Podcasts about Henri Nouwen

"We have to know the darkness to be able to search for the light," according to Henri Nouwen.  And he goes on to claim that we need lostness, in the search for meaning.  With so much disorder, lostness, darkness, denial and confusion, I'd like to read most of a letter written by Nouwen that seems to address our age, people like you and me.  I hope you'll hear something encouraging, no matter how wild and meandering your path.  Enjoy!

Bruce's guest today is Dr. Adriana Bara, the National Director of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, which works in the Middle East, northeast Africa, India, and Eastern Europe. She speaks with HNS ED Bruce Adema about Henri Nouwen's 1991 letter to Sister Marcia Hobart, an Anchoress who had written to Henri about the Persian Gulf War that was happening at the time. Considering what's happening in the world today, this is a very relevant topic. Catholic Near East Welfare Association Website https://cnewa.org/ ___________ Book Discussed: Love, Henri https://amzn.to/3fpnolF (US) https://amzn.to/2C2lqcD (Canada) Ukraine Diary https://amzn.to/3LpMHGO (US) https://amzn.to/3ogjyFi (Canada) ___________ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: henrinouwen.org/donate/ * SIGN UP FOR FREE DAILY E-MEDITATIONS: henrinouwen.org/meditation/ * MORE FREE RESOURCES: henrinouwen.org/ * FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/henrinouwensociety/ TWITTER: twitter.com/nouwensociety FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nouwensociety/ PINTEREST: www.pinterest.ca/henrinouwen/

This sermon explores the meaning of Jesus'scommand in Mark 10:13-16 to ‘receive the kingdom of God as a little child.' Zack explains how Jesus' primary point is probably about a child's (non)status—like other teachings in this gospel, Jesus challenges our status evaluations. Morethan this, though, this teaching encourages us towards a childlike spirituality—exemplified by people like Therese of Lisieux and Henri Nouwen.

====================================================SUSCRIBETEhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNpffyr-7_zP1x1lS89ByaQ?sub_confirmation=1====================================================DEVOCIÓN MATUTINA PARA ADULTOS 2025“CON JESÚS HOY”Narrado por: Exyomara AvilaDesde: Bogotá, ColombiaUna cortesía de DR'Ministries y Canaan Seventh-Day Adventist Church ===================|| www.drministries.org ||===================10 de JunioEl abrazo del padre«Entonces se levantó y fue a su padre. Cuando aún estaba lejos, lo vio su padre, y fue movido a misericordia, y corrió, y se echó sobre su cuello, y lo besó» (Luc. 15: 20).Uno se los cuadros más emotivos que conozco lleva por título El regreso del hijo pródigo y se encuentra en el Museo del Hermitage de San Petersburgo (Rusia). Henri Nouwen describe así el impacto que le causó su descubrimiento: «La primera vi el cuadro de Rembrandt, en el otoño de 1963, toda mi atención fue captada por las manos del anciano padre, estrechando contra su pecho al hijo arrepentido. Esas manos hablaban de perdón, de reconciliación, de sanación, pero también de seguridad, de reposo, de regreso al hogar. Pero si esta imagen del abrazo revivificante de un padre a su hijo pudo afectarme tan profundamente fue porque todo mi ser deseaba más que nada ser acogido como el hijo pródigo. Este encuentro marcó el principio de mi propio regreso a Dios» (Le retour de l'enfant prodigue, Québec: Bellarmin, 1995, pág. 167).Después de toda una vida consagrada al servicio de los demás, Henri Nouwen concluye: «Cuando regresé a San Petersburgo, hace cuatro años, para volver a ver El regreso del hijo pródigo, no sospechaba que iba a tener que vivir yo mismo lo que estaba viendo. Me asombra constatar hasta dónde me ha llevado Rembrandt. Me ha llevado del joven arrodillado y harapiento al anciano de pie, inclinado hacia él, del lugar de quien recibe la bendición al lugar de quien bendice. Al observar mis manos, ahora envejecidas, sé que me han sido dadas para acoger a los que sufren, para posarse sobre los hombros de quienes vienen a mí, y sobre todo, para transmitir la bendición que procede del inmenso amor de Dios» (ibid., pág. 173).Quien ha vivido hasta el fondo la experiencia del perdón, sabe cuán importante es transmitirla a otros. Del propio Esaú se dice que, cuando vio a su hermano Jacob regresar al hogar, le perdonó tan profundamente sus engaños y fraudes que» «corrió a su encuentro y, echándose sobre su cuello, lo abrazó y besó» (Gén. 33: 4). Y Jacob, al verse perdonado tan generosamente, le rogó que lo aceptase de regreso al hogar, añadiendo: «Porque he visto tu rostro como si hubiera visto el rostro de Dios, pues que con tanta bondad me has recibido» (vers. 10).Señor, hazme capaz de ver el rostro de Dios en el de mis seres queridos, como el pródigo lo vio en su padre y Jacob en su hermano. 

In this sermon we begin a series inspired by a book called What Makes You Come Alive: A Spiritual Walk With Howard Thurman by Lerita Coleman Brown. We use Thurman's famous quote to jumpstart our reflections on what it means to live in the spirit of the resurrection. [The quote: “Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do that, because what the world needs is more people who have come alive.”] In this sermon we consider how prayer, hospitality, and solitude are at the heart of Jesus's ministry and what they have to do with discipleship (with some help from Henri Nouwen's book Reaching Out).

Scripture Reference: John 6:1-14, 25-51 What is our natural response when we don't have enough patience, kindness, faith, resources, wisdom, or humility? How might our response change if we follow Jesus' pattern? Henri Nouwen's Life of the Beloved: “To identify the movements of the Spirit in our lives, I have found it helpful to use four words: “taken,” “blessed,” “broken,” and “given…” These words also summarize my life as a Christian because, as a Christian, I am called to become bread for the world: bread that is taken, blessed, broken, and given… these four words have become the most important words of my life… they speak about the most divine as well as the most human behavior. They reach high as well as low, embrace God as well as all people.” Sermon Points: Bread & the Bible Living Bread Leftovers

Bruce's guest today is Dr. Luther E. Smith Jr. Luther is Professor Emeritus of Church and Community, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, and is the author and editor of influential books on Howard Thurman, Christian community, and spiritual practices. Luther and Henri Nouwen Society ED Bruce Adema discuss a letter Henri Nouwen wrote to his friend Sue Mosteller about his concerns, even apprehensions about the future. This topic will surely resonate with everyone, and provide encouragement. ___________ Book Discussed: Love, Henri https://amzn.to/3fpnolF (US) https://amzn.to/2C2lqcD (Canada) The Wounded Healer https://amzn.to/2AGOrKz (US) https://amzn.to/3hdDkcr (Canada) ___________ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: henrinouwen.org/donate/ * SIGN UP FOR FREE DAILY E-MEDITATIONS: henrinouwen.org/meditation/ * MORE FREE RESOURCES: henrinouwen.org/ * FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/henrinouwensociety/ TWITTER: twitter.com/nouwensociety FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nouwensociety/ PINTEREST: www.pinterest.ca/henrinouwen/

