Pray for Me by Rick Hamlin

Hamlin nearly died, spending nearly two weeks in the hospital as physicians battled a nondiagnosed condition. He shares his hospital experiences, weaving into the narrative a memoir of his earlier life.

The main point of Hamlin's book is the importance of prayer. Suddenly losing his ability to breath well, he was hospitalized. He went through test after test but a diagnosis could not be made. Good health gradually returned. He writes of his experience, “...the doctors kept me alive, the prayers healed me.” (171) He was so ill he could not pray for himself. He recognized it was the prayers of others that preserved his life.

Hamlin, through this memoir, shares his experiences in the context of a day by day account of his hospital stay. He adds events from his life to the narrative, such as courtship, birth of their boys, depression and therapy. He also includes emails his wife sent out, asking for prayer.

Hamlin invites readers into his life. Readers of Guideposts magazine will appreciate the opportunity as he is the executive editor of that publication. He also shares the spiritual insights he gained during his hospital stay. The importance of a community in prayer is highlighted. Hamlin is a skilled writer and his narrative reads well.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Rick Hamlin is the executive editor of Guideposts magazine, where he has worked for twenty-five years. He is the author of three novels and a spiritual memoir. He has been a long time contributor to the bestselling devotional Daily Guideposts and regularly blogs on prayer at Guideposts.org. He and his wife live in New York City.

FaithWords, 224 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.