Thursday, September 30, 2021

Thank You for Your Support!


Our death may be the end of our success, our productivity, our fame, or our importance among people, but it is not the end of our fruitfulness.”

- Henri Nouwen
Dear Friends,

Henri Nouwen lived a remarkably fruitful life. Twenty-five years after his death, his life is perhaps even more fruitful than ever. His books sell in far greater numbers than they did during his lifetime. His treasured Daily Meditations are sent to subscribers around the globe 365 days of the year. And he now commands a massive following on all of our social media platforms where new and younger audiences are discovering Henri’s wisdom and spiritual insights. 

People frequently tell me how blessed they are by Henri’s words, and how his daily encouragements have helped them through the isolation and the loneliness they experienced during the pandemic. Thank you, Henri! 

And thank you! It is because of you and your financial commitment to our strategic initiatives and outreaches that the Henri Nouwen Society has been able to ensure that Henri’s life continues to bear fruit – as it will for years to come with the help of your support. 

Your one-time gift, monthly donation, or legacy gift enables us to offer the words and wisdom of Henri Nouwen to a world in need of spiritual sustenance. 
For those of you who are already monthly donors, know that your ongoing support is making a world of difference in how we move forward as an organization. Thank you!

I recognize that not everyone is in a position to give. But if you are able to support our work, you can be certain that your gift will help make a lasting impact in the lives of so many.

Thank you for partnering with us in our work and ministry.

Faithfully,
Karen Pascal
Executive Director | Henri Nouwen Society
Henri Nouwen Society | www.henrinouwen.org | 866-226-2158

Nouwen Meditation: A Prayer

DAILY MEDITATION | SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
A Prayer
O Lord,

Life passes by swiftly. Events that a few years ago kept me totally preoccupied have now become vague memories; conflicts that a few months ago seemed so crucial in my life now seem futile and hardly worth the energy; inner turmoil that robbed me of my sleep only a few weeks ago has now become a strange emotion of the past; books that filled me with amazement a few days ago now do not seem as important; thoughts that kept my mind captive only a few hours ago have now lost their power and have been replaced by others. . . . Why am I continuously trapped in this sense of urgency and emergency? Why do I not see that you are eternal, that your kingdom lasts forever, and that for you a thousand years are like one day? O Lord, let me enter into your presence and there taste the eternal, timeless, everlasting love with which you invite me to let go of my time-bound anxieties, fears, preoccupations, and worries. . . . Lord, teach me your ways and give me the courage to follow them.

Amen.
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there."

PSALM 139:7 (NIV)
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Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Nouwen Meditation: The In-Dwelling of God Here and Now

DAILY MEDITATION | SEPTEMBER 29, 2021
The In-Dwelling of God Here and Now
Eternal life. Where is it? When is it? For a long time I have thought about eternal life as a life after all my birthdays have run out. For most of my years I have spoken about the eternal life as the “afterlife,” as “life after death.” But the older I become, the less interest my “afterlife” holds for me. Worrying not only about tomorrow, next year, and the next decade, but even about the next life, seems a false preoccupation. Wondering how things will be for me after I die seems, for the most part, a distraction. When my clear goal is the eternal life, that life must be reachable right now, where I am, because eternal life is life in and with God, and God is where I am here and now.

The great mystery of the spiritual life—the life in God—is that we don’t have to wait for it as something that will happen later. Jesus says: “Dwell in me as I dwell in you.” It is this divine in-dwelling that is eternal life. It is the active presence of God at the center of my living—the movement of God’s Spirit within us—that gives us the eternal life.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

JOHN 15:5 (NIV)
VISIT OUR BOOKSTORE
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.