When We Talk to God

Prayers and Poems for Black Women

De: Sharifa Stevens

Narrado por: Sharifa Stevens

Read by the author.

These are prayers for your moments of gratitude and celebration. For your seasons of loss and waiting. For your days when prayers come, not in words but in groans. When We Talk to God, from poet-theologian Sharifa Stevens, captures the arc and the ache of our lives.

A beautiful interweaving of prayers and poems for Black women, this unique book encourages you to lift up your whole heart and loudest voice to God. And to tell Him about everything; nothing is off-limits. Sharifa's honest and powerful words express prayer and longing through personal experiences and biblical examples. When We Talk to God offers:

• An invitation to journey through honest lamentation and heartfelt joy to find greater peace in a turbulent world
• Poems and prayers exploring topics from job interviews to grief, from braiding hair to feeling invisible, from parenting to dancing
• Validation and inspiration for Black women of faith, by a Black woman speaking from her life to yours
• A relatable and authentic voice that frees you to present your own prayers and praises to the God who hears you, sees you, and loves you
• A beautiful gift idea for Mother's Day, Grandparents' Day, International Women's Day, spiritual anniversaries, and birthdays

Ideal for Black women of any age and background, When We Talk to God is a balm to your spirit and soul as it urges you to go to God with all of who you are and with everything you can or cannot say.

©2025 Sharifa Stevens (P)2025 Thomas Nelson

Beautiful!

This book inspired, delighted, and challenged me. I haven’t read another like it. I recommend the audible version-the author’s voice is warm and magical.

Soul-Touching Celebration of Black Womanhood

I had the pleasure of receiving an ARC of When We Talk to God from NetGalley—and what a gift this book is. As a Black woman who wears many hats, I felt seen, held, and deeply affirmed by the prayers and poems @sharifawrites so beautifully offered in this collection. Sharifa Stevens speaks to every phase of our journey—motherhood, friendship, grief, joy, identity—with love and truth.

This book is familiar. It’s relatable, healing, funny, and literal. It’s Black—very Black—in the most affirming, comforting way. There is something here for every phase and situation we navigate as Black women. If not personal, the stories and sentiments feel close in proximity. If you haven’t lived it, you know someone who has—or you will.

Some standout pieces for me were:
•Prayer for Daughters
•Poem for the Queer Child, From Jesus (so beautiful and tender—I immediately thought of people who would be moved to tears by these words)
•For Eve
•When the Braids Are Too Tight
•New Mom
•Friends
•Favor for Our Children
•Miscarriage

The visuals in this book are stunning—colorful and full of life, they add a layer of joy and sacredness to the reading experience.

Reading When We Talk to God reminded me of the “literary mothers” Sharifa Stevens honors at the end—Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Lucille Clifton, and others who paved the way with fierce honesty and grace. This book carries that torch forward. It’s not for everyone, but it is real, it is necessary, and it is pure love.