Most people know that prayer is one of the basic tenets of Christianity but how many believers actually claim to have a powerful prayer life? I can’t speak for anyone else but I know that improving my prayer life is high on my list this year.
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That’s why I was so pleased when my blogging friend Horace Williams Jr. debuted his book Unleash the Power of Prayer in Your Life.
I was already a big fan of Horace’s writing on his blog Pleasing to the Potter. And shortly after I picked up my copy, I knew that I wanted to interview Horace about his journey. His is nothing short of miraculous as you will soon read.
So, I am pleased to introduce you to Horace through this book interview. We pray that you will be inspired and encouraged by his story and the display of God’s power in his life.
Interview with Horace Williams Jr., author of Unleash the Power of Prayer in Your Life
Horace, congratulations on your first book! Please tell us about the inspiration behind it.
Thank you for asking Marva, but first I want to thank you for inviting me to share in your space.
My inspiration to write this book began to grow in the Spring of 2015. I had shared with my blog subscribers some answers to prayer in my life and the lives of family members. I was so overwhelmed with joy and hope at that time. I invited them to send me any prayer requests or praises they might have. I began to receive prayer requests from all over, including France! It reminded me that my world is so much bigger than the four walls I live within every day.
The mass shootings and bombings were distressing to me. I received an email from someone in Nice, France asking for prayer as they were now afraid to be living there. The final straw that convinced me to write this book was the United States’ Presidential election process. I saw the disheartening group of candidates being whittled down. It was then I knew I had to write something to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ and remind them of the power in prayer.
What impact has prayer had in your life?
Prayer has transformed and saved my life. Even though I had accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of 5, I did not seek out time with Him growing up. In fact, I only called on Him when I needed or wanted His help.
After my stroke, as I was lying in a hospital bed in darkness, God revealed to me through prayer that being a Christian was about serving Him. Regardless of my sins and selfishness, He still loved me.
It was through prayer that God has taken me from my left side being paralyzed to now being able to walk again with assistance. He continues to transform my heart and renew my mind. I still have joints that don’t move on my left side. However, my brain continues to heal and so I can read and study God’s word.
I have learned the necessity of communing with God. I thank Him each day for allowing me to see a new morning. The more you converse with someone in any relationship the stronger that relationship becomes. This is the same with God.
With all the books that’s been written on prayer, how would you say your book is different?
That is a great question. I purposely did not read a lot of books on prayer before I wrote this book. I wanted to write what God put on my heart and share my experiences as a testimony of God’s power working in my life.
I share the benefits and blessings of a purposeful prayer life: unconditional forgiveness, a strengthened faith, and the opportunity to affect lives through prayer just to name a few.
For me, prayer is personal. I hope to convey that in this book. It is talking with God and being willing to listen to Him.
Prayer should first be about God and His will. We seek His will via prayer. He desires to hear from us. Not as an afterthought or only in desperate times.
What does it mean to have powerful prayers?
A powerful prayer begins with reverence and repentance. We must first acknowledge to whom we are praying, God Almighty. A prayer must start with a pure heart, and by that I mean there is no habitual unconfessed sin interfering with our communication with God.
Tweet ThisOur prayers must solely rest in our faith in Jesus. When our faith rests in Him, we can have hope. Hope is a powerful thing. We can press forward to accomplish God’s will infused with His power and blessed by our hope in Him.
For those who are eager to develop a prayer habit, where do you suggest they start?
I would recommend setting aside a time and a place where you and God can have a quiet time together. A place where you are hopefully uninterrupted by phone calls and text messages or distracted by other things.
In those moments, ask Him to search your heart and reveal to you any habitual or unconfessed sin so that you can not only confess but repent and turn away from that sin. God cannot hear our prayers when iniquity is prevalent in our hearts. (Isaiah 50:1-2)
What would you say to the person who’s tried prayer before but struggle to believe that it actually works?
Like in any relationship, communication takes effort. If your heart is repentant and you are praying in faith to God, seeking His will, He hears your prayers. (Psalm 37:4) His answers may not be what we want, or in the time frame we desire, but God’s perfect timing is ALWAYS best. We must trust Him. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
What is the key message you would like readers to take away from this book?
One of my favorite quotes from the book is, “Your prayer life is a reflection of your relationship with God.”
Think about this: Are you prioritizing your time talking with God? Do you thank Him for the evidences of Him working in your life…seen or unseen?
My second favorite quote is, “Prayer is about having purposeful and intimate conversations with God.”
