Jarrett Stevens - Praying Through: Overcoming the Obstacles That Keep Us from God

Over the past decade, I have watched Jarrett Stevens get on his knees and seek the heart of God through so many circumstances. The honesty and openness of his process have allowed him to become a trusted voice in my life and through this book, I believe he can become the same to you.

KYLE KORVER, NBA veteran

Jarrett Stevens is a dear friend and a deep soul. And what he has given us through this book is a real gift. If youre looking to connect with God in real and authentic ways but find yourself stuck or lost, this book is for you. Through refreshing honesty and humor and spiritually practical wisdom, Praying Through helps you find your way to deeper places with God no matter what season you find yourself in.

MIKE FOSTER, founder of People of the Second Chance, host of Fun Therapy podcast

There are many books out there on prayer, but not like this one. Praying Through is not just theoretical or overly mystical or written so long ago that it is hard to apply today. It doesnt leave you feeling defeated and guilty because you arent praying enough. It is an encouraging, practical, real-life, sticking-to-the-actual-Bible-teachings guide to prayer. By the end of this book, because it relates to the real struggles we have today, you will find yourself becoming increasingly aware of how much God loves us, and youll pray more naturally and often as a result.

DAN KIMBALL, Vintage Faith Church

Ive known Jarrett for almost twenty years, and he is honestly one of the most gifted teachers around. He has a brilliant way of bringing lofty theological ideas into the messy reality of everyday life. This book is no exception. Jarrett has taken a topic that feels both overfamiliar and overwhelming and offers tangible handles and on-ramps. Through stories, Scripture, a great sense of humor, and the weighty wisdom of someone who has walked the journey for many years, this book will help you move from feeling paralyzed by the idea of prayer to saying, I can do this!

AARON NIEQUIST, author of The Eternal Current

We serve a conversational God, a God who wants to know us and who wants us to know him through every season of life. What Jarrett has done through this book is to uncomplicate what so many Christians have complicated: how to simply have a conversation with God. I thank God for this book and for my friend Jarrett.

CARLOS WHITTAKER, author of Kill the Spider and Moment Maker, host of Enter Wild podcast

You dont find many books on prayer that are written in the voice of this generation. This is that kind of book! Praying Through is honest, hilarious, and helpful. Jarrett has a way of turning deep spiritual disciplines into helpful habits that we can actually practice in each and every season of life. No matter where youre at with God or with prayer, this book is for you!

SAM COLLIER, host of A Greater Story podcast, speaker and host at North Point Ministries

As the daughter of a pastor, I grew up around prayer. It was like a second language in our home. But just because I grew up around prayer doesnt mean that I grew up in prayer. Over the years, Ive found myself occasionally stuck and lost, passionless and purposeless in prayer. We all have. Thats why I love this book: Jarrett Stevens has given us a deep and simple guidebook for navigating all of lifes seasons through prayer. If you want to grow in prayer and your relationship with God, then TREAT YO SELF to this book!

BIANCA JUREZ OLTHOFF, copastor of The Fathers House OC, author of How to Have Your Life Not Suck and Play with Fire

NavPress is the publishing ministry of The Navigators, an international Christian organization and leader in personal spiritual development. NavPress is committed to helping people grow spiritually and enjoy lives of meaning and hope through personal and group resources that are biblically rooted, culturally relevant, and highly practical.

For more information, visit www.NavPress.com.

Praying Through: Overcoming the Obstacles That Keep Us from God

Copyright 2020 by Jarrett Stevens. All rights reserved.

A NavPress resource published in alliance with Tyndale House Publishers

NAVPRESS and the NAVPRESS logo are registered trademarks of NavPress, The Navigators, Colorado Springs, CO. TYNDALE is a registered trademark of Tyndale House Publishers. Absence of in connection with marks of NavPress or other parties does not indicate an absence of registration of those marks.

The Team: Don Pape, Publisher; David Zimmerman, Acquisitions Editor; Elizabeth Schroll, Copy Editor; Jennifer Phelps, Designer

Jarrett Stevens is represented by Angela Scheff of The Christopher Ferebee Agency, www.christopherferebee.com.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version,NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the Holy Bible, King James Version. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The excerpt of Let Something Essential Happen to Me is from Guerrillas of Grace, by Ted Loder, copyright 1984, 2005 Ted Loder admin. Augsburg Fortress. Reproduced by permission.

Some of the anecdotal illustrations in this book are true to life and are included with the permission of the persons involved. All other illustrations are composites of real situations, and any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental.

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Tyndale House Publishers at , or call 1-800-323-9400.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Stevens, Jarrett, author.

Title: Praying through : overcoming the obstacles that keep us from God / Jarrett Stevens.

Description: Colorado Springs : NavPress, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2019030307 (print) | LCCN 2019030308 (ebook) | ISBN 9781631469817 (paperback) | ISBN 9781631469824 (ebook other) | ISBN 9781631469831 (epub) | ISBN 9781631469848 (kindle edition)

Subjects: LCSH: Prayer Christianity.

Classification: LCC BV210.3 .S774 2020 (print) | LCC BV210.3 (ebook) | DDC 248.3/2 dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019030307

LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019030308

ISBN 978-1-63146-984-8 (ePub); ISBN 978-1-63146-983-1 (Kindle); ISBN 978-1-63146-982-4 (Apple)

Build: 2021-04-21 22:34:12 EPUB 3.0

I dedicate this book to the lives and memories of my father-in-law, Bill Pieczynski, and my brother-in-law, Andy Pieczynski.