NEW RELEASE · CHRISTIAN LIVING · PRAYER

Falling in Love with Prayer: For Frustrated Christians Who Feel Like They’re Doing It Wrong

Six concrete, Scripture-based prayer methods — and a 28-day guided practice to put them to work.

By Dennis C. Stevenson Jr. · 69 pages · Kindle & Paperback

Kindle Unlimited members read free.

THE PROBLEM

The guilt cycle that keeps Christians from praying

“You sit down to pray. You close your eyes. ‘Dear Heavenly Father—’ And then nothing. Your mind drifts, the words dry up, and you say Amen feeling no closer to God than when you started.”

Most frustrated Christians aren’t struggling with faith. They’re stuck in a specific loop: they try to pray, it falls flat, guilt rushes in, they avoid it, and over time they form a quiet conclusion — I’m bad at this. Shame doesn’t draw people toward God. It makes them want to hide.

The premise of this book is simple: the problem isn’t you. The problem is that you’ve been trying to build a prayer life with too few tools.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN

Six prayer methods taught in the book

Each method is grounded in a specific biblical passage, taught through a personal story, and practiced through a short exercise at the end of the chapter.

Prayeraphrase — Praying Scripture

A two-step method: read a Bible verse, then talk to God about how it applies to your life right now. When you don’t know what to say, Scripture supplies the words.

Confession — Looking Forward, Not Backward

Names your limitations and dependence on God before the day begins — and changes how you respond to pressure as the day unfolds.

Going Deeper — Character, Not Circumstances

How to move beyond surface requests toward prayers for real transformation — renewed minds, humility, freedom from anxiety.

Worship — Making God the Focus

Prayer that centers on who God is rather than what you need. Reorients the entire session by starting with God’s character rather than your circumstances.

Gratitude — Acknowledging What God Has Done

Thanksgiving as a prayer method, not a courtesy. Shifts how you see your circumstances for the rest of the week.

ACTS Framework — One Prayer in Four Movements

Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication — the four-part structure rooted in the Lord’s Prayer that ties all five methods together.

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING

Early readers on Falling in Love with Prayer

It’s good to know that I’m not the only one who struggles with prayer. This book showed me ways to make my prayers more meaningful and connected to Jesus.

— Kathy Miller, verified reader

When I did the Psalm 23 assignment I was quite amazed at the thoughts that came out on paper. I saw a lot of value in writing out my thoughts.

— Kathy Baker, verified reader

I loved that it was a quick read, because I am impatient and I want the answers now!

— Andrea Mattias, verified reader

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dennis C. Stevenson Jr.

Dennis C. Stevenson Jr. is a Bible teacher, published author, and deacon at Christ Church in Gilbert, Arizona. He has written multiple Scripture study books across the Understanding God’s Word and Everyday Devotions series. Falling in Love with Prayer is his most personal book — written not from expertise, but from having found a way through decades of frustrating prayer, and wanting to hand you the same map.

You’re Not Bad at Prayer

Have you experienced an unsatisfying prayer time? You sit down and close your eyes, wanting to have a moment with God. “Dear Heavenly Father.” And then the words dry up. Suddenly, your mind is drifting, disconnected from God. In desperation, you recite a few hasty requests and finish with a silent “Amen.” You don’t feel any closer to God. You mostly feel defeated — and maybe a little guilty.

Many Christians describe their prayer life like this: I get distracted easily while praying. I feel like my prayers are too repetitive. I don’t know what to say when I pray. I struggle to make prayer a consistent habit.

If you’ve felt like that, don’t assume you’re spiritually defective. You’re in good company. In fact, if you’re reading this book, it’s likely you’ve formed a quiet conclusion about yourself: I can’t pray well.

Too many sincere Christians get stuck in a vicious loop. It starts with a good thought: I really ought to pray more. But the thought alone doesn’t produce action. So you don’t pray as often as you think you should. And when you notice that gap, guilt rushes in. The guilt makes prayer feel heavier, not easier. As a result you avoid it again. Over time, the loop teaches you a discouraging conclusion: I can’t pray. I’m bad at this.

Shame doesn’t lead us toward God. It makes us want to hide. Conviction draws us back into intimacy; shame makes us want to stay away.

If you approach prayer as a performance, you’ll always be measuring yourself. Was that prayer good enough? Am I doing this right? But prayer is more like a relationship. It’s about showing up, being honest, and staying connected. God isn’t grading your prayers. He wants your heart, your attention, and your trust — even in small moments.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Let me be honest with you before we go any further: prayer has never come naturally to me. I’ve been a Christian for a long time. I’ve studied Scripture seriously, and I’ve written books about it. Faith isn’t something I take casually. But prayer? For most of my life it felt more like a chore than a conversation. I’d show up, say what needed to be said, and move on. I just assumed that was how it was going to be for me.

