I am a sucker for Nouwen and this curated compilation of writings about a life of prayer was no exception. There were sections I had a difficult time connecting with, but by and large, very impactful.

There's no good reason this short collection of quotes should have taken me two months to read.

Really it comes down to two things - firstly, I am bad at meditation and so I am bad at digesting books like these that are just a grab bag of interesting thoughts. Hypothetically you ought to sit with it and think it over instead of just pushing through a chapter before bed. I like a narrative! An argument! So I wasn't super motivated with this one, despite how much I appreciate Nouwen's insight. Second, I am bad at prayer (which is maybe the same thing as being bad at meditation? Hmmm...) and so while Nouwen's broad display of thought makes a good argument for a "prayerful life" I still struggle to bring any of it to action. We can thank several long years of hardship and mistrust for that.

There's also something to be said about how much has come out about L'Arche and Vanier over the years that tempts me to put Nouwen a bit at arm's length. Luckily, it seems Nouwen wasn't connected to Vanier's abuse in any tangible way, and given that this compilation was edited by a woman from his community there certainly seems to be an element of trust there - but the politics of church and power are messy. Still, the thing that always draws me to Nouwen is his humility, how he sees himself as a learner more than a teacher; even this collection is mostly filled with his admission that "living a prayerful life" is a hard task, one he routinely fails at. Celebrity worship is a dangerous thing, as is creating an image of the author from the text, but if nothing else the substance of Nouwen's reflections seem like they would be opposed to Vanier's actions, and that gives me at least some relief. Only time will tell what the truth is.

It took me 6 months to get through this book because it is so deep and profound that I could hardly read more than a page at a time. I find Nouen's insights into the spiritual life nourishing, thought- provoking, and helpful. A must-read for Christians of all stripes.

This little volume is an edited collection of thoughts on prayer culled out of the various writings of the late contemplative Catholic priest. Most the selections are paragraph length and therefore can be used as thoughtful devotional meditations. Nouwen considers the topics of solitude, listening, community, hindrances and forgiveness, amongst others.

Not my favorite or most moving Nouwen book, but the compendium by topic was interesting to read in some parts, repetitive in others.

LOVED! I think Nouwen was an exceptional communicator. His words are honest, clear, beautiful, and captivating.

This is a compilation of his different commentaries and thoughts on prayer throughout his written works. It makes for a great devotional or reference. It’s helped me pick out specific works of his that I want to read next, too. His thoughts on prayer in community, discipline, and “belovedness” were my favorite chapters.

“Going home is a lifelong journey.”

Love this book! If you are a Nouwen fan, this is a must-read. All of his best writings on prayer filed under topics like solitude, unceasing prayer, hindrances, community, eternal life, etc. The excerpts are short and make great devotions.

Henri Nouwen's words are gleaned from his books all about different aspects of prayer. Very insightful and thoughtful. Worth the read.

This is one of my all time favorite books. Great to use the short readings as a daily devotional.

A lovely little book of nuggets from Nouwen’s work all collected together.

An extraordinary effort by Wendy Greer to consolidate and arrange some of Nouwen's thinking on prayer. It warms your heart, even as it hurts your head. Nouwen's being a Dutch Roman Catholic priest living in Canada and teaching at universities helps explain why he is occasionally obtuse, even while he has some great ideas.

The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life opens with a Foreword, a Preface, Acknowledgements and an Invitation. Read only the latter or you're liable to skip the whole book.

This is a book to be re-read over the years.

A great devotional read. Intensely thoughtful. I need more like this.