Tales for the Prayer Journey

Eve Lockett

From The Methodist Recorder - 12 June 2008

A treasure trove of stories of adventure and reflection that all ages will enjoy has a foreword from the Bishop of Reading, Stephen Cottrell, which urges us not to forget that Jesus himself taught us through stories. Tales for the Prayer Journey by Eve Lockett has 30 five-minute stories for all-age reflection and discussion with links to Bible passages. Themes include the importance of listening to God, being honest with God, trusting him and waiting for his purposes to work out. This attractive book can be used by parents who find it hard to pray with or talk to their children about Christian things, or it can be used in churches and schools and by other groups t explore aspects of Christian faith. The ultimate aim of the book is to encourage reflection and discussion, through parable stories, and to encourage prayer as an integral part of the lives of both children and adults.

Reviewed by Avril Bottoms

Reviewed by The Door - February 2008

Eve Lockett says that the purpose of her latest book is to engage children and adults on a journey of learning together about prayer. Certainly the structure of the book, in 30 bite-sized chapters, is ideal as a springboard for discussion and reflection for mixed age groups.

Each section has a story and simple, related activity designed to capture the attention of younger readers, while Bible references encourage deeper reflection when appropriate. All are tied together neatly with a short, accessible prayer.

Take, for example, the chapter on `You and Me, Praying for other People': With the help of Truffle the Badger and a simple game involving scrabble pieces, even the youngest in a group will be drawn in to focusing on who they might include in their prayers each day. Older readers have clear guidelines for further exploration.

Eve Lockett, a licensed lay minister in the Oxford diocese, looks at the role of prayer in our meeting with and listening to God, and its role in our relationship with God, as well as tack­ling some of the thorny questions that can act as a barrier to successful prayer and providing some practical pointers on content.

It's easy to see the book, with its clear, accessible style and flexibility to tailor sessions to suit needs, appealing to church and school groups across a wide age-range. But it could be a win­ner in the home too, providing par­ents with the tools to open conversa­tion with their children about the Christian faith - something many families find hard to talk about.

Too often, resources for nurturing the faith of young people involve them listening while we talk. But here we have a real chance to encourage honest discussion from which we may find we all learn something, whatever our age.

And as the Rt. Revd Stephen Cottrell, bishop of Reading, writes in his foreword: `Let us not forget that Jesus himself taught us through stories.'

Reviewed by Sally Jarman

Click on the cover of the book to see further information or to purchase.