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Praying with Beads: Daily Prayers for the Christian Year
Prayer is essential to the Christian life, bonding us to God. Yet we find it difficult in our frenetic world to keep our minds focused for long. All kinds of external noise and inner voices clamor for our attention. How can we slow down and quiet down so as to truly wait on the Lord? Nan Lewis Doerr and Virginia Stem Owens offer a solution that calls on the physical senses to break through to the spiritual -- praying with beads.
The use of prayer beads, which has a long history in practical spirituality, is now becoming more widespread among Protestants. Doerr and Owens here show readers how to use what have become known as Anglican or Christian prayer beads. Readers can then use the basic prayer structure provided by the beads to pray their way through each day -- morning, noon, and night -- and through the church year. These prayers -- a thoughtfully chosen combination of quotations from Scripture and gleanings from the Book of Common Prayer -- can be enhanced and enriched by the mindful and meditative practice of using beads.
Doerr and Owens encourage readers to use beads as "something to hang onto, a lifeline to the Presence that lies, often hidden or forgotten, at the center of our lives." Praying with beads, as outlined and embodied in this little book, has the potential to transform one's prayer life.
The use of prayer beads, which has a long history in practical spirituality, is now becoming more widespread among Protestants. Doerr and Owens here show readers how to use what have become known as Anglican or Christian prayer beads. Readers can then use the basic prayer structure provided by the beads to pray their way through each day -- morning, noon, and night -- and through the church year. These prayers -- a thoughtfully chosen combination of quotations from Scripture and gleanings from the Book of Common Prayer -- can be enhanced and enriched by the mindful and meditative practice of using beads.
Doerr and Owens encourage readers to use beads as "something to hang onto, a lifeline to the Presence that lies, often hidden or forgotten, at the center of our lives." Praying with beads, as outlined and embodied in this little book, has the potential to transform one's prayer life.
95 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 4, 2019
If you've ever wanted to have something like a rosary to bring focus to your prayer, but haven't wanted to bring Mary into the line of prayers connected to it, this book on praying on Anglican prayer beads might do the work. I have a set of these in my collection, and this book is a good guide.
In the intro we learn how good these prayer beads are for concentration in prayer, some history including how this set came into use in US during the 1980s, a general user guide, answering the question if this prayer beads set is still too "vain repetition", plus short introduction to the groups of prayers that follow.
Each set is meant for different parts of the year, starting with Advent-time since that's considered to be the start of the church year, and the prayers finish just on the edge of the next Advent group. Each grouping is given a short introduction.
The book is slim and a quick read, but one can see pretty clearly how useful this method can be just by reading through the prayer snippets. The authors say that you could also use mix-and-match method with the bits, to fit your own style. At the end are mentions of two other book related to the theme, and some websites. So, a short but informative book that might have big impact on a praying person if they use it.
In the intro we learn how good these prayer beads are for concentration in prayer, some history including how this set came into use in US during the 1980s, a general user guide, answering the question if this prayer beads set is still too "vain repetition", plus short introduction to the groups of prayers that follow.
Each set is meant for different parts of the year, starting with Advent-time since that's considered to be the start of the church year, and the prayers finish just on the edge of the next Advent group. Each grouping is given a short introduction.
The book is slim and a quick read, but one can see pretty clearly how useful this method can be just by reading through the prayer snippets. The authors say that you could also use mix-and-match method with the bits, to fit your own style. At the end are mentions of two other book related to the theme, and some websites. So, a short but informative book that might have big impact on a praying person if they use it.
December 21, 2012
Filled with Scripture and practical advice as to why the prayer beads can be an important part of one's devotional life for Protestants who may have thrown the baby out with the bathwater in the Reformation. The authors point us to Luther who advocated the use of the Rosary in a different form. The many things I appreciate about this prayer book with the beads is the background it gives to how prayer beads were used, and how they are used today, the highlights of the different seasons in the Church calendar, the amount of Scripture one can potentially memorize, and internalize as they pray with beads and this book. With my own prayer beads, I do use this book, however I also have other prayers that I use in my own devotional life, this is another tool to help aid my devotional life, and I am thankful to the authors for this. I only wish that there would be more books in the future to alternate between, but having one book is good enough because, really, have I really lived out all the verses I have prayed? I hope you pick up this book...it's worth it. :)
September 27, 2017
This is a guide to using the Anglican rosary throughout the church year. The authors use the Book of Common Prayer and other bible readings (primarily psalms) to give you a structure for using the beads following the Christian Calendar. There are actually three patterns for each day, to follow morning, noon, and night, and a new set for each week corresponding to the season. I was pleased to find such a commonsense guide to praying the beads. I have started using now, in the ordinary times, but am looking forward to trying it out for a full year starting in Advent.
November 3, 2017
Great intro to praying with Anglican prayer beads with prayers for each week of the liturgical year.
February 25, 2018
Incredibly useful and engaging texts for every liturgical season, I appreciate its focus and purpose.
January 4, 2020
This book has become a daily staple which I use in my prayer time daily.
March 22, 2012
I really like the idea, though I'm struggling to find time to implement it as a regular practice. Hopefully that will get easier, especially as the kids get older. Currently, my goal to engage in meditative prayer for a few minutes each day is conflicting with my goal to get at least five hours of sleep each night. Sadly, I haven't been able to meet that goal either, even when I've skipped the meditative prayer part.
All in good time, I hope. It's nice to know that the book and practice aren't time-limited.
All in good time, I hope. It's nice to know that the book and practice aren't time-limited.
August 17, 2016
This is a wonderful way to pray the Anglican rosary - each week has a set of three prayers, for morning, noon, and night, composed of the Collect from Sunday and various scriptures, primarily from the Psalms. There are also special prayers for particular holy days. If you have a rosary, I do recommend going through this book - either as a special year-long devotional/prayer guide or looking for some prayers that speak to your particular situation.
February 17, 2008
Even Martin Luther kept the Rosary prayer! Whoa! Which I learned in the introductory essay, which explains the history prayer beads. Honestly, I haven't actually used the rest of the book to pray with beads, but the prayers are well-organized with the seasons.
January 14, 2015
This is exactly what I wanted. Thank youNan Lewis Doerr.
October 14, 2020
A lovely prayer book with, or without a rosary or prayer beads.
February 26, 2016
A wonderful little book for Anglicans and Episcopalians to use a rosary for prayer life.
March 18, 2018
I never went through the whole year, but this was a pleasant prayer book.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews