I love anything by Nouwen. He is giving you his best when he writes because he knows that he is honoring his Jesus when he does. This is such an encouraging and yet, challenging book. I have prayed about using this book with a couple of my buddies just to have honest open conversation around our following Jesus. It is a simple book and yet I love how you could sense his passion as he wrote. I will definitely buy this book for my personal shelf. It is a must read especially if you want to deepen your walk with Jesus.

If you have been fortunate enough to have read any books by Henri J.M. Nouwen, then you know that any book you read enters your heart and changes you in some intrinsic way. Following Jesus (Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety) is no different. If I had to sum up the entire book in one word, that word would be love. The love that the Father and Son have for one another (The Holy Spirit), the love that is given to us by Christ and the love that we as followers of Christ are called to share with one another.

In each chapter Henri J.M Nouwen invites us to follow Jesus and enter into a deeper relationship with Him. The first chapter is where he invites us to become curious about Jesus. We are asked to encounter Him, to watch and observe. As we watch and observe we become curious and a hunger arises as we yearn to know more. The second chapter we are called to action, to follow Jesus as he ministers to others. We see miracles, hope and generosity beyond our wildest imaginations. We soon discover that to follow we will be called to do the same. The third chapter is a challenge. To be kind to those we know and love is easy, but to care and help those we do not is the challenge. Here is where the real work begins. The fourth chapter invites us to accept sorrow and suffering and unite it to the cross of Christ. Not only our own crosses, but those of others. To show compassion is to show love. An easy thing to do for those we care for, but most difficult for those we don’t or worse for those we don’t particularly like. The fifth chapter describes the joy you find in following Jesus. Yes, we will have pain and sorrow, such is life, but the spiritual joy from following and being the hands of Christ will satisfy the soul. It’s the living in the here and now, not contemplating the past or future that will heal and satisfy us like nothing else. And the last and final chapter teaches us that communion with God brings joy and peace. That joy and peace are accomplished through encountering Christ everyday through prayer and continued service to others. The smallest of deeds can bring happiness to those we love or serve and then leave us with a sense of joy and well-being.

To sum it up, this beautiful book helps us to get out of ourselves, or out of our own way and with Christ’s example move towards others. Most often we are our own worst enemies. To turn our hearts away from ourselves, to get our focus off of our own worries and anxieties and toward serving others is the greatest way to follow Jesus. It’s how he lived his life and it is how we are called to live ours. The path to joy and holiness is ours for the taking, if we choose to follow and if we choose to love.

I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of Following Jesus.
“I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”

Henri Nouwen is a solid writer and I have never really read anything of his that I did not savor. I was so excited for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Following Jesus. The timing of this book was perfect as so many things in my life were uncertain. I know to trust Him and turn to Him. What I really appreciated is the way Henri caused me to slow down, think, pray and return to very simple roots. I especially love the section on Practicing Presence and Prayer. He offered a great perspective on distractions and comfort in the fact that we are not fully present yet. The sections are shorter and easy to digest in small chunks of time, or all at once. I read it all the way through and now I am looking forward to going back through at a slower pace, in a posture of openness and receiving.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Henri Nouwin is one of my favorite authors. In this book, Nouwen discusses how to follow Jesus. While I may not agree with all of his theology, he was a wonderful author and someone who dedicated his life in service to our Lord Jesus Christ. I love the perspective Henri brings with him, as we journey through his writings. Our Lord Jesus wants to give us a full, vibrant, life and I think we get a glimpse of what that could potentially look like - as we read "Following Jesus". It is giving ourselves to Christ on a daily basis, and learning how to put "self" in its proper place.

Henri Nouwen is a solid speaker/author/preacher, and I am honored to get to read his newest release. He speaks the Truth concisely and with much thought-provokation on the reader's part.

This is the first book I've read by Henri Nouwen, but it won't be my last. His writing is relatable, insightful, and inspiring. This book felt a bit disjointed at times, which makes sense since it is a compilation of talks he gave and not a book he sat down to write cover to cover. I still recommend it!

I have been a long time fan of the works of Henri Nouwen. So many of them have meant so much to me in my own personal faith journey. So of course when I had the chance to read an early copy of some of his writings, I was thrilled.

Following Jesus, much like his other works, is deeply thought provoking and quietly contemplative. Nouwen’s writings have the ability to make me stop and ponder life and the way I live it. Each section tackles a different aspect of the spiritual life and what it means to follow Jesus today. I particularly loved the sections he had written on scarcity and abundance. In our current cultural climate so much of our fear based rhetoric is based on a belief in scarcity. But as those who follow Jesus, we know that we have been given all we need and have been invited into abundant life. This section and so many others spoke to me.

Whether you are new to Nouwen or a long time fan, I wholeheartedly recommend this book. I can’t wait to get my hands on a finish copy!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I love Henri Nouwen's writings, and I jumped at the chance to read this new book. It is well worth reading, but it doesn't have quite the intimacy and warmth of works published during Nouwen's lifetime. It covers general Christian concepts and would be good for confirmation classes or for adults new to the faith.

The advance copy I read did not have any information about these writings giving the context of these writings. I would have liked to have known the source of this work, whether it was gleaned from talks or some other unpublished works, and who edited this book and how they went about it. Nouwen's voice didn't quite come through in this book, in my opinion, and some background would have been helpful for longtime Nouwen fans.

Henri Nouwen has a gift for expressing the deep truths of an intimate walk with God, in a very accessible way. So I was very excited when I heard that “Following Jesus: Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety,” was ready to hit the bookshelves. This is some of Nouwen's never before published work. It focuses on how loving God and following Him in that love, allows us to feel His peace in the worst situations. This is expressed especially well in the chapter entitled The Cross.

At one point I felt almost as if it was written just for me. It was that true to the heart of what I am feeling in the wake of a tremendous loss.“Following Jesus,” is a short book at only 144 pages, but there is not a single wasted word. So it was easy to read from cover to cover in 2 sittings. Nouwen’s direct manner of explaining his ideas is refreshing.

You will want to read “Following Jesus” over and over again. Each time you do, you’ll glean new inspiration for a deeper walk with the Lord."Following Jesus" is now available for presale. It's scheduled to be released on September 17, 2019. Thank you to NetGalley and Convergent Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Editor's note: This review will appear online and in print in Mountain Times (Boone, NC) on Sept. 19, 2019.

Hede:
A guide for the anxious wanderer: Henri Nouwen's 'Following Jesus: Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety'

The unflagging inspiration of Henri Nouwen was his ability to share his faith and his love for Jesus even during the lowest points of his life.

For many of us, that such a spiritual leader could feel so depressed is a remarkable realization because that means, in so many important ways, he was just like you and me.

But few of us have Nouwen’s ability to share that journey in such a global sense, reaching Christians and non-Christians by expressing compassion and exposing his vulnerability.

During one of the Dutch-born Catholic priest’s most depressed points of his life, he yet found it within him to give a series of lectures about how important it was to follow Jesus in times of great anxiety.

Nouwen’s estate has now assembled those lectures into a new release, and this book, “Following Jesus: Finding Our Way home in an Age of Anxiety” (Convergent Books) is the result.

As with most of the priest’s writing, here Nouwen is the opposite of portraying the preacher.

Indeed, he begins by aligning himself with his readers. “Are you following Jesus,” he asks. “Am I,” he asks. … “Often, we are more wanderers than followers. I am speaking of myself as much as you.”

And within just a few pages he offers an identification by which many will recognize themselves: “Some people finally stop and give it all up. … They sit there and do nothing. Nothing excites them anymore. They have no real interest in life. They just watch TV, read comic books, and sleep all the time. There is no rhythm, no movement, no tension. Sometimes there is escape through alcohol, drugs, or sex, but nothing fascinates them. Nothing energizes them.”

Readers who see even a bit of themselves, or others they may be trying to help, in this description will devour the rest of this book to find out how Nouwen — and by association, we — can come to the belief that, “It is in this deeply tired world of ours that God sends Jesus to speak the voice of love. Jesus says, ‘Follow me. Don’t keep running around. Follow me. Don’t just sit there. Follow me.’ ... The voice of love is the voice that can completely reshape our life.”

While “Following Jesus” is perhaps a bit more erudite than some of Nouwen’s other works — “The Return of the Prodigal Son” and “The Road to Daybreak” are among his 30-plus classics — the book is worth the effort. That’s especially true if you’re one of those wondering, as so many of us are, and in need of a shepherdly voice.

Nouwen died in 1996, but “Following Jesus” is a final gift for the millions around the world who have found comfort and hope in his words.

I've been a longtime fan of Nouwen, so was excited to pick this one up. It's based on a series of lectures he gave, so was more disjointed than I expected. But I still appreciate his words and how encouraging they are to the reader.

Henri Nouwen is one of my favorite writers, and Following Jesus is a wonderful exploration of his thinking. I appreciate the way Nouwen takes ideas that some use as barriers and talks about them in inviting ways. Nouwen stands with Brennan Manning as a powerful author who takes on topics of faith. Highly recommended.

Are you a follower of Jesus Christ? According to Henri Nouwen, the popular priest, author and theologian who passed away in 1996, "often we are more wanderers than followers" - but when we hear and respond to the voice of Jesus - the voice of love - the voice that beckons us to follow Him, just as clearly as He beckoned His disciples to follow Him 2000 years ago when He walked on our planet, we can finally cease our restless wanderings and settle into a life of joyful following.

This is the premise and promise of Following Jesus: Finding Our Way Home In An Age of Anxiety. In this brand-new, never-before published work drawn from talks given during one of the lowest points in his life, Henri explores what it really means to follow Christ.

Henri is a beautifully poetic writer with a true heart for God. While I'm not sure everything in it completely lines up with Scripture (I suggest that you read this book with discerning eyes). Henri provides a lot of provocative thoughts on what it means to follow Christ that are well worth considering.

Long-time readers and fans of Henri will want to add this inspirational work to their collections.

I rate this book 3.5 stars.