Author Matthew Paul Turner is a blogger, speaker, and author of a whopping sixteen books, and most recently “When I Pray for You”.

You will be hard-pressed to find a better gift for new parents or grandparents. If you chose to read it out loud consider yourself warned, you might struggle not to cry or at the very least, get a lump in your throat. The book begins with a brand new baby being rocked by his mother, praying these words:

“From the moment I saw you,

I started to pray.

Big prayers and small ones

I have sent God’s way.”

“When I Pray for You” Matthew Paul Turner

Turner expertly uses rhyming verse – which is not as easy as you might think – to express all the ways we pray for children from the time they are tiny babies and through every phase of life.

“At the moment I hear you jump out of bed,
I start praying that God puts good thoughts in your head.
I pray when you’re smiling and when you feel sad,
I pray when you’re sick, embarrassed or mad.”

“When I Pray for You” (Matthew Paul Turner)

The structure of the book lends itself well to being read aloud to a small group or just one-on-one, (once you get over not crying, that is.) The art is beautiful, and it’s worth noting that the children in the story do not all look the same. It’s a cheerful and happy book, but the message “I pray for you” is the main point.

I bought this copy for myself from The Bookshelf after Jen Hatmaker raved about it on her Facebook page. Please consider supporting an independent book store for your book purchases. When you support an indie bookstore your dollars stay in your local community.

Happy reading!