When in Doubt, Sing: Prayer in Daily Life

Those who seek a connection with God, but who do not want to confine themselves to praying in churches with bowed heads or meditating for hours, will feel liberated by this new style of prayer book. The main point that Redmont wants readers to grasp is that prayer--the act of communing with God--should not be hindered by rules. Prayer can take place while playing a piano, planting a garden, or solving a complicated math problem.

Once she has convinced readers to loosen their confining definition of prayer, Redmont goes on to discuss resistance to prayer, devoting an entire chapter to topics such as "Praying with Anger" and "Waiting in the Night, When We Cannot Pray." She also gives parents suggestions for helping children find their natural voices of prayer.

In her final chapters, Redmont discusses prayer through touch, ritual, writing, meditation, singing, and listening to music. Christians will probably glean the most from Redmont's wisdom and research, since she's a Catholic lay minister. However, to her credit, Redmont includes numerous stories, poems, prayers, and inspirational quotes that represent many of the world's religious traditions, including Zen Buddhism and Judaism. --Gail Hudson