The Deep Dish: Conversations with God

Host/Author: The Gospel Coalition
Hosts: Courtney Docter & Melissa Krueger
Guest: Nancy Guthrie
Release Date: March 13, 2025

Introduction

In this heartfelt episode of The Deep Dish, hosts Courtney Docter and Melissa Krueger are joined by esteemed author and prayer advocate Nancy Guthrie. The trio delves deep into the multifaceted topic of prayer, exploring its significance, challenges, and practical approaches to cultivating a richer prayer life. As always, the conversation is infused with warmth, authenticity, and relatable anecdotes, making complex theological concepts accessible and engaging.

1. The Importance of Prayer

Nancy Guthrie opens the discussion by expressing her profound longing to be a woman of prayer, emphasizing that prayer is integral to her identity and spiritual journey.

• Nancy Guthrie (00:00): "We pray because we see in the Scriptures over and over again that actually our prayers matter."

Courtney Docter affirms the universal yearning for a deeper prayer life, highlighting the collective desire among women to grow in their practice of prayer.

2. Practical Challenges in Prayer

Melissa Krueger shares her personal struggles with maintaining focus during prayer, especially as she ages. She underscores the emotional weight that compels her to pray but acknowledges the difficulty in sustaining that practice.

• Melissa Krueger (03:02): "Only the Lord can do the things we're asking to be done because they all take a miracle of the Holy Spirit invading someone's life and taking over."

Nancy Guthrie offers practical solutions, such as setting reminders and making specific prayer lists, to help believers move beyond generic prayers like "I'm praying for you."

• Nancy Guthrie (05:39): "Making a list, making a note, putting something somewhere where we can see it."

3. Expanding the Vocabulary of Prayer

The conversation shifts to the necessity of broadening the scope of our prayers beyond requesting the removal of suffering or immediate change.

Nancy Guthrie emphasizes incorporating scriptural truths into prayer, allowing God's purposes for suffering to shape our petitions.

• Nancy Guthrie (07:23): "If we are looking at the whole of the scriptures, we see over and over again that God has good purposes for the suffering that he allows into the lives of those who love Him."

She illustrates this with the story of Jesus healing the man born blind, highlighting that even the absence of a miracle can be a divine work of God.

• Nancy Guthrie (09:43): "Is it not a miracle that you and I, in the midst of the worst thing we could imagine, could have peace and joy and that we could trust God with the hardest thing we can imagine."

4. God's Sovereignty and the Power of Prayer

A pivotal segment addresses the relationship between God's sovereignty and the efficacy of prayer. The hosts address a common misconception that God's control negates the need for prayer.

Nancy Guthrie counters this by asserting that God's sovereignty is precisely why prayer matters.

• Nancy Guthrie (12:24): "If God is not sovereign, why would you pray at all?"

She elaborates that prayer is an expression of daily dependence on God, fostering a deeper relational bond.

• Nancy Guthrie (17:14): "As we turn to him in prayer, more and more we're asking for the things that are heavy on his heart and asking him to accomplish his ways."

Courtney Docter adds that praying aligns our desires with God's, creating a harmonious relationship where our prayers reflect His heart.

5. Teaching Children to Pray

The discussion naturally transitions to the importance and challenges of teaching children how to pray.

Nancy Guthrie highlights the need to expand children's understanding of prayer beyond mere requests, encouraging them to express their hearts and align their prayers with biblical principles.

• Nancy Guthrie (21:16): "We all have the tendency...to ask him to heal, to restore, to remove, to change the circumstances."

She advocates for using biblical passages, especially the Psalms, to teach children the diverse ways to communicate with God.

• Nancy Guthrie (22:00): "The Psalms teach us about prayer through expressing our hearts and longings to God."

6. Perseverance in Unanswered Prayers

A significant part of the conversation addresses the emotional toll of long-term unfulfilled prayers, particularly when praying for the salvation or well-being of loved ones.

