The Yada Yada Prayer Group (Yada Yada Series)

This book pulled on my spiritual soul strings..it was recommend to me more then 3 years ago but until now I just didn't read it , but God's timing is always perfect , I read it at a time I very much needed it. Now I want the entire series and I will be putting on my social media.platforms ... If you need a spiritual pick up or motivation , you will find it with the Yada yada prayer group!

I will start by saying that I usually don't enjoy Christian fiction. It's usually either fraught with overly sappy, idealized Christianity, or is indistinguishable from secular works (which are usually artistically better crafted), apart from a few token Jesus references.But I found myself in an airport with an unexpected delay and nothing to do and this book seemed the best choice of the harlequins, thrillers, and get-rich-quick how-tos offered by the airport store.Ms. Jackson IS decidedly Christian and her books are a natural outpouring of that. The book is rich with scripture references and each character is at a different place in her spiritual walk with Christ. I found myself appreciating the references to familiar contemporary worship songs, practices and public figures--making it easier to appreciate the characters as "real" women in a real world rather than fictional ones in a fictional world.I found myself identifying a lot with Jodi Baxter. I've always been the "good girl"-raised in the church all my life and ever fearful of coloring outside the lines. I appreciated that her thoughts and confessions were real and not waxed eloquent with some sort of happy-Jesus-face. And I appreciated that the temptation TO wax eloquent was addressed with a consistent internal dialogue. I've often had the same conversations with myself.I've just finished my second Yada Yada book and one thing I've noticed that is consistent between the two books is that the author takes a LONG time to develop the story. The back covers tease of dramatic events that stir the sisters to action yet in both books, those dramatic events do not happen until the very end of the book. Hundreds of pages are spent laboriously setting the scene, then BAM! something happens and then is wrapped up neatly in the last 30 pages of the book. I'd appreciate it if more time were spent on dealing with the circumstances, rather than endless pages that seem to repeat themselves. On the other hand, I can appreciate that for most of us, we spend 90% of OUR lives in the normal everyday and not in the life-changing dramatics, so perhaps that is purposeful, too.My biggest objection to the series is against Ms. Jackson's not-so-subtle agenda to remind European Americans of how racist we have been as a people group throughout American History. Every demon of racism is struggled with by a white person in these books Ms. Jackson is bent on a Promise-Keepers-esque goal of "reconciling" the races, but her vehicle is by having Caucasians forever indebted to other races and constantly apologizing for the sins of the past. I realize that racial tensions are REAL and agree wholeheartedly that reconciliation is needed throughout the world, including in the church. However, I am resentful of Ms. Jackson's apparent opinion that would conclude that Caucasians are single handedly responsible for any divides that exist. II also am exceptionally uncomfortable with the idea of all whites apologizing for every sin of racism ever committed by any white, anywhere. At some point I began to resent her persistent accusations, having grown up in multi-cultural Los Angeles as a MINORITY and having not a racist bone in my body. Her purpose in the multicultural characters seems to be to teach the poor little white girl about the world, about faith and about God. The non-white characters are the most spriritualy mature. The white characters rarely teach the non-white characters anything and are never praised in the book the way the non-white characters are. dislike the lumping together of "Whites" as one people but the distinction that exists among her portrayals of other characters. Hoshi is not "Asian." She is Japanese. Nony is not "Black." She's "South African." The other characters are "Jamaican," "Cuban," etc. But the few Caucasian characters are all just "White" (rather than German, English, French, etc), and they are all guilty of the same sins and demons and all accountable for everything ever committed by anyone even remotely white.In spite of this, I find myself having just ordered book 3 because apart from this, Ms. Jackson IS a gifted story teller and I have come to appreciate many elements of the story, not-so-hidden agenda excluded. I am hopeful that the story will come full circle and conclude that all races are responsible for the tensions and divisions, and that while we all can be active in pursuing reconciliation, at some point we have to move on from the past and trust God to redeem the future.But again, this book has a lot that I DO appreciate. As I said, I love the scriptural references, the way the author teaches the reader through the characters to pray the Word, the way that the main character is honest with herself in her "habit" centered relationship with Christ....all of these are the product of an introspective, thoughtful, mature Christian and I found myself enriched in spite of my objections to the one element. For that reason I would recommend this as something you might enjoy reading, though I wish that the author's controversial agenda did not take such a commanding lead from the otherwise exceptional stories.

I have read this collection before.

