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He Speaks in the Silence: Finding Intimacy with God by Learning to Listen
He Speaks in the Silence is the story of Diane Comer’s search for the kind of intimacy with God every woman longs for.
Disappointed with all Diane had been told was supposed to fulfill her, she begged God in desperation to give her more. And He did. But first He took her through a trial so debilitating it almost destroyed what little faith she had. He let her go deaf.
Like so many Christians, Diane thought she’d signed up for the “wonderful plan for your life” and deafness certainly didn’t fit her idea of a wonderful life for a pastor’s wife and young mother. Using vivid parallels between her deafness and every woman’s struggle to hear God, this book reveals how Diane learned to listen to God, finding intimacy with her Savior and the deep soul satisfaction she—and every reader—longs for.
Disappointed with all Diane had been told was supposed to fulfill her, she begged God in desperation to give her more. And He did. But first He took her through a trial so debilitating it almost destroyed what little faith she had. He let her go deaf.
Like so many Christians, Diane thought she’d signed up for the “wonderful plan for your life” and deafness certainly didn’t fit her idea of a wonderful life for a pastor’s wife and young mother. Using vivid parallels between her deafness and every woman’s struggle to hear God, this book reveals how Diane learned to listen to God, finding intimacy with her Savior and the deep soul satisfaction she—and every reader—longs for.
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First published January 5, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
June 2, 2018
I think it was back in 2012 when I first read Diane's blog while occasionally attending Solid Rock Church, which her son, author John Mark Comer, and her husband started in Portland. Her wisdom in her writing was apparent but life moved on (and so did I, to Seattle and eventually Texas), so I forgot about the blog until I heard about Diane's book late last year. From the title, I thought it would be more of a manual for ushering in a quiet atmosphere for listening to God but this was only a very small portion of the actual book. Instead, the bulk is about Diane's difficult journey of progressive deafness that started when she was only twenty-six years old. A self-proclaimed "good girl", Diane's faith in God was rocked to the core when her formula of obeying God to attain his blessings didn't quite match up to reality. Why was she losing her hearing and becoming increasingly unable to communicate with her family, friends, and community? She was a worship pastor's wife and checked all the boxes for being a "good Christian". But through this journey, she learned deep truths of God's faithfulness even when life does not end up anything like we think it should and saw her own sin and legalism, ways she was deaf to God's voice. Her honesty about her anger against God and how she came thisclose to abandoning her faith was powerful. Her encouragement for others battling similar circumstances was inspiring. Her Scripture-saturated beautifully-penned prose was a delight to read. I deeply appreciated Diane's honesty in this journey, especially as she realized the blessings of not being able to hear. I shed tears as I read about the pain of not being able to hear her children talk about the big and little things of their day, not being able to follow along in conversations because of brash background noise picked up by hearing aides, and not understanding the words of her son's sermons as she tried to read his lips during church services. I cannot fathom who difficult it is to live without hearing and this book helped me understand the struggles of the deaf community a bit more. But as she drew near to the One who loved her through it all, she experienced the blessing of what she had previously only seen as a curse: the silence she experienced was a conduit for learning to listen to God in a way she never knew possible. Diane's blog is a great way to read a bit about her if you are interested in the book!
“To choose surrender is to choose something better than control, better than the perfectly manicured life. To choose surrender and all the messiness that goes with it is to choose to sit at Jesus’ feet in unfettered abandon, to hear and understand the better thing that each of us so desperately needs.”
“To choose surrender is to choose something better than control, better than the perfectly manicured life. To choose surrender and all the messiness that goes with it is to choose to sit at Jesus’ feet in unfettered abandon, to hear and understand the better thing that each of us so desperately needs.”
June 21, 2017
This is not a review for the broad public. It is the personal testimony of a lesson God has taught me through this book. On picking it up, I had asked God to teach me something through it, and that is what He did.
Diane Comer tells the story of how God used her deafness to teach her to trust him ... in all circumstances. He frees her from the good-girl syndrome, from the idea that you can force God to answer your prayers by being good. He teaches her that he doesn't care about appearances, but looks at the heart. Knowing this, she learns to be transparent and honest with God, because she now understands the concept of grace and unconditional love. She understands the meaning of the word blessed; it is not a synonym for happy, but it means to be fully satisfied.