As I mentioned earlier, prayer is personal. Over the years, I have seen God answer prayer in not only my own life but the lives of others. I want to daily share with my Savior the desires of my heart and seek His will for my life. It is my hope that the reader will see how much God loves them and desires to commune with them.
It’s my sincere hope that the readers of this book will be inspired to pray with purpose, persistence, and perseverance as they seek God’s will. To take a quote from my book, “Prayer is the conduit by which we can access God’s power.” Are you ready to unleash God’s power in your life?
Wow, thank you, Horace. I’m ready to tap into God’s power!
What about you?
If you’d like to give your prayer life a boost, I encourage you to grab a copy of Unleash the Power of Prayer in Your Life.
And what would a post about prayer be without a request for prayer?
As we were wrapping up this interview, Horace received some concerning news about his health and sure could use your prayers. Would you take a minute to pray for Horace right now?
Wishing you blessings,
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About Horace Williams Jr.:
Horace Williams Jr. is a stroke survivor and born-again Christian who loves Jesus Christ. He has seen the power of prayer and God’s healing in his own life as he continues to recover from a massive stroke that paralyzed his left side more than six years ago. He wants to inspire, encourage, and remind Christians of the power available to them through prayer.
You can get a copy of his book, Unleash the Power of Prayer in Your Life, by clicking here.
Be sure to visit Horace at his blog Pleasing to the Potter or connect with him on social media:
Two of my favorite blogger friends together in one post! Love it! Horace’s story is such a powerful testimony and I know that God will use his book in great ways!
Great interview, Marva!
Blessings and big smiles,
Lori
Good morning.
I have sent 2 emails with the information you requested but I got an error and it didn’t send. I was answering your email. Sorry to be trouble.
No trouble at all, Vivian! I’m so excited that you won the book and I pray it will be an incredible blessing in your life.
We will get that out to you right away!
Great interview. Horace and Marva, you are both encouraging lights for Christ! May God put your book into the hands and hearts of many, many people!
That’s so very sweet of you, Ginger. I know Horace will be moved by your kind words and grateful for your prayers.
Blessings to you, dear friend.
Thank you Ginger for the words of encouragement. I’m glad you enjoyed the interview. I pray all who read the book are inspired to seek a powerful prayer life with Christ.
Awe, great interview, Horace. Love hearing your heart and how the Lord put the message on your heart. Thanks for sharing, Marva. ((blessings))
Thank you Brenda for the visit. I’m glad you enjoyed the interview as well. I pray that my Savior is pleased and that He is glorified as I hope to encourage His children with this book. Blessings to you as well.
First of all, I am a word fanatic, and I just love the power behind the word “unleash.” I believe one of the most untapped places of true power in our walking out salvation is prayer. It is the place of complete submission and humility and where God is invited to do His greatest work in us. Just loved this challenge and encouragement to go to the source!
Yes, me too Crystal. I have loved words since a poetry class in my 9th grade year. There is something about the word “unleash” that speaks to the power of Almighty God. It gets me excited just thinking about God working in someone’s life. Thank you for visiting and I thank Marva for inviting me to share here. Blessings to you and yours in the New Year!
So excited for you, Horace! I enjoyed reading all these quotes, including ones in the comments, too. I see God has anointed you to influence others to pray.
Now I pray for you right now, that God would expand your territory. I speak health and healing to your body, that it would come in line with God’s will. May God be glorified in and through you.
Thank you Kelly for your prayers and words of encouragement.I thank God for the opportunity to share what He has put on my heart. I hope my life is a testimony of the power of prayer. Have a wonderful weekend and may God bless you and yours in 2017!
What a great book! I need to pick up a copy. Prayer is so very important, at least to me and many others. Thanks Marva and Horace.
Thanks for visiting Jen and a huge thank you to Marva for inviting me to share my story. I pray you are blessed and inspired as you read. Have a fantastic week and may god bless you and yours in 2017.
Oh, this is such an encouraging interview. I have been so blessed by Horace’s testimony so I’m sure the book will do just the same. I’ll be praying for him as he addresses his health issues, praying that he’ll always be aware that God holds him close. Thanks for sharing, Marv!
Yes, Horace’s story is an inspiring one and so is his book. I think you’ll like it too and I’m adding it to our Pinterest ‘Books to Read’ board to remind you. 🙂
Thanks for visiting, Carlie! I don’t ever want to take you for granted. Hugs!!!
Thanks for letting us get to know Horace better. I know of him through Facebook, but I didn’t know his story. Congrats to him on his book!
Horace’s story has God written all over it, Amy and I’m so glad you’ve gotten a sneak peak into how God has been working on his behalf.
