Chaplain Kate Braestrup, the New York Times bestselling author of Here If You Need Me, has written a compelling new book on prayer for which her devoted fans have been clamoring. Beautifully written, with her astonishing signature stories of faith in action in real life, Beginner's Grace explains how to tap into grace with prayer—as well as how to pray, when to pray, and what to pray. Love is Grace. You can't earn it. But you can always find it when you need it. The tried-and-true way to grace is through prayer—even through a simple "saying grace" before dinner. Yet in spite of hundreds of traditions and teachings about prayer, millions of people worldwide are unsure how to pray, or afraid they'll do it wrong, or worried that they won't be heard. Writing in the beautiful, honest, personal narrative style of her previous two books, Braestrup explains the many ways we can pray, including where and when to pray, individually and as a family. She includes numerous examples of prayers to draw from—beginning with grace, a brief prayer of thanks. Braestrup offers listeners prayers for situations in which their own words might fail them—from grief and loss to a request for assistance from God—and offers suggestions for making prayers more meaningful and satisfying. And she invites listeners to explore forms of prayer that extend into the wider community, including prayer for those whom we don't like and with whom we may disagree. Written with the insight and warmth that moved and inspired readers of Here If You Need Me, Beginner's Grace is sure to become a spiritual touchstone for people of all faiths.
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"I really enjoyed and appreciated this book about prayer, written by a UU minister. Her sense of humor is evident throughout, and I found her to be a thought-provoking and helpful author. Really, really good. " — Nadine (5 out of 5 stars)
"I really enjoyed and appreciated this book about prayer, written by a UU minister. Her sense of humor is evident throughout, and I found her to be a thought-provoking and helpful author. Really, really good. "
Braestrup's wonderful introduction to prayer belongs on your book shelf next to Anne Lamott's Traveling Mercies and David Steindl-Rast's Common-Sense Spirituality.
“By often returning to her theme of empathy and consciousness, Braestrup remains a persuasive pastor, praying right through the amen.”
“Braestrup is astute, entertaining, and scholarly in suggesting prayers from myriad faiths that have served countless generations, including this one. There are prayers for almost every occasion and circumstance: shared meals, birth, death and grief, old age, bedtime for anxious children, safety for those facing daily occupational hazards, even romantic intentions. She invites people to make up their own prayers as she includes tales of frayed nerves, abiding love, and opting for generosity in settings as mundane as the Shop ’N Save. This confirms the comfort and grace afforded by prayer and its power to reveal the beauty of life, warts and all. Amen.”
“What books about prayer need most is more authors like Kate Braestrup. There’s no false piety here, nor is there much heady analysis either. Instead, there is an exquisitely informative, seductive, largely autobiographical, but no-holds-barred frank, presentation of one chaplain’s own engagement with prayer.”
" lovely book by a talented writer on a difficult subject. I actually read this one very slowly and thoroughly and may have to buy my own copy (I read the libraries). "
" A good read for those who believe. A litle more difficult if one doesn't but she does a good job of trying to find something for everyone. "
" Wonderful insights by a funny, irreverently reverent, compassionate writer and chaplain. "
Kate Braestrup is the chaplain for the Maine Warden Service and author of the memoir Here If You Need Me and the novel Onion. She has written for the New York Times magazine; Boston Globe Sunday magazine; O, The Oprah Magazine; Mademoiselle; More; Ms.; and Law and Order. She lives in Maine with her husband and children.
Susan Ericksen is an actor and voice-over artist. She has been awarded numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards as well as the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. As an actor and director, she has worked in theaters throughout the country.
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