At the moment I am wrestling with remembering who I am in God and letting him again do some nice work deep inside. I am re-reading (again) one of the most influential books I have found and today am focusing on this bit:

"As the Beloved of my heavenly Father, "I can walk in the valley of darkness; no evil would i fear". As the Beloved, I can "cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils. Having "received without charge," I can "give without charge". As the Beloved, I can confront, console, admonish, and encourage without fear of rejection or need for affirmation. As the Beloved, I can suffer persecution without desire for revenge and receive praise without using it as proof of my goodness. As the Beloved, I can be tortured and killed without ever having to doubt that the love that is given to me is stronger than death. As the Beloved, I am free to live and give life, free also to die while giving this life." (pg 39)

Nouwen is a good man.