--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thus, our brokenness can become a gateway…" description: "\"“Thus, our brokenness can become a gateway to new life.”\" — Henri J.M. Nouwen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_gateway_thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway_463451.jpg" --- # Thus, our brokenness can become a gateway to new life. ![“Thus, our brokenness can become a gateway to new life.” quote by Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_gateway_thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway_463451.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_gateway_thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway_463451.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_gateway_thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway_463451.jpg) > ““Thus, our brokenness can become a gateway to new life.”” [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Brokenness can open a path to spiritual renewal and new life. **In simple terms:** Brokenness leads to new life. Key Takeaway Embrace vulnerability for growth. Themes spirituality growth vulnerability Mood reflective hopeful Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - counseling - spiritual practice - personal crisis Key Concepts brokenness gateway renewal Questions to Reflect On - How can brokenness become a doorway? - What does new life mean to you? A Different Perspective Some may resist seeing value in brokenness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [New life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-life/) ## Related quotes > [“This leaves us with the urgent question: How can we be or become a caring community, a community of people not trying to cover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/this-leaves-us-with-the-urgent-question-how-can-we-be-or-become-a/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Those who really can receive bread from a stranger and smile in gratitude, can feed many without even realizing it. Those who can sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/those-who-really-can-receive-bread-from-a-stranger-and-smile-in/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [Everything if given to God can become your gateway to joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/everything-if-given-to-god-can-become-your-gateway-to-joy/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [“Our senses are often the gateway to our stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/our-senses-are-often-the-gateway-to-our-stories/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [“Give me the ridiculous, because it's a gateway to the sublime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mach/give-me-the-ridiculous-because-it-s-a-gateway-to-the-sublime/) Jeff Mach > [“A country whose citizens do not read is already late because "reading" is just the first step to wisdom acquisition. Application of the learnt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/a-country-whose-citizens-do-not-read-is-already-late-because-reading/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [We want a Gateway to be the last computer our clients will ever buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-waitt/we-want-a-gateway-to-be-the-last-computer-our-clients-will-ever-buy/) [Ted Waitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-waitt/) > [“If you were the gateway for refuge in times of trouble and you were isolated the gateway shut to your face in the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamaran-ihsan-salih/if-you-were-the-gateway-for-refuge-in-times-of-trouble-and-you-were/) [Kamaran Ihsan Salih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamaran-ihsan-salih/) > [“He stood at the gateway between two worlds, at the place where imagination passed into creation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bedard/he-stood-at-the-gateway-between-two-worlds-at-the-place-where/) Michael Bedard > [Schools the gateway too a successful life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/schools-the-gateway-too-a-successful-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Soul is the Gateway to Heaven within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/choa-kok-sui/the-soul-is-the-gateway-to-heaven-within-you/) [Choa Kok Sui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/choa-kok-sui/) > [June is the gateway to summer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hersey/june-is-the-gateway-to-summer/) [Jean Hersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hersey/) > [“For me, dear reader, that place was purgatory incarnate; neither good nor bad, but a gateway to great rewards or even greater punishments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-sheldon/for-me-dear-reader-that-place-was-purgatory-incarnate-neither-good/) [Joss Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-sheldon/) > [I don't despise 'Don Quixote,' but it is a book I don't... get. I'll have to come back it. Maybe there'll be a gateway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-oyeyemi/i-don-t-despise-don-quixote-but-it-is-a-book-i-don-t-get-i-ll-have-to/) [Helen Oyeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-oyeyemi/) > [“Zero is a gateway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/zero-is-a-gateway/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) ## More by Henri J.M. Nouwen > [“Spiritual reading, therefore, is slow, deliberate, meditative reading in which we allow the words to penetrate our heart and question our spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/spiritual-reading-therefore-is-slow-deliberate-meditative-reading-in/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“The mystery of ministry is that we have been chosen to make our own limited and very conditional love the gateway for the unlimited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/the-mystery-of-ministry-is-that-we-have-been-chosen-to-make-our-own/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Jesus changes our history from a random series of sad incidents and accidents into a constant opportunity for a change of heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/jesus-changes-our-history-from-a-random-series-of-sad-incidents-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Why should a man marry and have children, study and build a career; why should he invent new techniques, build new institutions, and develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/why-should-a-man-marry-and-have-children-study-and-build-a-career-why/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“It wasn't that the Gospel proved useful for my many worries but that the Gospel proved the uselessness of my worries and so refocused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/it-wasn-t-that-the-gospel-proved-useful-for-my-many-worries-but-that/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“But mortification - literally, "making death" - is what life is all about, a slow discovery of the mortality of all that is created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/but-mortification-literally-making-death-is-what-life-is-all-about-a/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Christians should put survival of the planet ahead of national security...Here is the mystery of our global responsibility: that we are in communion with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/christians-should-put-survival-of-the-planet-ahead-of-national/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“We