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With Open Hands
From one of the world's most beloved authors, a series of reflections on life to help your prayers become a joy -- a spontaneous reaction to the world and the people around you.
96 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1972
140 people are currently reading
1453 people want to read
About the author
Henri J.M. Nouwen
452 books2,136 followersHenri Jozef Machiel Nouwen was a Dutch Catholic priest, theologian, psychologist, professor, and spiritual writer whose work profoundly shaped contemporary Christian spirituality. Born in Nijkerk, the Netherlands, in 1932, Nouwen pursued religious studies and was ordained a priest in 1957. His intellectual curiosity led him to study psychology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen and later at the Menninger Clinic in Kansas, where he explored the connection between faith and mental health. Throughout his life, Nouwen remained committed to integrating pastoral care, psychology, and spiritual theology in a way that addressed the emotional and existential needs of believers.
Nouwen held teaching positions at prestigious institutions including the University of Notre Dame, Yale Divinity School, and Harvard Divinity School. He authored over three dozen books and hundreds of articles, with notable works such as The Wounded Healer, The Return of the Prodigal Son, Life of the Beloved, and The Inner Voice of Love. His writing, often rooted in personal vulnerability and spiritual struggle, resonated with readers across denominations. Nouwen openly explored themes of loneliness, identity, intimacy, and the human desire for love and belonging, making his voice especially relatable and influential.
Though he was a gifted academic and popular speaker, Nouwen found his deepest calling later in life through his involvement with L’Arche, a network of communities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After a transformative stay at the original L’Arche community in France, Nouwen accepted an invitation to become the pastor of L’Arche Daybreak in Richmond Hill, Ontario. There he developed a close bond with Adam Arnett, a core member with severe disabilities, which inspired the book Adam: God’s Beloved. At Daybreak, Nouwen discovered a deep spiritual home and a community that helped him embrace his humanity in profound ways.
Throughout his life, Nouwen wrestled with issues of identity, including his sexuality and his longing for connection, though he remained faithful to his vows. His openness about depression and inner conflict gave depth to his pastoral message, and his ability to turn personal struggle into shared spiritual insight made him one of the most beloved spiritual writers of the 20th century.
Henri Nouwen died in 1996 of a sudden heart attack, but his legacy endures through his writings, the Henri Nouwen Society, and the continued global reach of his message of belovedness, vulnerability, and compassionate community. His books remain bestsellers, widely read in seminaries, churches, and among individuals seeking a more intimate walk with God.
Nouwen held teaching positions at prestigious institutions including the University of Notre Dame, Yale Divinity School, and Harvard Divinity School. He authored over three dozen books and hundreds of articles, with notable works such as The Wounded Healer, The Return of the Prodigal Son, Life of the Beloved, and The Inner Voice of Love. His writing, often rooted in personal vulnerability and spiritual struggle, resonated with readers across denominations. Nouwen openly explored themes of loneliness, identity, intimacy, and the human desire for love and belonging, making his voice especially relatable and influential.
Though he was a gifted academic and popular speaker, Nouwen found his deepest calling later in life through his involvement with L’Arche, a network of communities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. After a transformative stay at the original L’Arche community in France, Nouwen accepted an invitation to become the pastor of L’Arche Daybreak in Richmond Hill, Ontario. There he developed a close bond with Adam Arnett, a core member with severe disabilities, which inspired the book Adam: God’s Beloved. At Daybreak, Nouwen discovered a deep spiritual home and a community that helped him embrace his humanity in profound ways.
Throughout his life, Nouwen wrestled with issues of identity, including his sexuality and his longing for connection, though he remained faithful to his vows. His openness about depression and inner conflict gave depth to his pastoral message, and his ability to turn personal struggle into shared spiritual insight made him one of the most beloved spiritual writers of the 20th century.
Henri Nouwen died in 1996 of a sudden heart attack, but his legacy endures through his writings, the Henri Nouwen Society, and the continued global reach of his message of belovedness, vulnerability, and compassionate community. His books remain bestsellers, widely read in seminaries, churches, and among individuals seeking a more intimate walk with God.
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March 23, 2018
The quote that went into my bones and will never leave me:
Praying means giving up a false security, no longer looking for arguments which will protect you if you get pushed into a corner, no longer setting your hope on a couple of lighter moments which your life might still offer. Praying means to stop expecting from God that same small-mindedness which you discover in yourself. To pray is to walk in the full light of God, and to say simply, without holding back, “I am human and you are God.” At that moment, conversion occurs, the restoration of the true relationship. Man is not the one who once in a while makes a mistake and God is not the one who now and then forgives. No, man is a sinner and God is love. Conversion makes this obvious with a stunning simplicity and a disarming clarity.
This conversion brings with it the relaxation which lets you breathe again and puts you at rest in the embrace of a forgiving God. The experience results in a calm and simple joy. For then you can say: “I don’t know the answer and I can’t do this thing, but I don’t have to know it, and I don’t have to be able to do it.” This new knowledge is the liberation which gives you access to everything in creation and leaves you free to play in the garden which lies before you.
The person who prays not only discovers himself and God, but in the same meeting discovers who his neighbor is. For in prayer, you not only profess that people are people and God is God, but also, that your neighbor is your sister or brother living alongside you. For if your conversion has brought you down to the bottom of your human nature, you notice that you are not alone: Being human means being together. (58-59)
Praying means giving up a false security, no longer looking for arguments which will protect you if you get pushed into a corner, no longer setting your hope on a couple of lighter moments which your life might still offer. Praying means to stop expecting from God that same small-mindedness which you discover in yourself. To pray is to walk in the full light of God, and to say simply, without holding back, “I am human and you are God.” At that moment, conversion occurs, the restoration of the true relationship. Man is not the one who once in a while makes a mistake and God is not the one who now and then forgives. No, man is a sinner and God is love. Conversion makes this obvious with a stunning simplicity and a disarming clarity.