In this episode of the Just Schools Podcast, Jon Eckert interviews Christina Crook, author of The Joy of Missing Out and founder of JOMO Campus. Christina shares how a 31-day internet fast sparked a global movement around digital wellness. She discusses the impact of tech addiction on attention, relationships, and mental health.  Christina shares the transformation happening in schools that embrace phone-free environments. Through strategic programs and student-driven goals, she shows how embracing JOMO empowers young people to live with purpose and become light in dark digital spaces. The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Be encouraged. Mentioned: The Joy of Missing Out: Finding Balance in a Wired World by Christina Crook experience JOMO Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen Connect with us: Center for School Leadership at Baylor University Jon Eckert LinkedIn Baylor MA in School Leadership     Jon Eckert: All right, Christina, welcome to the Just Schools Podcast. We've been big fans of your work for a long time. So, tell us a little bit about how you got into this work. Christina Crook: Yeah. Thanks for having me, Jon. This has been a long time coming, it's a joy to be here. So, yeah, how did the work of JOMO begin? I began my career in public broadcasting based here in Canada at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. And my education was a pretty critical look at mass communication, that was my background. And so, when social media started emerging early in my career in journalism, I was pretty keyed into the negatives early on. I was always asking the question, even when Facebook, and this is obviously dating me, emerged on the scene, that is the earliest major social media platform, I was always asking the question, "What is this displacing? Where is this time going to come from? How is this shifting my creative behaviors and my relationships?" And so, around that time, early in my career, I actually made a major move from Vancouver to Toronto. So, think just like West Coast to East Coast, essentially. And in one fell swoop, all of my relationships were all of a sudden mediated by the internet, because I'd made this major move, I only had really one close friend in the area I was moving to. And so, I started to notice my own digital behaviors shifting, and I was becoming more and more uncomfortable with my own social media habits. I was sort of creeping on the lives of my friends and family back home. Remember the good old Facebook wall? We would just do that now through snaps or whatever, see what people or the stories they're sharing. So, I was doing a lot of that and not going through the deeper, harder work of connecting directly with the people that I loved. I was also not getting to just creative projects that I was really passionate about, like writing. I'm a creative writer, so poetry and these different things. And so, I had a curiosity about what would happen if I completely disconnected from the internet for a large chunk of time. And so, I ended up doing a 31-day fast from the internet to explore what it was like to navigate the world, a very increasingly digital world, without the internet. And so, basically, off of that experiment, I wrote a series of essays and I had to publish a reach out to me about expanding off of that into a book, and that book became the Joy of Missing Out. And that is where the work of JOMO began. Jon Eckert: And when did that book get published? Christina Crook: 10 years ago. Jon Eckert: Yeah. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: See, I feel like you were way ahead of the curve. This is before Jonathan Haidt had made this his passion project and other people were talking about it. So now, I think back then this would've been an early alarm. And so, I guess as you look at the future and where you're at, you've had 10 years, I'd love to hear about some of the success that you've seen and some of this shifting narrative, because I think what you shared, any adult can connect with that feeling of that being inbondaged to your device. I deleted my email from my phone in January and that has been unbelievably freeing, because I check that 70 to 80 times a day. And I tell everybody, it's embarrassing because at least Facebook and social media, there's something fun about it. Email's not fun. Hearing from your finance director that you need to do something different at 11:15 at night, it's no fun. And I was addicted to that and I got rid of it. So, I think we all have felt that, but I'd love to hear some of the success you've seen with schools, particularly, or anyone else, because I think there's a value in this for all of us. Christina Crook: Yeah. So, when I started in this space, definitely I could count on one hand the people that were actively talking about this. If I even suggested to a person that they had an addictive relationship with their phone, they would get their backs up, like, "How dare you even suggest this to me?" And since then, of course, just the acceleration of the conversation, the long-term studies showing the negative impacts on our attention spans, mental health, all of the things that we talk about on a daily basis now. But the expression of JOMO in schools came about a number of years ago when the head of the wellness department at Virginia Tech reached out to me. Unbeknownst to me, she'd been following my work for years, through my podcast and books and these sorts of things. And in her own words, their best and brightest students were coming back to campus languishing before classes had even started. And as a department, we talk about the wellness wheel, the eight dimensions of wellness, and they were seeing, across their department, how digital overuse or misuse was impacting all of these different dimensions of student well-being. And so, they'd gone looking for a digital wellness program for their students. They came up empty, one didn't exist, and so the invitation from them was to co-create a program with them. And so, that became four months of just discovery, first hand reading of the college health assessment, looking for the most recent college health assessment at Virginia Tech, looking for threads and needs and opportunities, for 10 interviews with staff and students. And there we concepted a four-week digital wellness challenge for their first year students. Through our pilot programs, we saw a 73.8% behavior change. Students not only had made a change to their digital habits, but they intended to continue with those changes. And their changes, just like you're describing, Jon, like the one you did, which is tactically, for example, in our week one building better focus, is removing those things. We know that environmental changes are the most powerful to change a habit in our digital and our physical spaces. So, things like removing an app that is an absolute time sack, or it's just created a very unhealthy habit is the power move. And so, the reason why it was so successful for students is because they'd maybe thought about making a change to their digital habits, but they've never actually done it. And here they were being incentivized to take the action. And when they did, they felt immediate benefits. So, we knew we were onto something and that's where the work of the campus work began. Jon Eckert: Well, and so I think if adults feel that, how much more important is that for kids? Mine happened as a part of a 28-day digital fast that Aaron Whitehead, the book he put out on that, that our church went through it. And when I did it, the idea was, just take 28 days free of it and then you can introduce things back in. Why would I introduce that back in? Christina Crook: Totally. Jon Eckert: So, it's been great. I also do not look at my phone until after I've spent time in the Word and praying and writing each morning. And I don't even look at the phone. It used to be my alarm clock. I got an old analog alarm clock, I moved that out, that was powerful. So, as an adult, I feel that. So, I cannot imagine how 13 and 14-year-olds could deal with that. That feels like not just an uphill battle, that feels like the hill is on top of them. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: So, I'm curious. You mentioned Snapchat and I don't know if you saw this. This week, Jonathan Haidt on his substat came out with the court proceedings where he's done it to TikTok, now he's done it to Snapchat. And we've always said hard no to Snapchat, because Snapchat just feels like it was evil from the beginning, with disappearing content that you can't track but then can be screenshotted and any number of bad things can happen. But I just wanted to read this quote to you, because this is why I think your work is so important on so many levels. This was from a New Mexico court case. He said this: "A Snap's director of security engineering said, regarding Android users who are selling drugs or child sexual abuse material on Snap. These are some of the most despicable people on earth." This is his quote, this is a director of security. "That's fine. It's been broken for 10 years. We can tolerate tonight." That blows my mind. And so, this is what parents and educators are up against, because in my mind, that is evil. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: That is pure evil. So, that's where it's not just addiction to things that are relatively harmless in moderation, this is pushing back on something that is really, really invasive. And Jonathan Haidt talks all about this, the predators that are online, we worry about the people in the real world and the real challenges are virtual. So, where, in your current work, are you seeing some of this success paying benefits in protecting kids, A, but B, more importantly, leading to flourishing? Christina Crook: Yeah. So, Jon, as you know, our work has shifted from the college space down now into high schools, primarily with private Christian high schools. And where we're seeing wins and gains is at the base level of education. We talk very early on, with students, about the different systems that are at work in each of the platforms they use on a daily basis. So, let's use a TikTok or a Snap, for example. We talk about gamified systems, we talk about hook modeling, all of the mechanisms that are there to keep them. We talk about streaks. And then we have them assess the different platforms they're using and they need to identify what are the different models and how are they functioning within the platform? I think many of us can remember when the live updating feature showed up on the early social media platforms, but many of those platforms were out for many years before the live updating feature came into play. Of course, streaks, which is just the most terrible design feature ever, but students don't really stop and think about it. But when you actually invite them to look critically, and this is why the foundation of my own education was so critical, is because I was always, and I continue to come to each of these platforms asking those hard questions. So, the gains we see with students actually looking critically at the platforms they're using on a daily basis, that's where the big wins are coming. Also, we have students do their own goal setting. So, when we work with a school, one of our first questions we ask students is, we get them to imagine, "Okay, it's graduation day, so congratulations, you've just graduated from the high school that you're listening from right now. You're wearing your cap and gown. You're looking back at your time at school and you have absolutely no regrets. What did you experience and what did you accomplish during your time here?" And students kind of get this far afield look in their eyes and they start to wonder and consider. And so, they start to tell these beautiful stories of, "I want to make lifelong friends. I want to make friendships that will sustain me into adulthood or into college. I want to get a great GPA, because I want to get into this school." I try and prompt them sometimes to think of more fun things like, "You want to get a boyfriend." There's play, like you were saying earlier. What are the fun elements also of the experience you want to have here? I say, "Great." Jon Eckert: Is there a JOMO dating app? Christina Crook: Not yet, but we are consistently hearing from our partner schools that dating is up because students are talking to each other, which is my favorite thing. But yeah, so students share all of these goals and aspirations they have. And I say, "Great. Is the way you're currently using your phone, your primary device, helping you accomplish or experience these things?" And so, we're connecting it to what they actually want. When you start talking to a kid about technology, all they hear is the Charlie Brown teacher. They just assume that an adult is going to hate on the way they're using tech and the tech that they're using. And so, we're trying to connect it to, "What are your desires, wants?" And that is where I believe the root to flourishing is, because it has to be. It's the desire within them. What is it that they desire, what is that core desire? And then how can they bring their technology use in alignment with that? Do I think that Snap should be thrown out the window? Well, yeah, mostly I do. I do think there are ways to strategically use almost every platform. We're a people that believe in redemption. These platforms, there are elements of them that can be redeemed. And so, yes, it is easier to eliminate an entire platform and I think there are some that, by and large, we should avoid. But I do think we also need to be asking the question, "How can these technologies be used to our benefit?" Jon Eckert: Okay. So, I want to start with, I love the question you ask about what would a life without regrets, when you graduate, look like? That's amazing. Love that. I also feel like I've gotten some traction with kids talking about the way the adults in their lives use their devices, because that opens the door for them to say, "Oh, yeah, I don't really like..." The Pew research study that came out last year that 46% of kids report having been phubbed, phone snubbed, by their parents when they want to talk. That's real, because everybody's felt it. And it really stinks when your primary caregiver is doing that to you. The only thing I will push back on is, I do not believe in the redemption of platforms. I believe in the redemption of human beings. And I absolutely believe that there are platforms online, some of them I won't even mention on air, but that release pornography to the world. Those do not need to, nor can they be redeemed and they should absolutely be shut down. And I don't know where on the continuum Snapchat fits, but when I see testimony like that from your director of security, I'm like, "Yeah, I have a hard time saying that that can be redeemed, nor should it be redeemed," when the in-person connection that Snapchat replaces and the streaks that it puts out there. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: Yes, if you eliminated those things, which are what monetize it, then maybe it could be redeemed, but then there is no financial incentive to redeem it. So, I would push on that, that platforms can be redeemed. And some of them shouldn't be. Now, can they be used for good? Yes. Some, not all. But Snapchat could be used to encourage a friend, could be used to... There are ways you could use it. But are there better ways? Yeah. Christina Crook: Absolutely. Jon Eckert: Let's do that, because I think that life without regrets would look differently than, "Oh, yeah, I really sent a really encouraging Snap in my junior year of high school, it made a difference." As opposed to, "I showed up for a kid in person when they were struggling." Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: I feel like we've gotten this proxy virtue signaling where like, "Oh, I posted something about that." Who cares? What did you do about it? Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: And that is where I think your question hits on. But feel free to react. Christina Crook: No, it's great pushback. I think the posture that we're always taking with students is, we're not starting with, "You need to eliminate this," because the assumption they have is that it's just detox. It's just the removal of something. And we're saying, "What are the joys?" That's the joy of missing out. That is our body of work. What are the joys we can enter into when we mindfully, intentionally disconnect from the internet, or use it in ways that support our wellbeing and our goals? Jon Eckert: Yeah, no, that's always the way. With any change, you always have to be moving towards something instead of moving away. And so, you've got to make it invitational and inviting. And that's why JOMO makes so much sense. So, what do you see, you can take this in whatever order you want, is the biggest obstacles and opportunities for the work that you're doing? So, you can start with opportunities or obstacles, but take them both. Christina Crook: Yeah. So, I think it's one and the same. It's parent partnership. I think it's schools' partnership with parents. We know that the majority of technology used, especially now that we've got mostly phone free or phone controlled... Majority of the schools are moving in the phone free or phone controlled. The school direction that the minute students walk off campus, it becomes the parental responsibility. So, one of the challenges schools are facing is parents communicating with their kids all day long through the exact tools that we've asked them to put away. So, the kid's excuse is, "Well, my mom needs to message me." And so, there is this security conversation. "I need my phone to be safe." And so, addressing that, and of course in the U.S. landscape, there are real safety concerns with inside schools, and so there's a legitimacy to that. But how do schools clearly communicate and solve for that? So, we see beautiful examples. I'll use Eastern Christian and New Jersey as an example. So, they partnered with JOMO and Yonder at the same time to roll out their phone free mandate, they wrapped around the Yonder initiative with Joy and Digital Wellness Curriculum and Education. But what they did was, they established a student phone. A student phone in the school that doesn't require... There's no gate keeping. So, oftentimes they'll be like, "Oh, but you can just go to the office and use the phone." But there's a whole bunch of apprehension for students about necessarily making a phone call, for example, in front of the secretary. So, I thought that was a great solve. That was a great solve and we share that with other schools. The opportunity is parent partnership and education. So, we are solving that by providing our partner schools with just direct plug and play parent education that goes into the regular school communications, that's digital wellbeing strategies for families, conversation starters across all the age brackets, from K to 12, additional education and resources, and then just beautiful aspirational stories of Christian families that are navigating the complexity of managing technology in a way that's really human and honest and open. So, I think it's parent partnership. And then of course we're seeing great movements around parent pacts. I heard about Oak Hill here in Greater Toronto, that they've actually, as students come in, they're having parents sign a parent pact to delay phone use until the age of 16. It is as a community, that's a very low tech school. And so, the opportunities and initiatives around parents, I think, is exciting. Jon Eckert: That's very Jonathan Haidt of them. Christina Crook: Yes. Jon Eckert: And I think it is a lot easier when you do that as a group than as an individual parent or kid where you feel excluded. I just wanted to ask you this, based on what you said with the designated phone at the school. Eric Ellison, our great mutual friend, sent me this Truce software. Are you familiar with this? Christina Crook: I am, yes. We're getting to know them. Jon Eckert: What do you think? Christina Crook: So, I haven't got a chance to see it in practice, but to me, theoretically, Truce is the best possible solution. Jon Eckert: Yes. That's what it looks like to me, not having seen it in action. But talk about why you think that is, because our listeners may have no idea what this is. Christina Crook: Yes. So, Truce is a geofencing product. So, the moment everyone comes onto campus, the ability or functionality of your personal devices is controlled by Truce. So, that means that for all phones coming onto campus, automatically, the moment you drive or walk onto campus, you cannot access social media, for example. But you can continue to message your parents all day long and vice versa. And there are other controls for teachers. There's a lot of customization within it, but it just makes sense, because all the VPNs, all the workarounds, it finally solves for that, because schools are just product on product on product, firewall on firewall, and students are very smart and they have a million workarounds. And this is the only solution I've seen that solves for all of those problems. Jon Eckert: And that's what I wanted to know, because students are so savvy about getting around them. The only drawback I see, because I do think this breaks down a lot of the parent concerns and it makes so you don't have the lockers, you don't have to have the pouches, you don't have to do all the management of phones, is challenging when you have to take them from students. Christina Crook: Yes. Jon Eckert: Or you have to let them carry them around in their pockets, like crack cocaine in a locked magnetic box. Christina Crook: Don't touch it, don't touch it. Don't use it. Jon Eckert: Yeah, right. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: So, I like it theoretically. The only drawback is, and Haidt wrote about this in 2023, there is some benefit, especially to high school students, to not having a constant access to a parent to complain about what's going on in school. A teacher gives you a grade and that's the way the student would see it. The teacher gives you a grade you don't like, and then you're immediately on your phone complaining to your parent. And before the kid even gets home, a parent's in the office to advocate or complain, depending on your perspective. Christina Crook: Yes. Jon Eckert: For the student, that constant contact is not always healthy. But I get like, "Hey, if that was the only issue that schools had to deal with with phones, that would be a win." And it does keep communication with the parent and the kid. And I, as much as I hate it, have absolutely texted my children in high school something that I need them to know after school. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: And it is great when they can know those things in real time, because I didn't think far enough ahead to let them know beforehand, and I don't call the office regularly. So, I get that. But any other drawbacks you see to Truce? Because to me it does feel like a pretty ideal solution. Christina Crook: No, I think Truce plus JOMO is the winning combo. Jon Eckert: Right. And you need to understand why it's being done, because otherwise it feels like you're going to phone prison. And really, what you're saying is, no, there's this freedom for so much more if we take away these things that are turning you into a product. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: So, yeah. Christina Crook: And I will say, when I go into a school, I'll talk to them in a chapel, for example, with students. I basically say, "I'm in support. Props to, basically, your leadership for creating a phone controlled or phone free environment." And there's three core reasons why, and one of them is that, fragmented technologies, the studies are showing finally what I intuitively knew, and I think many of us intuitively knew more than 10 years ago, but that fragmented technology use is actually healthier. The least healthy way to live with technology is continuously. It's the first thing you touch when you wake up, the middle of the day, which props to you, Jon, for changing that habit. And it's the last thing you look at at night. And then it's tethered to your body all day long. So, those breaks from the devices. And let's be real, the students, even if they have them on their person with a Truce-like product, they're not going to be reaching... It will be fragmented still, because they don't have anything to really reach for. Are you going to check your phone 1,800 times to see if your mom messaged? Let's be real, that's not happening. Jon Eckert: We've got bigger issues if you're doing that. Christina Crook: Yes. A podcast for another day. Yes. Jon Eckert: That's it. That's it. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: No, that's good. Well, hey, I love that. I'd love for you to talk a little bit about, you have a summer resource for families that I think that's helpful. And then you also have some other interesting work, and then we'll jump into our lightning round. Christina Crook: Great. Yeah. So, I would just encourage people to go check out jomocampus.com/summer. So, we've got a JOMO summer tips page set up. It's just a bunch of resources for families. We've got an upcoming webinar about setting your family up for screen success. We know that in the summer it can be really a free-for-all. I have kids ages 11, 13, and 15, and if we don't have a game plan for the summer, it can all fall apart very quickly. So, things like helping your kids set goals for the summer. So, we often do an incentivized reading challenge as a family for our kids over the course of the summer. So, jump in there, take a look, there's some great resources there. And yeah. Jon Eckert: You head to the UK next week, and talk a little bit about what you're doing there. Christina Crook: Yeah. So, I've been a part of a great cohort called Missional Labs, where it's a faith-based accelerator program for non-profits and for-profit organizations. And so, we'll be together for theological learning and training, both in Oxford and in London. So, yeah, I'm really looking forward to that. Going to be connecting with Will or Ewing while I'm there, the founder of the Phone-free School Movement in the UK. So, very much excited about that, and then connecting with some Lambeth Palace folks and Church of England folks. So, yeah, it's going to be a good trip. Jon Eckert: That is great. Well, I'm glad your work is spreading and partnering. Again, at the center, we want to connect good people doing good work. And so, that's the reason why we work with you and so grateful for that. So, we move into our lightning round here, and so I almost always start with best and or worst advice you've ever given or received. So, you can take either one in whatever order you want. Christina Crook: So, best and worst for me is the same. Jon Eckert: Okay. Christina Crook: So, it was a mentor I had when I was in my 20s, and he said to me, "Just say yes. Just keep saying yes." And it was the right advice at the right time, and it was like a yes to God, just doors opening. "Yes, yes, yes." But eventually, it kind of did fall apart a little bit, because you can't actually say yes to everything, because I think there are seasons where it's just like, you just got to move and maybe it's when you're younger and those yeses all need to be strong and loud and clear, and to move through fear and towards the right things. But yeah, "just say yes" was a great piece of advice for a long time, and then I had to be much more discerning as I got older. Jon Eckert: So good. I do commencement talks. And when I do the talks, I almost always tell them to say no to good things, because if our hearts are rightly aligned with what the Lord wants us to do, then every yes is the right yes. My problem is my pride, my ego, other things get into the way of me people pleasing, and then I say yes to way too many things, and then I'm over committed. And they're all good things, but they diminish my joy and then the joy that I'm able to bring, because I become kind of a horrendous task oriented person who's only thinking about getting stuff done instead of the human beings that are the embodied souls that we work with every day. So, I think that's a great best and worst piece of advice, because I do think those yeses, when rightly aligned, are absolutely always say yes. It's just so many times I get out of alignment, so my yeses become a problem. So, best book that you've read or a project that you're working on that is book related. Christina Crook: Great. So, I do have a book. I'm rereading Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen. And I've been rereading it, because I am contributing a chapter to a forthcoming Nouwen collection that's coming out from Orbis Press next year. And can I read just one line that's related to what we just talked about? Jon Eckert: Absolutely. Yeah. Christina Crook: Okay. So, Henri's writing about a friend who had just visited him, and he says, "Friendship is such a holy gift, but we give it so little attention. It is so easy to let what needs to be done take priority over what needs to be lived. Friendship is more important than the work we do together." Jon Eckert: Yeah. Christina Crook: And that felt like just such an invitation, but there is also a conviction in that for me, because like you, Jon, I can be deeply task oriented. My ego definitely wants to perform and complete tasks, and I need the discipline of prioritizing friendship. Jon Eckert: Well, yes, thank you. Christina Crook: And joy. Jon Eckert: Henri Nouwen always, what a model of how to live a rich life with what matters. But I do love, again, I'll bring up Eric Ellison again, because he's how I got connected to you. Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: He just connects friends. And so- Christina Crook: Incredible. Jon Eckert: ... he lives for and with friends because of the life that he lives that's been really vital. And we've had some great dinners together, where it has nothing to do with work, it's just, how do we get to know the immortal being that's across the table from you? And I think that's easy to lose sight of when there's so much urgent work out there, but it's really the only immortal things we interact with are the human beings that we meet with. And so, keeping that in the right perspective is vital. So, no, I am grateful for that reminder. And this may feed into the last lightning round question. What's your greatest hope as you move forward in work and life? Christina Crook: Yeah. My greatest hope is that the young people in our world are empowered and freed to live life to the full. I think it's possible. I think our shared friend, Darren Spyksma, often reminds me that God has not forgotten where we are in the culture, and technology can feel so scary, but I think we can have reasons for great hope for the life that youth are choosing to embrace, the good choices that they're making. I see it in my own kids and I see it on campuses every day. Students choosing life, and life beyond the screen is what I really believe is where we see fullness of life. Jon Eckert: That's a powerful reminder. And just as an encouragement to you, I spent the last two Tuesday nights in our foster pavilion. It's a 7,000 seat basketball arena, and it has been packed with college students primarily worshiping. One was basically a revival meeting unite, is what has gone to 17 campuses and we've had, I think, over 12,000 kids have given their lives to Christ through it. And I think over 6,000 have been baptized. And then this last week, it was a Forrest Frank concert. And you see the phones go up. The phones go up and the first one is a signal. Everybody that was dealing with anxiety, depression, anything in the last week were asked to raise their phones. And I'm not joking, that night, of the 4,500 students that I think were in there, over 4,000 phones went up. That's a good use of a phone, to say, "Hey, I need help. I want something more." Christina Crook: Yeah. Jon Eckert: And I feel like that's what JOMO calls people to. And we have a hope that goes beyond just this, what world we experience daily, and I think that's where Darren's a helpful reminder. Like, "Hey, God's much bigger than all this." And so, that's the hope we all have. So, thank you so much, Christina, for the work you're doing and for being on today. Christina Crook: Thanks for having me, Jon.  

