This book was so refreshing! Walter Brueggemann is a brilliant communicator as seen in this collection of prayers. They are so down to earth yet incredibly deep. Normal life meets spiritual insight so articulately expressed. Hopes and dreams for loved ones, thankfulness for God’s graciousness as He deals with His people. The book is broken into 2 sections- Joy in Life and Joy in Christ. Each section so beautifully written and expressive. #netgalley #WaitinginGratitude #goodreads

Waiting in Gratitude is a collection of prayers written by Brueggemann throughout his life and career as a Hebrew Bible scholar. This is a very personal book, as prayer is inherently personal whether between an individual and God or a community and God. In this volume, we get a deeper glimpse into the impactful moments which Bruggemann has marked by prayers of thanksgiving during his life. His fervor and authenticity are evident. His voice is clear through each prayer, while keeping the focus on God. He blends contemporary language with timeless truths from Scripture. His earnest and faithful study of Scripture has enabled the reader to find prayer as a bridge between Scripture and our lives. I envision using several of these prayers in corporate worship services and a weekly Phone Tree prayer that I send out to my parishioners as well. I know that even through their variety of life experiences, they will find meaning and understanding in making these prayers their own.

As a reader, the format was a tad puzzling. The book is divided into two sections: Prayers of Joy in Life and Prayers of Joy in Christ. I would argue that our joys in life are joys in Christ, but that aside, I did not fully understand the purpose of the order of the prayers. As a pastor, when I am selecting a prayer for private study or worship, I'm looking both at Scripture references and season of the Church Year. Within the titles of the prayers and the organization of the book, there were limited indicators of how the prayers fit into the life of the Church. There is a Scripture index at the back and Scripture in some prayer titles, but not anything about themes (with the exception of the prayer titled Easter Tuesday). If I had not sat down and read the whole book first, I do not think I would know from the index what prayer would be a good fit for the occasion, specifically pertaining to the Prayers of Joy in Christ section. Some of the Prayers of Joy in Life were so personal that if I were to adapt them for my own context, I would need to change several details. While they are still beautiful prayers, they were not as helpful or impactful as other prayers that were more broad.

All in all, Bruggemann's spectacular ability to read Scripture and interpret it through written prayers is a gift to the Church and to his readers. The formatting and especially personal prayers do not take away from the beauty, impact, and usefulness of the many prayers collected in this work. Bruggemann's own faith is evident. His prayers come from the depths of his soul in conversation with the tradition of the Church and the reading of God's Word. I was drawn to this book because I have enjoyed Bruggemann's biblical commentaries and prayers in the past. This volume of prayers lived up to the high standard he set in prior publications. I would recommend it as a great resource for clergy and laypeople alike.

Thank you Westminster John Knox Press and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in my review are my own.

This review will be published to Goodreads on March 25, 2024.

Waiting in Gratitude: Prayers of Joy by Walter Brueggemann is exactly what people of faith need, because we need every reminder we can get that joy is always available to us, especially through prayer. The second section, “Prayers of Joy in Christ,” was very much what I expect from Brueggemann: prayers that speak honestly about the challenges of life while reminding us we can rely on and live into God’s promises (and, thus, experience joy). These are the sort of prayers people need to hear and need to pray. If more pastors had heard prayers like this while in seminary, we might hear richer, truer prayers in church. And if all of us heard prayers like this more often, we might pray richer, truer prayers.

The first section, “Prayers of Joy in Life,” was an unexpected treat. The glimpse into how Brueggemann has prayed for specific individuals at specific times is enlightening. At least as much as the other section, these are prayers I wish pastors and all people of faith would read and take inspiration from for their own prayers. Brueggemann reminds us, or teaches us for the first time, that prayers for individual people matter. People we love and respect deserve—need—prayers rooted in scripture and crafted with attention and care. What a gift to pray for someone in this way, a gift Brueggemann shows us we, too, can bestow.

Reading Brueggemann’s prayers always inspires me to write prayers with the same thoughtfulness and precision, or at least to try. This is because Brueggemann’s use of language, common and more esoteric, along with his integration of scripture, reminds us words matter in prayer. Prayer certainly doesn’t have to be elaborate or perfectly written, but it can be precise, it can speak truth, and it can reveal a God who already knows our needs, enjoys our articulated prayers, and is always responding to our deepest longings in spite of us.

Thank you to the publisher Westminster John Knox Press (WJK) and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this eBook. I expect I will be giving this book of prayers to many as a gift in the future as well as adding it to the many books by Brueggemann on my shelf.

I love Walter Bruggeman’s thoughtful writing and how his mind works theologically, so I went in with high hopes.

While I enjoyed this collection of poems, I had expected them to be of more practical value in my ministry (I am an ordained minister) than they were. I think I also expected them to be original prayers written just for this book.

That said, I found it really interesting that Bruggeman kept a record of so many of his prayers over the years. It had given me pause to ask whether I should be doing the same.

Thanks for the opportunity to read this collection. I’ll be recommending it to other Christians as a way to gain insight into someone with a very rich prayer life.

Let me see if I can explain what this book is. It is a collection of prayers which have been prayed by a specific person, Walter Brueggemann, on specific occasions. Normally when you read a prayer book it is a collection of prayers written for the book. This happened the other way around. And that impacts the type of prayers found in Waiting in Gratitude. Thank you to the author, Westminster John Knox Press, and NetGalley for the eARC.

