A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal by Sarah Bessey

A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal Reviews

• 
  Sarah

  I mean, sure I curated and edited it but that's not (the main reason) why! These prayers are such a gift for this moment in time - honest, real, hopeful, imaginative, and permission-giving language for the prayer circle we need right now. Grateful to be part of it.
• 
  Erin Vore

  Devoured. So good. For anyone safely outside the trap of American Evangelicalism, this is the book for you. I want more of this story and these prayers in my life.
• 
  Meg Lacy Vega

  I have been a fan of Sarah Bessey's speaking and writing for years, and I was curious when this book was announced. How will she help us reframe prayer for a new era in the Church and in the world? Yet she does help us reframe prayer, with her characteristic honesty and grace: "We think we only have two options" she says, "double down or burn it down. So when it comes to prayer we might mistakenly believe that if we can't pray the way we used to or the way we were taught, somehow that means we can't or don't pray anymore, period... But pray is still for you." Bessey's introduction offers an intimate and compassionate invitation for us to (re)enter the mystery of prayer, with openness and creativity. And the prayers held within these pages, written by poets and justice workers and ministers, create doorways into different paths of prayer, for us to try on, meander through, and find a home within. For anyone seeking a different way of approaching prayer, this book is for you. For anyone yearning for to find words that bring to life their laments and dreams for our world, this book is for you. For clergy searching for find creative prayers to help their congregations reimagine life with God, this book is for you. What a gem--thank you to all those who contributed to it. Five stars! Thank you to Convergent Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this ebook. I can't wait to get my hands on a hard copy soon!
• 
  J. L. Neyhart

  I have savored every word of this book. I’ve gone back over most of the prayers at least twice already. I have fallen asleep listening to the audiobook multiple times. (Is it any wonder I had a dream last night where Sarah Bessey was comforting me? 😂)
  
  Anyway, do yourself a favor and read this book. Buy it if you can, you’re going to want to come back to it again and again.
• 
  Danielle Harrington

  This book has a prayer specifically saying "Dear God, please help me hate white people."
  
  It even goes as far as to say: "I want to stop caring about them individually and collectively," and "let me imagine them [white people] instead as white-hooded robes standing in front of burning crosses. Let me see them as hopelessly unrepentant, reprobate bigots who have blasphemed the Holy Spirit, and who need to be handed over to the evil one."
  
  This prayer is demonic and appalling.
  
  God, the Most High, the one I serve and love, loves ALL people, nations, and tongues. Jesus died for ALL and loves ALL. I'm extremely saddened and hurt that this prayer was even allowed in this collection. Do better.
• 
  Jennifer Harris

  This book was a breath of fresh air that I didn’t even know I needed. This collection of short essays explores different aspects of prayer and every single one was relevant to me, where I am at this point in my life, and the current climate of the world around me. I can’t recommend this book enough to anyone on a spiritual journey.
• 
  Denise

  Awhile
  
  It took me awhile to get through this book...only because I spent so much time rereading, reading back and forth and reading again.
  
  Every uttered prayer is powerfully perfect.
  
  These prayers are honest, raw, poetic, challenging, comforting and vulnerable.
  
  I will be reading this over and over again. Selah.
• 
  Cara

  There are many prayer books available to clergy, worship leaders and those who engage in spiritual direction. Some provide prayers to be adapted to one's own use and some talk about the understanding and practice of prayer. What makes each of them work is the specific way that they engage prayer without going too broad. So I was surprised and delighted to discover that A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal aims so broadly and yet touches so deeply on the heart of prayer I could imagine this book for almost anyone in my circle--pastors looking for sermon fodder, parishioners that want something to invigorate their personal devotional time, and friends that possess a spiritual longing yet don’t affiliate with a faith community.
 
What I appreciate the most is the diversity of the contributors as well as the diversity of texts. Each section brings something new and unexpected. A breath prayer adapted from scripture passages written by the editor, a prayer formed around the step of making chicken noodle soup from scratch that centers the work of justice by Osheta Moore, a prayer for those weary and tired written by Laura Jean Truman that reads as a traditional prayer or liturgy but feels like a Psalm, a liturgy for disability and prayer for chronic illness, a poem by speaker Kaitlin Curtice that reads like a breath of fresh air, an essay on the physicality of prayer by Kelley Kikondeha, each give breadth and life to the collection. And sprinkled throughout are quotes and scriptures that speak to the meaning and practice of a practice that at its heart seeks to know God. There is a steady candor to the work of prayer in this books that is both nurturing and challenging, a difficult balance to strike.
 
I would give this book to my Midwestern mother and to my coastal activist friends and know they would each get something pleasurable and thoughtful from the collection.

• 
  Ben Vore

  My wife used the word “devour” to describe how she read this book, and that’s the word I would use too. These prayers and meditations, grouped under themes of Orientation, Disorientation, and Reorientation, are wonderfully, fearfully honest. My favorites included “A Prayer Against Efficiency,” “A Prayer for America,” and “Examen Your Politics,” which reminds us that “politics is the single largest systemic tool we have at our disposal with which we can love our neighbor. Simply put, politics for the Christian should be institutional neighborliness.”
  
