Easy to read, powerful and inspiring, I absolutely loved this book and think it's one I will return to again and again!

This book is about how prayer changed one woman’s life. The author wrote about her personal journey in an engaging way that kept me interested.

In the beginning of this book, Erica Willis talks about the “Supers”—people who seem to have more knowledge of God than those who are coasting along in their faith. The “Supers” often have a word from God for others, dreams that actually mean something and seem to use a different language when they talk about things like baptism in the Spirit and Holy laughter. Erica was skeptical of them. Then her husband was encouraged by his pastor to get up an hour early to pray. In the beginning, she discouraged him from doing it because with family, job and school, she didn’t see how he could fit it in and get any sleep. The results were so astonishing, she tried it herself. At first, after 10 minutes she felt she had nothing else to pray about, but as time went on an hour didn’t feel like enough time to her. This one small action completely changed her life, and in this book, she talks about how it can transform other peoples too.

Moreover, she tackles things that are in the Bible and many people don’t think exists for believers today, as well as more conventional ideas. I loved that she felt bold enough to put these experiences out there for the rest of us, and I felt that this book very inspirational.

I definitely will be reading this again, and I recommend it to others.

[Note:  This book was provided free of charge by Chosen Books/Net Gallery.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

Although I would not consider myself as belonging to the Charismatic camp of Christians, as this author so evidently does and as her likely reading audience does, I find it interesting to note the consistency of certain concerns that made it obvious that this book was aimed at that readership.  Are there straightforward stories about the author and her life that mark her as a humble soul rather than a highly intellectual one?  Yes, in abundance.  Are there numerous references to spiritual warfare against Satan and his minions [1] as well as comments about various gifts of the spirit that people pray for and (supposedly) exercise in the contemporary world [2]?  Yes, in abundance.  Indeed, one could, if one was that sort of reader, make a flow diagram that shows how this book clearly belongs to its genre of spiritual literature meant to encourage charismatic believers about appearing odd or different for their spiritual beliefs in the eyes of others while encouraging a strong faith in the reader.

The materials of this book take up less than 200 pages and are divided into three parts and fourteen chapters.  After an enthusiastic foreword and some acknowledgements, the author begins with a discussion of her doubting heart (I) and ruminates on the difference between "normals" and "supers" (1), encourages readers not to be afraid of the dark (2), the baby steps that are necessary at the beginning of one's faith (3), and how one endures through passion and perseverance (4).  After that she talks about God's perfect truth (II) by talking about the evils of Satan (5), the need for believers to don the armor of God (6), and some encouraging words about seeking God's presence (7), shedding the skin of one's mortal life (8), and saying goodbye to fear (9).  The third part of the book finds the author launching into gifts and matters of the Spirit (III) like fasting (10), speaking in tongues (11), healing (12), dreams and their interpretation (13), and the author's drastic and wrenching move from Missouri to Texas in her youth and its symbolism as the reader being able to have the best of multiple worlds (14).  All of the chapters come with numerous questions at the end where the reader can "check their pulse" and the chapters are filled with entertaining stories about the author and her life experiences.  My personal favorite is her childhood award as a champion eater and her struggles with fasting as a result of this orientation.

The author and I clearly move in separate circles and so this book was not likely to appeal to me as much as it would to others.  The author is clearly writing to charismatic female believers to offer them encouragement and present herself as someone who has walked the same kind of walk that they have.  But I am not a woman, am far more cerebral and intellectual than the author, and while I found this book's stories winsome and the author generally appealing, we are not the same kind of people and this book is not being aimed at me.  Even so, there is a lot to appreciate about this book.  It checks the boxes one would expect in a book about this time, having authenticity and a great deal of personality and dealing with issues of the supernatural both in demonology as well as gifts of the spirit that its readers will likely expect and celebrate.  Anyone else reading this book will at least be able to read plenty of accounts that demonstrate the author's own struggles to have a mighty faith despite her overwhelming normalness.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2014/08/30/book-review-spiritual-warfare-jesus-way/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017/10/19/book-review-seeing-the-supernatural/

[2] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017/03/31/book-review-practicing-the-power/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015/10/23/book-review-identity-thief/

Wow, what a powerful and challenging book.

I love Erica’s style and her tone throughout the book. She seems tad sassy and I like that, definitely keeps the reader engaged.

I always appreciate a non-fiction book that ties in real stories from the writers personal journey and the struggles and misconceptions they have faced. It makes the whole thing so much more relatable.

Erica really challenges the reader to take a deeper look at your prayer-life, something I really need to do and am doing.

She asks some excellent questions, like when you go to the Word are you anticipating encountering Jesus? I needed that reset for myself.

If you are looking for a book that will challenge you to believe more — believe boldly, I highly recommend this one.

A copy of this book was given to me through Netgalley.com. All opinions are my own.