"100 Prayers/100 Praise Songs": Children's Book Review

Have you ever heard a small child pray out loud? As a preschool-age class teacher at my church, I’ve heard many prayers lifted to the Father from tiny voices. These prayers have made me laugh, warmed my heart, made me sigh in disbelief, & even made me think. Prayer is a powerful tool, even in the hands of children. Through the Book Sneeze program & Tommy Nelson publishers I was offered a free copy of “100 Prayers God Loves to Hear/100 Praise Songs” created by Stephen Elkins. In exchange for the complimentary book I am to provide an honest review. Here’s what I have to say… This book paired with its sweet prayers & illustrations is the perfect way to show the child in your life (I’d say around age 3 – 4th or 5th grade) the significance of prayer. Not only are there 100 prayers included, but 100 praise songs (one paired to each prayer) on 2 CDs! This book is a wonderful value & would make an excellent devotional time for you & your child(ren). Each prayer in the book has a few sentences explaining the story behind it, an illustration, & a “My Little Prayer Reminder” which usually comes in the form of a Bible verse or quote. Some of the prayers are traditional ones that many will remember from childhood past, while others are more unique penned by various saints from Bible times up through today. I thoroughly enjoyed the book until the last prayer, which instructs children to “pray” Jesus into their hearts. I’ve thought long about this, thinking maybe I was just nagging, but the Bible says these things:


Peter said to them, "Change your hearts & lives & be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you, for your children, & for all who are far away. It is for everyone the Lord our God calls to Himself… Then those people who accepted what Peter said were baptized. About three thousand people were added to the number of believers that day." -Acts 2:38-39, 41


But Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, unless one is born from water & the Spirit, he cannot enter God's kingdom." -John 3:5


I can’t look over those verses or pick & choose what I want to from God’s Word so that it will fit my human desires. Until that last prayer I was truly pleased with the book, but what is said in the last few sentences is quite a big mistake. It is not myself that anyone should argue with, because it’s not my words, but God’s Word. So, if the last four sentences aren’t read, the book is well worth it.

Bookish Blessings,
-Bess-