The title of my friend’s book intrigued me: His Comfort of Silence. After all, I had journeyed from a place of silence to one where I use my recovered voice for professional writing and speaking. I wondered how silence could comfort and was delighted that Eriko Nancy Valk, Ph.D., had asked me to edit her manuscript.

I met Eriko four years ago when she first inquired about my writing services. We connected almost immediately and became friends. I knew she had conquered challenges including hearing impairment to become the founder of Liberty Path, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides Christian counseling and therapy. But I had no idea how she had developed such a close relationship with God and such a deep compassion for hurting people until I read her memoir, which she just released in 2015.

In His Comfort of Silence, Eriko shares her gripping story of abuse and deafness, the descent into alcoholism, and the light that led her on the path to freedom. Never before had I been so eager to turn the page of a story I was editing to found out what happens next. I came to know more about Eriko than I ever had, and I knew that I would not be the only reader moved by her transparency.

Little by little, Eriko’s words stir hope and wonder in everyone who reads them. What a testimony of God’s miracle-working power on the journey to recovery from emotional pain! She truly is a life transformed and anointed to help facilitate freedom and transformation in others’ lives.

Anyone who reads His Comfort of Silence will find chain-breaking truth and guiding wisdom. Whether you are completely broken or have already experienced a level of healing, this book will open your eyes even more to the only thing—the only One—who can mend life’s deepest wounds. You will also see the compassion, love, and mercy of the God of grace and forgiveness woven throughout Eriko’s story.

Her testimony inspired me, and I have no doubt that it will inspire you to overcome limitations, negative experiences, and seemingly impossible odds to fulfill God’s unique plan for your life. God’s plan is far beyond what we imagine. May the light that shines through the pages of this book lead you along your own liberty path—a path where every hurt is redeemed and repurposed for your good, the good of others, and God’s glory.

Now I have a greater understanding of and appreciation for the silence that comforts. It’s not a silence that takes away your voice, but a quiet that allows you to speak even when you cannot hear! I hope you will read His Comfort of Silence and experience the incredible comfort that comes when the lies that have plagued you are finally silenced!

To celebrate Book Lover’s Day on August 9, I will be giving away a free copy of His Comfort of Silence. For a chance to win this incredible account of God’s healing power, please share the title of your favorite book on healing by commenting on my blog below or by emailing me by the end of the day on August 8. Your name will be entered in a drawing, and I will select and announce the winner on Book Lover’s Day.

Happy reading!