This conversion brings with it the relaxation which lets you breathe again and puts you at rest in the embrace of a forgiving God. The experience results in a calm and simple joy. For then you can say: “I don’t know the answer and I can’t do this thing, but I don’t have to know it, and I don’t have to be able to do it.” This new knowledge is the liberation which gives you access to everything in creation and leaves you free to play in the garden which lies before you.
The person who prays not only discovers himself and God, but in the same meeting discovers who his neighbor is. For in prayer, you not only profess that people are people and God is God, but also, that your neighbor is your sister or brother living alongside you. For if your conversion has brought you down to the bottom of your human nature, you notice that you are not alone: Being human means being together. (58-59)
December 9, 2017
ان دخولنا الي غرفة هادئه لا يجلب لنا تلقائياً الهدوء والسكينة الداخلية لأنه حينما يغيب اي شخص يمكننا التحدث معه او الاستماع اليه فإن النزاعات الداخلية تبدأ في الظهور وكثيراً ما تسبب هذه السكينة ضوضاء اشد من التي هربنا منها تواً لان المشاكل المعقده تحتاج الي انتباه وكل اهتمام يقّوي نفسه علي حساب الآخر وكل شكوي تُظهر التي تليها وكل هذا بدوره يلتمس الاستماع
لا تتعجب بإن الصلاة تكشف هذه المشكلة لأنها تتطلب استعداداً مستمراً بأن تضع اسلحتك جانباً وتتحرر من المشاعر التي تُملي عليك بأن تبقي علي بعد مسافة آمنه انها تتطلب منك ان تحيا في توقع مستمر بأن الله الذي يصنع كل شئ جديد سوف يمنحك ميلاداً جديداً
ان الذين يحيون مصلين يكونون علي استعداد دائم لاستقبال نسمة الحياة من الله وان يتركوا حياتهم تتجدد وتنتشر اما الذين قد امتنعوا عن الصلاة قإنهم علي النقيض يشبهون الاطفال المرضي بالربو فلأنهم يعانون من صعوبة التنفس فإن العالم يذبل من حولهم وتجدهم يزحفون الي ركن خاو في عذاب يلهثون من اجل نسمة هواء اما الذين يصلون فإنهم يفتحون ذواتهم علي اللله ويتنفسون بحرية مرات عدة يقفون بإستقامة ويمدون ايديهم ويخرجون من تلك الاركان ليتحركوا بحرية دون اي خوف
انا في صلاة الرجاء لايُسأل عن اي ضمانات ولا تُطرح اي شروط ولا تُطلب اي براهين فأنت تتوقع كل شئ من الآخر دون ان تقيده بأي طريقه لأن الرجاء يقوم علي افتراض اساسي وهو ان الاخر لن يعطي الا كل ما هو جيد الرجاء يتطلب الانفتاح الذي من خلاله سيتحقق الوعد حتي وان كنت تجهل متي او اين او كيف سيحدث هذا
الرجاء يعني ان تبقي علي قيد الحياة في وسط اليأس وان تتغني في الظلام
انه نوم هادئ واستيقاظ متجدد مع كل اشراقة شمس ففي وسط العواصف في بحر ثائر يكون بمثابة اكتشاف اليابسه
تتحول طلباتنا المتعددة تدريجياً الي طريقة واقعية نقول بها يارب نحن نثق في تمام صلاحك
وان كانت الامور لا تسير علي طريقتي فأنااعلم انها تسير علي طريقتك انت وفي النهاية طرقك هي الافضل لي ..يا سيدي قوّي رجائي خصوصا حينما لا تتحقق امنياتي
ان الاشخاص الاذكياء متحفزين دائماً عضلاتهم مشدوده وقبضتهم محكمه وقبضتهم محكمة وعيونهم تجول في كل الارجاء متأهبين لهجوم غير متوقع
انها تتطلب منك ان تحيا في توقع مستمر بأن الله الذي يصنع كل شئ جديد سوف يمنحك ميلاد جديد
وانت في صغرك كنت تود ان تقبض علي كل شئ في يديكولكن حينما كبرت وفتحت يديك في الصلاة فأنت قادر علي ان تدع ذاتك لتُقاد دون ان تعلم الي اين وكل ما تدركه فقط هو ان الحريه التي منحتها لك نسمة الله سوف تقودك الي حياه جديده
ان الصلاه النابعة من ايمان ضعيف تجعلنا نتشبث بالظروف المادية الملموسة للموقف الحالي لعانا نربح بعض الامان
فكل الانتباه علي العطية وليس هناك اي مراعاة لمن يعطي فحينما نصلي بهذه الطريقه تُختزل حياتنا الروحية لتصبح مجرد اقصر الطرق للحصول علي ما نريد
الصلاة التي تجعلك تيأس من الصعب تسميتها صلاة لأنك لن تيأس إلا حينما تُلزم نفسك بفعل كل شئ بمفردك لهذا اي عطيه سيمنحك اياها الآخرون ستكون بمثابة عجزك ودونيتك ولن تشعر بأنك شخص كامل الا حينما تكون بالتمام في غني عن الاخرين
