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.

We were told to order our Women's Summer Study books on line. The book we were shown was a larger beautiful book with wonderful pictures on every page. What came was a much smaller version with ony a few pictures. I was very disappointed with what I received. Especially since I placed the order for several girl frieinds.
Suzanne

When you can't sleep at night due to
worries, anxiety, lack of faith . . .
open your hands!

This book is metaphorically right on in regards to releasing the thing(s) that keep you wound up, things that hinder your worship and relationships.

Henri Nouwen published many books that were very short, yet were/are quite helpful to the growing spiritual life of many. This book, a short book on the life of prayer, is quite useful at helping us open ourselves to the Holy One.

The book is really an exposition of one image-the life of prayer is a life lived with open hands. Nouwen then leads us to understand open hands are a necessity because open hands/lives mean we are not captured by fear, fear being the opposite of love, but open to God. As we open our hands to God we begin to accept the good gifts of life and live lives of hope. We are able to care for others because we are no longer focused on ourselves. This life changing power is revolutionary he says because it forces us to question the world around us and address that world.

While it would be overly reductionist to say the sum total of the book is stated above, gaining more requires lengthy reading, meditation and surrender to the image of open hands. If you want a how to book, this is not it. If you want something to help you surrender to prayer and experience prayer in its depths, this book is quite useful and I would recommend it

Henri Nouwen had a great ability to take something rather simple and ordinary, and use it a as way to help people understand and experience God. Nouwen's now classic book WITH OPEN HANDS is an excellent example of using a simple image to invite a person to prayer and a deeper experience of God. Clenched fists demonstrate being closed to God, and through reflections on prayer: silence, acceptance, hope, compassion, and prophetic criticism, Nouwen invites us to open our hands and thus, be open to God. This work is excellent for people who are new to prayer or are trying to discover new prayer techniques, but it is profound enough to help all people experience God.