Best-selling author and pastor Max Lucado will visit the Billy Graham Library on Wednesday, Nov. 19, for a book signing at 1 p.m.
For more than 25 years, Lucado has led Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. Along the way, many of his sermons became the inspiration behind his books. Now 31 titles later, Lucado still has a heart for encouraging others through the power of storytelling.
At the upcoming Library event, Lucado will sign copies of his books, including his most recent work, Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer.
Some of Lucado’s books will be available for purchase in Ruth’s Attic bookstore, or visitors can bring their own. For more information, please call 704-401-3256 or email LibraryEvents@bgea.org.
Below are five questions Lucado answered in anticipation of the book signing:
Why did you write Before Amen?
What prompted me to write Before Amen was the fact that I needed help in my prayer life. There are a lot of books on prayer for people who excel in prayer, but I needed a book on prayer for people who struggle to pray. So really, this book emerged out of a personal challenge that I’ve had in my life—of trying to simplify prayer, understand it more deeply, and practice it more daily.
Why do you call yourself a “recovering prayer wimp?”
I call myself a prayer wimp because I really do struggle with prayer. I’m one of those people who would more quickly do something for God than pause to talk to God. I’m not alone. I think there are those who get prayer, but I think there are many, many more of us who struggle to pray for several reasons. First, we’re very busy. We all have got a lot going on. Second, it is an unusual practice, talking to an empty sky, speaking to someone we cannot see. Third, I think many of us have a checkered history with prayer. We’ve all offered prayers that have not been answered in the way we want them to be answered. And so we’re cautious. Should we keep praying if we’re not sure it’s going to have any fruit? So for many reasons we become prayer wimps. We don’t have to stay that way though.
What is your favorite aspect of prayer?
My favorite aspect of prayer is thanksgiving. I think it just does me good to stop and be grateful. My tendency—my default emotion—is to think about the things that I don’t have or the things that I’m running out of. To counteract that, it’s good for me to stop and say, “Thank you, Lord, for all the many things you have done.” And something about being grateful for the past gives us strength and courage to face the future. I don’t think I’m alone in that.
You uncovered some interesting statistics about prayer. Which was most surprising to you?
Of all the statistics that I uncovered regarding prayer, I think the one that surprised me the most had to do with the practice of unbelievers. One out of every five unbelievers prays every day. I don’t know exactly to whom they pray or exactly why they pray, but they do, which to me speaks to that inner desire that even the most reticent among us have to talk to our Creator. We long to connect, and we long to connect with God.
What message do you hope readers will take away from Before Amen?
I hope readers close the book, Before Amen, convinced that God will help them pray and that prayer matters. God invites us to pray, and when we pray it affects the future. It impacts the direction of our lives. Yes, it even impacts the direction of history. And it certainly impacts the condition of our hearts. We’re happier after we pray. We’re healthier after we pray. We’re better people after we pray. I hope when people read Before Amen they will believe that prayer truly matters.
