Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Henri Nouwen quote

My pastor sent me this from Henri Nouwen...

"A part of you was left behind very early in your life: the part that never felt completely received. It is full of fears. Meanwhile, you grew up with many survival skills. But you want your self to be one. So you have to bring home the part of you that was left behind. That is not easy, because you have become quite a formidable person, and your fearful part does not know if it can safely dwell with you. Your grown-upself has to become very childlike - hospitable, gentle, and caring - so your anxious self can return and feel safe. You complain that it is hard for you to pray, to experience the love of Jesus. But Jesus dwells in your fearful, never fully received self. When you befriend your true self and discover that it is good and beautiful, you will see Jesus there. Where you are most human, most yourself, weakest, there Jesus lives. Bringing your fearful self home is bringing Jesus home."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

thank you for posting this :)

Karen said...

boy....its been the process for so long now......its nice to see it in writing so eloquently!!!