All of this is wonderful, but for me it wasn't anything new. It was simply an encouraging affirmation, seeing as I had gone through many of the same processes and was glad to hear of similar experiences. But I wanted more. I had asked God to teach me something, not to encourage me. I wanted the imperative, not the affirmative.
It was then that God spoke to me. I was sitting in the mosque, trying to understand as much as possible of the Turkish sermon using the little Turkmen that I knew and the Arabic words I recognized every now and then. It was no different than the last three times: understand a lot so that you can ask thought-provoking questions afterwards.
But the day before, I had read in He Speaks In The Silence, how Diane learns to listen to people's hearts instead of people's words and pray accordingly. Suddenly the drone of Turkish words became unimportant and I started to ask myself what God thought of the sheikh, of the imam, of the man sitting next to me. God gave me a glimpse of selfless compassion. Instead of trying to bring people to think critically by asking questions I thought were good, I learned to bring God into this place by praying for these people and commiting them into God's hand. I learned to serve not just through speaking but through being silent. That doesn't mean that I will not spread the gospel, but that I am also ready to keep quiet and let God work.
I don't know what God will teach you through this book. Ask him. He will show you.
Diane Comer tells the story of how God used her deafness to teach her to trust him ... in all circumstances. He frees her from the good-girl syndrome, from the idea that you can force God to answer your prayers by being good. He teaches her that he doesn't care about appearances, but looks at the heart. Knowing this, she learns to be transparent and honest with God, because she now understands the concept of grace and unconditional love. She understands the meaning of the word blessed; it is not a synonym for happy, but it means to be fully satisfied.
All of this is wonderful, but for me it wasn't anything new. It was simply an encouraging affirmation, seeing as I had gone through many of the same processes and was glad to hear of similar experiences. But I wanted more. I had asked God to teach me something, not to encourage me. I wanted the imperative, not the affirmative.
It was then that God spoke to me. I was sitting in the mosque, trying to understand as much as possible of the Turkish sermon using the little Turkmen that I knew and the Arabic words I recognized every now and then. It was no different than the last three times: understand a lot so that you can ask thought-provoking questions afterwards.
But the day before, I had read in He Speaks In The Silence, how Diane learns to listen to people's hearts instead of people's words and pray accordingly. Suddenly the drone of Turkish words became unimportant and I started to ask myself what God thought of the sheikh, of the imam, of the man sitting next to me. God gave me a glimpse of selfless compassion. Instead of trying to bring people to think critically by asking questions I thought were good, I learned to bring God into this place by praying for these people and commiting them into God's hand. I learned to serve not just through speaking but through being silent. That doesn't mean that I will not spread the gospel, but that I am also ready to keep quiet and let God work.
I don't know what God will teach you through this book. Ask him. He will show you.
September 27, 2019
This was one of the most beautiful books that I read this year. It is a book that I will come back to time and time again...one of the most profound truths that we can learn in our Christian walk is that we hear God's still small voice when everything around us is silenced. Diane, thank you for sharing your story and inviting God to speak through your life.
March 30, 2019
4.5 stars
Wow, what an inspiring story! Raw, bitter, powerful, beautiful, He Speaks in the Silence: Finding Intimacy with God by Learning to Listen told the story of the author, Diane Comer, losing her hearing as a young pastor's wife & mother, and almost losing her faith. The ending brought tears to my eyes.
I'm glad my aunt lent this book to me. It was a blessing!
Wow, what an inspiring story! Raw, bitter, powerful, beautiful, He Speaks in the Silence: Finding Intimacy with God by Learning to Listen told the story of the author, Diane Comer, losing her hearing as a young pastor's wife & mother, and almost losing her faith. The ending brought tears to my eyes.
I'm glad my aunt lent this book to me. It was a blessing!
January 15, 2023
An encouraging testimony of how one woman encountered God’s goodness and nearness on the other side of broken expectations. A good read!
Principle: God might not take away your ailment, and yet he’ll give you himself and that will be enough.
Principle: Hearing God is as much or more about quieting your inner noise as it is finding a quiet environment.
Principle: God might not take away your ailment, and yet he’ll give you himself and that will be enough.
Principle: Hearing God is as much or more about quieting your inner noise as it is finding a quiet environment.