  Addendum [4/7/21]: The recent -- and completely disingenuous -- uproar over Chanequa Walker-Barnes's "Prayer of a Weary Black Woman” (which begins, "Dear God, Please help me to hate white people"), fails most importantly to a) read the entire prayer, which mirrors imprecatory psalms like Psalm 69; but also b) appreciate that this could be a genuinely honest sentiment from its speaker, spoken not for the approval nor condemnation of an audience but as the beginning of a confession to God. Read the prayer for yourself before deciding how you feel about it.
• 
  Michele Morin

  This year, COVID-19 blew my schedule out of the water. I stopped doing everything I had become accustomed to, and started doing different things at different times, and somehow, when all the pieces landed, it took me a while to fit the prayer piece back in place. I needed to discover, once again, A Rhythm of Prayer, a point of faithful connection with God in all the ebb and flow of this following life.
  
  This time, for me, it began with simply showing up, committing myself to the discipline of focused attention toward God and away from myself. From there, I began listening for other voices–my good husband’s, the faithful prayer warriors at the church I call home. Then, I found A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Meditations for Renewal, Sarah Bessey’s collection of prayers and meditations, written by a choir of faith-singing women.
  
  Featuring the voices of Amena Brown, Barbara Brown Taylor, Micha Boyett, Marlena Graves, Alia Joy, and other women of faith, the book was an invitation to a circle of prayer, both welcoming and solid. I could hear the cadence of faithfulness and measured trust in a powerful God who listens and nods along:
  
  "God beyond the number line, the hourglass.
  Beyond moons that wax and wane and waves that push and pull along our fragile ground. …beyond days and weeks and months, uncontained by our twenty-four hours, free of our borders and yet still within them.” (Micha Boyett)
  
  I was reminded that prayer is listening as well as talking, and that, heard in the pages of Truth, “God’s voice is melody and bass lines and whisper and thunder and grace.”
  
  Lean into the Rhythm of Prayer
  
  Resting in the solid truth of your own belovedness, lean into the rhythm of prayer.
  Listen for it.
  It’s there.
  Hear it calling you into intercession for our broken world, into tears for the wounded you know, and prayers of compassion for those you don’t know.
  
  Lean into the rhythm of grace and repent, confess, lament, rejoice, examine your heart in the presence of God and know that you are heard, and you are loved.
  
  Many thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.
• 
  Audrey Marcusen McMacken

  I listened to this audiobook slowly- both repeating segments multiple times and actually at regular speed (I typically do audiobooks 1.25-1.75 depending on the content and reader).
• 
  Rebecca Heneghan

  This will be one I keep going back to. Such an amazing group of women included in this collection.
• 
  Ryan Williams

  I really appreciated having a compilation of writings from female authors, theologians, and activists. I’m very familiar with this community from attending evolving faith conferences but it is great to have these engaging voices available in print all in once place. The organization of the book creates a great flow and build up. I highly recommend this to someone who wants daily, diverse (both in format and style), thoughtful writings on spirituality and prayer from a diverse group of female authors.
• 
  Sue

  I savoured this book, reading short sections with my morning coffee every day. This beautiful collection of prayers and reflections by so many remarkable women will not got back on my shelf just yet. I want to keep it nearby as I’ll be reading it again. And then again. It’s that kind of book.
• 
  Leslie (PaperAndKindness)

  A Rhythm of Prayer is a collection of prayers from an incredibly diverse group of Christian women. The inclusion of women from so many different faith traditions, races, backgrounds and orientations was so refreshing at a time when the Christian community has felt very divided. There are so many incredible prayers in this book that I can’t review each one individually so I’ll single out my personal favorite. As a person with a chronic illness, I found A Liturgy for Disability by Stephanie Tait to be incredibly moving. I’ll post the full quote when the book is released, but for now suffice to say that her prayer that people with disabilities would “experience dignity, acceptance and belonging” has become my nightly prayer. I know that I’ll be referring back to these prayers for years to come. My sincere thanks to, @netgalley, Convergent Books @randomhouse, and the fabulous @sarahbessey for this advanced review copy of A Rhythm of Prayer. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 #ARhythmOfPrayer #NetGalley
• 
  Darcy

  Bad theology.
• 
  Jessica

  A Rhythm of Prayer features a collection of prayers, mediations on prayer, and prayer and mindfulness practices. Most of the prayers seem especially suited for those who find themselves in the wilderness or out on the fringes of faith, so to speak, and serve as an invitation for readers to think differently about prayer. I found many of the prayers to be very moving and resonated strongly with my own experiences and spiritual journey.
  
  Many of the prayers and meditations center on issues of justice, from ableism to racism, as well as mental health and wellness.
  
  The contributors to this collection make up a diverse group of women, with writings from Black women, Indigenous women, and other women of color. This would be a great resource to keep on hand when crafting liturgy for prayer and worship gatherings as well as for personal use in your spiritual journey.
  
  If you, like me, find yourself weary—because what a year, right?—there is a lot of hope to be found among these pages from fellow travelers along the way.
  
