Brennan Manning spent the past forty years helping others experience the reality of God’s love and grace. It’s at the heart of everything he’s written and done. A recovering alcoholic and former Franciscan priest, his spiritual journey took him down a variety of paths. He taught seminarians, spoke to packed arenas, lived in a cave and labored with the poor in Spain, and ministered to shrimpers in Alabama. Brennan was best known as the author of the contemporary classics, The Ragamuffin Gospel, Abba’s Child, Ruthless Trust, The Importance of Being Foolish, Patched Together, and The Furious Longing of God.

For more of Brennan’s bio, click here

Brennan is one of my favorite writers. I suppose because he was so real.  Never one to hide his flaws or failings or his relapses, he was always able to make his way back to a God that he knew loved him dearly.  I have read all of his books and consider each one a treasure on its own.  If you don’t know Brennan, it is my hope that these quotes of his will inspire you to want to immerse yourself into his work.  I know you will be truly blessed.  One of my regrets in life is that I never got to meet him or hear him speak.  Brennan passed away on April 12, 2013.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of my favorite of Brennan’s books:

 

Abba’s Child

Is an impostor robbing you of God’s love?

We’ve bought into the lie that we are worthy of God’s love only when our lives are going well. If our families are happy or our jobs are meaningful, life is a success. But when life begins to fall through the cracks and embarrassing sins threaten to reveal our less-than-perfect identity, we scramble to keep up a good front to present to the world―and to God. We hide until we can rearrange the mask of perfection. Sadly, it is then that we wonder why we lack intimate relationships and a passionate faith.

All this time God is calling us to take the mask off and come openly to Him. He longs for us to know in the depth of our beings that He loves us and accepts us as we are. When we are our true selves, we can finally claim our identity as God’s child―Abba’s child―and experience His pure pleasure in who we are. Brennan Manning encourages us to let go of the impostor lifestyle and freely accept our belovedness as a child of the heavenly Father. In Him there is life.

 

 

 

The Ragamuffin Gospel

The world assigns value to people using measurable standards. Someone is a successful student if she receives As. Someone is a strong athlete if he runs five miles a day. The Lord, however, knows nothing of standards. The Ragamuffin Gospel was inspired by Brennan Manning after he discovered firsthand what it means to live by grace instead of performance. His words bring new life and sweet refreshment to Christians who are tired of never measuring up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruthless Trust: The Way of the Ragamuffin

In his sequel to The Ragamuffin Gospel bestselling author Brennan Manning shows how true and radical trust in God can transform our lives.

 

Manning, beloved author and spiritual teacher, shows us how trust in God can transform our lives and open us up to deeper experiences of grace and love. In Ruthless Trust, he turns his focus from furious love to radical trust, revealing the ways in which trust renews our faith and help us grow.

 

 

To find more of Brennan’s works, click here

 

Brennan’s Obituary
Brennan Manning
April 27, 1934 – April 12, 2013

“Suffering, failure, loneliness, sorrow, discouragement, and death will be part of your journey, but the Kingdom of God will conquer all these horrors. No evil can resist grace forever.”

Richard Francis Xavier Manning, better known to legions of faithful readers as author, speaker, and contemplative Brennan Manning, for whom grace was irresistible, completed his earthly journey on Friday, April 12 at 12:10AM.  He is now resting safely in the arms of his Abba.

For the complete obituary click here

 

I would have loved to have had a cup of coffee with this man……