--- title: "3 Distress Quotes By Henri Nouwen" description: "3 Distress quotes by Henri Nouwen. Plus more from Henri Nouwen and more Distress sayings from other authors." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/henri-nouwen-600_death_joy-is-the-experience-of-knowing-that-yo_194098.png" --- > [Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing-sicknes s, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/joy-is-the-experience-of-knowing-that-you-are-unconditionally-loved/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/henri-nouwen-600_death_joy-is-the-experience-of-knowing-that-yo_194098.png) > [Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. It is a choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/joy-does-not-simply-happen-to-us-we-have-to-choose-joy-and-keep-2/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d28/henri-nouwen-600_choices_joy-does-not-simply-happen-to-us-we-have_1302553.jpg) > [Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day. It is a choice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/joy-does-not-simply-happen-to-us-we-have-to-choose-joy-and-keep-3/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/272/henri-nouwen-600_choices_joy-does-not-simply-happen-to-us-we-have_2411737.jpg) ## Other authors on Distress - [Lailah Gifty Akita 16 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/lailah-gifty-akita/) - [Samuel Johnson 14 quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/samuel-johnson/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b006/author-charles-dickens-22226.jpg) Charles Dickens 7 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/charles-dickens/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b003/author-adolf-hitler-9531.jpg) Adolf Hitler 6 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/adolf-hitler/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b023/author-thomas-paine-90547.jpg) Thomas Paine 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/thomas-paine/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b023/author-thomas-malthus-90491.jpg) Thomas Malthus 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/thomas-malthus/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b023/author-thomas-jefferson-90435.jpg) Thomas Jefferson 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/thomas-jefferson/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b010/author-friedrich-nietzsche-36363.jpg) Friedrich Nietzsche 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/friedrich-nietzsche/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b006/author-charles-spurgeon-22605.jpg) Charles Spurgeon 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/charles-spurgeon/) ## More by Henri Nouwen > [We are not the healers, we are not the reconcilers, we are not the givers of life. We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-are-not-the-healers-we-are-not-the-reconcilers-we-are-not-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [The more we touch the intimate love of God which creates, sustains, and guides us, the more we recognize the multitude of fruits that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-more-we-touch-the-intimate-love-of-god-which-creates-sustains-and/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Feelings of guilt dominate our work as peacemakers we cannot last long. But when we have opened each other's eyes to the great human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/feelings-of-guilt-dominate-our-work-as-peacemakers-we-cannot-last/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [...we all want to hear stories, from the moment we are born to the moment we die. Stories connect our little lives with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-all-want-to-hear-stories-from-the-moment-we-are-born-to-the-moment/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I have found it very important...to let go of my wishes and start hoping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/i-have-found-it-very-important-to-let-go-of-my-wishes-and-start-hoping/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Simply being with someone is difficult because it asks of us that we share in the other's vulnerability, enter with him or her into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/simply-being-with-someone-is-difficult-because-it-asks-of-us-that-we/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Somewhere we know that without silence, words lose their meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/somewhere-we-know-that-without-silence-words-lose-their-meaning/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Jesus says, "Keep your heart on the kingdom first. Keep your heart on God's love. Keep focused on the fact that you are God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/jesus-says-keep-your-heart-on-the-kingdom-first-keep-your-heart-on/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [This sounds very simple and maybe even trite, but very few people know that they are loved without condition or limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/this-sounds-very-simple-and-maybe-even-trite-but-very-few-people-know/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“The more preoccupied we are with security the more visible the force of death becomes, whether in the form of a pistol beside our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-more-preoccupied-we-are-with-security-the-more-visible-the-force/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [If you feel a great loneliness and a deep longing for human contact, you have to be extremely discerning...and ask yourself whether this situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/if-you-feel-a-great-loneliness-and-a-deep-longing-for-human-contact/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I choose L'Arche; L'Arche chooses me. I would be dead if I weren't here. I need people to love me and care for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/i-choose-l-arche-l-arche-chooses-me-i-would-be-dead-if-i-weren-t-here/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am the chosen child of God, precious in God's eyes, called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-truth-even-though-i-cannot-feel-it-right-now-is-that-i-am-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [In a world so torn apart by rivalry, anger, and hatred, we have the privileged vocation to be living signs of a love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/in-a-world-so-torn-apart-by-rivalry-anger-and-hatred-we-have-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Where true inner freedom is, there is God. And where God is, there we want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/where-true-inner-freedom-is-there-is-god-and-where-god-is-there-we/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distress/henri-nouwen/#itemlist", "name": "3 Distress Quotes By Henri Nouwen", "numberOfItems": 3, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing-sicknes s, failure, emotional distress, oppression, war, or even death--can take that love away.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri Nouwen" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/joy-is-the-experience-of-knowing-that-you-are-unconditionally-loved/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/henri-nouwen-600_death_joy-is-the-experience-of-knowing-that-yo_194098.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/henri-nouwen-600_death_joy-is-the-experience-of-knowing-that-yo_194098.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfb/henri-nouwen-600_death_joy-is-the-experience-of-knowing-that-yo_194098.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Joy is the experience of knowing that you are unconditionally loved and that nothing-sicknes s, failure…” — Henri Nouwen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Joy does not simply happen to us. 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