ان تصلي معناه ايقاف توقعك بأن يعاملك الله بنفس الافق الضيق الذي تكتشفه داخلك ان تصلي يعني ان تمشي في ضوء الله الباهر وان تقول ببساطة دون تحفظ انا مجرد انسان وانت الهي عند هذه اللحظه يبدأ التحول وايتعادة العلاقة الحقيقية
وفي وجه المضطهد والمظلوم استطيع ان اري وجهي وفي يد الظالم والمضطهد اري يدي لحمهم لحمي ودمهم دمي آلامهم آلامي وابتسامتهم ابتسامتي قدرتهم علي التعذيب بداخلي انا ايضاً وطاقة المغفرة لديهم أراها في نفسي فليس فيّ شئ لا ينتمي اليهم وليس فيهم شئ لا ينتمي اليّ وفي اعماق قلبي اختبر شوقهم للحب وفي احشائي اشعر بقسوتهم في عيون الآخر أري التماسي للرحمةًوفي عبوس متصلب اري رفضي
لا تتعجب بإن الصلاة تكشف هذه المشكلة لأنها تتطلب استعداداً مستمراً بأن تضع اسلحتك جانباً وتتحرر من المشاعر التي تُملي عليك بأن تبقي علي بعد مسافة آمنه انها تتطلب منك ان تحيا في توقع مستمر بأن الله الذي يصنع كل شئ جديد سوف يمنحك ميلاداً جديداً
ان الذين يحيون مصلين يكونون علي استعداد دائم لاستقبال نسمة الحياة من الله وان يتركوا حياتهم تتجدد وتنتشر اما الذين قد امتنعوا عن الصلاة قإنهم علي النقيض يشبهون الاطفال المرضي بالربو فلأنهم يعانون من صعوبة التنفس فإن العالم يذبل من حولهم وتجدهم يزحفون الي ركن خاو في عذاب يلهثون من اجل نسمة هواء اما الذين يصلون فإنهم يفتحون ذواتهم علي اللله ويتنفسون بحرية مرات عدة يقفون بإستقامة ويمدون ايديهم ويخرجون من تلك الاركان ليتحركوا بحرية دون اي خوف
انا في صلاة الرجاء لايُسأل عن اي ضمانات ولا تُطرح اي شروط ولا تُطلب اي براهين فأنت تتوقع كل شئ من الآخر دون ان تقيده بأي طريقه لأن الرجاء يقوم علي افتراض اساسي وهو ان الاخر لن يعطي الا كل ما هو جيد الرجاء يتطلب الانفتاح الذي من خلاله سيتحقق الوعد حتي وان كنت تجهل متي او اين او كيف سيحدث هذا
الرجاء يعني ان تبقي علي قيد الحياة في وسط اليأس وان تتغني في الظلام
انه نوم هادئ واستيقاظ متجدد مع كل اشراقة شمس ففي وسط العواصف في بحر ثائر يكون بمثابة اكتشاف اليابسه
تتحول طلباتنا المتعددة تدريجياً الي طريقة واقعية نقول بها يارب نحن نثق في تمام صلاحك
وان كانت الامور لا تسير علي طريقتي فأنااعلم انها تسير علي طريقتك انت وفي النهاية طرقك هي الافضل لي ..يا سيدي قوّي رجائي خصوصا حينما لا تتحقق امنياتي
ان الاشخاص الاذكياء متحفزين دائماً عضلاتهم مشدوده وقبضتهم محكمه وقبضتهم محكمة وعيونهم تجول في كل الارجاء متأهبين لهجوم غير متوقع
انها تتطلب منك ان تحيا في توقع مستمر بأن الله الذي يصنع كل شئ جديد سوف يمنحك ميلاد جديد
وانت في صغرك كنت تود ان تقبض علي كل شئ في يديكولكن حينما كبرت وفتحت يديك في الصلاة فأنت قادر علي ان تدع ذاتك لتُقاد دون ان تعلم الي اين وكل ما تدركه فقط هو ان الحريه التي منحتها لك نسمة الله سوف تقودك الي حياه جديده
ان الصلاه النابعة من ايمان ضعيف تجعلنا نتشبث بالظروف المادية الملموسة للموقف الحالي لعانا نربح بعض الامان
فكل الانتباه علي العطية وليس هناك اي مراعاة لمن يعطي فحينما نصلي بهذه الطريقه تُختزل حياتنا الروحية لتصبح مجرد اقصر الطرق للحصول علي ما نريد
الصلاة التي تجعلك تيأس من الصعب تسميتها صلاة لأنك لن تيأس إلا حينما تُلزم نفسك بفعل كل شئ بمفردك لهذا اي عطيه سيمنحك اياها الآخرون ستكون بمثابة عجزك ودونيتك ولن تشعر بأنك شخص كامل الا حينما تكون بالتمام في غني عن الاخرين
ان تصلي معناه ايقاف توقعك بأن يعاملك الله بنفس الافق الضيق الذي تكتشفه داخلك ان تصلي يعني ان تمشي في ضوء الله الباهر وان تقول ببساطة دون تحفظ انا مجرد انسان وانت الهي عند هذه اللحظه يبدأ التحول وايتعادة العلاقة الحقيقية
وفي وجه المضطهد والمظلوم استطيع ان اري وجهي وفي يد الظالم والمضطهد اري يدي لحمهم لحمي ودمهم دمي آلامهم آلامي وابتسامتهم ابتسامتي قدرتهم علي التعذيب بداخلي انا ايضاً وطاقة المغفرة لديهم أراها في نفسي فليس فيّ شئ لا ينتمي اليهم وليس فيهم شئ لا ينتمي اليّ وفي اعماق قلبي اختبر شوقهم للحب وفي احشائي اشعر بقسوتهم في عيون الآخر أري التماسي للرحمةًوفي عبوس متصلب اري رفضي
July 22, 2017
إلهي الحبيب،
لا اعلم إلي اين تقودني،
حتي انني لا اعلم كيف سوف يبدو يومي او اسبوعي او عامي القادم،
حيث احاول ان ابقي يدي مفتوحتين،
فإنني اثق انك سوف تضع يدك في يدي،
وسوف تقودني الي المنزل.
