Audiobooks by Henri J. M. Nouwen

Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life

From the bestselling author of The Return of the Prodigal Son, essential listening for Christians, Catholics, and all spiritual seekers. In a world where our minds are distracted by constant stimuli, it’s easy to lose our connection to God. Henri Nouwen was known for his keen ability to find spiritual clarity amid the chatter, a gift he shared throughout his life in his roles as a Catholic priest, counselor, teacher, and author. Although Nouwen achieved great fame for his popular books, many of his teachings on spiritual discernment were never recorded. Today, Nouwen fans like you can enjoy this spiritually edifying compendium of works on this topic published posthumously. Available as an audiobook for the first time ever, Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life invites you to adopt Nouwen as your personal spiritual guide. Each session was carefully prepared by Dr. Michael Christensen, an award-winning professor of Christian ministry and practice, and Dr. Rebecca Laird, who was Nouwen’s student at Yale Divinity School. Like other volumes in The Nouwen Trilogy, this audiobook collects Nouwen’s unpublished homilies, interviews, classes, and speeches, as well as excerpts from his published writings. Editing these works into a cohesive and definitive guide to the Christian life, Drs. Christensen and Laird memorialize his popular teachings. By listening to Nouwen’s teachings on discernment, you’ll learn that God’s presence is all around you, if you only know where to look. This course is part of the Learn25 collection.

Henri J. M. Nouwen, Henri Nouwen (Author), Henri J. M. Nouwen, Henri Nouwen (Narrator)

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Following Jesus: Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety

"Timeless wisdom for life from one of the great spiritual masters of our age."-James Martin, S.J., author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage In this never-before-published work of inspiration, the bestselling author of The Return of the Prodigal Son offers a compelling case for why Christianity is still relevant, beautiful, intelligent, and necessary in the modern world. At one of the lowest points in Henri Nouwen's life, he gave a series of lectures on the importance of following Jesus in an age of anxiety. Drawn from those talks, this new work reveals what sustained Nouwen to remain faithful to the teachings of Jesus and led him to become an icon of compassion and vulnerability. Here he writes eloquently about calling and purpose, fear and hope. And he explains why-with so many choices available to the twenty-first-century seeker-the greatest reward for those looking for spiritual direction is rediscovering Jesus's teaching on love. Along the way, Nouwen offers warm, insightful, practical habits to help readers navigate the narrow, sometimes arduous, but ultimately fulfilling road of conviction and faith. Praise for Following Jesus "Few writers have influenced me more than Henri Nouwen. These newly published lectures offer fresh and timely insights amid the familiar cadences of Nouwen's prose, written from a place of deep anxiety but even deeper hope."-John Inazu, professor of political science, Washington University in St. Louis, author of Confident Pluralism "In Following Jesus, beloved pastor and spiritual mentor Henri Nouwen guides the reader on the journey he has traveled as a follower of Jesus. Without minimizing the anxieties, fears, and brokenness that touch down in every reader's story, Nouwen gently leads the way into a life that centers on Jesus and engulfs the follower with God's love, a sense of belonging, and a purpose that endures. Truly a wise and welcome word for anyone in this age of anxiety."-Carolyn Custis James, author of Half the Church: Recapturing God's Global Vision for Women and Finding God in the Margins

Henri J. M. Nouwen (Author), Fred Sanders (Narrator)

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Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith

From the best-selling author of The Return of the Prodigal Son, essential listening for Christians, Catholics, and all spiritual seekers. We lead our spiritual lives in relationship with others. A faithful community gives us opportunities to worship, share burdens, offer forgiveness, and celebrate life. Wherever he went, Henri Nouwen created such communities, and within them, he offered spiritual direction. Available as an audiobook for the first time ever, Spiritual Direction: Wisdom for the Long Walk of Faith is part of The Nouwen Trilogy. These convenient audio sessions let you adopt Nouwen as your personal spiritual director. As you listen, you will come to see the spiritual life as he did: a transformative journey that takes on meaning through interpersonal connections. Each session was carefully prepared by Dr. Michael Christensen, an award-winning professor of Christian ministry and practice, and Dr. Rebecca Laird, who was Nouwen's student at Yale Divinity School. Each volume of The Nouwen Trilogy collects Nouwen's unpublished homilies, interviews, classes, and speeches, as well as excerpts from his published writings. Editing these works into a cohesive and definitive guide to the Christian life, Drs. Christensen and Laird memorialize his popular teachings. With Nouwen's guidance, you hold the key to true and lasting spiritual transformation. This course is part of the Learn25 collection.