Melissa Krueger shares her experience of feeling disheartened after years of praying for a friend without seeing the desired outcome.

• Melissa Krueger (25:28): "They are scared to hope anymore. How would you encourage that woman?"

Nancy Guthrie offers encouragement by suggesting that sustained engagement with Scripture can provide new avenues for prayer and renewed hope.

• Nancy Guthrie (26:55): "Look for something to be a starter for prayer in every interaction with the Scriptures."

She illustrates this with her personal example of how Psalm 40 inspired a specific prayer for someone's spiritual transformation.

7. Integrating Scripture into Prayer

The hosts explore the profound impact of using Scripture as a foundation for prayer, moving beyond personal desires to align prayers with God's Word.

Nancy Guthrie criticizes superficial prayer practices that neglect God's voice, likening it to a one-sided conversation where we fail to genuinely listen and respond to Him.

• Nancy Guthrie (29:47): "It's like that is the best analogy I have ever heard for that."

Courtney Docter agrees, emphasizing the importance of prayers that are responsive to biblical teachings rather than isolated personal concerns.

8. Encouraging Depth in Group Prayer Settings

The conversation touches on enhancing the depth of prayer within small groups and Bible studies, urging a shift from trivial requests to prayers that resonate with the studied passages.

Nancy Guthrie suggests that prayer within group settings should reflect the themes of their Bible study, fostering a more meaningful and scripturally grounded prayer life.

• Nancy Guthrie (31:26): "Let us pray about those things together in a way that's responsive to what God has said."

Melissa Krueger adds that inviting God to guide specific prayer needs can lead to unexpected and impactful prayers.

9. Personal Reflections and Vulnerability in Prayer

The hosts share personal vulnerabilities, discussing moments when they feel inadequate or slow in their prayers, and the comforting assurance of God's unwavering grace.

• Melissa Krueger (19:07): "I'm the slowest creature, Lord, just the confession aspect of prayer and all that."

Nancy Guthrie reinforces the idea that prayer is a continual journey of dependence and relationship with God, not a performance to be perfected.

10. Closing Thoughts and Fun Segment

As the episode wraps up, Courtney Docter invites Nancy Guthrie to share a personal tidbit, maintaining the episode's warm and friendly atmosphere.

• Nancy Guthrie (36:56): "I love to walk in the park near my house. It feeds my soul."

This lighthearted exchange serves as a delightful contrast to the profound discussions, leaving listeners with a sense of camaraderie and connection.

Conclusion

In "Conversations with God," The Deep Dish team, alongside Nancy Guthrie, offers a rich exploration of prayer that balances theological depth with practical application. Listeners are encouraged to deepen their prayer life by integrating Scripture, expanding their prayer vocabulary, and fostering genuine dependence on God. The episode serves as both an inspiration and a guide for women seeking to engage in more meaningful and effective prayer practices.

Notable Quotes:

• Nancy Guthrie (00:00): "We pray because we see in the Scriptures over and over again that actually our prayers matter."
• Melissa Krueger (03:02): "Only the Lord can do the things we're asking to be done because they all take a miracle of the Holy Spirit invading someone's life and taking over."
• Nancy Guthrie (12:24): "If God is not sovereign, why would you pray at all?"
• Nancy Guthrie (17:14): "As we turn to him in prayer, more and more we're asking for the things that are heavy on his heart and asking him to accomplish his ways."
• Melissa Krueger (25:28): "They are scared to hope anymore. How would you encourage that woman?"
• Nancy Guthrie (29:47): "It's like that is the best analogy I have ever heard for that."
• Melissa Krueger (19:07): "I'm the slowest creature, Lord, just the confession aspect of prayer and all that."
• Nancy Guthrie (36:56): "I love to walk in the park near my house. It feeds my soul."

Tune in for more enriching conversations on The Deep Dish, where deep truths are served up with warmth and genuine fellowship.