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Hardcover
Publisher: HarperOne
ISBN13: 9780060663261
Condition: NEW
Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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"During the past few years, various friends have asked me, 'What do you mean when you speak about the spiritual life?' Every time this question has come up, I have wished I had a small and simple book which could offer the beginning of a response. I have felt that there was a place for a text that could be read within a few hours and could not only explain what the spiritual life is but also create a desire to live it. This feeling caused me to write Making All Things New..." "The beginning of the spiritual life is often difficult not only because the powers which cause us to worry are so strong but also because the presence of God's Spirit seems barely noticeable. If, however, we are willing to live a life of prayer and practice the disciplines of solitude and community, a new hunger will make itself known. This new hunger is the first sign of God's presence. When we remain attentive to this divine presence, we will be led always deeper into the kingdom. There, to our joyful surprise, we will discover that the power of our worries is weakening and all things are being made new."
- -from Making All Things New
Making All Things New: An Invitation to the Spiritual Life by Henri Nouwen is a short, clean, clear book about how to begin finding the peace of mind to hear the voice of God. The book's epigraph, from Mark, is anchored in Jesus' words: "Do not worry." Nouwen acknowledges that worry is so ingrained in many people's daily lives that it seems to be an integral part of positive achievement and self-protection. Yet he explains, with devastating directness, the destructive effects of busy-ness and its attendant habit of worrying, then shows how Jesus responds to these worries, and finally describes some disciplines that "can cause our worries slowly to lose their grip on us, and which can thus allow the Spirit of God to do his recreating work." Nouwen's voice sounds like that of the mentor or spiritual director that many people have always wished for: his authority stems from a talent for realistic comfort rather than forceful coercion. So when he writes the following words, it's eminently possible to believe him: A hard struggle is required.... But this struggle is not beyond our strength. It calls from some very specific, well-planned steps. It calls for a few moments a day in the presence of God when we can listen to his voice precisely in the midst of our many concerns. It also calls for the persistent endeavor to be with others in a new way by seeing them not as people to whom we can cling in fear, but as fellow human beings with whom we can create new space for God. --Michael Joseph Gross
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| Making All Things New |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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What a great little book. Reminding us to slow down and to take in what is important. To make time for Jesus in our lives.
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| making all things new |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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very insightful for people who worry! who does not worry? as long as we are still human being, we worry all the time. but Nouwen gives a balanced explanation about worry and use it as a useful step toward a spiritual life, to feel and experience God's presence and grow in it, which resulted in being able to present ourselves to others in community. Community of worry will become community of Kingdom of God. JBP.
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| Making All Things New |
| Customer Rating: 4 out of 5 |
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An enjoyable introduction to the spiritual life. while it may seem a bit basic for well read Nouwen fans, we often need to return to basics. Certainly this book has an abundance of foundational insights. Blessings
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| A Must Have |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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This book by my favorite religious author is a must have for anyone interested in creating a life based upon solid Christian teachings. It's written in Nouwen's wonderfully readable, understandable style yet contains his usual keen spiritual insight.
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| One of Nouwen's Best |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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In this book, Nouwen writes that the key to living a spiritual life is by understanding the difference between being busy and being fulfilled. In our modern life, he writes, "There is always something else we should have remembered, done or said...Thus, although we are very busy, we also have a lingering feeling of never really fulfilling our obligations."
The solution is not a change of place, or partner, or promise. The solution lies in a change of heart. Nouwen suggests making your priorities the engine of your actions, rather than your actions the engine of your priorities. Making your spiritual center your true center will go a long way toward making your life fulfilling, rather than just full.
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