As I was reading The Return of the Prodigal Son earlier this summer, my husband was reading this book of prayers by Nouwen. there were a couple of mornings when he’d read something aloud to me and I knew this would be my next contemplative nonfiction pick. I had to force myself to go slowly through this because each of the prayers is only a page or two long. It would have been easy to zip through this without giving it a whole lot of thought. Instead, I read only 1-2 prayers per day, often reading them more than once and letting the author’s words simmer in my soul.

Nouwen is one of my favorite writers of spiritual nonfiction. His work is self-revealing and reflective. He takes a hard look at himself, his faults, his failures, his insecurities, and then always points himself back to being beloved by God. I always find myself relating to his doubts and questions, inspired by his conclusions, and challenged by his prayers.

For any and all of us who find ourselves wanting to cut and run when life gets hard, when things don't go our way, or we are in a space of discomfort, Here by Lydia Sohn is for us.

This was a solid Christian nonfiction read, full of personal anecdotes and the truth of the love of God.