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A preview of the devotional

25 Sep

The Focus of PrayerWant to get a taste of the 30-day devotional, The Focus of Prayer? The Author’s Foreword is designed to do just that — and let’s face it, you’ll probably just skip over it in the book. So here it is:

I’d like to think that discovering an important yet overlooked fact about prayer would change a person’s life.

Unfortunately, it does not.

Years ago, I learned something significant about prayer. But when I started to write this book, it was truly ironic that I was writing about prayer. I had the third-worst prayer life of any Christian in the Western Hemisphere. (It’s true—I took a quiz on Facebook.)

So writing this book was a great fit for me, for two reasons.

First, this was the perfect place for a writer to be. I had no qualifications to say to you, “Here is the right way.” I couldn’t set myself up as an example. I could only let God be God. I could only point to what I’ve seen in His Word and, with wonder and excitement, say, “Hey, come over here! Look what I found!”

Second, working through this book allowed me to apply that fact to my prayer life. And it helped. Tremendously. Facts don’t change people. God changes people. God frequently uses prayer to reorient our hearts toward Him, and that’s when change begins.

So here’s my invitation to join me as, together, we explore and pray through what God says about prayer. I’ll show you what God used to change my prayers, and thus, my life. Let’s find joy on this journey …

Ian Fallis

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First printed copy of devotional

23 Sep
The Focus of Prayer

Cover — can you tell I had to look inside already?

The Focus of Prayer

The inside layout … and a hint of humor.

Today I received the first “proof” copy of the print version of The Focus of Prayer. I have a couple of minor changes to make, and then the book is ready to be printed. But we’re not quite ready to have it printed yet. We have a few things to sort out still.

The print version integrates the devotional and the study guide. Retail price is expected to be $4.99.

The ebook version is already available free.

Can they just give it away?

22 Sep

The Focus of PrayerNew Tribes Mission is giving away my book!

But I’m good with that. I wrote it for them. And for you.

The book is called The Focus of Prayer, and it’s a 30-day devotional on, of all things, prayer. It explores three topics that are often overlooked in our prayer lives, and then examines how we can bring those together in a balanced prayer life.

It’s all packaged into 30 brief daily readings. And for those who want more, downloading the book will also give access to a free study guide. The book is available for Kindle and as a PDF.

One reader called it “superb,” and said he “found it encouraging and challenging.”

Other readers shared these comments:

“Enjoying reading through your book and growing.”

The Focus of Prayer has provided helpful insights and is helping mature my prayer life.”

Get your copy here!

Writing is such a blast …

4 Jun

Lightning8_-_NOAAA crack of thunder punctuated the patter of rain on the roof. I walked from my office to our conference room to look out on the darkened afternoon. I watched the wind whip rain, leaves and small branches through the air. Now and then, lightning blazed and thunder roared.

It seemed fitting to observe the power of an afternoon thunderstorm that rolled in as I worked on the final draft of the study guide for the devotional, The Focus of Prayer.

I have completed editing the devotional itself. Last week I wrote the first draft of the study guide, and after I went back through it this week, I passed that off for editing. I think I’ll stop describing the process there. Suffice it to say that I made a two-page list of everything that needed to get done, and I’m churning through it. Every so often, I remember something else to add to the list.

I should also say that everything is on track for NTM to release the book and study guide in mid-June.

The devotional ebook and the study guide will be free. The devotional takes a look not only at praying for yourself, but two areas of prayer that are often overlooked, and integrates them into a balanced prayer. The daily study guide takes you deeper into related passages or concepts.

Does that sound like something you’ll want to use?

The Focus of Prayer

26 May
I still have one of these, though I haven't shot medium format in a long time.

I still have one of these, though I haven’t shot medium format in a long time.

This might seem like quite a leap.

I’m finishing up a young-adult fantasy series, and fleshing out a science fiction/Western/paranormal/romance/hard-boiled detective/humor series … and now I’ve written a devotional on prayer.

But the devotional is tied to my “day job” with New Tribes Mission.

The Focus of Prayer: a Balanced Prayer Life takes a look not only at praying for yourself – which we all do and should do – and seeks to balance it with two important facets of prayer that we often miss: praying for others, and praying for what’s on God’s heart.

The Kindle version will be free, and there will also be a free study guide. We’ll also make a print version, which will incorporate the study guide, but because of production costs, we’ll have to charge for that.

I’ll keep you posted when it’s ready to go.

In the meantime, if you’d like to find out more about my work with NTM, you can take a look at my NTM blog.