I’ve prayed my way through the Psalms before, but never with the level of focused engagement Nearing a Far God initiates and demonstrates. Leslie Leyland Fields invites her readers into a meaningful practice of reading, praying, and writing that was instrumental in carrying her through a time when she desperately needed to hear the voice of God and to believe he was tuned in to the sound of her voice.

Praying the Psalms with her whole self, Fields learned that God is neither silent nor distant. Beginning with borrowed words, she wrote her own heart’s cry, her questions, and her discouragement.

The language of lament she found in the ancient prayer songs primed the well of her own feelings, and twenty years later, she is teaching others to experience the Psalms in this life-altering way. I’ve read almost everything Leslie Leyland Fields has written, and this latest offering stands out with its powerful weaving of the story of her rough childhood into the gold of intimacy with a God who understands and is deeply interested and invested in our lives.

Many thanks for NavPress and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.

Are you ready for a story-based, whole-brained, whole-person engagement new way of experiencing the Psalms? Leslie Leyland Fields’ Nearing A Far God, praying the psalms with our whole selves calls the reader to interactive encounters with God as one practices Fields’ strategy of diving into a study of the Psalms of David. This book connects us, through many genres, with God anywhere whether we are personally experiencing a time of lament, warfare, or victory. The reader is asked to: Notate, write out original psalm; Express, engage all the senses with voice and body gestures to feel the words; Amplify, meditate, add reactions to the words; Read different Bible versions of the chapter being studied; Identify, personalize the psalm by writing yourself into the message of each psalm; New Testament, pull out New Testament verses that relate to each passage; Gather, be a kingdom connector by bringing others with you to read Leslie’s stories and have psalm-prayer worship in your faith community. We are called to look back and discover ways God has been present throughout the ups and downs of our lives. It encourages us to call him into our difficult present, to find rest in his promises. This book underlines the sense that God makes us enough. May we believe it and live it. It brings us into holy dialogue with the living God. He is tender with us as we approach Him. He listens. He speaks.

Nearing a Far God by Leslie Leyland Fields is well written and organized. It is an interesting, relatable, useful, imaginative, creative, descriptive, and easy to use application of Psalms scriptures from the Bible. It provides a unique perspective of the Psalms scriptures with step-by-step instructions at the end of each chapter as a guide for the process of nearing closer to God with examples from the author. It includes lots of biblical quotes that relate to the material being discussed broken down into 8 chapters with similar formats and structure followed by an epilogue. The introduction sets the stage for the remainder of the book and each chapter has a biblical quote with a personal interesting and descriptive story from the author’s personal journey. This book could be a useful tool in healing through the application of the material provided.

This book of Leslie's is by far the best.
Reading the Psalms in these segments and writing our own thoughts help me to remember what God has done for me, for others, for creation. I have just begun my Psalm journal, but already I feel nourished and loved by a great God. If we open up to God in this way, we are filled with the newness of his presence.

This is NOT just another Christian book written about the Psalms! Never before have I read a book that actually TEACHES and EXPLAINS how to deepen my prayer life and explore the Psalms In such an easy to understand and follow way. With the authors own personal journey woven through out this book is one to read over and over again.

I am only 1/3 of the way through the book, NEARING A FAR GOD, but am looking forward to finishing it soon.

It provides practical examples to pray through the Psalms, helping us to relate to the Psalms writers in understanding that God is not as far away as we might think. He is near to the broken hearted and only a prayer away. Leslie, the author, also gives personal stories of her own life and shares how reading and praying through the Psalms helped her.

Another great book from Leslie Leyland Fields. She offers a fresh look at the powerful book of Psalms and challenges the reader to actually interact with the living Word.

If you are ready to focus on God and strengthen your relationship, this is an excellent book for you. Have a journal ready, because it is best to completely immerse yourself through reflection and written journal entries. The content and relatable writing of "Nearing a Far God" is applicable, wherever you are in your journey.

The title of this book is absolutely perfect! In just the first 25 pages, I began drawing closer to God - or perhaps he is close, and I'm feeling him more with every page. The author draws me in with her personal stories. as I can visualize exactly what she was going through at the time of the event she describes. Walk with her on this journey - I believe by the end, I will have a stronger and more dedicated relationship with my Father God! The book is a great read for a Bible Study group - with opportunities to write and engage through exercises with the book of Psalms. #nearingafargod

Although I wouldn't necessarily describe myself as a deeply religious person, I strongly believe in a higher power. For those seeking a rich, meaningful, and inspiring encounter with the Psalms, I highly recommend exploring Leslie Leyland Fields' new book, Nearing a Far God. As a gifted educator, Fields draws from her own life experiences to vividly illustrate the transformative power of prayer and the presence of divinity within us. With her innovative approach to prayer, she offers effective techniques that engage both hemispheres of the brain, leading to a deeper and more fulfilling experience. I am certain that reading this book will bring you a sense of delight, wonder, and spiritual enrichment.

This book was really amazing. Loved it, Would highly recommend to others. I loved how the author shared biblical insights along with making it relatable.

This is a rich and wonderful book. It is personal, practical, and insightful. I appreciated the way the author gave specific strategies for how to engage with the Psalms mentally (and even physically) and recalled how particular Psalms impacted her in different stages of her life. I plan to buy this book for a friend because it is that good.

I received free access to a DRC via NetGalley. This review contains my honest opinions and is published voluntarily. I will also publish this review on Amazon and Goodreads closer to the book's publication date.