Daily Meditation: Losing and Gaining Our Lives

DAILY MEDITATION Losing and Gaining Our Lives April 30  Photo courtesy of SDGimagery.com The great paradox of life is that those who lose their lives will gain them. This paradox becomes visible in very ordinary situations. If we cling to our friends, we may lose them, but when we are nonpossessive in our relationships, we will make many friends. When fame is what we seek and desire, it often vanishes as soon as we acquire it, but when we have no need to be known, we might be remembered long after our deaths. When we want to be in the center, we easily end up on the margins, but when we are free enough to be wherever we must be, we find ourselves often in the center. Giving away our lives for others is the greatest of all human arts. This will gain us our lives. For further reflection... "Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again." - Ecclesiastes 11: 1 (NIV) Your response... What is one way you can practice giving away your life as Henri describes? Comment on this Daily Meditation. Continue the Inspiration Purchase your copy of Henri Nouwen's book "iGracias!".   Visit our Bookstore: United States | Canada | United Kingdom Consider our monthly giving program to sustain the ability to extend Henri's legacy and make his work available to those who seek spiritual formation and nourishment. Click here to sign up today. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo. STAY CONNECTED:

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Daily Meditation: Making Our Lives Available to Others

DAILY MEDITATION Making Our Lives Available to Others April 29 Photo courtesy of SDGimagery.com One of the arguments we often use for not writing is this: "I have nothing original to say. Whatever I might say, someone else has already said it, and better than I will ever be able to." This, however, is not a good argument for not writing. Each human person is unique and original, and nobody has lived what we have lived. Furthermore, what we have lived, we have lived not just for ourselves but for others as well. Writing can be a very creative and invigorating way to make our lives available to ourselves and to others. We have to trust that our stories deserve to be told. We may discover that the better we tell our stories the better we will want to live them. For further reflection... A psalm of David.  When he was in the Desert of Judah. "Oh God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.  On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.  Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me." - Psalm 63: 1, 3, 6-8 (NIV) Your response... How do you make yourself available to God and others? Your life­-story deserves to be told. Comment on this Daily Meditation. Continue the Inspiration Purchase your copy of Henri Nouwen's book "A Cry for Mercy".   Visit our Bookstore: United States | Canada | United Kingdom Consider our monthly giving program to sustain the ability to extend Henri's legacy and make his work available to those who seek spiritual formation and nourishment. Click here to sign up today. Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo. STAY CONNECTED:

Forward This Email to a Friend This email was sent to cbgamb@gmail.com by email_lists@henrinouwen.org |   Update Profile/Email Address | Rapid removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | About our service provider. Henri Nouwen Society | 214 - 95 St. Joseph Street | Toronto | ON | M5S 2R9 | Canada