Whispering in God's Ear: True Stories Inspiring Childlike Faith

As I read "Whispering in God's Ear," God whispered in mine. It was one of those moments, when in my heart I understood in a deeper way why Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Inspired to obey Jesus and change, I experienced a turn around by approaching my prayer life the way these little giants of faith demonstrated in this collection of heart-warming stories. With the outcomes I witnessed from their prayers, I expect only God's best! "Whispering in God's Ear" delivers an added bonus: every author, famous or not, weaves captivating stories. Through each of the eleven parts of this book, Mr. Holmes ingeniously builds on God's basic spiritual truths. All of us, as children of God, need these reminders every now and then. I recommend this book this to all, especially to those who need a lift.

I cried when I read Cecil Murphey's praying for a pair of black shoes, and Marilyn Martyn McAuley's story of "Dear Jesus, We Need a Daddy." These are only two of the deeply heartwarming stories from a variety of authors. The true accounts, told by mothers, fathers, and grandparents will make you smile, laugh and cry. There is a story for everyone! I heartily recommend Whispereing in God's Ear not only as a gift, but also as a book for your bedside table to pick up from time to time for that bit of inspiration one needs on an ongoing basis.

Hearing God's voice in a noisy world isn't always easy. When cynicism threatens to drown my hope, I hear God's whisper when I eavesdrop on the prayers of children like my own seven-year-old daughter. I can hear her praying like the children in this book. Ashtyn, age six, reminds me that "No matter how bad life tastes, prayer makes it sweeter." Kyle, age nine, gives me hope and reminds me "The best thing about the future is, God comes with it." Molly asks God to make her heart sparkle. Paige knows she can count on God. And one father reminds us all of what's important. In part three, "When I Grow Up", Holmes almost apologized for including Robert Benson's story about his son Geoffrey. Indeed, the story doesn't include a child's prayer, but it's one of my favorites. This story and the others Holmes compiled do more than inspire childlike faith. This is a book we can share. The stories remind us that God hears our prayers, not because we know the right words to say, but because we don't.

Whispering in God's Ear is not just a compilation of stories by famous and not so famous writers, it is so much more. It is a warm and embracing journey into what it means to have faith like a child and the journey to this discovery is led by a master storyteller. At the beginning of the each section, Mr. Holmes reveals personal anecdotes about his own desires to love like a child and in doing so he becomes a warm and embracing guide on comforting challenge to rediscover the simplicity of childlike faith. To me this was the best part of the book. There are stories in here that will make you laugh, cry, and tingle, as you rediscover yours or your child's first prayers. This would make a great gift for teachers, especially Sunday School teachers, but also for boomer-aged grandparents who now have the time to rediscover the joys they missed with their own children. Of course, parents of any age will connect with these stories. This book is comfort food at it's best--it will fill you up when you're hungry or you can slowly savor the taste.

I really enjoyed this one. I thought the stories were very heartwarming, and the potato chip one moved me to tears! The way Mr. Holmes interspersed stories of the famous with the "everyday" was great. And his essays before each section were fun. I got to know him a little bit and he set me up to understand what kind of stories would follow in each section. As a mother of three, this book helped me open my eyes to my own children, their prayers, and their needs. I think this would be a great gift for a new mom- the length of the stories is perfect for that nursing mom who needs something to entertain her in the middle of the night! It would also be a great thank you for the Sunday School teacher who has made a positive impression on your children's lives.