January 21, 2026
I wish it was heavier on the memoir and lighter on the biblical teaching. I felt like the spiritual truths she was trying to teach were most profound from her personal stories. However, she had such a powerful story and I overall loved the book.
December 21, 2025
Such a beautiful story. Challenging and raw. Recommend!
February 7, 2018
Wow. I read this book in twenty-four hours. Besides waxing preachy (repetitiously) throughout the book a little too often for my taste, I thoroughly enjoyed this read. To hear the story from the perspective of a woman who had such a remarkable and emotionally painful experience, and yet read how she surrendered her life to God... just, wow.
This is a story of a woman who, at the age of 26, began going deaf for no apparent reason. She was married with several little children, and her husband was the worship pastor at their church. Being a Christian, she asked God to heal her physically with much quotation and Scripture references of the Bible. After attending a prayer meeting one night, Diane audibly heard God say He would NOT heal her. And yet... As she heard God say no, she also felt His love more than she'd ever felt in her life, and she heard God comfort her and say "It's okay." I'm butchering the moment here; she tells it much better. The remainder is her coming to grips with her lack of control in life, her emotional roller coaster through steadily going deaf, and how she learned to hear what God was really saying when the noise of the chaos was turned way down, and eventually off. She was finally able to slow her thoughts down and hear the real, authentic whisper of God that is so often missed in today's chaotic world. What intrigues me also about this book is the idea that all too often we think we have the right answers, the right questions, the right knowledge, can quote a verse at the drop of a hat. But are we really, really listening? I was actually searching for a book with the word "silence" in the title, having found God to be silent on some things that I've been praying about for years... This book has totally rejuvenated my faith in HIS GOODNESS!!! (You think it would do the opposite!). A beautiful literary contribution to today's timeless debate of: "Is God still good when life is hard?" Diane's answer would be a resounding, rejoicing "YES!"
This is a story of a woman who, at the age of 26, began going deaf for no apparent reason. She was married with several little children, and her husband was the worship pastor at their church. Being a Christian, she asked God to heal her physically with much quotation and Scripture references of the Bible. After attending a prayer meeting one night, Diane audibly heard God say He would NOT heal her. And yet... As she heard God say no, she also felt His love more than she'd ever felt in her life, and she heard God comfort her and say "It's okay." I'm butchering the moment here; she tells it much better. The remainder is her coming to grips with her lack of control in life, her emotional roller coaster through steadily going deaf, and how she learned to hear what God was really saying when the noise of the chaos was turned way down, and eventually off. She was finally able to slow her thoughts down and hear the real, authentic whisper of God that is so often missed in today's chaotic world. What intrigues me also about this book is the idea that all too often we think we have the right answers, the right questions, the right knowledge, can quote a verse at the drop of a hat. But are we really, really listening? I was actually searching for a book with the word "silence" in the title, having found God to be silent on some things that I've been praying about for years... This book has totally rejuvenated my faith in HIS GOODNESS!!! (You think it would do the opposite!). A beautiful literary contribution to today's timeless debate of: "Is God still good when life is hard?" Diane's answer would be a resounding, rejoicing "YES!"
June 4, 2018
Excellent narrative. I loved how blunt she was with the reader. The story she tells is beyond what i could imagine, but it is truly one to read.
May 4, 2016
Do you struggle to listen, truly listen to God without distractions or competing with your internal voice? This book truly changed the way I thought about listening to God and hearing his voice clearly.
Can you imagine living in a world where you cannot participate in group discussions, or even comprehend them? How humbling would it be for people to think you are odd or overlook you completely because they marginalize your hearing disability? When you read this book and put yourself in the author's shoes, it is a very lowly place indeed. But I guess we could all use a little experience in putting ourselves last and seeking to listen for true meaning instead of focusing on expressing ourselves to feel important. I was angry along with the author for her experiences and losses yet intrigued how God would redeem her suffering.
The most thought provoking part of this book is how God led the author to a new type of prayer life, one where she didn't even need to ask others how to pray for them but allowed the HS to reveal to her what needed to be prayed.
To sum this one up: Honest, revealing and challenging. Thanks to Tara for passing it along.
