Everyone wants to know how to talk to God and get answers to their prayers.
Yet most people are skeptical of prayer, or convinced they’re doing it wrong.
Is there a secret to talking with God?
God is more concerned about the condition of our hearts than the words we use. He cares more about the posture of our hearts than the posture of our bodies. And what is the right heart posture? Humility.
The Secret to Prayer will take readers on a 31-day journey, examining the heart and actions of biblical characters whose prayers were answered. On the other side of the journey, readers will have a more vibrant prayer life, and a more intimate relationship with the God to whom we pray.
ISBN: 9781087740454
Pages: 240
Carton quantity: 36
Trim size: 5.5 x 8.5 x 0.6
Format: Trade Paper
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“Through witty and concise writing, Kyle makes the theology of prayer accessible to everyday life while stirring a deep desire in the reader to pray with humility. I cannot recommend this book enough!”
— Gretchen Saffles, author of The Well-Watered Woman: Rooted in Truth, Growing in Grace, Flourishing in Faith, founder of Well-Watered Women
“This practical, Biblical, joyfully written book is a wonderful resource for anyone who struggles to pray. Read it over the course of a month. Read it with friends. Read it, and relax. Prayer shouldn’t be a burden, but a blessing. This book will show you that.”
— Brett McCracken, senior editor, The Gospel Coalition; author of The Wisdom Pyramid and Uncomfortable
About the author
Kyle DiRoberts (PhD) is Department Chair and Associate Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Arizona Christian University in Glendale, Arizona, adjunct professor at Phoenix Seminary, and director of the minister in residence and internship programs at Scottsdale Bible Church. He is married to Lolly and the father of Kaden, Oliver, and Carson. With any free time, he hangs out with his wife and kids, his favorite people, going to Michael Bublé concerts, cooking, traveling, eating good food, and getting to coach his kids in golf and baseball.
Q&A videos with Kyle
In the videos below, Kyle answers questions about The Secret to Prayer such as why he wrote it, what readers can expect, and how it is relevant to what readers are going through today.
Why did you write “The Secret to Prayer”?
How do you hope this book impacts readers?
Why is this book important for today’s times?
Tell us about the book, how you structured it, and what readers can expect.
Quotes from the book
“Humble people in need seek help. Prideful people think they can do it on their own.”
“Sin makes prayer tricky.”
"God does not care about the words so much as He has cares about the heart producing the words.”
“Humble prayers embraces the fact that God doesn’t hurry or rush but acts in His perfect timing.”
Images to download & share
Additional resources
YouVersion Reading Plan
In this 5-day reading plan on the YouVersion Bible app, Kyle shows you how God is more concerned about the condition of our hearts than the words we use, and how the right posture of our hearts should be humility.
Discussion guide
A resource for small groups, book clubs, and other groups to use as they read The Secret to Prayer together. Includes questions and conversation prompts for each section. Download it here.
Interviews about the book
Read an excerpt
One of my favorite golfers is Arnold Palmer . You may be more familiar with his signature logo—the rainbow-colored umbrella. Or maybe his famous drink, which was half lemonade, half iced tea. But he is most famous for injecting the game of golf into pop culture.
Arnie made it cool to be a golfer. There is a quote from Palmer, and if you have the time, go look it up on YouTube; there’s something even cooler about hearing him say it. Palmer says this:
“Swing your swing. Not some idea of a swing. Not a swing you saw on TV. Not that swing you wish you had. No, swing your swing. Capable of greatness. Prized only by you. Perfect in its imperfection. Swing your swing. I know, I did.”
And he did. He had a very unique swing. I love this quote and I often think of prayer when I read it.
Don’t pray like me. Or your friend. Or your pastor. Or your favorite theologian. Or anyone else for that matter.
Your humble prayers are perfect in their imperfections. Speak your language, pray your prayer, from a humble heart.
FAQs
Why did you write this book? What inspired you to write it?
I wrote this book because I’m convinced people don’t pray due to a kind of spiritual paralysis caused by fear of not “doing” prayer the right way. As a result, people either quit or just never start. However, the Bible is full of beautiful stories whereby God invites us to pray to him with only one caveat: the one praying must pray from a humble heart. In “The Secret to Prayer,” I’ve invited the reader to journey with me and experience those biblical stories.
What do you hope readers will do or take away after reading this book?
After reading this book, I hope the reader will take away that somewhere between the humble heart of God and man resides the beauty, mystery and conversation we so desperately desire in prayer.
How does this book help readers develop a vibrant prayer life?
This book points the reader to essential truths about God that we must believe in order to have a vibrant prayer life. This book directs the reader toward men and women from the Bible who possessed a vibrant prayer life as a result of their humble hearts. This book helps readers see that confessionary prayer is the most gracious, relational and vibrant form of prayer that God invites us into.
This book helps readers develop a sacred habit of praying for a lot of different things but also growing into a vibrant prayer life whereby we pray a lot for just one thing. Finally, this book will help readers see that even in the midst of unanswered prayer, there is something meaningful and vibrant in those moments with the Lord.
Press inquiries
For press inquiries regarding The Secret to Prayer, excerpt permissions, and other media requests, please contact Jenaye Merida.