Guerrillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle

Get it for yourself or buy it for a friend on the spiritual journey. It's a great book!

It is not unusual for a church meeting here at Foundry United Methodist Church to begin with someone reading a prayer from Ted Loder's "Guerrillas of Grace." I am especially delighted that our Finance Committee chair has used Ted's prayers again and again to set the spiritual context for her committee's work. Here at Foundry, our laity are looking for ways to connect their commitment to social justice with their spiritual lives and our biblical heritage. They are looking for spiritual authenticity that goes beyond both superficial piety and simplistic secularity. Ted's prayers do this, so our folk receive them gladly.This is a helpful book for church leaders to use in their spiritual lives.

Ted Loder can write, no doubt about it. But with Guerrillas, the Spirit speaks through him loudly and clearly. This book of prayers is unlike any other I have ever read. Mr. Loder's prayers give us permission to speak as freely to our God as we would like, to use our weak and imperfect selves to achieve great things. Your heart and soul will never be the same once you have used this book. And do use it. It will help those who have forgotten how to talk to God, to once again do so. It will guide those who never tried to talk with God, to make a stab at it. Those who are more comfortable will traditional prayer styles will find these prayers a challenge. But what would life be without a challenge?

One can really get a sense of how to pray again through this book. It shows the struggles and joys of the human condition. It made God appear closer and more real to me after reading a Man of the Cloth's prayers. The words and concepts are simple; the categories suitable for reference. I kept it by the bedside for several years, and now I am passing it on to my friends who share a spiritual journey through talking to God.

Gut-wrenching, soul-searching, heartfelt, uplifting, calming...the prayers in this book are all that and more. They are written in a simple honest language with an easy flow to them. No matter who you are there are at least several prayers that will deeply touch the real you and decidedly affect your relationship with God. There are prayers for all occasions with titles like "Sometimes It Just Seems to be Too Much", "Thank you for Each Moment", and "Pry Me Off Dead Center". I have never read a book of prayers before that had so many that personally touched me.