Henri J. M. Nouwen

When Nouwen was asked by a secular Jewish friend to explain his faith in simple language, he responded with "Life of the Beloved, " which shows that all people, believers and nonbelievers, are beloved by God unconditionally.

Spiritual Living in a Secular World

Life of the Beloved

Dana Kraft

I didn’t know anything about this book before reading it. As I read it, I wondered how it could have been successful in the way he hoped it would be, ie. useful for a secular reader. He uses so much Christian and Catholic terminology and phrases that I wasn’t surprised to read at the end that it didn’t accomplish his goal. That said, I liked how he at least tried to write for a secular audience. I can get tired of reading books like this that are too preachy or dogmatic. This was different enough for me to make it really thought provoking. I can certainly struggle with how to be a part of this world and not a slave to it. At some level, the fact that he didn’t succeed at writing something for a secular audience is a commentary on how difficult that task is. Where do you start if not with God? I don’t know.

Stephanie Joseph

This was a highly recommended book by an influencer I follow on Instagram and I thought why not? I was meaning to add spiritual reading to my tbr anyway. 

I was enthralled by the writing. The author opens a whole new door for believers to understand Christ in a new light or rather how you should look at yourself in the eyes of God. It’s all so new to me that I’m going to read this again to understand it better. 
As a young person, often times I find self rejection the most prevalent means of forgetting who we are and what we’re created for. This book helped me reach to my core values and realign them to the values of the Christian I’m called to be. 
I highly recommend it!

Another really cool aspect that I liked and the author mentions this himself, is that this book was intended for a secular group of people who don’t know God. However, because of the many presuppositions to Christ they couldn’t understand it. 
God really worked wonders though. Turned out this book was more helpful for believers searching for God and God in turn used a secular person as a means to bring believers to Him. This is a huge testament to how God works. There are no divisions, only love. 

Rating: 5/5

Brigid Hogan

I sped through this. Rarely have I read something so encouraging, written with such deep love and care. I spend a lot of time wondering what I "deserve" in this world or what I need to "earn." This book reminds me that those markers of success and failure are ultimately inconsequential if I live in the love of God and to live out that love. So I've finished it for now, but I will be revisiting it often.

Britney Venus 

Erin Darlyn

Michelle Dwight

Katelyn Woodard

Marcella Chamorro

Kate Foster

Lauren Elizabeth Blakely

""All I want to say to you is, 'You are the Beloved,' and all I hope is that you can hear these words as spoken to you with all the tenderness and force that love can hold. My only desire is to make these words reverberate in every corner of your being - 'You are the Beloved.'"" "This personal witness to a God who calls us the Beloved is the fruit of a long friendship between journalist-writer Fred Bratman and Henri Nouwen. Henri is trying to respond to Fred's concern to live a spiritual life in the midst of a very secular world. A remarkable aspect of this book is that while Henri writes to a personal friend, he in fact found a language that speaks clearly and convincingly to all who search for the Spirit of God in the world." "Here is a ringing affirmation that everyone is loved by God and can enjoy "the life of the beloved." It reveals the wonders of the spiritual journey and renews the fire of faith."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Life of the Beloved Spiritual Living in a Secular World

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