Listen along as we continue our time in the book of Acts. Notes//Quotes: Acts 2:42-47 Haiku - Following Jesus, learning from Him, joining in His mission on earth  “The idea of salvation cannot be reduced to a personal relationship with Jesus. God's plan is much more encompassing. God intends for salvation to be a community-creating event.” Joseph Hellerman “Long-term interpersonal relationships are the crucible of genuine progress in the Christian life. People who stay also grow. People who leave do not grow. We all know people who are consumed with spiritual wanderlust. But we never get to know them very well because they cannot seem to stay put. They move along from church to church, ever searching for a congregation that will better satisfy their felt needs. Like trees repeatedly transplanted from soil to soil, these spiritual nomads fail to put down roots and seldom experience lasting and fruitful growth in their Christian lives.” - Joseph Hellerman  ”These four go together. You can't separate them, or leave one out, without damage to the whole thing. Where no attention is given to teaching, and to constant, lifelong Christian learning, people quickly refer to the worldview or mindset of the surrounding culture, and end up with their minds shaped by whichever social pressures are most persuasive, with Jesus somewhere around as a pale influence or memory. Where people ignore the common life of the Christian family (the technical term often used is "fellowship", which is more than friendship but not less), they become isolated, and often find it difficult to sustain a living faith. Where people no longer share regularly in 'the breaking of bread' (the early Christian term for the simple meal that took them back to the Upper Room 'in remembrance of Jesus'), they are failing to raise the flag which says 'Jesus' death and resurrection are the centre of everything. And whenever people do all these things but neglect prayer, they are quite simply forgetting that Christians are supposed to be heaven-and earth people. Prayer makes no sense whatever - unless heaven and earth are designed to be joined together, and we can share in that already.”NT Wright Gospel doctrine creates a gospel culture. The doctrine of grace creates a culture of grace. When the doctrine is clear and the culture is beautiful, that church will be powerful. But there are no shortcuts to getting there. Without the doctrine, the culture will be weak. Without the culture, the doctrine will seem pointless. Ray Ortlund “Money flows effortlessly to that which is its god.” Tim Keller “If the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, then perhaps the love of generosity is the root of all kinds of good.” CS Lewis “Prayer, in the sense of union with God, is the most crucifying thing there is. One must do it for God's sake; but one will not get any satisfaction out of it, in the sense of feeling “I am good at prayer. I have an infallible method.” That would be disastrous, since what we want to learn is precisely our own weakness, powerlessness, unworthiness. Nor ought one to expect “a sense of the reality of the supernatural” of which I speak. And one should wish for no prayer, except precisely the prayer that God gives us—probably very distracted and unsatisfactory in every way.” Henri Nouwen