  Thank you @netgalley and Convergent Books for the ARC!
• 
  Bethany

  This is a perfectly timed collection of prayers, meditations, poems, and essays. In these pandemic days that seem to blur into one another, prayer has become less intentional and more like breathing for me. I appreciated the encouragement included here, not to stop praying without ceasing but to start praying consciously again. Highly recommended.
  
  *I received a digital ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
• 
  Tiffany VanArsdel

  I was really looking forward to reading this book during Lent and there were several great prayers/poems in here. But many were just too full of pointing fingers and awkward agenda. I skipped many prayers that just didn’t seem like prayers. One was about remembering a grandmother’s soup and one said, “God forgive me my ableism...” I quit reading after one prayer began, “God help me hate white people...” A prayer like this sows division, not understanding and new perspectives and I think it’s really irresponsible in these trying, tense and divided times. The prayer after this one is a better cry of exhausted lament, “God, we’re so tired. We want to do justice, but the work feels endless...” Now that’s a prayer we can all rally around together.
  
  I found less than 1 in 5 prayers edifying or illuminating, thus the 1 out of 5 stars.
• 
  C.

  While I’m not familiar with every one of these authors I’m familiar with many of them and this collection is such a blessing. Sometimes I laughed. Sometimes I cried. But always I found myself with new ideas about how to pray and hope in turning to the divine as I go through each day.
  
  Highly recommend for anyone who is struggling with feeling on the outskirts of Christianity right now and looking for words to reach out in a variety of emotional states.
• 
  Stacie

  This collection of prayers is wonderful. It is thoughtfully collected into sections: orientation, disorientation, and reorientation. I loved beautiful mix of authors represented in this work and the variety of belief they represent.
  
  These prayers were a breath of fresh air to me. They were comforting and challenging and full of truth and love. I took the book slowly, reading one or two prayers a day. It was just what I needed. I know that I will be rereading this for years to come. I got this from Netgalley and Convergent Books as a digital ARC. I went ahead and bought the paper version as I knew I was going to need it.
  
  I have highlighted so much of this book. I cannot pick a favorite. They all speak to different emotions and situations and needs. I am grateful to have this now.
• 
  Brittany McDonald Null

  This collection of prayers was beautiful, challenging, and holy. Many brought me to tears, several made me uncomfortable, and all made me grateful that the authors would share them with the world. This is not your average prayer book, instead it has deep laments, sacred wondering, and glimmers of hope in the wilderness. I look forward to going back and reading these prayers slowly and I imagine this will be an essential resource for years to come.
• 
  Kaitlyn Bouchillon

  My favorite thing about A Rhythm of Prayer, other than the final benediction from Sarah Bessey that may be worth of the price of the book all on its own, is the diversity among the contributors. Publishing industry, take note!
  
  However, from what I can tell (based on social media and other writings/books) of the contributors, that diversity largely does not stretch into their faith backgrounds. By that I mean, the Church has many streams or denominations. It very much seems, from the various prayers in the book, that the majority of the writers have the same faith background/beliefs. From the words used to things that were said/left unsaid/avoided(?), it often felt like a group of people from a small handful of churches (who have the same doctrinal beliefs) or a group of already close friends all got together and wrote down their prayers.
  
  That isn't bad, necessarily, but it does feel like an oversight to someone who would likely find herself on the outside of that particular group of besties.
  
  I wonder if others who have a similar background as myself will also come to the end of the book and think "well, I appreciated reading these prayers and I am learning from other viewpoints, but I don't see much of myself or my own community reflected here."
• 
  Lily Dunn

  This collection of prayers and meditations by women leaders, speakers, pastors, writers, and creators. from all over the world.
  
  Each entry has its own flavor and personality as unique as the individual women who wrote them. Yet each voice is part of a larger chorus echoing the truths of the faith: that God is closer than your breath and constantly revealing Himself.
  
  I think every reader will find something to identify with in this collection as well as new perspectives that challenge our ideas of faith, spirituality, and prayer. In the past five years or so, I personally have found it powerful and meaningful to borrow the prayers of others when I don't have the words. This collection provides so many different kinds of prayer, and I know it's one I will be coming back to time and again.
  
  Thanks to #Netgalley and #ConvergentBooks for the ARC! #ARhythmofPrayer
• 
  Megan Lawson

  Somehow this was exactly what I needed right now.
• 
  Liz

  Prayer has been hard for me for some time now. This book has given me the first opportunity in a long time to not feel disappointment around prayer. The prayers in this book are powerful and full of truth. They are exactly what we need in this moment of reckoning. In a moment when the histories and pillars of our faith structures and institutions are, rightly, being called to accountability, these prayers hold up. These are not the prayers of a timid faith, but of a faith that is bold and free.
• 
  Melissa Hinnen

  Oh this book is a treasure!
  
  In a time when you might feel disconnected or a sense of despair may be looming, Sarah Bessey brings together poetic prayerful powerful expressions of some of my favorite Christian writers.
  
  I love how the words and images delve into new understandings of an active living loving God who is present with us. The rhythms are comforting like a lullaby. Consider reading a poem prayer each night before bed.