Dear Reader,
Welcome to the “lazy-hazy-crazy” days of summer and my second interview and giveaway of 2023!
“The summer season’s full of fun. Come celebrate with me!”–from Hannah C. Hall’s God Bless Our Country
In my February 2021 blog post, I featured Hannah C. Hall’s book That’s What Love Is, based on the love chapter in First Corinthians.
Her latest book, I Pray You’ll Be, echoes many of the same characteristics found in that love chapter as well as the “fruits of the spirit,” found in the fifth chapter of Galatians.
This book overwhelms me with emotion as I read the prayers the narrator offers the reader. That’s why I am excited to interview Hannah and share with you today her purpose for writing the book. I believe the advice she gives the reader (both children and adults) is priceless: trusting God, showing mercy, giving in secret, treasuring time with those we love, walking by faith—and the list goes on.
Q: Welcome, Hannah! This book spoke loudly to me as an adult, and your words have inspired me to apply your prayers to my own life. What inspired you to write this book that gives such great advice?
A: I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Joyce! I’ve learned that writing for children also requires that I write for the parent/grandparent who will be reading it. The best books will appeal to both audiences.
To be honest when my publisher suggested I write a prayer book, I initially pushed back. Many of the most popular prayer books out there (in my opinion) follow the same worldly pattern: I pray you’ll dream big and follow your heart. And if that was the expected sentiment for a prayer book, I didn’t want to write it. That just isn’t what I pray for my kids.
Though it doesn’t sound all that brilliant now, I had a bit of an epiphany then: I would write the kind of prayer book I’d want to read, with the kind of prayers I really want to pray: the big and the small.
As parents and grandparents, we are allowed to ask God for both the specific and the broad, the silly and the serious for our little ones. Why not embrace that privilege with real, world-changing prayers?
And, of course, there’s nothing wrong with praying for our kids’ dreams to come true. But much of the time, living our lives for God won’t look like the big dream-come-true moments. Instead, it will be our faithfulness in the small things—telling the truth, using our gifts, tending our gardens, giving to someone in secret, trusting God even when it’s scary—that will be where we primarily partner with God to change the world.
Q: How true, Hannah, and your book shows us how we can do that! Tell us a little about your writing journey, and what might be your favorite book to date.
A: I started writing children’s books about a dozen years ago. I was a homemaker, minding my own business one day, when God brought a story idea to mind. I had no idea what to do with it, but I discovered that the creative process of writing that book was extremely life-giving. God has been kind and allowed me to follow that book with many more.
It’s hard to pick a favorite book. Each one comes with its own moments of inspiration (and frustration) that cause them to stand out as special. But my favorite might be the one you mentioned earlier, That’s What Love Is. That book just about wrote itself. It was fun and easy to write, and it merged a beloved passage of scripture with adorable animals. Just about all of my favorite things rolled into one. ☺
Q: Awesome! I think I first discovered your books through That’s What Love Is! The children in your latest book have diverse interests—adventure, music, card playing, politics—just to name a few. I see from your bio that you have five children of your own. How did their interests inspire you to include the various interests of the children in your book?
A: As anyone with children knows, they’re all different. I have some who love reading, music, sports, animals, gardening. I’m constantly amazed how children by the same two parents have such diversity among them!
None of them (as far as I’m aware) show any interest in politics yet. But who knows what God has planned for my children? Or yours? Or your grandchildren? My goodness, wouldn’t the world be a better place if, someday, our politicians and world leaders were men and women whose parents had prayed for them like this? It’s a beautiful, comforting thought. And it is possible. Our prayers are powerful and effective!
Q: Well said! Catalin Ardeleanu does a beautiful job with your illustrations. I have always been a King Arthur/Camelot fan; so I loved the images of knights and swords and castles. Tell us about your favorite image and why you like it.
A: It’s hard to pick just one. I adore that little boy on the flying bicycle contraption. What child hasn’t envisioned creating something like that—and it actually works?!? But that little girl receiving her gift—her hair blowing in the wind—is just gorgeous too. I just could not have loved the illustrations for this book anymore. Catalin knocked it out of the park.
Q: As an English teacher I am always impressed when authors use literary devices such as similes (“roar like lions”), alliteration (“knocky-kneed”), and allusions. This book subtly alludes to many issues of our sin-laden world today; and your prayers for the reader to become a “world changer” are “spot on,” as my students used to say. What is your personal prayer for your readers, and what do you hope they take away from your overall message in this book?
A: First, my prayer is always that God will be glorified through everything I write. That’s goal #1. Second, I pray my readers will be encouraged to branch out from the limited and generic way we pray for our children (“Lord, please keep my children safe. Please be with them.”) There’s nothing wrong with praying these things, but, after all, it would be hard for God—who says he’ll never leave us nor forsake us—to not be with our kids! And we certainly can trust him with their safety. So, why not pray…bigger? Bolder? Pray for faithfulness and fruitfulness in our children’s lives. Pray they’ll be disciple makers who love Jesus. Pray they’ll take risks in faith because they trust God and believe his Word. We’re going to need the next generation to be world changing!
Q: Where can readers learn more about you and purchase your books?
A: You can find me online at HannahCHall.com or follow me on Instagram @hannahchall1. You can purchase my books wherever books are sold.
Thank you, Hannah! May God continue to bless others through your writing and your works.
Readers, I encourage you to pray for the children in your life as Hannah has suggested in this interview. Use her book to ignite discussions about the way we can all partner with God to change the world according to His will!
“The real business of your life as a saved soul is intercessory prayer.”–Oswald Chambers
Download this free Wordsearch for I Pray You’ll Be, and use it as an opportunity to talk to your children about the importance of being bold and faithful and loving, etc. You might teach them new vocabulary words as well!
Also, subscribe to my newsletter by midnight CDT on Friday, June 23, 2023, for a chance to win a copy of I Pray You’ll Be! A winner will be announced on Saturday, June 24.
One more thing: I’ll be referencing Hannah’s book God Bless Our Country in my upcoming July blog. Be sure to stay tuned, and check out more of her great books at https://hannahchall.com/books/.
Blessings,
The Literary Lyonesse
I don;t see why “thinking small” and asking for God to watch out for our children isn” a good thing/. We all know God is with them always, but, asking for a bit more heavenly attention is something a parent does or asks naturally for their kids. But, going bigger to is a terrific thing when looking for both personal ad Christian goals as referenced.
I pray for small things all the time; not necessarily for me but others, as I see these small things grow into larger and permanent things like mentioned in the interview. For some thinking small is actually thinking big as they may be new to using pray to strengthen their Christian lives and actions.
As always your blog keeps me grounded and causes me to think about “the small things” in hopes the answers I get evolve into “the big things”
Pete, your responses are always insightful and very much appreciated❣️
I would love to win this for my grandchildren.