want to live as people chosen, blessed, and broken, and thus become food for the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/we-want-to-live-as-people-chosen-blessed-and-broken-and-thus-become/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Those who really can receive bread from a stranger and smile in gratitude, can feed many without even realizing it. Those who can sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/those-who-really-can-receive-bread-from-a-stranger-and-smile-in/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Whereas discipline without discipleship leads to rigid formalism, discipleship without discipline ends in sentimental romanticism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/whereas-discipline-without-discipleship-leads-to-rigid-formalism/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“When God makes a covenant with us, God says: 'I will love you with an everlasting love. I will be faithful to you, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/when-god-makes-a-covenant-with-us-god-says-i-will-love-you-with-an/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Am I afraid to die? I am every time I let myself be seduced by the noisy voices of my world telling me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/am-i-afraid-to-die-i-am-every-time-i-let-myself-be-seduced-by-the/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Our life is a short time in expectation, a time in which sadness and joy kiss each other at every moment. There is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/our-life-is-a-short-time-in-expectation-a-time-in-which-sadness-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Here the mystery of drinking the cup becomes clear. The coming and leaving of friends, the experiences of love and betrayal, of care and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/here-the-mystery-of-drinking-the-cup-becomes-clear-the-coming-and/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) > [“Addiction" might be the best word to explain the lostness that so deeply permeates society. Our addiction make us cling to what the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/addiction-might-be-the-best-word-to-explain-the-lostness-that-so/) [Henri J.M. Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) [Explore all 115 Henri J.M. Nouwen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/) ## More Gateway quotes > [“Zero is a gateway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/zero-is-a-gateway/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [Schools the gateway too a successful life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/schools-the-gateway-too-a-successful-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything if given to God can become your gateway to joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/everything-if-given-to-god-can-become-your-gateway-to-joy/) [Elisabeth Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-elliot/) > [I don't despise 'Don Quixote,' but it is a book I don't... get. I'll have to come back it. Maybe there'll be a gateway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-oyeyemi/i-don-t-despise-don-quixote-but-it-is-a-book-i-don-t-get-i-ll-have-to/) [Helen Oyeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-oyeyemi/) > [“For me, dear reader, that place was purgatory incarnate; neither good nor bad, but a gateway to great rewards or even greater punishments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-sheldon/for-me-dear-reader-that-place-was-purgatory-incarnate-neither-good/) [Joss Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-sheldon/) > [June is the gateway to summer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hersey/june-is-the-gateway-to-summer/) [Jean Hersey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hersey/) > [The Soul is the Gateway to Heaven within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/choa-kok-sui/the-soul-is-the-gateway-to-heaven-within-you/) [Choa Kok Sui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/choa-kok-sui/) > [“He stood at the gateway between two worlds, at the place where imagination passed into creation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bedard/he-stood-at-the-gateway-between-two-worlds-at-the-place-where/) Michael Bedard > [“If you were the gateway for refuge in times of trouble and you were isolated the gateway shut to your face in the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamaran-ihsan-salih/if-you-were-the-gateway-for-refuge-in-times-of-trouble-and-you-were/) [Kamaran Ihsan Salih](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamaran-ihsan-salih/) > [We want a Gateway to be the last computer our clients will ever buy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-waitt/we-want-a-gateway-to-be-the-last-computer-our-clients-will-ever-buy/) [Ted Waitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-waitt/) > [“A country whose citizens do not read is already late because "reading" is just the first step to wisdom acquisition. Application of the learnt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/a-country-whose-citizens-do-not-read-is-already-late-because-reading/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Give me the ridiculous, because it's a gateway to the sublime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-mach/give-me-the-ridiculous-because-it-s-a-gateway-to-the-sublime/) Jeff Mach > [“Our senses are often the gateway to our stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/our-senses-are-often-the-gateway-to-our-stories/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) > [From compassion springs humility. The ego is verily a gateway to hell. The person who is egoistic is far from being religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-vaswani/from-compassion-springs-humility-the-ego-is-verily-a-gateway-to-hell/) [Dada Vaswani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-vaswani/) > [“Gratitude is the gateway to a positive life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-posey/gratitude-is-the-gateway-to-a-positive-life/) [A.D. Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-d-posey/) Browse all 67 Gateway quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Thus, our brokenness can become a gateway to new life.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri J.M. Nouwen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway-to-new-life/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gateway" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway-to-new-life/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_gateway_thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway_463451.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_gateway_thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway_463451.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53b/henri-j-m-nouwen-4122_gateway_thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway_463451.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Thus, our brokenness can become a gateway to new life.” — Henri J.M. Nouwen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henri J.M. Nouwen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-j-m-nouwen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Thus, our brokenness can become a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway-to-new-life/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-j-m-nouwen/thus-our-brokenness-can-become-a-gateway-to-new-life/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```