Book Review: PrayerWalk by Janet Holm McHenry

The subtitle of this book is “Becoming a Woman of Prayer, Strength & Discipline.”  It’s a great subtitle, except that it leads one to believe that it is a book for women only.  Any Christian woman or man could benefit from reading this book.  We all know that both praying and exercising are things we should do, but both often fall to the way-side.  McHenry tells her own story of beginning to prayerwalk out of desperation in her own spiritual life and because her middle-aged body needed to get back in shape.

I usually take my dog.  He's getting in better shape too-- but he lets the praying up to me.

When I was about half way through this book, I began prayerwalking myself.  I absolutely love it.  Of course it helps that the weather has been perfect for me on Pennsylvania early July mornings, and I know the discipline will become more challenging when the weather doesn’t cooperate.  But McHenry gives excellent ideas for prayer topics, warns against pitfalls of walking too much too soon, tells tips for prayerwalking with a partner, and explains how it will benefit your community (and others for whom you pray) and you personally--body and soul.

A benefit of prayerwalking is getting to enjoy God's creation each morning.

I have found the discipline to be challenging because my mind still does a lot of wandering; yet rewarding because this is time set apart for the Lord (and nothing else) each day.  Even after I return home from my walks, my thoughts turn more easily and frequently to God in prayer.  To quote the author, “It takes time to intercede for others in prayer before the Father, and prayerwalking allows for that time.  Intercession is an essential ministry, not a last-minute, last-ditch effort of casually throwing things in God’s lap.  Prayerwalking is not an easy way to ‘take care of prayer’ while you get good exercise.  It is a call to spend rich time with God, carrying others’ loads.  The walking is only a means to make it all happen.”  Prayerwalking has truly revolutionized my prayer life and rejuvenated my relationship with God.  Without this book, I wouldn’t have embarked on this prayerwalking journey.

Although I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review, that fact has not influenced the content of the review.

If you would like, you can rate my review on the Multnomah website at http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/view/10406

75 Cousins

I come from a big family.  A really big family.  I have about 75 first cousins—give or take a couple.  It gets confusing.  Some of you are thinking, “Impossible.  She is including 2^nd cousins or 1^st cousins-once-removed or pets or something.”  But it’s really true.

Here I am with 4 of the 75.  Do we look related?  Our dads are 4 brothers (2 of these ladies are sisters, got it?)

 

My mother is one of seven children.  Four boys and three girls.  She is the next-to-oldest.  I am one of 22 grandchildren on that side.  

My Mom's family.  She is the tall girl in the front.

 My father is one of fourteen children.  (Basically my grandmother was pregnant all the time.  My dad joined the Navy at age 17 right before his youngest brother was born). Ten boys and four girls.  He is the next-to-oldest.  I am one of approximately 60 grandchildren on that side. 

My Dad's family.  He is wearing the sailor hat in the back.  His oldest sister is holding the youngest sibling.

I am the youngest of four children.  I have three children.  And they have two first cousins.  Yes, just two.  I can’t even imagine.

My immediate family at our wedding: me & my handsome groom, parents, 2 brothers, a sis-in-law and a niece.

We had a family picnic today (July 3) at my parents’ house.  They’ve been having this picnic annually for many years.  They decided at some point in time that it would be fun to have both sides of the family all come at the same time (what were they thinking?!).  About 75 people were there this year.  Yes, that’s a drop in the bucket compared to the total number possible including all the aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws and out-laws.  But it’s still a nice representation.  Everyone brings food and lawn chairs and we all try to catch up with each other since "the last time.” 

 

A boyfriend, a girl and her aunt.  (The girl is my daughter!)

This is just the "regular" food.  You shoulda seen the dessert table!

And we reminisce about the good old days.  Like the reunions when we were kids where we could eat ice cream with little wooden spoons and drink orangeade from cartons all day long.   "Remember, it was the place with the swimming pool with the giant sliding board?  And the merry-go-round thingie with seats and hand-and-foot bars that you pumped to make it spin around?"  How awesome was that!

She didn't have a little wooden spoon, but she did have ice cream!

My uncle, one of the 14 siblings.

In-laws and out-laws-- telling fish stories?

Of course, now we also compare cholesterol levels and what common genetic issues we have inherited.   But it’s great to be with people who have known you forever, who somehow look a little bit like you and who you had sleep-overs with 40 years ago (was it that long ago?)

In the foreground, my aunt & my mom-- 2 of the 7 siblings.

 

You know, I keep trying to get my parents to stop having these annual picnics.  They are in their 80s and it’s a lot of work to get it ready and clean it up.  But they love having it, and people love coming.  They don’t want us to lose the family connections, the aunts & uncles, cousin-niece-nephewness of it all.  I understand that.  And I know it won’t go on forever.  My kids with their two cousins can’t keep straight all of their great-aunts and uncles, much less their countless second cousins.   But it’s okay.  They will have their own traditions.  

Definitely out-laws.  But also my favorite picture of the picnic.  Thanks Lori!

You know what? 

I’m happy.  Just for today, I got to ride that merry-go-round with my cousins one more time.


P.S.  The best pictures you see on this post were taken by my photographer 1st cousin-none-removed, Lori.  I like her!  I'm gonna keep her.  And the rest too.

Thirsty?

Ugh! He's dragging behind me with his tongue hanging out.

Fifth day prayerwalking update: I love this! Even though I get distracted by my own thoughts and my dog (who pooped out early today and had to be taken home), all-in-all it’s been great to have a whole hour devoted to connecting with my Savior and Friend. Jesus walked so much while He was here on earth, that it just seems like a very natural way to stay in touch with Him now.

Water is necessary to the prayerwalker & her companion.

This morning, before I set out, I was reading in John 7 where people in Jerusalem were questioning who Jesus really was. Listen to verses 37-39-- “Jesus stood and said in a loud voice (He wanted to make sure they heard what He said!), ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.”

"Willoughby Run"

So then I looked up other references to God being living water in my handy-dandy TNIV Reference Bible and took note of a bunch of things:
1. the living water refers to the Holy Spirit
2. drinking it results in eternal life
3. living water refreshes us in an ongoing way; we’ll never be thirsty again
4. no imitations will work
5. it’s free
6. it satisfies
7. we drink it, and in turn it overflows from us

"Marsh Creek"

Of course, then, as I prayerwalked I took note of all the water and dry places I passed. We need rain. Things are getting brown and shrivelly around here. But around the creek banks, all kinds of green stuff are flourishing. We will flourish too if we drink the living water and “bathe” in it daily! One of my all-time favorite verses is Jeremiah 17:7-8-- “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Is this great stuff or what?!! I want to be a tree planted by that living water, just constantly soaking in the presence of God! I hope & pray that everyone who reads this blog will have that same desire. And that no matter how much we falter, we’ll keep coming back to our God who loves us like crazy.

"The Hose" soon to be put to good use on my flowers.