Description: Covering a span from the early 1700s to the early 1900s, Joy of Heaven captures prayers from dedicated believers who lived out their faith in a rapidly changing world. Includes prayers by Jonathan Edwards, John and Charles Wesley, D. L. Moody, Amy Carmichael, George Müller, Charles and Susannah Spurgeon, and more.
Brief description: Robert Elmer is a former reporter and ad copywriter who writes from his home in the Pacific Northwest. He is the author of more than fifty books for both adults and children, including Piercing Heaven and the Young Underground and Adventures Down Under series. When he's not at the keyboard, he enjoys spending time with his wife, Ronda. They are the parents of three adult children and nine grandkids.
Review Quotes:
"To his series of books that have reprinted the prayers of the saints from previous eras of church history, Robert Elmer has now added this one from the various awakenings of the mid-eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries. The various revivals from this era contain rich models for prayer, for one of the great hallmarks of all genuine revival is prayer. May the Lord Jesus use this book of prayers to both stimulate a deep-seated hunger for revival and even, in his grace and mercy, be a vehicle for another great awakening. May it be so, Lord Jesus!"
--Michael A. G. Haykin, professor of church history and biblical spirituality, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
"These prayers are a breath of fresh air--a wake-up call for Christians asleep at the wheel. They disrupt our self-centered quest for a smooth and easy ride by taking us to the wild edges of the Spirit's work among previous generations. May these prayers expand your vision as they have mine and enliven our collective desire for revival!"
--Carmen Joy Imes, associate professor of Old Testament, Talbot School of Theology
"More and more evangelicals are realizing that Jesus gave the disciples the Lord's Prayer as a guide for prayer, and therefore that they can be guided and inspired by the prayers of great evangelical souls. This book will be a wonderful resource for evangelicals wanting to pray the ways of Edwards and the Wesleys and other evangelical leaders."
--Gerald McDermott, author of A New History of Redemption and Deep Anglicanism
"Whether you are seeking words to guide a church, a small group, or your own private devotion, Elmer has uncovered a true treasure. The prayers of these revivalists reach beyond conversion, calling on God for his kingdom to come in every aspect of life and faith. This collection invites us to pray with the same depth, passion, and trust that shaped great movements of the past." --Sean McGever, area director for Young Life, Phoenix, Arizona; adjunct faculty at Grand Canyon University
"What a privilege it is to speak to 'our blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light' (1 Timothy 6:15-16). And what a blessing it is when we engage in this privilege in fellowship with others--past and present, near and far. Those who yearn for a closer relationship with God, who long for renewal and reformation in the church, and whose hearts break for those who don't know these consolations, benefits, and joys, will want to spend serious time in this collection of prayers. God wants you to talk to him. He will give you his Spirit to help you as you do. He provides us examples of the kinds of prayers that make a real difference in the world. What could possibly be better, more exciting and fulfilling, more important to those around us, than to take him at his word and spend time with him in prayer?"
--Douglas A. Sweeney, dean and professor of divinity, Beeson Divinity School