Talking Back to God: Speaking Your Heart to God Through the Psalms

by Lynn Anderson

A practical and inspiring book leading readers on a step-by-step discovery of a richer, more honest prayer life using the book of Psalms. You know what your prayers ought to be and what you want them to be. You desire intimate, honest, and authentic communication with your Father in heaven that expresses the joys, sorrows, victories, and even defeats that make up everyday life. But the realities of stress wage war against our spiritual aspirations and prayer becomes a mere duty laced with empty phrases that really don t communicate our hearts. In Talking Back to God Lynn Anderson leads you through the Psalms to prayer that will very likely draw you to your knees and lift your heart to heights you never expected. Put aside old stereotypes about prayer and follow Anderson into a renewed and refreshed communication that includes honest words of pain, passion, doubt, faith, and trust in a Father who knows us better than we know ourselves. Become like the psalmist David as you learn to express your heart in ways you never thought possible.

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2010

Reviews

[Becca]

*I received a free copy of this book through the goodreads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review.*

The gist: Talking Back to God: Speaking Your Heart to God Through the Psalms provides a framework for how to dive into the Psalms in a new and dynamic way. I was excited to read this book because Psalms is one of my "go-to" books of the Bible.

What I liked: I liked the overall personal tone of the book. Lynn Anderson draws from his own experiences (like dealing with cancer) as well as those of his friends to show the reader the practical applications of his methods. Anderson also emphasizes that he is not attempting to lay out a formula for getting closer to God, but simply telling readers how he has benefited from praying through and memorizing Psalms.
The format of the book was simple and broken down into short chapters with questions for further study at the end of each chapter. This format helped the book not seem so heavy, which I appreciate in a devotional book every once in a while!

What I didn't: I felt that there was a recap at the beginning of each new section, and it became redundant. Although Anderson's approach was personal, I found his writing style somewhat dry. I also felt that he got close to elevating the Psalms above the rest of Scripture. However, this is simply my opinion. Lynn Anderson has been studying the Bible for many years and has a lot to offer.

I recommend this book for anyone wanting to go deeper into the Psalms specifically. The resources at the back of the book are especially good for memorizing passages and praying through them.

[Faith]

I received this book as a first reads from Goodreads and I am glad I received this book. As a new Christian just starting to study God's word, I found this to be very enlightening. I didn't really know too much about the Psalms before this, except that the 23rd Psalm was my Grandmother's favorite.

I have begun reading the Psalms to complete them book in a month, reading them out loud to my newborn granddaughter sometimes while she is eating, and I find myseslf trying to feel what the author of the Psalm felt. Mr. Anderson is correct when he said that saying them out loud makes a difference. These are more than just words, they are examples of people talking to God about many things. By reading them aloud, we can capture some of the emotion that these people felt.

I also liked that Mr. Anderson shared some of his experiences with the reader. It is helpful sometimes to know that other people struggle with failures, and can feel disconnected from God, praying but not really feeling it.

I will be looking forward to reading more by this author.

[Bill Hooten]

This is the second time that I have read this book, and it is one of several that I am reading in preparation for a class that I will teach beginning in January. Lynn Anderson is a friend, and has served as a mentor for me, on several occasions. This book is meaningful to me, because I know the man that wrote the book; and how important the "Psalms" are to him. You will appreciate the things that he says, the advice that he offers, and the examples that he gives. It might encourage to get to know the Psalms, but even more to get to know the God of the Psalms.

[James L]

A great look at Psalms