This week’s author interview is with Kevin Halloran. He is the author of When Prayer Is a Struggle: A Practical Guide for Overcoming Obstacles in Prayer.

  • Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’ve lived in Chicagoland most of my life. That’s where I grew up, met my wife Jazlynn, and where I live now with my wife and daughter. I’ve traveled to Latin America for ministry about a dozen times and have a heart to see the church in that region of the world strengthened and built up. I especially have a heart for Ecuador, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. I’m also excited for the probable release of my book in Spanish.

  • What inspired you to write this book, about this topic?

I wrote When Prayer Is a Struggle in large part for myself. About ten years ago, I realized that I complained too often about how prayer was hard. I also realized that I didn’t do much about it. One time as I complained, God stopped me in my tracks and reminded me what such an attitude said about Him and His gospel. I repented then and told the Lord I was going to do whatever I could do to grow, and that I wanted to help others overcome their obstacles as well. One of the most encouraging things I’ve learned in this process is that if we have a growing faith and love for the Lord, learning a few simple practical tools can help us overcome most of our struggles and pray more faithfully. That’s why I wrote this book. 

  • Do you have a favorite quote? What is it and why?

It’s hard to narrow down a favorite, but one quote that I love and use often (including in a footnote of my book) is this one by J.I. Packer:

“Christian fellowship . . . is not an end in itself. Fellowship between Christians is for the sake of fellowship with God.”

I love it because it reminds me of the link between knowing God and live together as the church, the body of Christ. Yes, sometimes life in the church has its challenges, but it has the best possible goal.

  • What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Write as much as you can, get as much feedback from wise and gifted writers/editors as you can, and simply put in the work. It helps to know the goals you’re going after and to make a plan to achieve those goals. If you want to write a book, learn about the publishing process and break the project into pieces. Play the long game, and be faithful over the long-term.

Also, don’t let people tell you you’re too young to write. Robert Murray M’Cheyne died in 1843 at the age of 29, and his writings continue to influence many today. If you have a message burning inside of you that you’d like the world to know, do your best to get it out! You don’t want to die before you can bless people with it. You want to give your work as much time in the wild to bring as much blessing to the world as possible. But conversely, don’t rush the process without need.

  • The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia?

I’m so thankful for both. But if I had to pick one, I’d choose Narnia for a couple of reasons. The first reason is nostalgia. I never got into LOTR as a kid but loved the idea of a magic wardrobe as soon as I heard about it. (I admit I didn’t read the books as a kid, rather my parents would check out VHS copies of the old BBC version of Narnia from the church library!) Another reason I’m more of a Narnia guy may seem petty to some, but it is the length of the books. I can get through a Narnia book much quicker than the longer LOTR books. I don’t have as much time to read as I would like and I value finishing fiction books!

  • Tea or coffee?

Coffee. Strong and black.

  • Do you have a favorite band to listen to? Or a favorite music genre?

I have a unique mix of musical interests and enjoy most genres. When my wife and I were dating, one of the ways we knew we were perfect for each other was realizing that we both liked Christian rap, Spanish worship music from the 80s/90s, and Juan Luis Guerra (a popular mainstream Latin artist who has some Christian songs). We both thought we were the only ones in the world with the same taste! I also enjoy Christian music from decades past like Keith Green and Petra.

  • How can readers discover more about you and your work?

NOW AVAILABLE — When Prayer Is a Struggle

Amazon: $13.99

Christianbook: $11.49

CVBBS: $9.50

P&R Publishing: $10.50

PCA Bookstore: $10.91

WTSBooks: $10.68

Kindle: $9.99

Also available as an audiobook!

Related posts:

  1. Author Interview with Guy Richard
  2. Author Interview with Timothy Steele
  3. Paul Yeulett’s Interview with Kevin Boling on Knowing the Truth
  4. Author Interviews with Kevin Boling on Knowing the Truth
  5. P&R Author Interviews with Kevin Boling on His Radio Program: Knowing the Truth