The Inner Voice of Love by Henri Nouwen

This little gem of a book, written by a priest, is his personal journal during the most difficult period of his life.  In a nutshell, the man had taught in universities for many years and had recently become a member of L'Arche, a community of men and women with mental disabilities - a place of vulnerable people who loved him, cared for him, appreciated him, and admired him.  To him it felt like "coming home".  And then it happened...

"The anguish completely paralyzed me.  I could no longer sleep.  I cried uncontrollably for hours.  I could not be reached by consoling words or arguments.  I no longer had any interest in other people's problems.  I lost all appetite for food and could not appreciate the beauty of music, art, or even nature.  All had become darkness....  All of this was triggered by a sudden interruption of a friendship....  I had gradually let go of many of my inner guards and opened my heart more fully to others.  Among my many friends, one had been able to touch me in a way I had never been touched before....  It was a totally new experience for me, and it brought immense joy and peace.  It seemed as if a door of my interior life had been opened, a door that had remained locked during my youth and most of my adult life.  But this deeply satisfying friendship became the road to my anguish, because soon I discovered that the enormous space that had been opened for me could not be filled by the one who had opened it.... and when the friendship had to be interrupted, I fell apart."

The subtitle of the book "A Journey Through Anguish to Freedom" is an accurate, though limited, description of the book's contents.  This is a book about understanding the importance of grasping our true identity in Christ and walking by faith, resulting in healthy, mutually beneficial relationships - things greatly lacking in the church today.  The tricky part for me is that he uses words and phrases that are very unfamiliar to my ears.  Stay tuned for my endeavor to personalize truth while translating portions of his book into my native language.