65. Teach Me to Pray

65. Teach Me to Pray: Praying God's Word from A to Z. Kristen Wetherell. 2025. 112 pages. [Source: Review copy] [4 stars, children's book, prayer book]

First sentence: Anger

O God, I'm so angry!I feel so upset!

You're slow to be angry. Don't let me forget!

You're patient with me, and you're gentle and kind. 

Your mercy surrounds me before and behind.

In light of your tenderness, help me to see

How slowness to anger can also mark me.

Lord, help me to listen, and then help me to speak.

To use self-control doesn't mean that I'm weak.

I thank you that Christ bore your wrath in my place.

My anger's forgiven, for I've received grace.

In Jesus's name I pray, Amen.

Teach Me to Pray is a an alphabetical, topical prayer book. Each topical prayer includes a RHYMING prayer, a Scripture verse, a mini-devotion, and suggested application. For example, for the anger topic, it states, "Have you been sinfully angry toward someone lately? Confess your anger to God, ask for his forgiveness and help, and then apologize to the person you hurt."

I believe there are fifty-two topics in all. Each topic is concise. 

Here's another example of the prayer style. 

Temptation

Dear Father in heaven, temptation is hard.

Please help me to flee it and be on my guard!

My heart is deceitful. My enemy's strong.

But you are my strength, my salvation, my song.

Please always provide an escape I can take

When temptation invites like that slippery snake.

Please help me to see the destruction sin makes,

That sin never gives--only kills, wrecks, and takes.

O Lord, you were tempted and tried, just like me;

And now you're my hope to stand firm and to flee.

In Jesus's name I pray, Amen.

I do truly like the idea of the book. I like the idea of topical prayer books OR topical devotional books. I'm not sure it had to be alphabetical. But I don't have a problem with it being alphabetical either. 

IF the goal is to teach children and middle schoolers HOW to pray on their own, this might not be the absolute best fit. I'm not sure that is the goal. I personally found the choice to have all the prayers in this prayer book RHYME to be a little odd. I don't know that rhyming in prayers is something we should strive for or seek out. If the mind is focused on rhyming, then the mind isn't exactly focused on God, on talking with God. 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible