Book Review: NY Times Best Seller "The Circle Maker" by Mark Batterson

Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears

Synopsis: 

Would knowing that your prayers will be answered change the way you pray? In The Circle Maker, Pastor Mark Batterson shares powerful insights from the true legend of Honi the Circle Maker, a believer who prayed miracles would happen to the people of God—and then they fell from the heavens like rain. Honi and Mark Batterson will help you bring your God-given dreams into being through bold, tenacious prayers that honor God and make the impossible come true.

Mark Batterson serves as the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D. C. Recognized as “one of America’s 25 most innovative churches,” NCC is one church with seven locations. Mark’s blog (www.markbatterson.com) and webcast (www.theaterchurch.com) also reach a virtual congregation around the world. Mark is the author of several bestselling books, including In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. He and his wife, Lora, live on Capitol Hill with their three children.  You can follow Mark on Twitter: @markbatterson

I have been challenged much by the author's  walk of faith. My prayer life has been staggering of late as I have been facing some struggles and when I sit down to talk to God, I focus so much on my problems. I forgot what God was capable of doing. He has never let me down through all the rough paths I have trodden. So when I started reading this book, I was challenged to alter the way I pray. Seriously, I can now say that " My God is able!"

Mark takes the example of the legend Honi the Circle Maker. Honi stationed himself within a circle and prayed until it rained.In Honi's day miracles were a thing of the past and God was unheard of. Honi drew a circle and called upon God on behalf of the people, to send rain on the land. Sounds simple right? Honi's inspiration of the prayer circle is from the book of Habbakuk.

"I will stand upon my watch and station me within a circle".

What an awesome way to pray! Praying is circles is not "Mark Batterson style" but it has a 
strong biblical ground on which it is based. The book is wonderfully written and it was so engaging from cover to cover. Mark does not blindly say that you can just pray circles around anything and everything. He lays down clearly how to listen carefully to that still, small voice and pursue in prayer. He uses several real life examples from his own life to demonstrate how praying in circles have yielded results and blessed his ministry. We can never know that lengths to which God can bless us, until we let Him to. 

I have been challenged to be fearless and bold in my prayers, as Mark from his own experience says that "God honors bold prayers and bold prayers honor God".

When we pray circles around that tough person we deal with or that crippling pain in our body or that painful situation or something that cannot be diagnosed and all those things that remain a mystery in our life, we not only pray for one element but encompass every element of that thing we are praying for. I could strongly feel the power of prayer when I prayed a circle around a certain situation.

Mark also talks about how to pursue in prayer. The example of Daniel's prayer was amazing. Daniel received an answer for his prayer on the 21st day. What if he quit praying on day 20? It gave me motivation to continue to pray for the things that I am tired of praying for. Why? They are really worth praying for.

I highly recommend this book and encourage you to pick up a copy. You will not regret this purchase. 

A very good deal on Christianbooks.com - $11.99. They ship to Canada for a very reasonable price. Also available on Amazon.ca for $15.80

Disclosure: I received a sample for review purpose only. No monetary compensation  was received. The above post reflects my personal opinion.