لا اعلم إلي اين تقودني،
حتي انني لا اعلم كيف سوف يبدو يومي او اسبوعي او عامي القادم،
حيث احاول ان ابقي يدي مفتوحتين،
فإنني اثق انك سوف تضع يدك في يدي،
وسوف تقودني الي المنزل.
January 29, 2014
Translated from an original Dutch manuscript, I am one more grateful reader.
Many powerful reflections as I read Henri Nouwen's inspiriting call to Bring Prayer into Your Life "With Open Hands". Easy to read with most entries contained entirely on individual pages.
To whet your reading appetite, here's a brief quote shared early in the text - "Each time you dare to let go and surrender one of those many fears, your hand opens a little and your palms spread out in a gesture of receiving..."
Great addition to anyone's pursuit of prayer.
Pleased to note Henri Nouwen was part of the Canadian Larche group in Ontario. His contributions and his learning would have been influencial.
Covers 'W' title for my Alphabet Soup 2014 participation in Lori's [A-Z Reading Challenge]
Many powerful reflections as I read Henri Nouwen's inspiriting call to Bring Prayer into Your Life "With Open Hands". Easy to read with most entries contained entirely on individual pages.
To whet your reading appetite, here's a brief quote shared early in the text - "Each time you dare to let go and surrender one of those many fears, your hand opens a little and your palms spread out in a gesture of receiving..."
Great addition to anyone's pursuit of prayer.
Pleased to note Henri Nouwen was part of the Canadian Larche group in Ontario. His contributions and his learning would have been influencial.
Covers 'W' title for my Alphabet Soup 2014 participation in Lori's [A-Z Reading Challenge]
February 8, 2016
"لقد وجدت أن الصلاة لها علاقة بالصمت، والقبول، والرجاء، والرحمة، وأيضًا النقد"
"أن تصلي معناه، إيقاف توقعك بأن يعاملك الله بنفس الأفق الضيق الذي تكتشفه داخلك. أن تصلي يعني أن تمشي في ضوء الله الباهر وأن تقول ببساطة دون تحفظ: "أنا مجرد إنسان وأنت إلهي." عند هذه اللحظة يبدأ التحول واستعادة العلاقة الحقيقية."
"الصلاة تعني استعداد تام لترك قناعاتك، وأن تتحرك إلى ما وراء ما أنت فيه الآن. وهذا يتطلب أن تترك منزلك لتمسك بالطريق مرة مرة تلو الأخرى، لتبحث دائمًا عن أرض جديدة لنفسك وللآخرين."
يا لها من كلمات نيرة..
"أن تصلي معناه، إيقاف توقعك بأن يعاملك الله بنفس الأفق الضيق الذي تكتشفه داخلك. أن تصلي يعني أن تمشي في ضوء الله الباهر وأن تقول ببساطة دون تحفظ: "أنا مجرد إنسان وأنت إلهي." عند هذه اللحظة يبدأ التحول واستعادة العلاقة الحقيقية."
"الصلاة تعني استعداد تام لترك قناعاتك، وأن تتحرك إلى ما وراء ما أنت فيه الآن. وهذا يتطلب أن تترك منزلك لتمسك بالطريق مرة مرة تلو الأخرى، لتبحث دائمًا عن أرض جديدة لنفسك وللآخرين."
يا لها من كلمات نيرة..
August 4, 2025
"...prayer is a way of life which allows you to find a stillness in the midst of the world where you open your hands to God's promises, and find hope for yourself, your neighbor, and your world. in prayer, you encounter God not only in the small voice and the soft breeze, but also in the midst of the turmoil of the world, in the distress and joy of your neighbor, and in the loneliness of your own heart." pg. 79
February 14, 2016
هذا فقط ما لدي، أريده أن يكون مختلف، و لكنني لا أستطيع التغيير، لأن هذا ما أنا عليه،برغم إدراكي أن هذا الأسلوب في الحياة يجب تركه لأن قلبه أكبر بكثير من قلوبنا...
في الصلاة نحن بمثابة من يسير بثبات في رحلة حج. و في طريقنا نقابل الكثير من الناس الذين يظهرون لنا شيئا عن الله الذي نبحث عنه.. .. و لن نعرف يوما بالتأكيد هل قد وصلنا إلي الله ام لا..و لكن نعرف أن هذا الإله هو دوما جديد، و لهذا لا يوجد داعي للخوف
إننا لا نملك ذاتيا القوة التي من خلالها تخرج الخليقة الجديدة إلي الوجود. بل إنها قوة روحية منحت لنا و تقوينا، لنحيا في العالم دون أن يحيا فينا
علاقة بين الصمت و الصلاة
كتاب مينفعش يتنسي أبدا
في الصلاة نحن بمثابة من يسير بثبات في رحلة حج. و في طريقنا نقابل الكثير من الناس الذين يظهرون لنا شيئا عن الله الذي نبحث عنه.. .. و لن نعرف يوما بالتأكيد هل قد وصلنا إلي الله ام لا..و لكن نعرف أن هذا الإله هو دوما جديد، و لهذا لا يوجد داعي للخوف
إننا لا نملك ذاتيا القوة التي من خلالها تخرج الخليقة الجديدة إلي الوجود. بل إنها قوة روحية منحت لنا و تقوينا، لنحيا في العالم دون أن يحيا فينا
علاقة بين الصمت و الصلاة
كتاب مينفعش يتنسي أبدا
June 23, 2016
مش حلو. معجبنيش!