Can you imagine living in a world where you cannot participate in group discussions, or even comprehend them? How humbling would it be for people to think you are odd or overlook you completely because they marginalize your hearing disability? When you read this book and put yourself in the author's shoes, it is a very lowly place indeed. But I guess we could all use a little experience in putting ourselves last and seeking to listen for true meaning instead of focusing on expressing ourselves to feel important. I was angry along with the author for her experiences and losses yet intrigued how God would redeem her suffering.
The most thought provoking part of this book is how God led the author to a new type of prayer life, one where she didn't even need to ask others how to pray for them but allowed the HS to reveal to her what needed to be prayed.
To sum this one up: Honest, revealing and challenging. Thanks to Tara for passing it along.
January 19, 2016
The author of this book is a truly amazing woman who loves God and serves others in a genuine and loving manner. I feel blessed to have meet her and to currently be in her book club (about her book) during which she talks about her struggles and encourages women to be honest and open about their own battles.
I appreciated the vulnerability Diane demonstrates in this book as she shares her struggles with losing her hearing and her feelings towards God as she goes through this difficult time. She writes about the impact that her hearing loss has on her relationships (especially with her family) and life in general as she takes walks and goes to the grocery store in a world where sound can no longer be deciphered. Eventually she comes to a place of knowing that she will be okay despite her hearing loss and she is able to find a new level of intimacy with God in her silent world.
I appreciated the vulnerability Diane demonstrates in this book as she shares her struggles with losing her hearing and her feelings towards God as she goes through this difficult time. She writes about the impact that her hearing loss has on her relationships (especially with her family) and life in general as she takes walks and goes to the grocery store in a world where sound can no longer be deciphered. Eventually she comes to a place of knowing that she will be okay despite her hearing loss and she is able to find a new level of intimacy with God in her silent world.
July 11, 2016
When Diane Comer begged God to deepen her spiritual life and walk with Christ, she had not idea that God would choose to speak in the silence of her early onset deafness. Not to be able to hear her children, not to hear her husband preach or whisper words of love, not to hear the phone or the doorbell--birdsong, the rustle of wind in the trees, or myriad other sounds we take so much for granted: in that silence God drew Diane to Himself in a tender way--and she found herself running to Him as never before.
Reading someone's testimony when life is grand and good is one thing, but reading a story of hardship, yet victory adds new depth and significance. Diane Comer's testimony is that God turned her ashes into beauty and gave her a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness. Her life, her story, her book gives glory to the Father, the One Who Speaks in Silence.
Reading someone's testimony when life is grand and good is one thing, but reading a story of hardship, yet victory adds new depth and significance. Diane Comer's testimony is that God turned her ashes into beauty and gave her a garment of praise for a spirit of heaviness. Her life, her story, her book gives glory to the Father, the One Who Speaks in Silence.
November 14, 2016
I enjoyed Diane Comer's story of her journey into deafness, and what God taught her in the midst of it. I think there's some valuable stuff in here, about what it means to listen to God in a very noisy world, about what it means to be a rule follower, and about what it means to express raw emotion over our trials in life. While the intended audience is women, I feel like there's more than enough here for anyone to pick it up.
I heard most of this content from Diane directly, when she spoke at a conference I attended. I think I enjoyed her speaking presentation a little bit more than the book. She is a good writer, but she does tend to repeat herself a bit here and there. It's a minor criticism in otherwise worthwhile read.
I can't imagine what it must have been like to experience this. I am grateful that Diane wrote her story down so that others could learn from it.
I heard most of this content from Diane directly, when she spoke at a conference I attended. I think I enjoyed her speaking presentation a little bit more than the book. She is a good writer, but she does tend to repeat herself a bit here and there. It's a minor criticism in otherwise worthwhile read.
I can't imagine what it must have been like to experience this. I am grateful that Diane wrote her story down so that others could learn from it.
February 15, 2018
This book was not what I was expecting when I picked it up. I found it to be an interesting story. It is a good example of God being with us, even when He doesn't answer prayers the way we want. However, at the same time, I feel like the author somehow glossed over something. I felt a little detached or held at arm's length in some way. It seemed almost too well packaged. It is very insightful and there are some interesting ideas of how to relate to God.
April 23, 2018
Wow, what an amazing and capturing book. The first chapter had me in tears. I read it and devoured it. Choosing to dig in and listen to the lord, to figure out life is hard on it’s own...to add loosing your hearing and have to think of different ways to connect or even do normal life, I can’t imagine. Diane wrote this beautifully and articulated her life journey with this so well: I highly recommend this read- go buy it!!!!
