Feminist Prayers for My Daughter

In these pages are musings and prayers that uniquely reflect the lives of girls and women, mothers and daughters. Some of the topic headings include Relationships, Spirituality, Wholeness, Justice and Milestones, among others. Each of these topics receives about ten prayers; for example for supportive female friendships or for body acceptance, or for vocational choice. A couple of sample quotes: “When she is tempted to limit what she eats, remind her that her body is worthy of nourishment” or “May my daughter have a vision of the woman she is to become, and may no one convince her it is not enough.”

Dip in and out of this title. Readers will find something to think about in these pages.

Many thanks to Baker Academic and Brazos Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Beautiful collection of prayers in the form of poetry. As a mom, I loved reading this and will buy my own copy to treasure. This is a book of prayers for mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and anyone else who loves a young girl

Feminist Prayers for My Daughter by Shannon K. Evans is a must-read for anyone who has ever felt limited or unseen by traditional understandings and representations of God. A heart-filling letter for any woman who has longed for an older sister, a godmother, a mentor to pray over her.

The book is rooted in a simple, yet expansive understanding of feminism as defined in the introduction – women are equal to men (but do not need to be the same as the contents of the book elaborate). Furthermore, the limitations of western white feminist movements are acknowledged.

Feminist Prayers for My Daughter lovingly touches on many subjects, including eating disorders and substance abuse with a gentle acknowledgement that respects the severity of these topics, but is also minimally triggering.

With its focus on Divine Love that transcends the capabilities of any human, Feminist Prayers for My Daughter fills the readers’ heart with warmth and compassion, enabling us to move past any shortcomings of the humans we have met thus far in our earthly journey and return to the world and its people ready to pour love out of our overflowing hearts.

Throughout the book, there is an excellent balance between the author's knowledge of the Catholic tradition she was raised in and her personal, more contemporary understanding of faith.

Feminist Prayers for My Daughter is deeply personal and universal all at once, a celebration of womanhood and all its stages.

I’m so grateful for an advanced copy from NetGalley. This book is such a treasure with inspiring and uplifting messages. It covers all stages of growth & development for daughters. While some might be put off by the title, this book is filled with compassion, wisdom, & hope for women of all ages.

I'll admit it - I hesitated to read this one. I don't have daughters and struggled with infertility before having my son. Because of this, parenting and mothering books can be triggering. But not Shannon's. The prayers are poetry - beautifully and intentionally crafted. The prayers cover everything from genuine and deep female friendships to fortieth birthdays and equal pay. I felt so seen in each one.

Read as a whole, her words and dreams for her daughter put words to dreams, desires, and gratitude I have for myself but never fully articulated. I'm so glad I have this in hard copy to have as a reference. I've already found myself taking pictures of her words to share with friends in moments when my own words don't feel fully adequate.

Just beautiful and would be a meaningful present for anyone who has a daughter or is a daughter.

As my daughter grows and we let her fly more and more, I know there will be times when I’m feeling so many things that I need concrete words to channel those feelings. And this book is just that.

Whether you consider yourself religious or non religious, spiritual or not, whatever your politics, and for anyone in between... If you love a little girl in your life, get this book.

It’s divided into prayers for:
✨relationships
✨embodiment
✨spirituality
✨womanhood
✨wholeness
✨justice
✨equality
✨milestones

There are prayers I hope I don’t need to use (for miscarriage and infant loss) and prayers I’m sure I’ll memorize as my daughter keeps growing (for curiosity, for raising her voice, for handling peer pressure).

✨One of my favorites is from the section on milestones- prayer for learning to walk: “…let me not caution her, as society is wont to do with our little girls, but encourage her strength and mastery. Let her hear me say ‘You can do it!’ far more than she hears me say ‘Be careful!’ May my daughter celebrate her accomplishment and marvel at her body. May I never forget the look on her face as she does. And may I see it a thousand more times in the years to come.” ✨

Shannon is a Catholic contemplative writer whose first book, Rewilding Motherhood, offers spiritual practices for the motherhood journey. In this book, Shannon shares “Feminist Prayers for My Daughter” in the categories of relationships, embodiment, spirituality, womanhood, wholeness, justice, equality, and milestones. With the renewed attention to contemplative prayers and spiritual formation, it’s surprising that this book is the first of its kind in its focus on prayers for mothers to say specifically for their daughters.

Each chapter begins with a new name to address God, such as “Everpresent Strength, “Marvelous Liberator”, and “Divine Releaser”. Some of the prayers I loved the most: prayers for a shame-free sexual ethic; for marriage partnership; for getting her butt in counseling; for seeing women lead in church; and for curiosity. I like that each prayer was brief, about one page, and I can see myself reaching for this book and meditating on each prayer as my daughter and I reach milestones in parenthood.

These prayers are from a particular spiritual leaning, so this book is best suited for readers who identify as spiritual, progressive, and, of course, feminist. If that fits you, even if you don’t have a daughter, you may love this book.

“Feminist Prayers for My Daughter” includes prayers and blessings for your daughter to live a life of freedom and flourishing—and for you in your reparenting.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

What an amazing book. The writing is poetic and carefully constructed and it beautifully reflects the full spectrum of a woman's life. I felt privileged to read this and immediately ordered a hard copy to have for my shelves.

This book is such a beautiful compilation of prayers lifting up and embracing women and girls. Shannon has such an incredible way with words and these prayers are stunning.

I do not have a daughter, but I prayed these prayers for the girls and young women at my church, and I prayed them for myself, for the girl inside of me who needed to hear them. A few of my favorite lines:

"May she give her body permission to be whatever size it needs to be.
May she believe her voice is important to be heard.
May she be certain that her demands are reasonable and that her desires point her to you.
May my daughter refuse to make her life small.
May she always take up space."

"Thank you for the women who came before:
the ones who silently guide my daughter,
the ones who pray for her,
the ones who protect her,
the ones on whose shoulders she stands."

"Give her women to look to.
Give her an imagination for what could be.
Give her the hope of a future yet unseen.
Give my daughter role models who are worthy of her."