'Je bent niet wat je hebt, je bent niet wat je doet, je bent niet wat andere mensen zeggen dat je bent. Je bent Gods geliefde kind.' Dit zegt Henri Nouwen. Maar hoe zorg je ervoor dat je leeft vanuit die wetenschap dat je Gods geliefde kind bent? Eline geeft je in deze aflevering praktische tips daarvoor

Many of Henri Nouwen's deep spiritual insights arose from experiences of anguish. In the Inner Voice of Love, Nouwen penned spiritual imperatives for himself during the most difficult period of his life. Meant to be a deeply personal journal, friends encouraged him to offer it as a gift of consolation for those who live through the pain of broken relationships and immense loss. In this podcast conversation, Wendy speaks with Diane Marshall, a retired therapist, who was an intimate friend of Henri's. Diane and Henri shared each others' burdens during painful times, and their friendship birthed new hope. ___________ Book Discussed: The Inner Voice of Love https://amzn.to/3fq4CKN (US) https://amzn.to/37kJJOm (Canada) ___________ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: henrinouwen.org/donate/ * SIGN UP FOR FREE DAILY E-MEDITATIONS: henrinouwen.org/meditation/ * MORE FREE RESOURCES: henrinouwen.org/ * FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/henrinouwensociety/ TWITTER: twitter.com/nouwensociety FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nouwensociety/ PINTEREST: www.pinterest.ca/henrinouwen/

Lessons from 'Out of Solitude' by Henri J.M. Nouwen.Henri Nouwen was a Professor of Religion and Theology at Yale University, the University of Notre Dame and Harvard Divinity. He left his academic post to join L' Arche, a community that helps people with disability.Ways to Support:Substack: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ijmakan.substack.com/subscribe?=⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://becomingantifragile.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠Art: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ikranrinmakan.com/⁠⁠Get the book: https://amzn.to/4jVNoH7

In this episode, Theo offers a deeply informed perspective on the conflict unfolding in the Great Lakes region of Africa. He unpacks the forces shaping the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda's role in it, drawing connections between colonial legacies, economic interests, and the personal influence of political leaders.With the region still carrying the unhealed trauma of genocide and war, Theo reflects on what's truly at stake. What kind of leadership is needed to break the cycle of violence and chart a path toward healing, justice, and stability?In our conversation, Theo refers to the book The Wounded Healer by Henri Nouwen.Instagram: @at.the.coalfaceAnd don't forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.Help us produce more episodes by becoming a supporter. Your subscription will go towards paying our hosting and production costs. Supporters get the opportunity to join behind the scenes during recordings, updates about the podcast, and my deep gratitude!Support the show

Jeff got sick and couldn't put his socks on. Can we find not just humor, but deep joy and gratitude right there in our pain and loneliness? Socks or no socks, let's explore together.

Bruce's guest today is Sharon Ramsay. Sharon has worked as a registered psychotherapist and registered marriage and family therapist, helping individuals journey through unexpected experiences in different seasons of life. She also is a board member of the Henri Nouwen Society! Sharon and HNS ED Bruce Adema discuss Henri Nouwen's letter written to a Free Methodist Church gathering, and the letter echoes themes found in his book “The Wounded Healer.” In weakness there is strength, in woundedness there is healing, and in the gospel there is hope. ___________ Book Discussed: Love, Henri https://amzn.to/3fpnolF (US) https://amzn.to/2C2lqcD (Canada) The Wounded Healer https://amzn.to/2AGOrKz (US) https://amzn.to/3hdDkcr (Canada) ___________ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: henrinouwen.org/donate/ * SIGN UP FOR FREE DAILY E-MEDITATIONS: henrinouwen.org/meditation/ * MORE FREE RESOURCES: henrinouwen.org/ * FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/henrinouwensociety/ TWITTER: twitter.com/nouwensociety FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nouwensociety/ PINTEREST: www.pinterest.ca/henrinouwen/

In this episode, we dive into what it truly means to be an Easter People—those who live in the light of Christ's resurrection with joy, confidence, and freedom.Drawing from Henri Nouwen's Return of the Prodigal Son, we explore how many of us walk through life with a quiet sense of unworthiness, carrying low self-esteem instead of embracing the truth that we are deeply loved and fully redeemed. Easter isn't just a day—it's a way of life. And in that life, we're not called to grovel, but to rejoice.Let this episode lift your spirit and remind you: You are a beloved child of God, and the victory has already been won.

