Henri J Nouwen is rightfully acknowledged as one of the great spiritual writers of the 20th century. The Inner Voice of Love is his diary of spiritual imperatives, which he penned in order to teach his own soul. In Nouwen’s other writings he shared openly about his struggles to love and trust. As we see in this slim volume, these fears were probably rooted in a painful birth and early traumatic memories.
The chapters are short, containing one spiritual imperative for each topic, such as fear, rejection, friendship, pain, identity and calling. They won’t speak deeply to everyone, but could be a lifeline to those who are testing and examining the love of the Father while wondering how to love and accept themselves as children of God.
As the introduction recommends, it’s a book to read slowly, for too much salt will spoil a meal, but a little can make it tasty.
AMY BOUCHER PYE is the author of Finding Myself in Britain: Our Search for Faith, Home & True Identity (Authentic)
