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Dear Abba: Morning & Evening Prayer
A deeply personal and heartfelt devotional from the beloved author of The Ragamuffin Gospel.
Raw vulnerability can be scary. It can also save our lives. In this book, Brennan Manning has laid out a month of honest prayers to God, whom he affectionately calls Abba, in an easy-to-use format that can guide your own prayers.
Each day contains morning and evening prayers coupled with Scripture and excerpts from Manning’s contemporary spiritual classics—in a modern-day collection of psalms, complete with cries for help, expressions of wonder, and invitations into the comforting mercy of God.
Raw vulnerability can be scary. It can also save our lives. In this book, Brennan Manning has laid out a month of honest prayers to God, whom he affectionately calls Abba, in an easy-to-use format that can guide your own prayers.
Each day contains morning and evening prayers coupled with Scripture and excerpts from Manning’s contemporary spiritual classics—in a modern-day collection of psalms, complete with cries for help, expressions of wonder, and invitations into the comforting mercy of God.
- GenresChristian
107 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2013
About the author
Brennan Manning
75 books946 followersRichard Francis Xavier Manning, known as Brennan Manning (April 27, 1934 – April 12, 2013) was an American author, friar, priest, contemplative and speaker.Born and raised in Depression-era New York City, Manning finished high school, enlisted in the US Marine Corps, and fought in the Korean War. After returning to the United States, he enrolled at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania. Upon his graduation from the seminary in 1963, Manning was ordained a Franciscan priest.[2]
In the late 1960s, Manning joined the Little Brothers of Jesus of Charles de Foucauld, a religious institute committed to an uncloistered, contemplative life among the poor. Manning transported water via donkey, worked as a mason's assistant and a dishwasher in France, was imprisoned (by choice) in Switzerland, and spent six months in a remote cave somewhere in the Zaragoza desert. In the 1970s, Manning returned to the United States and began writing after confronting his alcoholism.
In the late 1960s, Manning joined the Little Brothers of Jesus of Charles de Foucauld, a religious institute committed to an uncloistered, contemplative life among the poor. Manning transported water via donkey, worked as a mason's assistant and a dishwasher in France, was imprisoned (by choice) in Switzerland, and spent six months in a remote cave somewhere in the Zaragoza desert. In the 1970s, Manning returned to the United States and began writing after confronting his alcoholism.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 3, 2017
This is a 31-day devotional with a morning and evening reading for each of the days. It's brief, a short scripture followed by a few paragraphs from one of his books and then a short prayer.
It's brief but so powerful. Especially the prayer. Manning opens his heart and allows the Lord clear and unhindered access to whatever was on his mind when he wrote these prayers. This prayers have been a wonderful way for me to start my prayer times each day and night.
Manning can be hard work to read. He's so intelligent and at times I feel he's in a different league of understanding that I sometimes struggle to read long pieces of his work. And that's why this little book is so good. It's brief, intimate and powerful.
I finished it yesterday and started from the beginning today. I'm excited to see what the Lord reveals to me this time around.
It's brief but so powerful. Especially the prayer. Manning opens his heart and allows the Lord clear and unhindered access to whatever was on his mind when he wrote these prayers. This prayers have been a wonderful way for me to start my prayer times each day and night.
Manning can be hard work to read. He's so intelligent and at times I feel he's in a different league of understanding that I sometimes struggle to read long pieces of his work. And that's why this little book is so good. It's brief, intimate and powerful.
I finished it yesterday and started from the beginning today. I'm excited to see what the Lord reveals to me this time around.
August 26, 2015
"Perfection is not when nothing more can be added, but when nothing more may be taken away."
In this raw, minimal book of '15 second prayers', Brennan takes the reader on a journey through their soul to see the face of God a little bit clearer.
In this raw, minimal book of '15 second prayers', Brennan takes the reader on a journey through their soul to see the face of God a little bit clearer.
September 16, 2013
Great devotional that gets to the heart of who we are and who God is.
March 11, 2019
Excellent!