John is joined by Sam Eldredge, Stacia Littlefield, and Michelle Patterson to talk about how to overcome our stuck places. Discover the role pervasive shame plays in your stuckness, what it looks like to be "in process" as you move from stuck to unstuck, and the different ways to enter into and experience God's healing for your story.Show Notes: For more on upcoming Noble Workshops (including May, June, August, and November 2025), visit www.nobleworkshops.com/get-started. The books Sam references are My Father's Eyes, My Mother's Rage by Rose Brik and The Way of the Heart by Henri Nouwen. Sign up for John's weekly videos at https://wildatheart.org on the bottom of the page._______________________________________________There is more.Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at Questions@WildatHeart.orgSupport the mission or find more on our website: WildAtHeart.org  or on our app.Apple: Wild At Heart AppAndroid: Wild At Heart AppWatch on YouTubeThe stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available here.More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android.Apple: One Minute Pause AppAndroid: One Minute Pause App

Bruce's guest is Rev. Dr. Sam Lee. Sam is a co-lead pastor at Spring Garden, Baptist Church in Toronto. He has over 15 years of ministry experience with children and youth ministry. His dissertation focused on central role of spiritual identity in youth, integrating Henry Nouwen's book, The Life of the Beloved. Sam and HNS ED Bruce Adema discuss one of Henri Nouwen's letters that talks about the value of Church to those that are “spiritual but not religious.” Does the Church matter any more? ___________ Book Discussed: Love, Henri https://amzn.to/3fpnolF (US) https://amzn.to/2C2lqcD (Canada) The Life of the Beloved https://amzn.to/2Y22R0H (US) https://amzn.to/2MQX73m (Canada) ___________ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: henrinouwen.org/donate/ * SIGN UP FOR FREE DAILY E-MEDITATIONS: henrinouwen.org/meditation/ * MORE FREE RESOURCES: henrinouwen.org/ * FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/henrinouwensociety/ TWITTER: twitter.com/nouwensociety FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nouwensociety/ PINTEREST: www.pinterest.ca/henrinouwen/

Send us a textCourtney and Meghan are back with another week of The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen. This time, they're chatting all about the Father—his unconditional love and total sense of forgiveness. It's all about grace, compassion, and just being there for the people you love. Grab your coffee and join the convo—it's a good one! Abundantly Yours: Shop at abundantlyyours.org and follow her @abundantly.yours on Instagram. Use Code DAILYNOTHINGS for 20% off your order!Tan Books: You can shop at tanbooks.com and check them out on Instagram @tan_books. Daily Nothings listeners will receive 25% off their order with code DAILY25Support our podcast AND receive extra content by joining our Patreon for only $5 a month at https://www.patreon.com/TheDailyNothingsPodcast Thanks for listening to The Daily Nothings Podcast! Be sure to subscribe and leave a rate and review.

As we continue from our Lenten series, Pastor Chris explores the spiritual discipline of silence and its power to reconnect us with God, ourselves, and one another. Drawing from voices like Blaise Pascal, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, and even a Buddhist monk, this sermon invites us to turn down the volume of our lives—externally and internally—and rediscover the presence of God in the quiet.

In this episode, Wendy and Sandy expand on Henri Nouwen's wisdom in his book, Aging: The Fulfillment of Life. Their conversation considers the opportunities and challenges for those in the third act of life in our current context. Sandy shares insights and reflections from her work in accompanying others through conscious aging. Sharing stories and reflections on death and dying round out this engaging episode. No matter your age, you will glean tidbits of wisdom for intentional self-reflection and heart-felt connection with the elders and wise sages around you. Sandy Reynolds is a speaker, writer, and coach dedicated to helping individuals live authentically. As the creator of Disappoint More People, she empowers others to break free from societal expectations. With an MA in Leadership and over 20 years of experience in leadership and coaching, she specializes in soul-centered aging, spirituality, and overcoming people-pleasing. A Certified Sage-ing Leader® and Death Doula in training, Sandy integrates wisdom, ritual, and personal growth into her work. www.sandyreynolds.com/ ___________ Book Discussed: Aging: The Fulfillment of Life amzn.to/2Y8i28C (US) amzn.to/30ToCSk (Canada) ___________ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: henrinouwen.org/donate/ * SIGN UP FOR FREE DAILY E-MEDITATIONS: henrinouwen.org/meditation/ * MORE FREE RESOURCES: henrinouwen.org/ * FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/henrinouwensociety/ TWITTER: twitter.com/nouwensociety FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nouwensociety/ PINTEREST: www.pinterest.ca/henrinouwen/

Send us a textCourt and Meghan continue along in the book study on The Return of the Prodigal Son. This week, they break down the powerful story of the Elder Son—the son that struggled with celebrating his brother's return home. His story is so relatable and the discussion here is such an amazing one. We hope you enjoy!The Catholic Nutritionist: Cycle Confidence Blueprint Link Use Code DAILYNOTHINGS for 10% off!  Journey with us this Lent with The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen! Get the book hereSupport our podcast AND receive extra content by joining our Patreon for only $5 a month at https://www.patreon.com/TheDailyNothingsPodcast Thanks for listening to The Daily Nothings Podcast! Be sure to subscribe and leave a rate and review.

This is such a great conversation! In this episode of She's Not Done Yet, I (Becky Berry) chat with Suzanne Maggio, author of “Estrellas: Moments of Illumination along the El Camino de Santiago,” about what she experienced on her first walk along the El Camino. Suzanne also hosts her own podcast, From Sparks to Light – Inspiring Stories for Challenging Times. Suzanne is a university lecturer in psychology, counseling and social work and comes from a large Italian family who didn't necessarily believe in asking for help. “Estrellas” is her second book. We had a powerful conversation about how she decided to embark on the walk, the people she met, and the myriad gifts she discovered along the way – including reconnecting with her husband. We also talked about one of my favorite coaching topics – expectations. Suzanne shares with us her experience in allowing the journey to remind her to appreciate the gift of the present moment, embracing and accepting how the days unfolded and the unique nature of the people you encounter along the way. One of my personal favorite parts of our conversation revolves around the work of Henri Nouwen, particularly his Five Lies of Identity: 1 – I have what I have. 2 – I am what I do. 3 – I am what others say or think about me. 4 – I am nothing more than my worst moment. 5 – I am nothing less than my best moment – and – “We are not what we do, we are not what we have, we are not what others think of us. Coming home is claiming the truth. I am the beloved child of a loving creator.” Suzanne includes Book Club questions at the end of the book and they're not like any book club questions you've encountered before! Instead of the standard book club fare, Suzanne presents the questions in grouping that include On Leaning In and Simplicity. After you've listened to our chat, I'm sure you will want to get the book in your hands quickly! Thanks in Advance for your help: I hope you enjoy this episode. If you did, don't keep it a secret! Please tell a friend. Your recommendation is the most powerful way to help us acquire new listeners. Also, if you're listening to us on Apple podcasts, please rate and review us. Suggestions for future episodes: Have someone you want me to interview (including you)? Email me at shesnotdoneyetyall@gmail.com. Have a topic you'd like me to discuss? Email me at shesnotdoneyetyall@gmail.com. Resources and Show Links: Everything you need to know about Suzanne, including her podcast, here: https://www.suzannemaggio.com/ Email me: shesnotdoneyetyall@gmail.com My coaching website: https://beckyberrycoach.com  My LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckyberrycoach/ This podcast was recorded, produced, edited, and marketed by yours truly, Becky Berry. Thanks again for listening and sharing! Becky      

Send us a textThe Daily Nothings book study continues as we read along in the Return of the Prodigal Son. This week we dive into the Younger Son—the son that leaves his father's home and squanders away his inheritance. This son is so relatable and easy to understand as most of us have experienced our “younger son era” if you will. Read along with us and listen to what Court and Meghan have to say about this section of this incredible book! Tan Books: You can shop at tanbooks.com and check them out on Instagram @tan_books. Daily Nothings listeners will receive 25% off their order with code DAILY25 The Catholic Nutritionist: Cycle Confidence Blueprint Link Use Code DAILYNOTHINGS for 10% off!  Journey with us this Lent with The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen! Get the book hereSupport our podcast AND receive extra content by joining our Patreon for only $5 a month at https://www.patreon.com/TheDailyNothingsPodcast Thanks for listening to The Daily Nothings Podcast! Be sure to subscribe and leave a rate and review.

In this episode Robert reads a reflection on genuine friendship from Henri Nouwen's book The Inner Voice of Love.To get some of the books that we mention on the podcast, please check out our growing collection here: https://bookshop.org/lists/black-and-alive-a-black-coffee-theology-reading-list? https://bookshop.org/lists/black-and-alive-a-black-coffee-theology-reading-list? Please check Rose's substack out at https://agentlelanding.substack.com/ If you're a fan of the show, please like, subscribe, and leave a positive review on your podcast app.  You can also support financially on Patreon at: patreon.com/threeblackmen Finally, you can check out Robert's writing at: https://musingsfromabrokenheart.substack.com

Send us a textWhat an honor it is to welcome Dr. John Bergsma, the author of the book: Jesus and the Jubilee, to this week's episode of the Daily Nothings! Dr. John Bergsma is a Catholic biblical scholar, author, and professor of Theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He was a former Protestant pastor that has now been Catholic since 2001. He holds a doctorate in Theology from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the Old Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls. This conversation is so joyful and educational and we hope your understanding of why the Jubilee year is so important is changed drastically after listening to Dr. Bergsma share his wisdom! Order Jesus and the Jubilee here: stpaulcenter.co/dailynothings-jubileeFollow more from Dr. Bergsma on Social Media: @stpaulcenter @emmausroadpublishing and @john.s.bergsmaTan Books: You can shop at tanbooks.com and check them out on Instagram @tan_books. Daily Nothings listeners will receive 25% off their order with code DAILY25 The Catholic Nutritionist: Cycle Confidence Blueprint Link Use Code DAILYNOTHINGS for 10% off!  Journey with us this Lent with The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen! Get the book hereSupport our podcast AND receive extra content by joining our Patreon for only $5 a month at https://www.patreon.com/TheDailyNothingsPodcast Thanks for listening to The Daily Nothings Podcast! Be sure to subscribe and leave a rate and review.