I was wrong. I just hadn’t found the right way in yet.

Here’s what changed things. Our church was hosting a conference for church planters, and over 800 people had registered. I made a commitment on behalf of our prayer team — we would pray for every single one of them by name. I’m not the kind of leader who asks people to do something I won’t do myself, so every morning before work I sat down with that list, picked a few names, and prayed.

The first morning was rough. My mind wandered all over the place. I pushed through anyway. The second morning was a little better. I started using the methods you’ll find in this book, and somewhere along the way something quietly shifted. What had started as discipline started feeling like something I actually looked forward to.

When we finally got through the last name on the list, I expected to feel relieved. Instead I felt disappointed. I didn’t want it to be over.

I sat with that for a minute, genuinely puzzled by my own reaction. And then it hit me — those morning sessions had become the best part of my day. There was a warmth in my chest, a peace, a sense of being exactly where I was supposed to be. I’d been a Christian for decades and never quite felt that before.

That changed everything for me. This book is my attempt to help you find it too.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Before you decide

These are the questions skeptical readers tend to ask. Answers come directly from the book.

I’ve read prayer books before and nothing changed. Why would this be different?

Most prayer books tell you what prayer is supposed to feel like. This one teaches you what to do when you sit down. The difference is concrete, repeatable methods — not inspiration that fades by next week.

Is this book going to make me feel guilty about how I’ve been praying?

The first thing the book does is tell you you’re not bad at prayer — and it means it. Readers consistently described the tone as the opposite of preachy.

What if I read the whole thing and still can’t pray consistently?

That’s exactly why the free companion toolkit exists — a 28-day guided practice that walks you through each method day by day, so you don’t have to rely on willpower or memory.

How long does it take to read?

The book is intentionally short — six chapters plus an introduction, totaling around 65 pages. Most readers finish it in two or three sittings.

Is Prayeraphrase complicated? I’m not a theologian.

It’s two steps: read a Bible verse, then talk to God about how it applies to your life right now. The book walks through it with Psalm 23. No theology background required.

I already know the ACTS framework. Will I get anything new from the last chapter?

Probably more than you’d expect. If you’ve ever turned ACTS into a box-checking exercise, this chapter was written specifically for you.

Is there theology in here, or is it just techniques?

Both, woven together. Each method is grounded in a specific biblical passage. You don’t need a theology background — but you’ll finish with a clearer understanding of what prayer is and why it was never meant to feel like a performance.

FREE WITH EVERY COPY

Free Prayer Companion Toolkit

Every copy of Falling in Love with Prayer — Kindle or paperback — includes access to a free downloadable companion toolkit at dennis-stevenson.com/Prayer.

28-Day Guided Prayer Plan

A structured four-week practice walking through every method in the book. Each day includes a prayer prompt, a method, and a paired Scripture. You don’t have to figure out what to do — just show up.

Scripture for Every Prayer

Over 200 curated Bible verses organized by the situations Christians most commonly face — anxiety, doubt, shame, gratitude, worship, confusion. Designed to be printed and kept inside a Bible.

Download the Free Toolkit →

FREE DOWNLOAD

Get the Free Prayer Companion Toolkit

Enter your name and email here. You’ll receive immediate access to the 28-Day Guided Prayer Plan and Scripture for Every Prayer — free.

Studying prayer as a small group?

This guide is designed for leaders who want to help adults move from frustration with prayer to genuine connection with God. Each week, group members will read a chapter, try the prayer method at home, and then gather to share what happened. The focus stays on real experiences, Scripture, and how expectations changed.

Download Discussion Guide — Free →

Falling In Love With Prayer Discussion Guide

Kindle — $2.99

Paperback — $9.99

BOOK DETAILS

About This Book

Author	Dennis C. Stevenson Jr.
Publisher	Dennis C. Stevenson Jr. · Chandler, Arizona
Year	2026
Genre	Christian Living · Prayer
BISAC	REL012120 · REL012040
Pages	69 pages
Formats	Kindle Ebook · Paperback
Ebook Price	$2.99
Paperback	$9.99
Kindle ASIN	B0H16276SD
Print ISBN	979-8-9875057-5-5
Kindle Unlimited	Available to read free
Bulk Orders	dennis-stevenson.com/contact-me

AVAILABLE NOW

Ready to leave the frustration behind?

Available in Kindle ebook and paperback on Amazon. Kindle Unlimited members read free.

Kindle — $2.99 Paperback — $9.99