Book Review: Facing Financial Struggle: 28 Days of Prayer

Facing Financial Struggle: 28 Days of Prayer by Wessel Bentley (Upper Room Books, 2010)
Available at The Upper Room Bookstore online

Approximately ten percent of your church’s members or friends may be dealing with a period of financial difficulty at any given time. Bentley brings a direct, encouraging approach to helping Christians through financial struggle with this daily study that includes brief prayers in contemporary language. The book’s four-week format pairs daily devotions with crucial questions to prompt reflection and space to write down personal thoughts. This is an excellent resource for a small group study or adult education series at any time during the year. Individuals or couples in financial straits could benefit from using this study as well.

Themes for each week lead to a concluding time to recall what was learned and give thanks for blessings related to this area of life and faith. For example, “You are not alone” leads to a Sunday celebration of community. Next, “planning better” leads to celebrating order. Then readers are called to live with discipline. The final week on “living as a steward” culminates with a celebration of the gift of life. A group leader may use the reflection questions at the end of the book to facilitate discussion and share in giving thanks.

Bentley is Chief Researcher at the Research Institute for Theology and Religion at the University of South Africa. Prior to that he served as a pastor at a Methodist Church in the suburbs of Pretoria. He is the author of several other books, including Praying Through a Child’s Illness, which is also in the 28 Days of Prayer series.