Bruce's guest today is Mary Tutterow. Mary lives in South Carolina and is an author, speaker, and workshop leader. Her books, “The Heart of the Caregiver” and “The Peaceful Caregiver,” and the wisdom that she has gained come from her family's situation and her deep reflection on it. In this episode, Mary and HNS ED Bruce Adema discuss Henri Nouwen's letter about spiritual care for people with severe handicaps. For any who live in community with people with disabilities, this is a valuable conversation. Check Out Mary Tutterow's website: https://theheartofthecaregiver.com ___________ Books Discussed: Love, Henri https://amzn.to/3fpnolF (US) https://amzn.to/2C2lqcD (Canada) The Heart of the Caregiver https://a.co/d/6ftpF18 (US) https://a.co/d/b3VO3Wq (Canada) The Peaceful Caregiver https://a.co/d/giZb0RS (US) https://a.co/d/isYP9ol (Canada) ___________ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: henrinouwen.org/donate/ * SIGN UP FOR FREE DAILY E-MEDITATIONS: henrinouwen.org/meditation/ * MORE FREE RESOURCES: henrinouwen.org/ * FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/henrinouwensociety/ TWITTER: twitter.com/nouwensociety FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nouwensociety/ PINTEREST: www.pinterest.ca/henrinouwen/

Send us a textWelcome to the first week of our Lenten book study on the Return of the Prodigal Son! We will be breaking down this incredible book throughout all of Lent and we can't wait for you to listen along and read with us. This week, we welcome sweet Jenna McQueen to the podcast—an incredible fan of The Daily Nothings who quickly became a friend of ours. She reached out to Court and Meghan to encourage them to read this book and it is already changing lives. This book is such an easy read and truly inspires. We hope you enjoy this series! OSV: Visit http://www.books.osv.com/thedailynothings and use code OSVdaily for 20% off books site wide!The Catholic Nutritionist: Cycle Confidence Blueprint Link Use Code DAILYNOTHINGS for 10% off!  Journey with us this Lent with The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen! Get the book hereSupport our podcast AND receive extra content by joining our Patreon for only $5 a month at https://www.patreon.com/TheDailyNothingsPodcast Thanks for listening to The Daily Nothings Podcast! Be sure to subscribe and leave a rate and review. Come to Italy with us on a Pilgrimage! You can also follow the Daily Nothings Instagram @thedailynothingspodcast and visit our website: http://www.thedailynothings.com

Send us a textThe Catholic Nutritionist: Cycle Confidence Blueprint Link Use Code DAILYNOTHINGS for 10% off!  Laura- Anne: Laura-Anne is a Catholic wedding photographer and marriage mentor who will help youthrive during your engagement, capture heirloom-quality photos of your wedding, and prepare for a joy-filled life with your beloved. Check out Laura-Anne's digital resources for engaged couples and photography services at laura-anne.ca or on Instagram  @lauraannesmid Journey with us this Lent with The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen! Get the book here:https://amzn.to/3DW7ErN  Support our podcast AND receive extra content by joining our Patreon for only $5 a month at https://www.patreon.com/TheDailyNothingsPodcast Thanks for listening to The Daily Nothings Podcast! Be sure to subscribe and leave a rate and review. Come to Italy with us on a Pilgrimage! You can also follow the Daily Nothings Instagram @thedailynothingspodcast and visit our website: http://www.thedailynothings.comSupport our podcast AND receive extra content by joining our Patreon for only $5 a month at https://www.patreon.com/TheDailyNothingsPodcast Thanks for listening to The Daily Nothings Podcast! Be sure to subscribe and leave a rate and review. Come to Italy with us on a Pilgrimage! You can also follow the Daily Nothings Instagram @thedailynothingspodcast and visit our website: http://www.thedailynothings.com

“A hard task is given to me—to call the darkness darkness, evil evil, and the demon demon. By remaining vague I can avoid commitment and drift along in the mainstream of our society. But Jesus does not allow me to stay there. He requires a clear choice for truth, light, and life.” Henri Nouwen

Send us a textFlo (@thecatholicnutritionist) joins Court and Meghan this week as Courtney shares her full story on just how transformative Made Good has been for her in this first month. Don't know what Made Good is? It's a holistic nutrition program led by Flo that is so well rooted in our faith, and it's changing lives. Listen for Court's full story alongside Flo's incredible wisdom to back up WHY these changes are happening, and stay tuned for a Daily Nothings exclusive deal at the end! The Catholic Nutritionist: Cycle Confidence Blueprint Link Use Code DAILYNOTHINGS for 10% off!  Journey with us this Lent with The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen! Get the book here: https://amzn.to/3DW7ErN  Mattie Karr: Mattie Karr is a Catholic sacred artist who is on a mission to help Jesus heal hearts through beauty! You can connect with her through her website at www.mattiekarr.com or on Instagram @mattiekarrstudio Laura- Anne: Laura-Anne is a Catholic wedding photographer and marriage mentor who will help you thrive during your engagement, capture heirloom-quality photos of your wedding, and prepare for a joy-filled life with your beloved. Check out Laura-Anne's digital resources for engaged couples and photography services at laura-anne.ca or on Instagram  @lauraannesmid Support our podcast AND receive extra content by joining our Patreon for only $5 a month at https://www.patreon.com/TheDailyNothingsPodcast Thanks for listening to The Daily Nothings Podcast! Be sure to subscribe and leave a rate and review. Come to Italy with us on a Pilgrimage! You can also follow the Daily Nothings Instagram @thedailynothingspodcast and visit our website: http://www.thedailynothings.com

Bruce's guest today is Dr. John Vissers. John is a member of the Knox College Faculty (Knox is part of the University of Toronto). John is a former Principal of Knox, as well as a former Moderator of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. He also serves as a board member of the Henri Nouwen Society. John and HNS ED Bruce Adema discuss a letter Henri Nouwen wrote to a minister who is experiencing conflict from those she expected support and encouragement. Check Out the Knox College website: https://knox.utoronto.ca/ Calvin's Institutes https://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.toc.html ___________ Books Discussed: Love, Henri https://amzn.to/3fpnolF (US) https://amzn.to/2C2lqcD (Canada) The Wounded Healer https://amzn.to/2AGOrKz (US) https://amzn.to/3hdDkcr (Canada) Reaching Out https://amzn.to/37BuyjZ (US) https://amzn.to/2AxxCBJ (Canada) ___________ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: henrinouwen.org/donate/ * SIGN UP FOR FREE DAILY E-MEDITATIONS: henrinouwen.org/meditation/ * MORE FREE RESOURCES: henrinouwen.org/ * FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/henrinouwensociety/ TWITTER: twitter.com/nouwensociety FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nouwensociety/ PINTEREST: www.pinterest.ca/henrinouwen/

Listen to Week 2 of "Life of the Beloved" on January 26th, 2025. Among the most popular of Henri Nouwen's books, Life of the Beloved was initially written for a Jewish friend, and went on to become Henri Nouwen's greatest legacy to Christians around the world. This synopsis of his book is part of a two-week forum.

“In solitude, I often feel closer to the people I care for than when they're in the same room.” –Pico Iyer In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Pico talk about how the best travels are often counterbalanced with a kind of stillness, in which one can find one’s “best self” (3:00); Pico’s decades-long experiences with monks in a California monastery, the benefits of a “childlike attitude” toward life, and how “fire” can be a metaphor for spiritual life (12:00); how Pico’s solitude is informed by, and in conversation with, nature (22:00); Pico’s engaged relationship with spiritual communities, even though he is not religious (30:00); the “counterculture” spiritual tradition that grew up around Big Sur, California, and the power of longing (39:00); and how solitude can be a gateway to other people (47:00). Pico Iyer (@PicoIyer) is a novelist, essayist, and author. His newest book is Aflame: Learning from Silence. Notable Links: Pico Iyer on what Japan can teach us about life (Deviate episode 73) The Vagabond’s Way, by Rolf Potts (book) Henri Nouwen (writer and theologian) New Seeds of Contemplation, by Thomas Merton (book) The 14th Dalai Lama (spiritual leader) The Snow Leopard, by Peter Matthiessen (book) Richard Powers (novelist) Desert Fathers (early Christian hermits and ascetics) Sign of Jonas, by Thomas Merton (book) Days of Heaven (1978 film) 4′33″ by John Cage (musical composition) New Camaldoli Hermitage (hermitage in Big Sur, California) Rigveda (ancient Indian collection of hymns) The Woman Lit by Fireflies, by Jim Harrison (book) Sarmoung Brotherhood (esoteric Sufi brotherhood) Henry Miller (novelist) Esalen Institute (retreat center in Big Sur) Bittersweet, by Susan Cain (book) Leonard Cohen (songwriter) Ludwig Wittgenstein (philosopher) The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

DateJanuary 12, 2025SynopsisWhen God writes "Beloved" on our hearts, it transforms how we see ourselves and each other. Like a child proudly writing their name, like friends recognizing each other's baby pictures, like communities holding space for both joy and sorrow—we're called to live as if we actually believe we're beloved, and to create spaces where others can discover they are too.ReferencesScripture: Luke 3:15–17; 21–22 About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

