The Yada Yada Prayer Group by: Neta Jackson
Book Description:
What do an ex-con, a former drug addict, a real estate broker, a college student and a married mother of two have in common?
Nothing, or so I thought. Who would have imagined that God would make a prayer group as mismatched as ours the closest of friends? I almost didn’t even go to the Chicago Women’s Conference—after all, being thrown together with five hundred strangers wasn’t exactly my “comfort zone.” But something happened that weekend to make us realize we had to hang together, and the Yada Yada Prayer Group” was born! When I faced the biggest crisis of my life, God used my newfound Sisters to show me what it means to be just a sinner saved by grace.
Nothing, or so I thought. Who would have imagined that God would make a prayer group as mismatched as ours the closest of friends? I almost didn’t even go to the Chicago Women’s Conference—after all, being thrown together with five hundred strangers wasn’t exactly my “comfort zone.” But something happened that weekend to make us realize we had to hang together, and the Yada Yada Prayer Group” was born! When I faced the biggest crisis of my life, God used my newfound Sisters to show me what it means to be just a sinner saved by grace.
My Review:
Why has no one told me about this book yet?!?! Originally published eight years ago and reprinted in 2013, I would have thought someone I know would have read this and shared it with me by now. Since it wasn't shared with me, let me share it with you....
Jodi is the middle class, middle aged, married mom of teens. Avis is her boss and church acquaintance that convinces her to attend a local women's conference. While there, they are grouped with 10 other women for a breakout prayer session. Before the conference is over their faith in the power of prayer is challenged and they decide to rise to the occasion and continue the prayer group.
I won't give away too much of the plot, but I will say that you will probably identify with aspects of at least one of the Yada Prayer sisters. Whether you find yourself facing what appear to be impossible odds, fighting to recover from past mistakes, trying to decide if the whole "God thing" is real, dealing with the pain of lost relationships, or struggling with feeling far from God this story helps you to realize that you are not alone.
There are those that have reviewed this book as being too "preachy" or "churchy". I say they missed the point. For me the point was that we are all in a different place on our journey to know Jesus, but that doesn't mean we don't each have something to offer those around us, and that we don't each have something still to learn. Were parts of the book "churchy" or "preachy"? Maybe, but couldn't we all use a reminder that life is more than just our circumstances? Or that life was not meant to be walked alone? I think so!
The Yada Yada Prayer Group is an easy read, it is well written and moves along at a decent pace. I did feel that it wrapped up a little too quickly and a little too neatly, but I hope that the second book, The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down, continues where this one left off and delves into things a little deeper. Still, this was well worth the few hours invested in reading it and I have already begun book 2.
