Writing

For all you writers out there, you know who you are: "See, as I know it, the only reasons to write are personal ones. If we are looking for acceptance or praise or affirmation from our readers, we are burdening them with something they cannot give us. Our readers don’t heal our wounds. 

No, we need to write because it is what makes us feel alive, what gives us peace, what helps us think, what lets us disappear, what makes us who we are. All the rest – sales and readers, views and subscriptions – that’s bonus. It’s the writing that matters." Andi Lit

From Me

Heard Anne Lamotte say today (on NPR) that God's job is to help us. I know what she was trying to say, but it just sat a little odd on me. He is so awesome and mysterious. I don't want to ever start thinking of Him as a short-order cook in my problem cafe. - Carolyn Evaine Counterman

Compassion

The value of compassion cannot be over-emphasized. Anyone can criticize. It takes a true believer to be compassionate. No greater burden can be borne by an individual than to know no one cares or understands.

-- Arthur H. Stainback

God's Canvas

We must offer ourselves to God like a clean, smooth canvas and not worry ourselves about what God may choose to paint on it, but at each moment, feel only the stroke of His brush.

      -- Jean Pierre de Caussade

Answering Prayer

God usually answers our prayers so much more according to the measure of His own magnificence, than of our asking, that we do not recognize His benefits to be those for which we sought Him.

-- Coventry Patmore

Faith

Till men have faith in Christ, their best services are but glorious sins.
      -- Thomas Brooks

The Bible

The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts.

      -- George Müller

Comfort

God does not comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.
-- J. H. Jowett

Led By The Spirit

When led by the Spirit, the child of God must be as ready to wait as to go, as prepared to be silent as to speak.

-- Lewis Sperry Chafer

Being Mocked

There are times when being mocked is the evidence of a courageous stand. But in other cases, being mocked may be more illusory than real. It may arise from a season of negative inwardness -- a dour focus on ourselves.

-- Calvin Miller

Respect

Without respect, love cannot go far or rise high: it is an angel with but one wing.

      -- Alexander Dumas

Two Homes

Make two homes for yourself my daughter. One actual home and another spiritual home, which you carry with you always.

      -- Catherine of Siena

Stranger In This World

Keep yourself as a pilgrim and a stranger here in this world, as one to whom the world's business counts but little. Keep your heart free, and always lift it up to God.

      -- Thomas à Kempis

Politeness

Politeness is the blossom of our humanity.
      -- Joubert

Generic Prayer

I don't actually know how long I have been carrying this "prayer" around with me. 20+ years at least, because I think I got it in high school. It has graced many bulletin boards between then and now. It always makes me laugh, so I thought I would share.

Solitude

Who sits in solitude and is quiet has escaped from three wars: hearing, speaking, seeing; yet against one thing shall he continually battle: that is, his own heart.

     -- St. Antony

Longing

I want deliberately to encourage this mighty longing after God. The lack of it has brought us to our present low estate. The stiff and wooden quality about our religious lives is a resultof our lack of holy desire.

      -- A. W. Tozer

Having An Ally

There are no words to express the abyss between isolation and having one ally. It may be conceded to the mathematician that four is twice two. But two is not twice one; two is two thousand times one.

      -- G. K. Chesterton

Would You?

If you knew that only a few would care that you came, would you still come? If you knew that those you loved would laugh in your face, would you still care? If you knew that the tongues you made would mock you, the mouths you made would spit at you, the hands you made would crucify you, would you still make them? Christ did.

-- Max Lucado

God-shaped vaccuum

There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person and it can never be filled by any created thing. It can only be filled by God, made known through Jesus Christ.

-- Blaise Pascal

Our Spiritual Parents

Joy and sorrow are never separated. When our hearts rejoice at a spectacular view, we may miss our friends who cannot see it, and when we are overwhelmed with grief, we may discover what true friendship is all about. Joy is hidden in sorrow and sorrow in joy. If we try to avoid sorrow at all costs, we may never taste joy, and if we are suspicious of ecstasy, agony can never reach us either. Joy and sorrow are the parents of our spiritual growth.

Fathers

All effective fathers learn the importance of a wise and flexible response to their children's calls for attention. No busy signals here. No "hold" button.

-- Gordon McDonald

Fasting

[When] Jesus Himself fasted, He was not fasting to repent or to bring His desires under control, of course, but to demonstrate His absolute dependence upon His Father.

      -- Peter C. Moore

Legalism

The real danger of legalism is that it produces a sense of attainment that short-circuits our call to live the life of Yes through Christ. Self-achievement brings a false sense of assurance that somehow we can live a pure life in our own ability. This attitude ultimately leads us to cut ourselves off from the heart of God and, in turn, to deny our true identity in Christ.
-- David Edwards

Giving

The world says, The more you take, the more you have. Christ says, the more you give, the more you are.
      -- Frederick Buechner

God's Imagination

So much of our energy, time, and money goes into maintaining distance from one another. Many if not most of the resources of the world are used to defend ourselves against each other, to maintain or increase our power, and to safeguard our own privileged position.

Imagine all that effort being put in the service of peace and reconciliation! Would there be any poverty? Would there be crimes and wars? Just imagine that there was no longer fear among people, no longer any rivalry, hostility, bitterness, or revenge. Just imagine all the people on this planet holding hands and forming one large circle of love. We say, "I can't imagine." But God says, "That's what I imagine, a whole world not only created but also living in my image."