Book excerpt: When God Is Silent shows you how to trust God even when He seems unresponsive and remote — even when, as in the famous incident in the Gospels, He seems to sleep while you are buffeted by the storms of life. Author Luis Martinez quotes that beautiful line from the Song of Songs — “I sleep, but my heart is awake” — and confirms that with Jesus this is indeed the case: His love for you never sleeps, no matter what. Martinez shows how you can make better sense of your life once you realize that God has actually been closest to you when He seemed farthest away; and once you learn why He often speaks to you only in silence. Best of all, Martinez teaches you the secret of true happiness, which you can achieve even amid the troubles that are inescapable elements of every human life. With sober realism and simple faith, this book will show you how to discover — and then to take refuge in — the comfort our Lord offers you, even when He seems to sleep. “A powerful masterpiece. A great gem of Catholic spirituality.” Fr. Benedict Groeschel Author, Arise from Darkness “Anyone who wants to progress in prayer or who seeks to get past blockages in spiritual growth will find graceful help here.” Bert Ghezzi Author, Getting Free “In the silence of Christ’s sleep, we can learn the silence of charity, cultivate the silence of discretion, experience the interior silence of contemplation, and so find peace.” Donna Steichen Author, Prodigal Daughters Learn to get through the times when God seems distant, as you discover: Silence: why it’s essential for all real gr0wth in the spiritual lifeWhy Jesus must seem to sleep in order to refine your love and purify your soulJesus’ thirty “hidden years”: the important lessons they hold for your life todayWhy worry? Two common reasons why people do worry — and remedies for eachA simple, effective, and gentle procedure for becoming holy in your daily lifePrudence: why it’s one of the most difficult — and most important — virtues that you must acquire while Jesus sleepsThe three paths to spiritual peace: are you taking them? Do you know what they are?Two times that Jesus grieved — and what He meant to teach you in eachThree surprising things that promote your spiritual welfare — if you know how to use themHow the presence of Jesus in your life can transform your experience of sufferingThe medicine of the spiritual life: why it must often be bitterAnd much more that will help you endure the storms of your life with confidence that even as Jesus sleeps, He cares for you!