February 9, 2016
One of the best books I've read in a long time. If you are looking to draw closer to God and to hear His voice read this book! It will change transform your prayer life and the way you read The Bible. I am fortunate to attend Diane's church and had the privilege of going to a 4-week book study on this book. Her messages were excellent and are available by podcast at westsideajc.org.
March 10, 2016
Diane tells her story and shares her heart beautifully.
Diane shares her story of losing her hearing, and how she learned to hear God's voice. Her story is an encouragement to all of us as we seek to know God and hear Him speak to us.
Diane shares her story of losing her hearing, and how she learned to hear God's voice. Her story is an encouragement to all of us as we seek to know God and hear Him speak to us.
June 15, 2016
A Spiritual Journey Awaits
A journey of heart, mind and soul! Be prepared to reevaluate your every waking thought. Laughter, tears , moments of doubt, emotional turmoil and awakenings are to be expected. Listen well and He will speak to you.
A journey of heart, mind and soul! Be prepared to reevaluate your every waking thought. Laughter, tears , moments of doubt, emotional turmoil and awakenings are to be expected. Listen well and He will speak to you.
July 27, 2016
This book was such an inspiration and a much-needed reminder that God will never forsake those who love him. When things get tough, I hope I can look back at the memory of reading this book and remember to just let it go and have trust in He who is much greater than I am.
August 30, 2017
Diane has a really unique style that I enjoyed. She writes in such a way where she tells her story, while also providing pictures of how God met her in the midst of her struggle with going deaf. I have already recommended this to a friend to read as well!
October 5, 2017
Fantastic read.
Learning to hear God speak to you, while you are learning you're going deaf! I'm sorry, I think I'd be screaming in my head too much, to hear Him. And as a young mother. Truly a story of courage, perseverance, and quiet determination.
Recommend it to all!
Learning to hear God speak to you, while you are learning you're going deaf! I'm sorry, I think I'd be screaming in my head too much, to hear Him. And as a young mother. Truly a story of courage, perseverance, and quiet determination.
Recommend it to all!
May 28, 2018
Diane’s story is one anyone can relate to. We all have times of doubt and anger with God, waiting for Him to fix our problems for us. Thank you Diane for sharing your struggles so we can learn to slow down and listen.
February 3, 2016
Beautifully written, encouraging story, & easy to read. I would totally recommend it to anyone and everyone!
March 11, 2016
Diane shares her story of losing her hearing, and how she learned to hear God's voice. Her story is an encouragement to all of us as we seek to know God and hear Him speak to us.
December 3, 2016
Deeply moving, deeply honest, deeply spiritual book! Easy to read and hard to put down.
March 20, 2017
Such a beautiful perspective of losing one's hearing and using the silence to be close to God.
January 3, 2018
Loved his book!!
January 19, 2018
i loved this book. we have to learn to listen to God in the silence.
March 6, 2018
Fascinating book! I wanted to read this because I really want to learn how to listen to God. I'm so grateful for Diane's wisdom and the insights that she reveals in this book!
February 9, 2025
This book was so good. It strikes the perfect balance between faith, trust, and reality—it’s not overly self-helpy, but it also doesn’t fall into the prosperity gospel trap. Instead, it offers a grounded, honest perspective on what it means to rely on God while acknowledging that sometimes the answer to our prayers is no.
I really appreciated how the author doesn’t just offer feel-good platitudes but instead explores the deeper question: What do you do when God’s plan doesn’t match your expectations? How do you continue walking with Him daily, even when life isn’t unfolding the way you hoped? The book is both encouraging and challenging, offering practical wisdom without ever feeling preachy.
If you’re looking for a faith-based book that’s real, thoughtful, and rooted in trust rather than easy answers, I highly recommend this one.
I really appreciated how the author doesn’t just offer feel-good platitudes but instead explores the deeper question: What do you do when God’s plan doesn’t match your expectations? How do you continue walking with Him daily, even when life isn’t unfolding the way you hoped? The book is both encouraging and challenging, offering practical wisdom without ever feeling preachy.
If you’re looking for a faith-based book that’s real, thoughtful, and rooted in trust rather than easy answers, I highly recommend this one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews