I’ve talked about prayer and I’ve prayed with and for young people. Whether that is with my own youth groups or leading youth events and serving on prayer ministry teams. But nothing connects quite as well as young people praying for and with other young people. 

So often as an adult I’ve been in a position where it’s been “on me” to model to young people what it looks like to pray – either as a parent or as a youth leader. Yet often, in those spaces, I’ve just had to step back as I’ve witnessed some awesome prayers being prayed by young people – whether that is just straight to the point with heartfelt honesty, a cry from the depths about injustice or hurt, or a laugh out loud kind of prayer – full of joy! 

Having said that, there can be a challenge for young people beyond the youth group to get stuck in to their own prayer life and just spend time with God chatting about what matters to them, bringing to Him the stuff of life.

Which is why “OMG! Prayers for Teenagers, by Teenagers” is so fantastic – it isn’t written by a youth leader trying to work out what would connect with young people – it is written by two young people who are living their teenage years right now!

Martha is 19 and Eleanor is 14, both at different stages in their teenage years – but writing these powerful, honest and helpful prayers for young people of any age. There are forty one themed prayers exploring the gamut of emotions and challenges that young people face and they turn feelings, stressful thoughts and hard to put in to words ideas, in to some wonderful prayers.

This is a “dive right in” – rather than a read it through from the beginning – book, and each prayer theme has two prayers – a shorter, more punchy prayer – perhaps for young people to use as starting point for their own prayers and a longer prayer which develops the theme or topic. With each there is also a helpful bible verse to root the prayers in scripture.

These aren’t generic prayers, what makes them so powerful is that they are clearly written from personal experience and the challenges that Martha and Eleanor are facing as they navigate their teens. This will be a really helpful guide for young people struggling to talk to God and a great reminder for others that they can, and should, bring everything to God in prayer – whether it is anger, change, disappointment, exams, guilt, making friends, missing out, saying thank you, life at home – there is across these prayers, all the ups and downs of life!

Finally, what OMG! does is remind me that there is nothing that God doesn’t know or care about and being in relationship with Him is about sharing it all with Him in prayer. I encourage you to get a copy of this book – give it to a young person you know, use it in your youth group – pass it around. May these prayers offer encouragement and inspiration for your own prayer journey and as you journey with young people. Thank you so much Martha and Eleanor for writing this and sharing your prayers with us.