May 18, 2023
نوين اتكلم عن الصلاة بشكل مختلف.
اتكلم عن عمق الصلاة وقوة الصلاة في ترسيخ علاقة حقيقية مع الله. اتكلم عن اهمية الصلاة وتأثير الصلاة الحقيقية على المصلي وعلى اللي حواليه.
اتكلم عن الانسان بذاته مش كامل ومحتاج اللي يكمله، ومفيش حاجة أو شخص ممكن يكمل الانسان غير اللي خلقه (الله). اتكلم عن إن لما الانسان يدرك إنه مش كامل هيبدأ يعذر اللي حواليه ويبدأ يصلي من أجلهم.
اتكلم عن جوهر الصلاة الحقيقية في إنها مش مجرد طلبات بتطلبها من الله وهو كأب حنين واجبه إنه يلبي الطلبات دي بس.
الكتاب وراني الصلاة بمنظور مختلف.
اتكلم عن عمق الصلاة وقوة الصلاة في ترسيخ علاقة حقيقية مع الله. اتكلم عن اهمية الصلاة وتأثير الصلاة الحقيقية على المصلي وعلى اللي حواليه.
اتكلم عن الانسان بذاته مش كامل ومحتاج اللي يكمله، ومفيش حاجة أو شخص ممكن يكمل الانسان غير اللي خلقه (الله). اتكلم عن إن لما الانسان يدرك إنه مش كامل هيبدأ يعذر اللي حواليه ويبدأ يصلي من أجلهم.
اتكلم عن جوهر الصلاة الحقيقية في إنها مش مجرد طلبات بتطلبها من الله وهو كأب حنين واجبه إنه يلبي الطلبات دي بس.
الكتاب وراني الصلاة بمنظور مختلف.
July 3, 2025
With Open Hands by Henri Nouwen is a gentle, poetic invitation to prayer- less about technique and more about how we think about prayer and approach it: with surrender, vulnerability, and presence before God.
I found moments of beauty and quiet challenge throughout.
That said, parts of the book drifted into territory that felt at odds with my beliefs. Perhaps I simply didn’t understand him, but at times the language blurred the line between biblical truth and a more generalized spirituality.
There was a distinct lack of grounding in Scripture and an absence of a clear expression of the gospel.
Still, there’s a tenderness to Nouwen’s writing that stirs reflection, even when I don’t fully align with his theology.
I found moments of beauty and quiet challenge throughout.
That said, parts of the book drifted into territory that felt at odds with my beliefs. Perhaps I simply didn’t understand him, but at times the language blurred the line between biblical truth and a more generalized spirituality.
There was a distinct lack of grounding in Scripture and an absence of a clear expression of the gospel.
Still, there’s a tenderness to Nouwen’s writing that stirs reflection, even when I don’t fully align with his theology.
January 6, 2022
Will be circling back to this one.
January 23, 2020
#كتاب_بأيد_مفتوحة _ هنرى نوين
عبارة عن 6 فصول
١- بقبضة مغلقة : بيتكلم إن الصلاة مش سهلة ...ومقاومة الصلاة زي مقاومة قبضة الإيد المقفولة بقوة ... لما تصلي فأنت لازم تفتح قبضتك المقفولة دي عشان تعطي كل اللى فيها ... عشان كده الموضوع صعب لأنك مش قادر تستغنى عن اللى فى إيدك حتى لو مكنتش بتحبه .. عشان كده الموضوع محتاج رحلة روحية طويلة من الصبر
٢- الصلاة و الصمت :بيقول إن إحنا إتعودنا على الضوضاء فى
حياتنا كلها وبنهرب من الهدوء ... مبنعرفش نعمل حاجة .. أى عمل
"walkman "من غير جهاز الإستماع
و إحنا بنذاكر .. وإحنا قاعدين على شاطئ البحر ... عشان كده بنهرب من الهدوء
الهدوء مهم جدا من خلاله هنقدر نركز و نراجع حياتنا ومن غيره هنقدر نعمل كده بس بصعوبة
٣- الصلاة و القبول : لازم يكون عندنا قبول لإستجابة الصلاة مهما كانت ... مينفعش يكون عندنا توقع لإستجابة بطريقة محددة ... لازم ندرك إن ربنا بيدبر لنا الأفضل و نقبل أى شئ
٤- الصلاة و الرجاء : مينفعش نركز فى الصلاة على إهتماماتنا الوقتية ولكن نركز على الأبدية ... صلاة الرجاء مبتسئلش فيها عن أي ضمانات و لا بتطلب أي شروط أو براهين و بتعتمد على مبدأ مهم و هو إن الله لن يعطى إلا ما هو جيد .
.٥- الصلاة و الرحمة : لازم نهتم فى صلاتنا بالطلبة من أجل الأخرين
٦- الصلاة والنقد النبوى : حياتي تكون صلاة .. أغير العالم بحياتي و بتطبيق ما أصلي به في حياتي .
عبارة عن 6 فصول
١- بقبضة مغلقة : بيتكلم إن الصلاة مش سهلة ...ومقاومة الصلاة زي مقاومة قبضة الإيد المقفولة بقوة ... لما تصلي فأنت لازم تفتح قبضتك المقفولة دي عشان تعطي كل اللى فيها ... عشان كده الموضوع صعب لأنك مش قادر تستغنى عن اللى فى إيدك حتى لو مكنتش بتحبه .. عشان كده الموضوع محتاج رحلة روحية طويلة من الصبر
٢- الصلاة و الصمت :بيقول إن إحنا إتعودنا على الضوضاء فى
حياتنا كلها وبنهرب من الهدوء ... مبنعرفش نعمل حاجة .. أى عمل
"walkman "من غير جهاز الإستماع
و إحنا بنذاكر .. وإحنا قاعدين على شاطئ البحر ... عشان كده بنهرب من الهدوء
الهدوء مهم جدا من خلاله هنقدر نركز و نراجع حياتنا ومن غيره هنقدر نعمل كده بس بصعوبة
٣- الصلاة و القبول : لازم يكون عندنا قبول لإستجابة الصلاة مهما كانت ... مينفعش يكون عندنا توقع لإستجابة بطريقة محددة ... لازم ندرك إن ربنا بيدبر لنا الأفضل و نقبل أى شئ
٤- الصلاة و الرجاء : مينفعش نركز فى الصلاة على إهتماماتنا الوقتية ولكن نركز على الأبدية ... صلاة الرجاء مبتسئلش فيها عن أي ضمانات و لا بتطلب أي شروط أو براهين و بتعتمد على مبدأ مهم و هو إن الله لن يعطى إلا ما هو جيد .
.٥- الصلاة و الرحمة : لازم نهتم فى صلاتنا بالطلبة من أجل الأخرين
٦- الصلاة والنقد النبوى : حياتي تكون صلاة .. أغير العالم بحياتي و بتطبيق ما أصلي به في حياتي .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 1, 2014
Nouwen met with 25 of his students to discuss the topic of prayer and this is the output of those discussions.
It's beautiful how he uses the image of the title - "With Open Hands" - to convey the essence of prayer. Prayer is as much about our attitudinal position as what it is we pray about. To many of us we struggle to spend time in prayer because we're tight fisted on matters we're struggling with and/or prayer is not really a sufficient enough priority in our life to spend the time with the Lord. We send off prayer requests haphazardly rather than sitting down with the Lord and allowing His presence to sooth and comfort us.
In reflecting on certain aspects associated with coming to pray "With Open Hands", Nouwen encourages the reader to do just that: let go and Let God! Hand over your troubles, your cares, your passions and distractions and let the one who loves you like crazy minister to you as wait upon Him.
A good quick read especially for anyone who is struggling to grasp prayer's power and criticality to living well.
It's beautiful how he uses the image of the title - "With Open Hands" - to convey the essence of prayer. Prayer is as much about our attitudinal position as what it is we pray about. To many of us we struggle to spend time in prayer because we're tight fisted on matters we're struggling with and/or prayer is not really a sufficient enough priority in our life to spend the time with the Lord. We send off prayer requests haphazardly rather than sitting down with the Lord and allowing His presence to sooth and comfort us.
In reflecting on certain aspects associated with coming to pray "With Open Hands", Nouwen encourages the reader to do just that: let go and Let God! Hand over your troubles, your cares, your passions and distractions and let the one who loves you like crazy minister to you as wait upon Him.
A good quick read especially for anyone who is struggling to grasp prayer's power and criticality to living well.
December 9, 2013
I am a big time Nouwen fan but I think this book is a really good example of the element of his writing that is a bit too cloudy and vague. I love the art with which he writes, and in much of his works, his lack of an academic tone is very refreshing. However, this work on prayer was so ethereal that until you read the very last page it could have been written by a yoga master, a Buddhist monk, or Oprah. While I think all of the previously mentioned groups have found fruitful and valid applications for meditation, when coming from a Biblical worldview, the person of Christ has to be central to a handling of our conception of prayer. That being said, there were some quotes that were excellent and that I plan to use in the future. Just not a book I would recommend for someone looking to begin their journey into true prayer.
February 6, 2014
Helpful, paragraph-length insights into the effects of the different attitudes we may bring to our times of prayer. Besides the title concept of praying "with open hands," Nouwen contrasts the "prayer of little faith" with the "prayer of hope," in which "there are no guarantees asked, no conditions posed, and no proofs demanded. You expect everything from the other without binding the other in any way. Hope is based on the premise that the other gives only what is good. Hope includes an openness by which you wait for the promise to come through, even though you never know when, where, or how this might happen." (p.73).
January 27, 2013
I have just recently discovered author Henry J. M. Nouwen when reading Return of the Prodigal Son. I am mesmerized by the depth of his understanding and his ability to connect with such simplicity on such a challenging topic. There were parts of the book that really reached out to me and made me say a resounding "YES". I plan on rereading it again.
September 15, 2019
This is a book which never needs to be put down. Each page carries a gem of wisdom. It is small enough to include in a backpack or purse for that spare moment when a small reminder of truth could make the difference in a decision or give depth to a conversation over a cup of coffee.
Do you get my point? It is a godly, insightful, practical jewel of wisdom.
Do you get my point? It is a godly, insightful, practical jewel of wisdom.
October 7, 2025
a simple book about prayer. easy to read.
