Flesh Become Word
The word must become flesh, but the flesh also must become word. It is not enough for us, as human beings, just to live. We also must give words to what we are living. If we do not speak what we are living, our lives lose their vitality and creativity. When we see a beautiful view, we search for words to express what we are seeing.
When we meet a caring person, we want to speak about that meeting. When we are sorrowful or in great pain, we need to talk about it. When we are surprised by joy, we want to announce it! Through the word, we appropriate and internalize what we are living. The word makes our experience truly human.
—Henri J M Nouwen, Bread for the Journey
It’s not enough just to live our experiences—we are made to speak them. Henri Nouwen reminds us that our joy, our sorrow, our healing, and our hope all take deeper root when we give them voice. Words make our lives fully human. Whether whispered in prayer, shared with a friend, or written in a journal, speaking what we’re living transforms fleeting moments into something lasting, something known.
In recovery, this truth is vital. Silence can keep pain locked inside, but words—honest, vulnerable words—help release it. Telling your story, even in small pieces, helps you claim it, understand it, and begin to heal through it. And when the word becomes flesh and the flesh becomes word, your life becomes more than survival—it becomes testimony. Don’t be afraid to speak. Your voice has power. Your story matters. Let your life be heard. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics