Making All Things New
An Invitation to the Spiritual Life
Newly repackaged, Making All Things New is an eloquent and simple explanation of the spiritual life from Henri J.M. Nouwen, author of Letters to Marc About Jesus and A Letter of Consolation and one of the most influential spiritual writers of our time.
“[Henri Nouwen] offers faith in plain speech, solid nourishment for the soul.” – Kathleen Norris, author of The Cloister Walk
“An invitation to the peace of mind and all-embracing love that is called the Holy Spirit.” – The Lutheran
“In this little book, Nouwen urges us the one thing necessary: a total, fearless listening to the Father.” – The Living Church
“It so clearly and beautifully lets us know where, and when, and what kind of event is the spiritual life.” – The Presbyterian Outlook
“An instructive and gentle book. Henri Nouwen does more than tell us that solitude and community are essential for the spiritual life. His words impart a spirit that will better enable his readers to provide themselves with these seemingly contradictory necessities.”– Elizabeth O’Connor, author of Journey Inward, Journey Outward
More About this Book
This short book was written in response to questions posed to Nouwen by his friends: “What does it mean to live a spiritual life?” and “How do we live it?”. It was written primarily for Christians but also those who are more ambivalent yet “desire spiritual freedom.” Nouwen uses Jesus’ words “Do not worry” as his point of departure. He looks at the destructive effects of worrying in our daily lives and then describes how Jesus responds to these worries. The book concludes with specific disciplines to help decrease worry and allow the Spirit of God to “make all things new”. Nouwen calls the reader away from the noise of the distracted life, to embrace solitude and community as meaningful pathways to spiritual depth and maturity. He equips the reader to say “yes” to the presence of God deep within his or her life, following the spiritual hunger to its divine center.
Themes: Worry, Anxiety, Solitude, Community, Jesus
Harper Collins, 1981
Praise for "Making All Things New"
"Very quick! And very dear, as all Nouwen works are. I’m going to be working through his thoughts on the life of worry vs life in the spirit for a while." -Abby
"I have returned to this little book again and again for its simple wisdom. In an age shaped by the false compulsions of news and anxiety, Nouwen helps us locate our real enemies --vague discontent, boredom, fear, false preoccupations." -Will
"A beautiful and practical little book on the disciplines of solitude and community and their value in cultivating a spiritual life." -Bryan