August 30, 2013
I received the original version of this in the 70's and it transformed by understanding of prayer.
December 23, 2016
Lovely book on prayer, written very simply and vividly. Had not thought of prayer in the sense that it was presented by Nouwen. Will definitely be coming back to this again and again.
January 27, 2018
A few nuggets, but mostly outdated and not one of his books that I would read again.
May 25, 2018
Small book on prayer that really made me think about how opening myself to God works to help me grow and love.
October 16, 2021
I have read many of Henri Nouwen’s books and they always have the ability to challenge me while also calming my spirit. The way Nouwen writes about God and faith allows me to see a path forward for myself. With Open Hands is about prayer and how prayer is an act of offering our truest and most vulnerable selves to God. Prayer is an acting out of hope and trust.
-“Hope means to keep living amid desperation and to keep humming in the darkness.”
-“In the face of the oppressed I recognize my own face and in the hands of the oppressor I recognize my own hands. Their flesh is my flesh; their blood is my blood; their pain is my pain; their smile is my smile. Their ability to torture is in me, too; their capacity to forgive I find also in myself. There is nothing in me that does not belong to them, too…In the depths of my being, I meet my fellow humans with whom I share love and hate, life and death.”
-“Hope means to keep living amid desperation and to keep humming in the darkness.”
-“In the face of the oppressed I recognize my own face and in the hands of the oppressor I recognize my own hands. Their flesh is my flesh; their blood is my blood; their pain is my pain; their smile is my smile. Their ability to torture is in me, too; their capacity to forgive I find also in myself. There is nothing in me that does not belong to them, too…In the depths of my being, I meet my fellow humans with whom I share love and hate, life and death.”
December 2, 2025
Henri always kills it.
“Whatever one does, whether one
becomes a revolutionary or a meek
dreamer, whether one calls for the changing of structures or lets it all float by with a melancholy grin, the resentment remains, fierce and discernible or deeply suppressed beneath an attitude of passive indifference. It is not hard to distinguish in all these phenomena a deep longing for another world. Society as it is now must change, its false structures must disappear, and something entirely new must take their place.”
“It is always a question of footprints or notches on a tree which make us suspect that someone has passed by who is worth getting to know.”
“Whatever one does, whether one
becomes a revolutionary or a meek
dreamer, whether one calls for the changing of structures or lets it all float by with a melancholy grin, the resentment remains, fierce and discernible or deeply suppressed beneath an attitude of passive indifference. It is not hard to distinguish in all these phenomena a deep longing for another world. Society as it is now must change, its false structures must disappear, and something entirely new must take their place.”
“It is always a question of footprints or notches on a tree which make us suspect that someone has passed by who is worth getting to know.”
November 30, 2023
Short, gentle book on opening ourselves up to God in prayer. I like Henri Nouwen’s admonition that while we tend to tier petitionary prayers at the bottom (over, say, prayers of thanksgiving), we should perhaps instead evaluate any prayer as to whether it is born of big faith or small faith. Probably could ditch the artistic flourish of accompanying photographs.
November 9, 2018
This is a classic for a reason.
The metaphor for the book/for prayer is helpful. The writing is beautiful and opens the mind and spirit. I love how it consistently comes back to prayer as a vehicle for deepening our encounter with the living God, and not a means to an end.
The metaphor for the book/for prayer is helpful. The writing is beautiful and opens the mind and spirit. I love how it consistently comes back to prayer as a vehicle for deepening our encounter with the living God, and not a means to an end.
July 19, 2020
Although Henri Nouwen wrote With Open Hands over 40 years ago, this book still provides thoughtful and valuable insights about prayer for today.
April 16, 2024
Worth owning.
December 18, 2015
This book is a group effort of 25 theology students who helped Nouwen formulate his initial ideas. Lived experiences forms the background of the book and the insights emerge from such experiences and flow back into them. The book has 5 chapters consisting of experiences constituting a movement from ‘clenched fists’ to ‘open hands’.
Prayer is not easy as anyone who prays will testify. It is a relationship wherein we allow the other to enter the deepest recesses of our being and this is very sensitive and sometimes even painful. The clenched fist imagery represents a resistance to the kind of relationship that prayer demands. Surrendering ourselves to God in prayer is vital to unclench our fists but this cannot be fully achieved as behind every fist lies another one. Nonetheless, surrender brings with it a kind of freedom. Prayer takes on a whole new and significant meaning.
Prayer is connected to silence. It’s not only that we need silence to pray but that the silence itself sometimes becomes prayer. Silence is not always connected to peace. Sometimes silence can be frightening especially when we are anxious of what may be revealed in silence.
Prayer teaches us the importance of acceptance. We need to accept God who wants to give himself to us and to feel accepted by Him. The world displays to us the folly of acceptance. It preaches individualism and prudence. Prayer implies a certain amount of folly. We must be willing to stake it all on the Lord, knowing well that He will never let us down. This is one of the challenges of prayer.
Every prayer is an expression of hope. If you expect nothing from the future, you cannot pray. Without hope there can be no life. A prayer of little faith is carefully reckoned, stingy and upset by every risk. It is not permeated by hope. Praying with hope means not getting entangled with selfish wishes and gifts but with the giver.
A prayer of hope is a prayer that disarms you and extends you far beyond the limits of your own longings. Therefore, prayer leads us to others. It is never a closed compartment wherein the individual builds a wall around himself and his God. Prayer cannot be disconnected from life and our life is social. Hence, the best manifestation of prayer is compassion. Compassion must not be confused with pity. It is in the first place, a revelation of our neighbour as a human being like ourselves. Secondly, compassion means acknowledging our mutual destiny in God.