Get your copy of Wake Up to Love, today!LOVE is appearing as a family vacation right now, and I will return with new episodes on January 6th! I Love you! Listen to the ROSARY, Here and pray the Love every day LIVE, Here!!We aren't piecemealin' our Peace this year."I want that.""I need that."We're being THAT,which is all of 'that' and more.You're beyond what you desire.You're beyond what you think you're lacking,what you think will complete you,it already is you,so reclaim it as a part of your Self.Take it back,while knowing that this Light is All you really want.This Light that's here, already.It's not coming tomorrow,or even later today,It's Now.It's You(rs).You're His.I Love You,Niknikki@curlynikki.comSupport the show:▶▶https://www.patreon.com/goodmornings__________________________________________Today's Quotes:"And if you understand that, you will understand that you didn't finish reading this book, you just finished writing it."-Jed McKenna "He's gonna do it early in the year. You're not gonna have to wait months for it to come to pass. The spirit of the Lord is saying that he's gonna do it early!- @Godlywaiting via IG'"You're the one who has to meet what you want at the vibration where it is."-Abraham Hicks"...There is a strength, but also a lightness.There is power, but also softness.There is firmness, but also flexibility.The being is like solid emptiness.Immeasurable.Weightless.Yet more solid than a mountain.Lighter than space.Full yet empty.Sublime."-Mooji"Dear friends, I want you to hear this: what is said of Jesus is said of you. I know this can be hard to affirm. You are the beloved daughter or son of God. Can you believe it? Can you hear it not only in your head through your physical ears but in your gut, hear it so that your whole life can be turned around? Go to the scriptures and read: "I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have written your name in the palm of my hand from all eternity. I have molded you in the depths of the earth and knitted you in your mother's womb. I love you. I embrace you. You are mine and I am yours and you belong to me." You have to hear this, because if you can hear this divine voice speak to you from all eternity, then your life will become more and more the life of the beloved, because that is who you are."-Henri Nouwen via IG @claremsf"Just wake up and say, "I don't care" for a minute. Drop the desire and say, "I don't want this", the next second something comes up in you, and that is a smile.-Sri Sri Ravi Shankar"When a cat falls out of a tree, it lets go of itself. The cat becomes completely relaxed, and lands lightly on the ground. But if a cat were about to fall out of a tree and suddenly make up its mind that it didn't want to fall, it would become tense and rigid, and would be just a bag of broken bones upon landing. In the same way, it is the philosophy of the Tao that we are all falling off a tree, at every moment of our lives. As a matter of fact, the moment we were born, we were kicked off a precipice, and we are falling, and there is nothing that can stop it. So instead of living in a state of chronic tension, and clinging to all sorts of things that are actually falling with us because the whole world is impermanent, be like a cat."- Alan Watts

With every new year comes new resolutions. But instead of forming resolutions around activity, what if we formed them around identity? Instead of asking, "What do I want to do?" we asked, "Who do I want to become?" This week, we look to writer and theologian Henri Nouwen, to guide us on our journey of becoming, as we center our lives on one word that captures the heart of our faith: Beloved.

On Christmas Eve, Ukrainian families create a living Nativity scene by spreading straw across the floor and placing hay beneath the dinner tablecloth. “This gesture connects the birth of Jesus to the natural world, with the presence of the field permeating the home,” Metropolitan Borys Gudziak says. Portuguese families observe Noite da Consoada (Night of Comfort and Consolation) with a humble meal of salt cod, cabbage and potatoes. “The idea is to echo the simplicity of the day,” Ricardo da Silva, S.J., shares with Metropolitan Gudziak. “Jesus was born in this very simple setting.” These practices, Ricardo suggests in this year's final episode of “Preach,” remind us not only of Christ's simplicity but also offer a nudge for preachers: “The best thing to do is to preach simply.” [Please complete a brief survey and tell us what you love (or not) about “Preach”] Metropolitan Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia leads the Ukrainian Catholic community in the United States. Born in Syracuse, N.Y., he holds a doctorate in Slavic and Byzantine cultural history from Harvard University. He was the founding president and rector of the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine, from 2002 until 2012, and served Ukrainian Greek Catholics in Western Europe until 2018. His preaching is deeply influenced by his dear friend and mentor, Henri Nouwen, who was known for his emphasis on simplicity and authenticity. “People today know Henri from his writings,” he says, “but I would say his preaching was an order above because it was personal.” The metropolitan recalls what he learned from hearing hundreds of Nouwen's homilies when he was a student at Harvard. “Henri just said: ‘Keep it very simple. Use keywords many times.'” And it is this ability to communicate simply that the metropolitan shows in his Christmas Eve homily, when he uses vivid expressions like  “the clear odor of the manure” and “the bells of the cows.” By drawing on Nouwen's wisdom, the metropolitan invites us to approach the Christmas mystery with renewed awe, wonder and openness. Read the Scripture readings and full text of this week's homily Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Sunday's Advent theme explores the concept of joy as presented in the great birth announcement given by angels. Joy, unlike happiness, is not based on favorable life events but rooted in a relationship with Jesus. Biblical joy persists through all circumstances, anchored in the character and promises ofGod. This is why the angels' announcement of Jesus' birth in Luke 2 was such a momentous declaration of "great joy" for all people—introducing a joy that comes through Christ's presence and God's redemptive plan rather than worldly pleasures or success.   The announcement reveals God's profound presence through Jesus, as proclaimed to humble shepherds, demonstrating that this joy is accessible to all, not just the esteemed or powerful. This choice reflects God's tendency to reach out to the overlooked and marginalized, who respond with attentiveness and faith. Jesus, described as Savior, Christ, and Lord, fulfills centuries-old promises of salvation, establishing Him as the foundation of a lasting joy that transcends temporary sorrows. This joy, embodied in Christ, transforms hardship into a pathway for spiritual growth, as seen in Romans 5:3-5, where suffering builds character and hope.   Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.   To experience this enduring joy, Jesus instructs His followers to obey His word and remain in His love (John 15:9-11). Obedience is not restrictive but brings believers closer to God, enabling them to experience His guiding presence. Remaining in His love, as Henri Nouwen suggests, means knowing oneself to be unconditionally loved by God. This realization brings a joy that surpasses life's challenges, offering Christians a steady assurance that their worth and ultimate fulfillment are found in God's love and salvation.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever Hebrews 13:8 Happy Advent!  In today's episode we're talking about what it might look like to prepare our hearts for Him, to take some moments during this season to purposefully incline ourselves toward the things of God. I'll share with you three things that I've been pondering as I lean into the cadence of this season with hope and expectancy.  (There's also a great prayer at the end my Henri Nouwen that felt like such great preparation for me that you won't want to miss!)

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION “All I need is a sheet of paper and something to write with, and then I can turn the world upside down.”~Friedrich Nietzsche “Words are not in the power of men; men are in the power of words.”~Hermann Bahr “I consider looseness with words no less of a defect than looseness of the bowels.”~John Calvin “Even though our tongue cannot be tamed by human nature, it can be tamed by the Holy Spirit.”~Jackie Hill Perry “A little criticism makes me angry, and a little rejection makes me depressed. A little praise raises my spirits, and a little success excites me. It takes very little to raise me up or thrust me down. Often I am like a small boat on the ocean, completely at the mercy of its waves. All the time and energy I spend in keeping some kind of balance and preventing myself from being tipped over and drowning shows my life is mostly a struggle for survival: not a holy struggle, but an anxious struggle resulting from the mistaken idea that it is the world that defines me.”~Henri Nouwen “That non-bony, flappable instrument between our bicuspids can be an instrument of tremendous good or cataclysmic destruction. It can be used to build people up in the faith or to destroy their hard-earned reputations. It can help bring about peace among nations or can start a war.”~Curtis ThomasSERMON PASSAGEProverbs 13:3, 15:1-2, 4, 18:20-21, 21:23-24, James 1:26 (ESV)Proverbs 133 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;  he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. Proverbs 151 A soft answer turns away wrath,  but a harsh word stirs up anger.2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,  but the mouths of fools pour out folly….4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life,  but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Proverbs 1820 From the fruit of a man's mouth  his stomach is satisfied;  he is satisfied by the yield of his lips.21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue,   and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 2123 Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue   keeps himself out of trouble.24 “Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man   who acts with arrogant pride. James 1 26 If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.

Today's episode is dedicated to two readers of Frontiers of Psychotherapist Development (FPD): Austin Sparks and Ash Burton.I answer both Austin's and Ash's question on working with more than just the individual youth in therapy. I address the challenge and merits, along with six guiding principles, and six strategies that I take. Guiding Principles1. Give Voice to the Voice-less2. Listening to Each Other into Speech3. Being a With-ness to Each Other4. We are a Community of Internalised Others5. When We Love, We Love PoorlyStrategies 1. Structure is “Where are we? were are we going? and why?2. Mixing Individual and Conjoint Sessions 3. Allow Contradictory Perspectives4. Express the Unspokens5. How Healthy is the Family?6. Practice of forgivenessSHOWNOTES: 1. 10 Years of Frontiers of Psychotherapist Development (FPD). Frontiers Friday #189 2. Listening Into Speech: Will Say, Won't Say, Can't Say.Quotes: Understanding is love's other name. If you don't understand, you can't love. — Thich Nhat Hanh, in How to Love. Forgiveness is the name of love practice among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all people love poorly.— Henri Nouwen.--- Subscribe to Frontiers of Psychotherapist Development (FPD). The aim is to help you grow at your bleeding edge of personal and professional development. Frontiers Friday is released newsletter. Plus you get to access 10 years of the archive at no cost. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit darylchow.substack.com

Through the story of Simeon, the waiting saint, we learn what a life of hope looks like. Often, we treat hope like a reward, thinking that as long as we're "good," we will get what we long for. This mindset leads to despair for many, as hope is not about the fulfillment of our desires, it's dependance on the one who can fulfill all our desires and trusting his providential plan. Hope is found in God's promises, fulfilled in Jesus. Henri Nouwen reminds us that "Life is Advent," and true hope is recognizing the Lord's continual coming into our lives.

Do you know the influence your donations are having?In this episode, Jeff, Jeff, and Brad discuss:Lessons learned from growing up with four dads.Reaching communities through fundraising.The meeting of non-profit organizations and for-profit organizations.Developing a system that shows appreciation for your donors.Filtering the organizations you are giving to.  Key Takeaways:Love God, love people, and treat them well. God will put miracles in your path.Donors are not ATMs, they are partners. Invite the donors into the ministry with you.Business owners have resources - that is a power. Use that power appropriately. Treat your charitable giving like it is your business.Don't be afraid to ask more. Be accountable to help people communicate properly about what is being done with God's money. "As you take your kids to all these places, take them to visit the people that are transforming lives around the world, those are the adventures that will transform your family." —  Brad Layland Episode References:A Spirituality of Fundraising by Henri Nouwen: henrinouwen.org/read/a-spirituality-of-fundraisingA Billion Bootstraps: businessasmission.com/resources/a-billion-bootstrapsThe Gathering: thegathering.com About Brad Layland: Brad Layland, Chief Executive Officer & Senior Consultant, first learned how to raise money as a college student in 1993, while seeking to raise personal support as a part-time staff member for Young Life. Over 20 years at Young Life, he developed his passion for and expertise in relational fundraising, to the point where he was asked to train other area directors around the country, and eventually became the Chief Development Officer for the entire organization.Brad joined The FOCUS Group in 2009 as a Senior Consultant and became the owner and CEO in 2010. In 2013, he launched the Taking Donors Seriously® e-learning and coaching program to make the firm's expertise accessible to individuals and smaller nonprofits.Brad's expertise providing high-level fundraising counsel to nonprofit organizations incorporates major donor strategies, training workshops, planned gift marketing, and capital campaign counsel. In recent years he has led capital campaigns for Dallas Theological Seminary, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Union Rescue Mission, The Bowery Mission, and Veritas School.Brad received his B.A. in Communications from the University of Florida and his M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Wendy reside in St. Augustine, Florida and have four children. Brad enjoys running marathons, skiing, investing in real estate, entrepreneurship, and traveling with his family. Over the past 20 years, he has completed 50 marathons and recently completed two Ironman Triathlons.Brad is the founder of Endless Summer Realty, the largest residential real estate brokerage in St. Augustine, closing over $240 million in transactions in 2021. He is a founder and board member of Veritas Classical School, and launched an annual “Giving Day” in St. Augustine, which has become a platform for local nonprofits to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars and establish relationships with new donors. His entrepreneurial success has allowed Brad to experience the joy of generosity, and gain a special understanding of the mindset of a major donor. Connect with Brad Layland:Website: bradlayland.comThe FOCUS Group: thefocusgroup.comTurning Donors Into Partners: donorsintopartners.comPodcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/taking-donors-seriously-podcast/id769463284  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bradlayland   Connect with Jeff Thomas: Website: arkosglobal.comPodcast: generousbusinessowner.comBook: arkosglobal.com/trading-upEmail: jeff.thomas@arkosglobal.comX: x.com/ArkosGlobalAdv Facebook: facebook.com/arkosglobalLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/arkosglobaladvisorsInstagram: instagram.com/arkosglobaladvisorsYouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCLUYpPwkHH7JrP6PrbHeBxw

In the beautiful compilation, Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life, Henri Nouwen invites us to learn to listen deeply to the voice of the Spirit. Encouraging us to encounter this voice through books, nature, people and events, Nouwen reminds us that God is ever present. In this episode of Henri's bookshelf, we speak with Sam Cooper, a pastor who has accompanied a local community of faith for 31 years and counting. Through stories of listening and obeying, Sam and Wendy celebrate a long journey of discernment that has led a community to learn to participate with God in making things right. Meadowvale Community Church: https://www.meadowvalecrc.org/ Indwell - builder of affordable housing: https://indwell.ca/ ___________ Book Discussed: Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life https://amzn.to/2NBrriT (US) https://amzn.to/2Oczt1T (CAD) Spiritual Direction https://amzn.to/389dTEI (US) https://amzn.to/2Zf9gGA (CAD) Spiritual Formation https://amzn.to/2YCNETY (US) https://amzn.to/2COPVTM (CAD) The Wounded Healer https://amzn.to/2AGOrKz (US) https://amzn.to/3hdDkcr (CAD) ___________ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: henrinouwen.org/donate/ * SIGN UP FOR FREE DAILY E-MEDITATIONS: henrinouwen.org/meditation/ * MORE FREE RESOURCES: henrinouwen.org/ * FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/henrinouwensociety/ TWITTER: twitter.com/nouwensociety FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nouwensociety/ PINTEREST: www.pinterest.ca/henrinouwen/

DateNovember 3, 2024SynopsisIn this sermon, we explore the life of Henri Nouwen—Catholic priest, prolific author, and wounded healer—whose lifelong struggle with feeling worthy of love led him to discover God's grace in unexpected places. Through Nouwen's journey from prestigious academic positions to living among those with disabilities at L'Arche, we learn that our wounds aren't liabilities but pathways to healing, and that like trapeze artists, we're all called to trust in the divine Catcher who promises to hold us. This message will especially resonate with anyone who has ever felt like an impostor, struggled with feeling worthy of love, or longed to be enough—inviting us to consider how our own wounds might become sources of healing for others, just as Nouwen taught us that "when our wounds cease to be a source of shame and become a source of healing, we have become wounded healers."ReferencesScripture: Matthew 3:13–17; Hebrews 12:1–2About The Local ChurchFor more information about The Local Church, visit our website. We're also posting good stuff on Facebook, Threads, and Instagram, too. Feedback? Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear it. Email Brent at brent@thelocalchurchpbo.org.To invest in what God's doing through The Local Church and help support these podcasting efforts and this movement of God's love, give online here.

The last manuscript of Henri J.M. Nouwen, left unfinished at his sudden death in 1996, recounts his transformative friendship with a traveling trapeze troupe, the Flying Rodleighs. Nouwen thought his trapeze story could become his most important book. Author Carolyn Whitney-Brown, Henri's colleague and friend, was invited to take the unpublished material and offer it to readers as the final metaphor to have captivated Henri Nouwen's spiritual imagination. Readers will discover Henri to be a spiritual risk-taker always pursuing deeper communion with God. And somewhere in the flying and catching and even falling, Henri found access to a more embodied and liberating life. Carolyn Whitney-Brown is a Canadian writer, artist, and university teacher who earned a PhD in English literature. She knew Henri Nouwen well when she and her family lived in the L'Arche Daybreak community from 1990 until Nouwen's death in 1996. She lives on Vancouver Island. https://writersunion.ca/member/Carolyn-Whitney-Brown ___________ Book Discussed: Flying, Falling, Catching: An Unlikely Story of Finding Freedom https://amzn.to/3UUPJ9c (US) https://amzn.to/3RuZszU (Canada) ___________ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: henrinouwen.org/donate/ * SIGN UP FOR FREE DAILY E-MEDITATIONS: henrinouwen.org/meditation/ * MORE FREE RESOURCES: henrinouwen.org/ * FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/henrinouwensociety/ TWITTER: twitter.com/nouwensociety FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nouwensociety/ PINTEREST: www.pinterest.ca/henrinouwen/

A reading about expectation as patience and joy from "Out of Solitude" a 1974 work by Henri Nouwen (1932-1996)

Henri Nouwen gave a series of lectures on the importance of following Jesus in an age of anxiety which became the basis for this book. Following Jesus explores calling and purpose, fear and hope, and why, when the twenty-first-century seeker has so many choices, including atheism and secularism, the greatest reward for those looking for fulfillment is to choose to embrace the truth of God's love. Henri Nouwen offers warm, insightful, and practical spiritual habits to help readers navigate the oft-less- travelled, but ultimately life-giving road of faith in and through following Jesus. Our Guest: Robert A. Jonas, Ed.D. (Harvard University), M.T.S. (Weston Jesuit School of Theology) was a dear friend of Henri Nouwen and is the author of The Essential Henri Nouwen, (Shambhala Publications) and Henri Nouwen (Orbis). His most recent book is, My Dear Far-Nearness: The Holy Trinity as Spiritual Practice (2022 Orbis). Trained as a psychotherapist, Dr. Jonas is an author, father and grandfather, video artist, musician, environmental steward, and retreat leader. Dr. Jonas is the director of The Empty Bell, a contemplative sanctuary in Northampton, MA whose website is an extraordinary resource for contemplative Christians and for Buddhist-Christian dialogue. https://www.emptybell.org/ ___________ Book Discussed: Following Jesus: Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety https://amzn.to/3frmy7R (US) https://amzn.to/3cWRWta (Canada) ___________ SUPPORT THIS PODCAST: henrinouwen.org/donate/ * SIGN UP FOR FREE DAILY E-MEDITATIONS: henrinouwen.org/meditation/ * MORE FREE RESOURCES: henrinouwen.org/ * FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/henrinouwensociety/ TWITTER: twitter.com/nouwensociety FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/nouwensociety/ PINTEREST: www.pinterest.ca/henrinouwen/

One expression of suffering is forgetting that we are intrinsically lovable and worthy. This talk looks at the pathway to trusting our belonging, and focuses on the healing that comes from letting in love and mirroring others goodness. Talk includes quotes from Henri Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming