Pour Out Your Heart - by Jeremy Linneman (Paperback)

About the Book

Do you feel like everything depends on you? You may have been told (directly or subtly) that you must work, you must hustle, and you must grind to have anything good in this life. But what if that's not the life God intended for you? What if God wants to draw you close and bear your burdens? Prayer is God's gift for a deeper, more peaceful life with him. In prayer, we pour out our hearts to him, and he pours his joy, strength, and love back into us.

Book Synopsis

Do you feel like everything depends on you? That you must grind and hustle to have a flourishing life? If so, it's no surprise that stress, anxiety, and burdens may be weighing you down. And there's no doubt that you probably struggle to pray--or believe that prayer does much in your life.

What if it wasn't all on you? What if God wanted to not only bear your burdens, but change you and work on your behalf as you engage with him and labor in ministry?

In Pour Out Your Heart, pastor Jeremy Linneman reveals a deeper, more vibrant prayer life that could be yours. Where some approach prayer in a one-sided way, Linneman approaches prayer as both communion with God and an act of boldness seeking God's transformative power to work mightily in our world. Throughout the book, you will:

• Rediscover your identity as a beloved child of the Father and learn to "pour out your heart like water" to him (Lam. 2:19)
• Develop a life of inner joy and peace through contemplative, childlike prayer
• Learn how to find fresh strength and faith for life's difficulties through bold, intercessory prayer
• Explore ancient prayer rhythms and resources that help you face life's challenges

We were not created to do life in our own strength. We can see the transformative power of God's presence at work, in our own lives and in our world. The way is simple: you pour out your heart in the presence of our loving, all-powerful Father, and he pours back his love and power into you.

Review Quotes

"Jeremy Linneman is on my short list for teachers I want to help me grow with spiritual disciplines such as prayer. This book inspired me to believe my prayer life can improve, and along with it my intimacy with God."
--Collin Hansen, Editor in chief and vice president of content for The Gospel Coalition, host of the Gospelbound podcast

"Prayer, like evangelism, is a greatly neglected aspect of Christian faith and practice. Many (most?) believers, if perfectly honest, will confess to having given up on prayer. Many do so to avoid the pain and frustration of not receiving from God what they asked for. I understand this, and so too does Jeremy Linneman. This book is a refreshing, biblically grounded, theologically rich, and practically encouraging treatment of prayer. As I read it, one thing stood out above all others. It is the way Jeremy tethers prayer to the love of God for his own. He writes: 'Don't pray from insecurity; pray from belovedness. Don't pray to get God's approval and affection; pray from God's approval and affection.' Pour Out Your Heart is one of the more helpful and insightful books on prayer, and I highly recommend it to all."
--Sam Storms, Ph.D., Enjoying God Ministries, Convergence Church Network

"Communion with God is the only remedy to a world that leaves us feeling isolated and weary. Pour Out Your Heart is an attempt to help us rediscover the power of transformative prayer in an honest, vulnerable, and loving relationship with our Heavenly Father. This book will inspire you to pour out your heart and experience the life-changing joy, peace, and power that every Christian can enjoy."
--JT English, Lead Pastor, Storyline Church, Arvada, CO; author of Deep Discipleship and co-author of You Are a Theologian

"This book provides the combination of theologically rich devotional with profound study on prayer. It had me praying while I was reading. Linneman addresses our hearts with the Gospel, our minds with Scripture, and our wills with God's love. He puts words to our unspoken doubts about prayer. With personal stories, practical examples, and insights into our current cultural challenges, he humbly corrects and motivates us; such that we can better communicate with our loving heavenly Father as the adopted children we are."
--Tasha Chapman, former Professor of Educational Ministries, Covenant Theological Seminary, co-author of Resilient Ministry

"Pour Out Your Heart not only provides a deeper understanding of prayer and motivation to pray, it will also grow your wonder of and love for God. You will see God's heart for you and experience the security of being His sought after, adopted child. In his refreshingly honest, vulnerable, and often humorous style, Jeremy shares impactful truths in a practical format (including suggestions and a prayer to conclude each chapter) which will enable you to engage in heartfelt conversations with God. I'll return to this book often and highly recommend it as a resource for every Christian wanting to share in the beautiful privilege of pouring out our hearts to God and experiencing His continual fullness."
--Nora Allison, author, A Short Guide to Women's Ministry

"Jeremy Linneman writes like he lives--from the heart. First and foremost, from the heart of our Father, whose love for us in Jesus is welcoming, lavish, and immeasurable. Secondly, from his own heart, because that's where the love of God pools up, then wells up as an artesian spring of life for the blessing of others. In his new book, Pour Out Your Heart, Jeremy invites us into this way of life, giving us a new vision: prayer as less a discipline and more of a delight. What a refreshing read and most helpful guide into deeper intimacy with our gracious God."
--Scotty Smith, founding pastor, Christ Community Church, Franklin, TN

"Pastor Jeremy Linneman has been on a journey--one that echoes Moses' longing to see the fullness of God, David's desire to worship in the beauty of holiness, and Paul's pursuit of the limitless dimensions of God's love. Along the way, he discovered a profound truth: intimacy with God is cultivated through prayer. At its core, prayer is simply pouring out one's heart to God--and doing so with others. This book not only teaches you how to pray, but it also awakens a deep desire to pursue God in community."
--Jamaal Williams, Lead Pastor, Sojourn Midtown; President, Harbor Network; co-author of In Church as It Is in Heaven

About the Author

Jeremy Linneman (DMin Covenant Theological Seminary) serves as lead pastor of Trinity Community Church in Columbia, Missouri. He previously spent seven years as a staff pastor of Sojourn Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Jeremy writes regularly for The Gospel Coalition and For the Church. He and his wife, Jessie, have three sons and spend most of their free time outdoors.