Very interestingly, in the final chapter, Nouwen makes a connection between prayer and revolution. Revolution is not understood in the violent sense, but as conversion or change. As we delve into the depths of prayer, we constantly undergo change and conversion. This happens at the personal level but must also translate into the relational level. Prayer must open our eyes to the problems and sufferings of people in society. Christian witness is a revolutionary witness.
The book is small but very insightful. The chapters are not written in the usual style but as short reflections ranging from a few lines to a page. This fosters reading and reflection. Christians struggling to pray and those in prayer alike will find this book helpful to steer them as they progress to pray with open hands.
Prayer is not easy as anyone who prays will testify. It is a relationship wherein we allow the other to enter the deepest recesses of our being and this is very sensitive and sometimes even painful. The clenched fist imagery represents a resistance to the kind of relationship that prayer demands. Surrendering ourselves to God in prayer is vital to unclench our fists but this cannot be fully achieved as behind every fist lies another one. Nonetheless, surrender brings with it a kind of freedom. Prayer takes on a whole new and significant meaning.
Prayer is connected to silence. It’s not only that we need silence to pray but that the silence itself sometimes becomes prayer. Silence is not always connected to peace. Sometimes silence can be frightening especially when we are anxious of what may be revealed in silence.
Prayer teaches us the importance of acceptance. We need to accept God who wants to give himself to us and to feel accepted by Him. The world displays to us the folly of acceptance. It preaches individualism and prudence. Prayer implies a certain amount of folly. We must be willing to stake it all on the Lord, knowing well that He will never let us down. This is one of the challenges of prayer.
Every prayer is an expression of hope. If you expect nothing from the future, you cannot pray. Without hope there can be no life. A prayer of little faith is carefully reckoned, stingy and upset by every risk. It is not permeated by hope. Praying with hope means not getting entangled with selfish wishes and gifts but with the giver.
A prayer of hope is a prayer that disarms you and extends you far beyond the limits of your own longings. Therefore, prayer leads us to others. It is never a closed compartment wherein the individual builds a wall around himself and his God. Prayer cannot be disconnected from life and our life is social. Hence, the best manifestation of prayer is compassion. Compassion must not be confused with pity. It is in the first place, a revelation of our neighbour as a human being like ourselves. Secondly, compassion means acknowledging our mutual destiny in God.
Very interestingly, in the final chapter, Nouwen makes a connection between prayer and revolution. Revolution is not understood in the violent sense, but as conversion or change. As we delve into the depths of prayer, we constantly undergo change and conversion. This happens at the personal level but must also translate into the relational level. Prayer must open our eyes to the problems and sufferings of people in society. Christian witness is a revolutionary witness.
The book is small but very insightful. The chapters are not written in the usual style but as short reflections ranging from a few lines to a page. This fosters reading and reflection. Christians struggling to pray and those in prayer alike will find this book helpful to steer them as they progress to pray with open hands.
June 11, 2023
“Because he is so eager to arrange for his own future, the man of little faith closes himself off from what, in fact, might be coming. He has no patience with the unspecified promise and he has no trust in the unseen situations which the future has in store.
Therefore, when the man of little faith prays, it is a prayer without hope. Likewise, it is without despair, for despair is only possible for someone who knows what it means to hope.
The man of little faith prays a prayer that is carefully reckoned, even stingy, and which is upset by every risk. There is no danger of despair and no chance for hope. The man becomes a midget in a world of tiny things.
…
A man with hope does not get tangled up with concerns for how his wishes will be fulfilled. So, too, his prayer is not directed toward the gift, but toward the one who gives it. His prayer might still contain just as many desires, but ultimately it is not a question of having a wish come true but of expressing an unlimited faith in the giver of all good things.
…
The man who prays with hope might still ask for many things, he might ask for everything, and very concretely, like nice weather or an advancement. This concreteness is even a sign of authen-ticity. For if you ask only for faith, hope, love, freedom, happiness, modesty, humility, etc., without making them concrete in the nitty-gritty of daily life, you probably haven't really involved God in your real life. But if you pray in hope, all those concrete requests are merely ways of expressing your unlimited trust in him who fulfills all his promises, who holds out for you nothing but good, and who wants for himself nothing more than to share his goodness with you.”
Therefore, when the man of little faith prays, it is a prayer without hope. Likewise, it is without despair, for despair is only possible for someone who knows what it means to hope.
The man of little faith prays a prayer that is carefully reckoned, even stingy, and which is upset by every risk. There is no danger of despair and no chance for hope. The man becomes a midget in a world of tiny things.
…
A man with hope does not get tangled up with concerns for how his wishes will be fulfilled. So, too, his prayer is not directed toward the gift, but toward the one who gives it. His prayer might still contain just as many desires, but ultimately it is not a question of having a wish come true but of expressing an unlimited faith in the giver of all good things.
…
The man who prays with hope might still ask for many things, he might ask for everything, and very concretely, like nice weather or an advancement. This concreteness is even a sign of authen-ticity. For if you ask only for faith, hope, love, freedom, happiness, modesty, humility, etc., without making them concrete in the nitty-gritty of daily life, you probably haven't really involved God in your real life. But if you pray in hope, all those concrete requests are merely ways of expressing your unlimited trust in him who fulfills all his promises, who holds out for you nothing but good, and who wants for himself nothing more than to share his goodness with you.”
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