great reminder that God does answer prayers and often times in unexpected ways. I also liked reading the lessons ( the confessions )that are written after the short stories.

I was given a complimentary copy by the authors and Celebrate Lit. These opinions are my own.

I recommend this book if you want a reminder that God is still answering prayers.
About the Authors

[Jennifer J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume contains an interesting and highly readable variety of touching, thoughtful and memorable personal stories about the power of prayer. Each entry is a short read, and this is a book well enjoyed a little along rather than quickly consumed. Prayer Warrior Confessions would be an ideal gift book for the reader who enjoys true stories of personal experience with prayer. The authors have done a good job of gathering a diverse group of testimonies and organizing them in a pleasing and appealing manner. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book. A favorable review was not required, no compensation was received, and all views expressed are my own.

[Victoria Rollings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I personally loved this series of testimonies. While I didn't grow up in as a missionary kid in Africa, I did grow up as a preacher's kid. Prayer has always been something prevalent throughout my life as God has provided in various ways. And I love that this book focuses on that, and it also includes a takeaway "confession" at the end of each story. More importantly, these stories are real things that have happened. Throughout reading the stories I found  there were many times when I was convicted or simply had to go get a tissue. This is a book that I would definitely recommend to any believers that just want to be reminded about the importance of prayer.

[Patti Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prayer Warrior Confessions represents a compilation of real-life testimonies involving prayer. The authors do a fantastic job of pulling the reader into the book and realizing just how truly powerful prayer can be. I like how each testimony stands alone so you can take your time reading the book in order to contemplate what importance prayer played in the entry. This book will inspire, amaze and delight you as you read it. So if you are looking for a book that demonstrates the tremendous power of prayer, check this book out for yourself. I received a copy of this book for my fair review.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a Prayer Warrior is tough and amazing all at the same time. This book embodied the stories of powerful prayer warriors, missionaries and tales of faith. I really enjoyed the unique way they paged this together and providing readers with a unique insight. Readers that are prayer warriors, wanting to become warriors or have a group of amazing warriors surrounding them will find this book to inspire them to be more and do more.

[Virginia Winfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading these short stories of how God has been in these peoples lives. Each story tells a story of how Prayer helped them to cope and sometimes help a miracle to happen. I cried through much of this book. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.