Rick Hamlin says he doesn’t consider himself an expert on prayer, even though he’s written several books and articles about it. His focus on writing about prayer comes from the desire to improve in his own prayer life and sharing what he’s learned with others. Even Silence is Praise is a book on prayerful meditation, praying not with words but in silence, carving time out of your day not just to talk to God but to listen to see what they are saying in response.

Since it is based on Hamlin’s personal attempts to improve his spiritual life and draw closer to God, Even Silence is Praise is a deeply personal book, almost a memoir at times, as Hamlin shares his own prayers and practices in his life. In one chapter, he tells readers to try to focus on one word—God, sin, Christ, Lord, strength, rest, soul, wait, heart…you get the idea—and just see where your thoughts go on that meditative and contemplative journey. Other chapters focus on self-awareness and using silence as a time to take introspective inventory of ourselves.

Silence can be the mark of comfort in a friendship. You don’t always have to talk to fill the silence because the silence isn’t awkward. You are free to just be with each other, alongside one another, experiencing life together. He talks about taking the train home from work and a neighbor sitting down next to them, completely engrossed into something she was listening to. When she realized she was sitting next to someone she knew, she did the polite thing you’d not do for a stranger—take the earbuds off and chat pleasantly about whatever. Instead, he told her “Why don’t you keep listening to your book? We can talk starting at the 145th St. stop.” He noticed and respected her need for silence. In the same way, your relationship with God doesn’t have to be all talk. Be willing to sit in the silence.

Each chapter ends with a Meditative Moment, urging readers toward some practical activity that expressing the content of the chapter. Some of them can be a bit unnerving at first, it’s so different from the active go-go-go mentality we have in society, but they’re all useful and compelling and peaceful. This section is the meat of the book, helping readers put into practice the lessons learned in the chapter.

Even Silence in Praise is a beautiful exploration of the value of silence, calling readers inward into the inner life of faith to worship God with their imagination, their playfulness, and their silence. Harlin gives readers a new way to communicate with God, one that is fully embodied and rich in meaning and purpose. The mystical element of faith is one often lacking in today’s rational Western Christianity. Hamlin captures some of that mysticism and invites readers into an unfamiliar but empowering way of seeking the Divine.