Prayer Warrior Mom,
by Marla Alupoaicei, is a book that strives to teach mothers how to intercede
to the Father on behalf of their children. Each of the fifteen chapters begins
with an applicable quote before focusing on a specific principle that
Alupoaicei argues is essential in successfully praying for our children. At the
end of each chapter, the reader will find Bible verses that related to the
chapter, as well as a sample prayer and small group discussion questions.
I’ve always felt that prayer is a weak spot in my life and
have oft times felt guilty, because I know it is not only powerful, but
required for true intimacy with our Lord. Since having children, I’ve become
convicted even further, as I know their Creator is also the divine Author of
their lives, and he has given me the responsibility (or as Alupoaicei so aptly
put it, the “holy privilege”) to raise them for Him. I was thus drawn to this
book the moment I saw its title.
I know there are other books similar to this one on the
market, but I can’t compare it to others as it is the first book on the subject
that I’ve read. For the most part I appreciated her down-to-earth, personal
writing style, interwoven stories and practical advice. It was a fairly quick
read, although at times I felt it was a bit redundant, abstract and didn’t flow
from one subject to the next. I think it is best suited to be read slowly, to
make it more applicable in a mother’s life, so that by the grace of God she can
focus on practicing and growing in areas of her prayer life in which she might
be weak. There were many take home points that resonated with me, such as the reminder
of the power in praying Scripture, cultivating a grateful heart that radiates
the grace God has given us, having a positive and prayerful perspective on that
will help our kids live with a Kingdom reality, and remembering that labels applied
to our children have the potential to be “soul killers”, so we need to focus on
their heart rather than their behavior, and the positive potential of negative
behaviors that might be displayed (e.g. instead of seeing a child as stubborn,
viewing them in the light that they are showing characteristics of
assertiveness and persistence in the face of obstacles) and how to mold that to
glorify God. I would recommend this book, though I do feel like it could be a
bit overwhelming and could almost cause a mother to focus on working to become
a godly prayer warrior, versus drawing closer to God, and thus growing in Him to
become the mother He desires you to be for your children.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze® book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
