Generally speaking, the prayers here expose King’s own wounds as a source of healing for all who feel tested by life’s trials and who seek sustenance, reaffirmation, and renewal. These prayers are really a blessing, especially for those persons of faith who believe in the possibilities and reality of what King called “divine companionship.” They are prayers that warm the reader’s heart during the dark days of doubt, and they also brighten the quest for faith, meaning, identity, and community.

Excerpted from,"Thou, Dear God”: Prayers that Open Hearts and Minds, by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., (Beacon Press, 2011). Reprinted with permission from Beacon Press.