My favorite thing about the prayers found in this collection is that they were not written for me. These are real prayers used on real occasions with real people. The very specificity of the words chosen make them a gift. It feels a bit like spiritual voyeurism. It gives the reader a peek behind the curtain, observing real relationships and real reactions. This authenticity means the book does not flow like a cohesive whole, the only through lines are the voice of the author and his faith in God. The various people prayed for and situations prayed about come alive for the reader as Brueggemann brings them before God with compassion and hope. This collection could be used for personal reflection, as a jumping off point for writing your own prayers, and for when you run out of your own words and need those of a trusted friend to guide you before the Divine Mystery.

Walter Brueggemann's prayers of joy in this volume are filled with insight, provocation, and depth. He reminds the reader of the psalms that move so often from lament to joy and praise. Many of the prayers are deeply personal, having been offered by Brueggemann for weddings, installations, and other events for friends and colleagues - yet they still resonate with universality.

Prayer is more than asking for things. Prayer is listening to God. It is cultivating our relationship with God. Whatever it is, regardless of emotional conditions, we can all pray to God at all times. Having written considerably on the prayers of lament, author and retired professor Walter Brueggemann focuses on the movement of tears, desperation, and pain toward joy. Savoring the "peculiarities" of our life's journey, we turn our very living from lament to waiting, from waiting to gratitude, and from gratitude to joy. How do we do that? Begin with the why. Continue with the "chewing of the world" of ups and downs. Finally, arriving at complete joy. Brueggemann reasons as follows: "The sum of these prayers is to voice our life back to God in wonder and gratitude for God’s “countless gifts” that are indeed beyond our counting. We nevertheless continue to count them!"

Indeed, praying is learning to count our blessings, and this book is designed to help us through our journey of life. Part One comprises prayers for all kinds of occasions. From anniversaries to baptisms, birthdays to confirmations, weddings to memorials, Brueggemann shows us how we can pray for all occasions. With the help of hymns and Scripture, he guides us to look to Jesus in acknowledging the present with gratitude and look to the future with hope. He has prayers for individuals, for those in specific vocations in life, and in particular, for those called to the ministry. Part Two takes us deeper into what it means to experience joy in Christ. No longer about specific occasions or callings, the prayers reflect a longing for God. Using the created world as a platform for prayer, Brueggemann weaves his prayers and tightens them with biblical texts and principles. Some of the prayers can also be used as congregational prayers. Many of the prayers are steeped in Scriptural reflection.

My Thoughts
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Let me frame my thoughts via three questions. First, what is the purpose of this book? It is about learning to practice the presence of God in all circumstances. The Bible teaches us to pray in all circumstances for that is God's will for us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Some people limit prayers to just mealtimes or Church Sundays. Others simply need help to learn how to pray in different circumstances. This book is a guide to do that. With many examples and familiar occasions, Brueggemann teaches us that it is not only possible but we can also enjoy the praying moment. Hopefully, once we learn the framework of prayer, we can creatively pray in other situations unique to us.

Second, how can we use this book? We all need to learn how to pray. Many churches use the Lord's Prayer as a weekly ritual for the congregation. However, it is always good to incorporate fresh prayers to complement the ritual. The prayers in this book can be used as material for that. In Part One, we can benefit from learning to pray in all circumstances of life. While some of the prayers could be used as is, we can always creatively personalize these prayers for our respective contexts. Contextualizing is usually preferred as it helps us connect better with the people we are praying for. For some people, it might be good to use the prayers in this book as a way to improve our personal prayers or congregational prayers. However, we should learn to write or prepare our prayers. This book is not a replacement for our own. We need to let God assist us in this spiritual journey of prayer.

Third, why should we read or buy this book? This is the author's third collection of prayers, the first being "Acting in the Wake: Prayers for Justice," and the second "Following into Risky Obedience: Prayers along the Journey." While recommended, it is not necessary to read the earlier books before we can benefit from this book. The simple reason to buy this book is to pray better, pray deeper, and pray wider. The prayers in this book are non-repetitive but highly creative. It showcases the wealth of biblical knowledge and spiritual awareness of God's presence in the author's life.

I warmly recommend this book as a way to improve our praying.

Walter Brueggemann is William Marcellus McPheeters Professor Emeritus of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary. An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, he is the author of dozens of books, including Sabbath as Resistance: Saying No to the Culture of Now, A Gospel of Hope, and Interrupting Silence: God’s Command to Speak Out.

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5.

conrade
This book has been provided courtesy of Westmonster John Knox Press via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

This is the first I've heard of Walter Brueggemann, and what a way of discovering him. Waiting in Gratitude is a collection of beautifully descriptive prayers that surpass the normal boring way of praying, which is a relief to see in full written form. He really observes ordinary things in daily life and it shows in his detailed descriptions of different aspects of why and how he's praising God, and it's very insightful and beautiful to behold. The prayers not only show the suffering for what it is, but the joy that awaits as we place our hope in God. We need more of this kind of prayer and less of the same old, same old.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

Waiting In Gratitude by Walter Brueggemann is a collection of prayers written for ordinary moments and for ordinary people. With a focus on gratitude, Brueggemann moves from a usual attention on the laments of Israel and prayers of urgency to a collection of prayers exuding joy, centered on love, justice, and righteousness.

A vital articulation to note, according to Brueggemann, is the focus on joy does not mean a denial of pain and suffering in one’s life, rather the structure of Israel’s laments move toward and finish with joy, thanks, and a promise of being heard. The reversal from lament to joy is evident in the prayers Brueggemann brings which speak hope and comfort. Utilizing scripture, ordinary moments, and poetic literary finesse, Brueggemann provides a beautiful collection of prayers to aid in the Christian life of upholding the world in prayer.

This is my first interaction with Brueggemann's work. "Waiting in Gratitude" is a beautiful collection of prayers. The heart and love behind the prayers seeps through the entirety.