My husband is very good at buying books. It's a skill that doesn't always get my total approval, but his most recent purchase is a real gem.

I've been a bit cross with God recently, mostly over prayer that appears to be unanswered in the way I want so my dear husband found me two books to help. Jerry Sittser is the author of both of them. (I'd tell you the titles, but then I'd have to get up from the computer and walk through the house to get them...)

Sittser lost a mother, wife and daughter in a car accident and is now the single father of the three remaining children. He's been through the wringer and come out the other side and his insights are very very helpful to me.

The idea that is sitting in my head right now is what he says about seeing prayer as an 'epic journey'. You get there in the end, but there are huge ups and downs along the way. Think Frodo and the Lord of the rings. If he'd given up when he met his first obstacle, the ring would never have been destroyed. In the same way, our epic journeys of prayer will not necessarily be straightforward and may well be dangerous and life-threatening.

I'm looking forward to reading the remaining chapters.