Talking to God: Personal Prayers for Times of Joy, Sadness, Struggle, and Celebration

by Naomi Levy

After the publication of her best-selling book To Begin Again, Naomi Levy received a flood of feedback from readers telling her how much the prayers in it had helped and moved them. Many urged her to publish a collection of her prayers—and now she has.

In a time when we all need inspiration, comfort, and connection, Talking to God will help us reclaim prayer as an integral part of our lives, making it as natural and uninhibited as talking to our loved ones. Prayer is essential to the lives of millions, but many of us are searching for ways to supplement traditional prayers with ones that are less formal and more intimate.

Written in a simple and direct style, the prayers in this book—and the wonderful stories that accompany them—are for people of all faiths, and for all occasions large and small. Naomi Levy’s personal prayers address the anxieties and roadblocks we all face in contemporary life. There are prayers for facing a new day, realizing one’s potential at work, celebrating an anniversary or birthday, and going to sleep at night. And there are prayers for the more profound occurrences in life—love and marriage, pregnancy and childbirth, illness, loss, and death.

Rabbi Levy’s words, imbued with grace and empathy, touch on the entire range of human experience. Many of us will recognize ourselves in her prayers and stories and will be comforted by them, as well as challenged and uplifted. Perhaps most important, they are stepping-stones for us to go on and create our own prayers, to find meaning in our own lives, and to begin or renew our own relationships with God.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Judaism, Jewish, Spirituality, Judaica, Nonfiction, Prayer

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Lisa Feld · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book that I personally need, but I think it's a book a lot of people do need. Many Jews feel uncomfortable stepping away from traditional prayers and praying spontaneously, but at the same time, there are so many experiences in our lives that the traditional liturgy doesn't really address: praying for the strength to parent a teenager, or mourning a parent who was absent during their life. This book is about naming those moments, offering some possibilities for how to talk to God through prayer, but at its core, it's about helping people who don't usually pray start a conversation with God in an authentic and present way. Whether you use Levy's words themselves or just use the book as a jumping-off point to craft your own prayers, this is a great resource.

[Michale · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Naomi Levy’s book Talking to God, which includes the “Prayer Before Surgery” which I have found so helpful with patients and have passed on to others. She writes of experiences of feeling unable to pray, and when that particular door does open. There are many more prayers here that I hope to use both personally and with patients in the future. She is able to articulate a childlike questioning of circumstances that I find evoke my own feelings and those of others with whom I have shared her work. It is nice for me to have a book of prayers rooted in Jewish tradition that address modern situations, such as a miscarriage or abortion, as well as many other of life’s challenges and milestones.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have an appreciation for everything I've read by Rabbi Levy. This book is for the experienced prayer and novice alike. A great reminder that there are no "right words" or no "magic formula" when speaking to God. The novice can use it to start a prayer life until their own words come. The experienced prayer will find it comforting when faced with a new situation that you can't put into words just yet. No time spent in prayer is wasted time. Take your time as you meander through this book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep this book readily at hand for inspiration for myself and those I care about, whether or not they are Jewish. The book contains prayers appropriate for almost any situation, prayers which infuse the situation with meaning and help to frame difficulty times as opportunities for growth.

[Jody · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have night table book!

[Jayde Schwerin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Naomi Levy! Talking to G-d is so important for everyone who does believe... I talk to Him constantly.
I recommend this book to everyone; it is very inspirational.

[Katy Koivastik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this compact, beautifully typeset volume. The lovely deep red olive leaf (?) borders presage this book about the power of simplicity, thanksgiving and gratitude.

Rabbi Levy has prayers for every conceivable eventuality of life and intersperses them with stories and anecdotes.

An example is the story "Birthday" about Rabbi Levy taking her children to the library week after week and seeing a wrinkled, grey-haired lady teaching a woman in her thirties to read. Finally she sees the younger woman with her child in her lap reading "Goodnight Moon" to him " in a calm, confident voice."

Rabbi Levy says "Every day we are given the opportunity to remake ourselves and remake this world. No matter what our age we have the potential to grow and learn and change. No matter what our age, we have the potential to give and teach and enlighten. Never stop making birthday wishes." Love that!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. Recently, my husband read the prayers to me (and to the Lord) that were dedicated to pregnancy, labor and children. They made us cry...and be filled with the joy of the Lord. It has been a wonderful blessing...especially when you don't know what or how to pray, this book seems to be filled with words that are in my heart.

[Susie Webster-toleno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very helpful in a hospice chaplaincy context. Lots of people who are facing death or loss want to pray (even if they see themselves as not religious) but feel they don't know how. Sharing prayers from this book frees them to see prayer as conversation rather than arcane formula.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books contains many healing words and ideas. Levy's outlook on faith and her relationship with the divine is both realistic and thoughtful. I would recommend this book for spiritual comfort over other books I have read on the topic.

[Jennifer Cassell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filled with suggested prayers for many different occasions, I feel that Ms. Levy's first book, To Begin Again, was more real and more helpful.