Thank you, Marva and Horace – what a great book and sweet spirit – both of you! I’m working on more private powerful prayer in my life right now – so another encouragement! and seeing God at work. Bless you both for all you do for the Kingdom.
Thanks Sue for the kind words. It’s my desire to have the Holy Spirit shine through in my life. It is my prayer that this book helps and inspires Christians who read Have a great week and thanks again Marva for this opportunity. Blessings to you both.
Sounds like an interesting book!
It’s a powerful book, Alice and it’s amazing how God is using it to inspire me and so many others to get on our knees. I pray it will be a blessing to you!
I have seen God take me out of an abusive relationship. He did it in His time and that was long to me as a human, but just the right time for His plan for me.
I’m so glad God moved at just the right time for you, TallulahJane. We don’t always understand his timing but in faith we realise that He’s always right there. I pray for your continued healing!
Blessings!
I have read Horace’s book, and it’s great! Some of my favorite take-aways from the book were:
Prayer must be god-focused, not self-focused.
Plug into the power of God by praying in the early morning hours.
Make a plan for prayer, then be disciplined in walking it out — where there is discipline, there is always great reward.
Prayer requires a repentant heart, a faithful spirit, and humility.
Your prayer life is a reflection of the depth of relationship you have with God.
Prayer is a 2-way street, be sure to listen as much as you speak
Thanks for sharing Horace’s story and book, Marva!
Oh, I love those takeaways, Sarah! Thank you so much for taking the time to share them here so that others will benefit as well. These are all the foundation for a great prayer life.
Blessings to you!
Thanks for your insights and your review of the book Sarah. I am blessed that you enjoyed the book. I cannot thank Marva enough for her invitation to share my story. Blessings to you and yours.
I really enjoyed your interview Marva. I was a little down in the dumps and your post really lifted my spirits.
,Many thanks to Horace Williams Jr for giving us a chance to win your book.
I’m so glad your spirits were lifted, Vivian. God is so gracious to give us just what we need when we need it.
Had I not already had a copy of Horace’s book, I would have been right there with you entering the giveaway. 🙂 Good luck to you!
Great interview, Marva! Thanks so much for sharing more about Horace with us. He is a sparkling gem–as is his book!
How very sweet of you, Dianne. I know Horace will appreciate those kind words.
Hugs to you, my friend.
Congratulations, Horace! I am seeking improvment in my prayer life so this was spot on for me! Thank you for sharing, Marva!
It’s always great to have you here, Shannon. Yes, I’m right there with you in need of prayer improvement. So grateful for God’s grace and resources like Horace’s book to help us out!
Hugs and blessings!
Thank you Shannon. I am very appreciative of the opportunity Marva has given me to share my testimony. I hope your prayer life is inspired after reading this book. Blessings.
This is excellent, Marva and Horace! I especially love that you included repentance and forgiveness. Those seem to be crucial elements often missing from believers’ lives these days. I also love the recommendation to set aside not only time, but also a specific place, for daily prayer.
So true Julie without the sacrifice of Jesus,His forgiveness of our sins, and our repentance, there is no communing with God. We must go to Him with a repentant heart. Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoy the book. Blessings to you and yours
Hi Marva and Horace, thanks for sharing this inspiring interview! I ordered and received a copy of “Unleash The Power of Prayer in Your Life” a few days ago and it is truly a blessing to read!!
Oh, that’s awesome, Julie. I’ve been enjoying reading it as well. Thank you for stopping by and sharing those kind words!
Awesome! Such a blessing to read you have been encouraged by the book Julie. I really want to encourage Christians through this book on prayer. I pray all who read are blessed. Have a fantastic week and God bless
I didn’t enter the giveaway because I already have Horace’s book. But I’m sharing this all over. I loved his book on prayer! It was so inspiring. I enjoyed reading this interview. Thank you sharing.
Hahaha, that gives other readers better chances! 🙂
I too have been inspired by Horace’s words. What a joy it is to see how God is using him!
Thanks, Dawn!
Thank you Marva for your invitation to do the interview and sharing your space. I pray you and your readers are blessed by the book and inspired to pray with purpose. I look forward to their reviews as well. I invited my subscribers to participate in the giveaway too. All the best to you and yours. Blessings my friend.
You’re so welcome, Horace. It was truly my honour to partner with you in getting the message out about the power of prayer. Surely we can use more power in our lives.
Please know that we are praying for you in your latest health struggle. We’ve seen how good God has been to you before, and we know that He continues to move powerfully.
Blessings always!