Praying with or without words

In this spiritually-formative children’s picture book, author Roger Hutchison spells out the truth of Psalm 139:4: “Even before a word is on my tongue, O Lord, you know it completely.” Hutchison shows children the many ways in which they can offer prayers to God.

Sparrow begins each morning by spreading his wings and praising God for another day. But, today, Sparrow feels unsettled. He tries to pray, but he can’t – “his words get tangled and knotted in his beak like old yarn and straw.” As Sparrow flies about, he encounters Turtle and explains his dilemma: “I always begin my day with a prayer, but today I can’t find my words. Can you help?”

Turtle responds, “I don’t pray with words. I pray by sharing.” Turtle is harvesting blackberries to make a pie for Fox, but he can’t reach the high-hanging fruit. Sparrow offers to help. Then the creatures make a delicious pie for Fox and deliver it to him.

Later, Sparrow notices his friend Mousie painting by the forest, and describes his prayer woes to him. Mousie explains that he, too, doesn’t pray with words. Rather, his art is his prayer. When Sparrow helps Mousie find the perfect paint colour for the sky and revels in the variety of colours in the world, Mousie exclaims, “Amen!”

When Sparrow meets his friend Buck dancing joyfully, and tells him about his inability to pray, Buck exclaims, “Dancing is my way of praying.” Buck invites Sparrow to join in the dance by resting on his antlers while he dances.

Later, as Sparrow reflects on his day, he understands that “each creature does what God created them to do. Each life is a prayer of thanksgiving, with or without words!” What a beautiful reminder for any reader.