“Every time you listen with great attentiveness to the voice that calls you the Beloved, you will discover within yourself a desire to hear that voice longer and more deeply. It is like discovering a well in the desert. Once you have touched wet ground, you want to dig deeper.”

In characteristic Nouwen fashion, there is a great deal of wisdom here. I found the epilogue especially interesting, in which he acknowledges that the book failed for its intended audience (secular people) and it seemed that only spiritual people could derive value from it. I wonder if that continues to be true today, some decades after this little volume was published.

This was a 4 until I got to the chapter “Given” after which it became a 5.

Then I read the last chapter, “Life of the Beloved” which alone is a 10. Yes, I know the rating only goes to 5.

I don’t think things will be the same after this.

A wonderful gem.

So much highlighting done in this book. These are the kind of passages I need painted on the walls of my house. Henri is honest and loving in his musings about how God thinks of us. This is an incredibly fulfilling and uplifting read

n   When we keep claiming the light, we will find ourselves becoming more and more radiant. n

I was talking with a friend recently about the tumult of life, how it can frustrate and embitter. You can spiral into depression when you feel you have no control or power to affect your own life. It is critical to ground your life in something immutable or you will be jerked around by constant change. Henri Nouwen shares in this slim letter the root of his own resilience. In a world that shouts you are no good, you are ugly, you are worthless, you are despicable, you are nobody, where you even reject yourself, it can be hard to hear what Nouwen calls n  the most intimate truth of all human beings - that you are beloved by God.n

I thought this book might be too simplistic but the more I read it, the more it's simple truths resonated with me. This book is for you if you're looking for someone to give voice to the struggle of feeling unwanted, even if you don't necessarily believe in God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit (note this is not a book that directly preaches the Gospel so don't expect that). It is also for you if you need a reminder that you are very much wanted and how to help others feel wanted too. It may not be for you if you can't push past the almost too self aware writing style. If you pick this up and find it full of Christian terms that are not relatable, I'd say that's the opportunity for us to have a fascinating conversation.

To kick start the conversation, below are some of the ideas in this book I found valuable. SPOILER ALERT!

Being beloved is one thing, but becoming the beloved is another matter altogether. It means that everything we think, say or do is rooted in feeling securely loved. That sounds ridiculously impossible to do all the time. Nouwen says the key to this is being taken/chosen, blessed, broken, and given.

Nouwen points out that when one person is chosen, another person often feels rejected. However when God chooses to love you, Instead of excluding others, it includes others. Instead of rejecting others as less valuable, it accepts others in their own uniqueness. Instead of making us feel that we are better, more precious or valuable than others, our awareness of being chosen opens our eyes to the chosenness of others. Nouwen is convinced the first step to healing is not a step away from pain, but a step towards it. But our greatest fulfillment lies in giving ourselves to others. The real question is not "What can we offer each other?" but "Who can we be for each other?"

Eternal life then is the full revelation of what we have lived all along. Joy and suffering are aspects of the same phenomenon of being beloved, in the same way that extreme cold burns (quoting French philosopher Jacques Maritain). That is the secret to staying joyful, at peace and grounded no matter what you encounter in life or death.

I enjoyed a lot of this. Initially being drawn by Nouwen’s description to be “chosen”, I took a lot of insight this book.

There are a few themes that are pretty straightforward for one who is engulfed in a life filled with Catholic resources.

On another note, I really admire people who are able to see the good in something not too good. I am not one of those people. In fact, I tend to do the opposite in a lot of ways. I have some idea of how I perceive something to ideally be and blemishes mess up that perception.

I say all of that because I generally think there are pretty good passages throughout this book. Unfortunately, throughout there are a few “sussy” things that kind of turn me off this at times.

To Nouwen’s defense, his job is pretty difficult here. His job is to write about the spiritual life to a secular culture. He is putting in a lot of work to try and interact with an upside-down culture without giving up core principles that contradict what the culture says. I personally read it and believe that it’s slightly too far in the direction of the culture.

There are a few books a person reads in their lifetime that changes their life. This is one of them. In a clear, straightforward delivery, Nouwen provides his view on how to live life well. The principles are nothing new (know that you are beloved by God, give yourself to others, bless those you come in contact with), but Nouwen’s personal openness effected me like none of his other books that I have read. Written as a letter to a younger, secular Jew, the friendship shared, the struggles gone through and the respect for each other, provides a beautiful example of Nouwen living out his faith to a world that does not always want to engage in that faith. Do yourself a favor and read this book.

A great spiritual read, very easy and quick!

The message of this book is simple: we are called to live the life as beloved children of God! I found myself highlighting several passages in this book that are great words of affirmation for me to remember. No matter what happens in life, I am Gods Beloved, and by saying yes to this identity, I can live life fully! Yay!

This is a sincere telling of the abundant love that God has for mankind and how we can find fulfillment and purpose by seeing ourselves as Chosen, Blessed, Broken, and Given. It speaks to those who have already found themselves hungry for spiritual food.

The secular world that Fred lives in allows him to function and even prosper without God and that is His design. Followers of Christ know the richness of having our spiritual life but who can see color if they are blind? For me, Henri describes beautiful and intricate rainbows that were sweet balm for my soul but until a person has the light of their soul "turned on", they won't see the beauty- they cannot.

God chooses, yes, but we too have to make the choice to seek Him. We can come to that decision through a multitude of avenues with our mind and our heart or we can be knocked off our high horse by God himself when we least expect it.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was how Henri loved Fred and committed to a relationship despite their different spiritual perspectives. How easily I give up on people that don't share my passion for God! Henri pours love on Fred from his overflowing cup in every chapter.

Gentle and beautiful truths written in simple language. This book is a hug. It made me feel grateful to be living life with God!

Leant to me by one of the university chaplains. While certain insights make me interested to read more by Nouwen, this book didn't resonate with me. It just seemed aimed at a different audience - at one suffering from profound self-rejection and seeking approval; feelings which, I am thankful, do not apply to me. In relation to that comes the following quote, which particularly irked me, as it simply does not correpsond to my view of the world: "First of all, you have to keep unmasking the world about you for what it is: manipulative, controlling, power-hungry, and, in the long run, destructive." I acknowledge that the adjectives certainly apply in many contexts and circumstances. But I do not think they correspond to the world *unmasked* and *in the long run*. On the contrary.

This book sounds so much like my therapist, whom I hold in SUCH high regard— “you are beloved, you are chosen, you are blessed.”
Felt like a warm hug.
I think everyone should read this, ESPECIALLY those in ministry.