Always brought me back to God’s love. These excerpts were just long enough to be thought food to chew and meditate on, but short enough that I could comprehend and take in in this busy life.
Always brought me back to God’s love. These excerpts were just long enough to be thought food to chew and meditate on, but short enough that I could comprehend and take in in this busy life.
December 28, 2021
A good devotional of excerpts from Brennan Manning's books. I particularly liked the prayer following the excerpt as it provided a thoughtful application. The selections seemed random, but I found it to be a good supplementary read for a devotional period.
July 30, 2019
Fine book
A wonderful book of prayers for morning and evening. Well written with good devotions, scripture and prayers. Well worth reading.
A wonderful book of prayers for morning and evening. Well written with good devotions, scripture and prayers. Well worth reading.
January 20, 2020
Beautiful devotional
This is my third time though it! I enjoy reading and praying through it each morning. Beautifully written from a beautiful heart .
This is my third time though it! I enjoy reading and praying through it each morning. Beautifully written from a beautiful heart .
July 10, 2020
Bite sized insights on encountering and experiencing the love of Abba God. There are morning and evening devotional readings that fed my inner being.
July 30, 2023
Excellent daily devotional with prayers! Loved it. Will read...and re-read over and over!
June 16, 2025
Brennan Manning was a unconventional prophet
This book will be used for ongoing inspiration and reflection
This book will be used for ongoing inspiration and reflection
September 14, 2026
An easy read of daily and nightly devotional that help you think and focus on God
June 25, 2022
Classic Ragamuffin
It was a pleasure reading a morning and evening prayer devotional by Brennan Manning and John Blase. Manning introduced each prayer with Dear Abba, a term of endearment for the Father, while the short prayers focused on gratitude, surrender, mercy and so forth. It was refreshing to start the day in the Word and relaxing to conclude the day back in the Word guided by the humble servant, Manning.
It was a pleasure reading a morning and evening prayer devotional by Brennan Manning and John Blase. Manning introduced each prayer with Dear Abba, a term of endearment for the Father, while the short prayers focused on gratitude, surrender, mercy and so forth. It was refreshing to start the day in the Word and relaxing to conclude the day back in the Word guided by the humble servant, Manning.
October 26, 2014
Simple. Challenging. Heartbreakingly honest.
Every morning and evening gives a passage of scripture, a reflection from one of Brennan's books, and a prayer. No holds barred, no pulled punches, Brennan reaches into his deepest sins and insecurities and lays them bare before God, gently inviting the reader to join him.
A simple but profound devotional book.
Every morning and evening gives a passage of scripture, a reflection from one of Brennan's books, and a prayer. No holds barred, no pulled punches, Brennan reaches into his deepest sins and insecurities and lays them bare before God, gently inviting the reader to join him.
A simple but profound devotional book.
May 19, 2014
A 31-day prayer guide with two entries per day. Each entry includes Scripture, a quotation from one of Manning's previous works, and a prayer. A great way to start and end one's day, and also to be introduced to Manning's gentle spirit of self-love in light of God's love.
December 7, 2015
Pick This Book Up
An eye opening of God's constant Grace upon us all. I am starting from the beginning and have begun to read Brennan's other tittle. Personally, I am a sinner, who suffers from self non-forgiveness. I have begun the process of self-kindness.
An eye opening of God's constant Grace upon us all. I am starting from the beginning and have begun to read Brennan's other tittle. Personally, I am a sinner, who suffers from self non-forgiveness. I have begun the process of self-kindness.
July 10, 2014
This is a lovely little book. I've been terrible at forming a daily habit of reading this twice a day, but I enjoy it every time I pick it up.
February 21, 2015
Still one of my all-time favorite authors. Perfect read last thing at night.
July 19, 2015
Magnificent devotional!
Time to start it all over again! Or better yet, do a re-reading in tandem with the Ragamuffin Gospel. Hallelujah!
Time to start it all over again! Or better yet, do a re-reading in tandem with the Ragamuffin Gospel. Hallelujah!
May 28, 2016
I will gift this book again and again.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews