Fit for Prayer Book Reviews

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What others are saying about Fit for Prayer – Learn how to fit prayer and physical activity into your daily routine

 

Fit for Prayer by Kimberley Payne
By Violet Nesdoly
In Fit for Prayer—Learn How to Fit Prayer and Physical Activity Into Your Daily Routine, author and lifestyle coach Kimberley Payne promises to help us “… gain insight into how to incorporate prayer and fitness into your daily routine”- Fit for Prayer, p. 5.

The book is divided into three sections. Chapters 1-3 talk about exercising our bodies. Chapters 4-6 deal with prayer. Chapters 7-8 are a self-test and action stops to take to incorporate exercise and prayer into daily life.

Though in Chapters 1-3 Payne doesn’t describe specific exercises in detail, the fourteen exercise strategies she lists (in Chapter 2) would benefit a person following any exercise program. Her example of an exercise goal plan (Chapter 3) is clear and the blank goal page along with five exercise-related questions would help anyone get started exercising regularly.

In the how-to-pray section (Chapters 4-6) Payne follows the chapter that defines prayer and its benefits (Chapter 4) with a chapter on what prayer consists of using P.A.T.H. as an acronym (praise, admit, thank, and help – Chapter 5). The last chapter in the section (6) describes how to set prayer goals.

The final section of the book, a multi-page True and False self-test (Chapter 7), is followed by “Action Plan,” (Chapter 8). That plan contains ordinary prayer strategies (like “Keep a prayer journal of answered prayers”) and strategies that combine prayer with exercise (like “Pray while walking” – p. 33).

Though short (only 36 pages of content) in Fit for Prayer Payne manages to deliver a practical and inspirational manual designed to motivate readers to cultivate physical and spiritual health simultaneously.

This is another book that would be useful for women’s groups and individuals. I expect I will be consulting my copy again in the soon-upon-us resolution making time of the year.
I received Fit for Prayer as a gift from the author for the purpose of writing a review. Visit Kimberley Payne’s website to check out other lifestyle materials she has authored and is offering as books, e-courses, and free programs.

Fit for prayer
By Elma Schemenauer
This book is about prayer, physical exercise, and the connections between them. I found helpful the author’s categorization of exercise as either cardiovascular activity or strength training. She gives examples of each and presents suggestions for making fitness a family activity.

New to me was the Talk Test, used to monitor the intensity of exercise. Apparently a person should always be able to hold a conversation while exercising, talking in at least two- to three-word phrases.

I found particularly meaningful the following comments about prayer:
-“When you pray, God hears you and fills you with the power to do things you never thought you could do.”
-“Nothing is too big or too small to bring to God.”

As in other books in this series, there are multiple-choice questions to help you test your learning.

Great Little Book of Encouragement
By Glynis Belec “Dinny”
Kimberley Payne’s book, Fit for Prayer, contains some generous nuggets. It’s a short book, but it’s packed with a lot of helpful and encouraging information about keeping healthy both physically and spiritually. Although it is not necessarily a book about weight loss, I’m thinking that if I follow the steps carefully, I will lose weight. I like the suggestion to make small goals from both the health and the spiritual aspect. Not only is this a book filled with good advice, there are tests to make sure I ‘get it,’ along with some interactive, fill-in-the-blank options. At the end of Fit for Prayer, there are options to sign up for other programs, books, videos and more.

Learn how to fit prayer and physical activity into your physical routine
By Lisa J. Lickel
The author shares about what cardiovascular exercise and strength training do for building a strong body, and links it to prayer life building spiritual strength. The author encourages readers to develop a discipline of strength and cardiovascular training in the same way as training our prayer life to build a good quality of health and mood that is pleasing to the Lord.

Taking Scripture from I Corinthians 3:16, the author reminds us that our bodies are the Lord’s temple in which His Spirit dwells. As with her books in the Fit for Faith series, we are shown what both exercise and prayer are and what they are not, as well as the benefits of both.

Exercise is not difficult, painful, or something that must involve going to a gym. Benefits include maintaining a healthy weight and uplifted mood. A series of strategies such as take time in small chunks, have fun, track your progress, and team up with friends or family may breathe new life into your routine. The books in this Fit for Faith series are also workbooks and have space for goal-setting and managing accomplishments. A list of many different types of exercises is included along with ideas for being specific about your goals.

Building your prayer life is like strength-training for your spirit.
From Philippians 4:6 we are reminded that setting our prayers before God results in a transcending peace. Prayer is not a one-time emergency call-out or something for spiritually mature folks who only talk to God in church. The author tells us that prayer is spending time both talking and listening to God, and a time of physical and emotional rest.

I have followed several types of acronyms for prayer, but the author introduces a new one to me: PATH – praise, admit, thank, help – to remind readers to be balanced in our time with God.

As with all the books in this series, there is a worksheet for reflection and personal goal-setting, lots of encouragement, and some great ideas for an action plan that works for each reader.

 

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