In Praying Their Way: 24 Prayer Practices for Kids and the Adults Who Love Them (Upper Room Books, Feb.) pastor, professor and father Roger Owens teams up with his 14-year-old daughter, Mary Clare, to offer insights on how parents can encourage their children to develop a positive relationship with God. We spoke to the father-daughter duo about inspiration, their Starbucks writing routine, and why no one is an expert on the topic of prayer.
Roger, how did the idea for the book come about?
When Mary Clare was 13, I would sing to her before bed, and we would talk about God, prayer, life and death. At the same time, she was given a book on mindfulness practices for kids, and she loved doing those meditations before bed. I started to think how nice it would be to have a book like this on prayer and contemplative spiritual practices. So one day, while we were in the car, I asked Mary Clare if she’d be interested in working on a book with me.
I understand Roger took the lead in writing several chapters. What was your role, Mary Clare, in the creative process?
My job was to read some of my dad’s reflections on prayer and add a kid’s perspective. I got to tell some stories from my life that illustrate the points he was trying to make about prayer. I wanted to give adults and kids a picture of what doing these prayer practices might be like for a young person.
As a father and a pastor, Roger, why do you think parents may struggle to encourage their children to pray?
First, adults might not feel confident in their own prayer lives. We can easily think, Who am I to be teaching someone else to pray? It’s important to remember, there are no experts in prayer. The book aims to address both of these challenges by giving prompts for conversation about prayer and prayer practices that will make adults feel more confident, more grounded in prayer.
Roger, can the prayer principles outlined in the book be applied to younger and older children?
Yes. Older kids will be able to do any of these prayer practices, even reading the book for themselves. Most of these prayer practices will work with younger kids, too. People working with younger kids can read through the practice first, make any adjustments they think might be necessary for younger kids. I think of these practices as very adaptable—they are guides, but nothing is set in stone.
Mary Clare, what are some of the best moments you had as father and daughter as you wrote this book?
I loved driving to coffee shops where we would work together. We had a favorite Starbucks we’d go to on Sunday evenings. We’d talk about the book. I’d read what Dad wrote, and would usually laugh. And then we’d write some with our earbuds in, and then he’d read what I wrote. Sharing our writing with one another was the best part. Also, this was when Starbucks started offering free refills, so that was nice!
