title: Praying: Finding Our Way Through Duty to Delight
author:  J. I. Packer 
description: E<i>asy</i> is never the word that fits real praying," say evangelical Christian heavyweight Packer and Nystrom, a freelance writer who has penned more than 70 books and Bible study guides. Packer's series of talks on prayer combined with Nystrom's transcription and input blend to create this definitive work that will deepen readers' understanding of a difficult subject. Both authors admit struggles with prayer, which makes their words even more reassuring for Christians who rarely confess to similar wrestlings. The book covers all aspects of prayer: the God we pray to, meditation (what Packer calls "brooding"), prayer checkups, petitions and even corporate prayer. The pair also discuss fundamental questions: why must we praise God? and can we really complain to God? Readers shouldn't expect an easy, breezy read from Packer. Nystrom works to keep Packer's original voice strong, which means deep thinking, even deeper explanations and sentences of some length. His love of history is evident through his many references to C.S. Lewis and church fathers such as Luther and Augustine. The work of reading this book pays off in a much more thorough understanding of prayer, its hindrances and its joys. Study questions for each chapter encourage personal reflection and broader understanding. <i>(July)</i> <br />Copyright  Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
zlib_text: Almighty God, we kneel to Thee and ask to be the instrument of Thy fury in
  smiting the evil forces that have visited death, misery and debasement on
  the people of earth. We humbly face thee with true penitence for all of our
  sins for which we do most earnestly seek Thy forgiveness. Help us to
  dedicate ourselves completely to Thee. Be with us, God, when we leap
  from our planes into the dread abyss and descend in parachutes into the
  midst of enemy fire. Give us iron will and stark courage as we spring from
  the harnesses of our parachutes and seize arms to meet and defeat them in
  Thy name and in the name of freedom and dignity of man. Keep us firm in
  our faith and resolution, and guide us that we may not dishonor our high
  mission or fail in our sacred duties. Let our enemies who have lived by the
  sword turn from their violence lest they perish by the sword. Help us to
  serve thee gallantly and to be humble in victory.
  Amen.
  The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment Prayer written by Captain Ja