Henri J. M. Nouwen (Author), Joe Abbey-Colborne (Narrator)

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Spiritual Formation: Following the Movements of the Spirit

From the best-selling author of The Return of the Prodigal Son, essential listening for Christians, Catholics, and all spiritual seekers. You are no doubt familiar with beloved spiritual master Henri Nouwen, who published 40 highly influential books during his lifetime. Now you can glean additional insights from three edifying Nouwen works published posthumously. Each session was carefully prepared by Dr. Michael Christensen, an award-winning professor of Christian ministry and practice, and Dr. Rebecca Laird, who was Nouwen's student at Yale Divinity School. Each volume of The Nouwen Trilogy collects Nouwen's unpublished homilies, interviews, classes, and speeches, as well as excerpts from his published writings. Editing these works into a definitive guide to the Christian life, Drs. Christensen and Laird memorialize his popular teachings. Spiritual Formation: Following the Movements of the Spirit is part of this trilogy. Available for the first time in audio format, these convenient sessions move you through the five stages of spiritual development: awakening, purgation, illumination, dark night, and unification. The audiobook is performed by Joe Abbey-Colborne, a veteran of pastoral ministry who played Nouwen in Gabrielle Earnshaw's presentation Love, Henri: Letters on the Spiritual Life with the Henri Nouwen Society. Enhance your spiritual development with Nouwen's wisdom today. This course is part of the Learn25 collection.

Henri J. M. Nouwen (Author), Joe Abbey-Colborne (Narrator)

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Henri Nouwen on Suffering and Joy

Find hope in suffering in this lecture set by Henri Nouwen, one of the twentieth century’s great spiritual masters, as your guide. In our society, we learn to hide our grief, to suppress our joy, to fight darkness with darkness. We are like Jesus’ generation, to whom he says, “We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry” (Luke 7:32). Now, the spiritual master Henri Nouwen helps you practice healing through both suffering and joy. As you learn to embrace mourning as a means of healing, you will discover true life in the Spirit. You will embody one of the most powerful beatitudes: “Blessed are those who mourn.” In the first half of the series, you will learn how you are called to be a healer. The spirit of healing, Nouwen says, requires both mourning your losses and dancing in joy. By embracing your fears and losses, you will reclaim your identity as a beloved child of God. Throughout these talks, Nouwen weaves scripture, his own experiences of suffering, and compassionate insights gleaned from a lifetime of spiritual reflection. Let him help you find true healing and joy.

Henri J. M. Nouwen (Author), Henri J. M. Nouwen (Narrator)

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Who Are We?: Henri Nouwen on Our Christian Identity

Join one of the 20th century's most inspiring spiritual writers on a journey of self-discovery. Society teaches us to define ourselves by the things we have: belongings, education, experiences. Our inner worth depends on our surroundings, and, as the Gospels say, we "belong to the world." Spiritual master Henri Nouwen teaches you how to move beyond such traps and achieve a deeper sense of self. Nouwen draws upon his own experience of leaving a Harvard professorship to work with the disabled. His talks will inspire you with their combination of spiritual reflection, humor, and profound insight. You will begin by looking at your own obstacles, for as Nouwen says, "Only when you are willing to recognize your darkness can you really receive the light." In the second half of this series, you will reflect upon spiritual communion and what it means to be "taken, blessed, broken, and given." You will transform your brokenness into blessedness, discovering how your life is meant to be a gift to the world. By entering fully into Christ's love, you will bear the gifts of the Spirit. Let Nouwen's talks lead you back to God's arms. This course is part of the Learn25 collection.

Henri J. M. Nouwen (Author), Henri J. M. Nouwen (Narrator)

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The Lonely Search for God

Join one of the most influential spiritual writers of the 20th century on the search for meaning. What does it really mean to live your life in the spirit of Jesus Christ? Tackle this question with Henri Nouwen (1932-1996), the author of such classics as The Return of the Prodigal Son and Life of the Beloved. Perhaps no 20th-century spiritual thinker so profoundly captured the human experience as this Catholic priest and psychologist. Now, in this moving audio program, you have the rare opportunity to listen to Nouwen's voice. He powerfully draws upon his own struggles to show you how to move from loneliness to solitude, from hostility to hospitality, and from illusion to prayer. In sharing his personal experiences, Nouwen imparts to you the profound gifts that he has received, giving shape to the human struggle. As you will discover, it is only through encountering darkness that you can understand light. Through listening to his particular experiences, you will come to understand more fully this universal human experience. As you will learn, to be human is not to be apart from but rather a part of community. Indeed, God came to us in Jesus Christ, who became human - to the point of accepting death on the Cross. Ultimately, you will learn that you are not traveling alone on this "lonely" search for God. Find light in darkness with Nouwen as your guide. This course is part of the Learn25 collection.

Henri J. M. Nouwen (Author), Henri J. M. Nouwen (Narrator)

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Home Tonight: Further reflections on the parable of the prodigal son

Home Tonight follows the path of Henri Nouwen's spiritual homecoming. More than three years prior to writing his great classic, The Return of the Prodigal Son, Nouwen suffered a personal breakdown followed by a time of healing solitude when he encountered Rembrandt's famous painting. Within his solitude he reflected on and identified with the parable’s characters and experienced profound and inspiring life lessons.

Henri J. M. Nouwen (Author), Arthur Morey (Narrator)

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