I am a slow reader and hence dont read often. I have read the entire 10 books in 3 months. Could not put them down. They related so much to what we have to deal with in every day life, it shows you the other side of life which we possibly hear about but dont have to deal with and its amazing what prayer can do. I found them amuzing, makes for easy reading, but a reality checkand have actively recommended them to others. The command of the English language and how it is written is fantasti., The discriptions e.g. the electricity - relating it to a snake, was so good that I took the book back and have used it in my note book to remind me of how we can use things we see and interact with daily in a very creative way, this is something that I would love to learn to do. In fact, I would like to suggest to the Authors, that they act as mentors for future writers, who would love to adventure into writing but are afraid to start. How about it? You could let me know if you would be interested in mentoring. I hope many more of these books will be forth coming. Every home should have a set of these books.Lee

I adore this Book Series! It has me hooked by far. You get sucked into this series and these characters become part of your life. They go through things that anyone could be going through, so its easy to relate to the situations. You WILL cry with each book in this series. So be sure to have some tissue on stand by. I highly recommend this book and all others following in the series--you will NOT be disappointed at all--because this book pulls you in completely--it is one of the quickest reads you will come across***** I did NOT received this product at a discount/free cost in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by the company in any way. Please rate my review as "Helpful" if it helped you in any way. It's greatly appreciated because it helps me too! Thank you! The Yada Yada Prayer Group (Yada Yada Series)

I had seen all the five star reviews so I decided to try one of Neta Jackson’s books. This will be my first and last. Unless you are a church-going, God-fearing woman, this book probably won’t resonate with you. It certainly didn’t for me.The main character is a white woman named Jodi who lives a very typical, middle class life. Her biggest challenge is when her husband brings home a six-pack of beer. Heavens! What will her friends think?! She and some women from a spiritual conference form a prayer group. It’s a great idea but the prayers are laid on so thick that I started just skimming over all that stuff. Like the author herself says...yada, yada, yada! There is a plot in there somewhere but I couldn’t stand the thought of wading through all that proliferation of evangelical rhetoric to get to it. I am sure a lot of women just love this stuff. But if you’re not really into praise hymns and rousing sermons, this series is probably not for you either.

My wife has read this and says:The Yada Yada Prayer Group by Neta Jackson is the first in the series. Jodi is invited to a 2 day women's conference by her boss Avis, and it is here as prayer group number 26 that the Yada Yada group is formed. It is a random selection of women thrown together, who decide after the conference to meet and to keep in touch via email with their prayer requests. Jodi offers to co ordinate it all, but while compiling various prayer needs, she thinks how lucky she is, that she has no need of prayer. Jodi has a Christian husband and children and a dog, and seems to have her life together, but when she does hit a crisis, Jodi, instead of relying on her Yada Yada sisters and prayer, retreats into herself. Only with some hard talking and some hard truths from Florida, does Jodi admit that she needs Jesus and prayer, and that even with her near perfect life, she is still a sinner saved by grace.The novel is written in the first person from the perspective of Jodi. It is very cleverly done, as the reader still gets a glimpse into the other characters' lives, but through Jodi's eyes. As the novel progresses, flaws in Jodi's character emerge, and the reader realises that Jodi could stand for anyone living out their faith daily, but with, at times a judgemental attitude and a belief that others have big prayer needs, but not me.It is a thoroughly enjoyable and compulsive read, seeming so personal, as from Jodi's perspective, the reader becomes engrossed in the characters' lives and wants to see their prayers answered and to celebrate their successes.The novel highlights the need for God's grace and forgiveness in all our lives, no matter how perfect or messed up we are, Jesus hung on the cross for each and every one of us.So far, there are 7 novels in the Yada Yada prayer group series, and I intend to read more, as although the novel can be read as a stand alone, the lives of the characters continue through the series.

I purchased the first three in this series of absolutely brilliant Novels. David and Netta join forces down the series and intertwine characters with others giving in-depth into their lives and what part God plays in them all. I love reading novels that have scripture meandering and popping up here and there.I don’t read books twice but I’m just starting this series again. I loaned the first one out hence having to replace.I’d encourage you to buy them twoat a time and then pass them round your church family. I am sure likeme you will be hooked.David and Neta prove that good stories can be written withough murders on every other page.

I bought this book for my partner and really wasn't sure I'd like it much....This is the first book which has made me cry in months and months.It's great! Get it. Read it. Tell everyone you know to do the same...... That's what I'm going to do!

Fabulous series! Each character eventually felt like a personal friend as they grew and matured in real living faith and in fellowship, just like us! Thank you Neta!

I love this series of books and have read them a couple of times. This copy is to give away.