A Collection Of Quotes

"The kinship of man with Christ should be a source of great humility, as well as deep joy." Narnia Explored, Paul A. Karkainen



"The first time that you turn around and walk out of a disrespectful conversation, you will probably surprise and maybe even offend the other person. But it will also set a standard for being in a relationship with you. If the person you walked out on wants to keep you in the room during your next conversation, then he will have to manage himself to honor your standard. Words make appeals, actions create requirements" Danny Silk


"God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever."

- Vance Havner


"Something happens when you stand where giants have been slain, something happens when you stand in the momentum set by a previous generation, and you realize that your life has been redefined because it's not about you. Its about something that was set in motion a long time ago. We are merely the ones who are now holding the sword, and its time for the servant and the weapon to become one. And as we stand in that place, something happens as this man Eleazer, is exhausted beyond human reason and yet he was able to stand in a place conquering in the name of the Lord because he stood where giants were slain. And that is where the Lord has called us to, is to recognize the momentum of past victories." Bill Johnson

From the msg., "Living A Life Of Breakthrough"


“Aslan" said Lucy "you're bigger".
"That is because you are older, little one" answered he.
"Not because you are?"
"I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger".” C.S. Lewis; Chronicles of Narnia.

Ingmar Bergman, who was not a believer. He said: "It is my opinion that art lost its creative urge the moment it was separated from worship."

“It isn't Narnia, you know," sobbed Lucy. "It's you. We shan't meet you there. And how can we live, never meeting you?" "But you shall meet me, dear one," said Aslan. "Are -are you there too, Sir?" said Edmund. "I am," said Aslan. "But there I have another name. You must learn to know me by that name. This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

“The weaknesses, failures, and sins of our family are the places where we learn that we need grace too. It is there, in those dark mercies, that God teaches us to be humbly dependent. It is there that He draws near to us and sweetly reveals His grace. Paul's suffering teaches us to reinterpret our thorn. Instead of seeing it as a curse, we are to see it as the very thing that keeps us "pinned close to the Lord.” - Elyse M. Fitzpatrick

We are deluged with information. News of disasters in lands previously unknown pours into our souls; wars with horrific photos flood our consciousness. The burden of the world’s suffering exceeds our capacity to ingest it; our hearts harden in self-defense. We are over-eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil; it is killing us. Yet, there is a garden not far from us. In it is the Tree of Life and the River of Life flows through it. Let us daily eat of its fruit and quench our thirst with the cool of this river. Yes, let us weep with those who weep, but let us make our home with Christ in the Garden of Life. Francis Frangipane


“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us.” -Timothy Keller

I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of
severe testing... Acts 20:19


“For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant.
Job 14:7-9

"If you are not anchored in the goodness of God, you will lower your theology to match your pain."  Chirsta Black Gifford

 "What's lost is nothing to what's found, and all the death that ever was, set next to life, would scarcely fill a cup." Frederick Buechner

John Wimber-"Remember, it is the office that finds the man, not the man who finds the office. If the man is busy claiming the office I'd question the call as God doesn't need our advertising.."

It is a great thing to enter the inner chamber, and shut the door, and meet the Father in secret.
It is a greater thing to open the door again, and go out, in an enjoyment of that presence which nothing can disturb.
Andrew Murray, Prayer's Inner Chamber

We come to Christ and a new day begins. Yet with the Lord the day does not start at sunrise; it begins at evening (Gen. 1:5). It is here, as evening turns to night, that some panic. Yet, it is during this night that God teaches us to walk by faith not sight. It is during this time, where we can hear but cannot see, that we learn to live by God’s word, which He whispers “in the darkness” (Matt. 10:27). Dawn will come, beloved. When it breaks, you will see how God has made you a true person of faith. And the word you heard whispered in darkness – that still small voice – you will proclaim “in the light.” For what changed you, will change others also. Francis Frangipane


The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself nor less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less.
Tim Keller

"Whenever you find tears in your eyes, especially unexpected tears, it is well to pay the closest attention.

They are not only telling you something about the secret of who you are, but more often than not God is speaking to you through them of the mystery of where you have come from and is summoning you to where, if your soul is to be saved, you should go next."
Frederick Buechner, Whistling in the Dark

George MacDonald noted: “Perhaps, indeed, the better the gift we pray for, the more time is necessary for its arrival. To give us the spiritual gift we desire, God may have to begin far back in our spirit, in regions unknown to us, and do much work that we can be aware of only in the results. . . .”

“Writing is a process in which we discover what lives in us. The writing itself reveals what is alive. The deepest satisfaction of writing is precisely that it opens up new spaces within us of which we were not aware before we started to write.” Henri Nouwen

"Everything is gestation and bringing forth. To let each impression and each germ of a feeling come to completion wholly in itself, in the dark, in the inexpressible, the unconscious, beyond the reach of one's own intelligence, and wait with deep humility and patience the birth-hour of a new clarity: that alone is living the artist's life. Being an arist means not reckoning and counting, but ripening like the tree which does not force its sap, and stands confident in the storms of spring without the fear that after them may come no summer. It does come. But it comes only to the patient, who are there as though eternity lay before them so unconcernedly still and wide."
"Letters To A Young Poet"

Rainer Maria Rilke


"No place, however shadowed or sordid, can hide us. It is in those places, where we least expect Him, that He comes most fully." Relentless Pursuit, Ken Gire

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Isaiah 58:8

"The good will be larger than the suffering it redeems."
From: "Three lessons on Suffering"
By: William J. Stuntz

"You shall live to see these days renewed".
King Theoden -
"The Return Of The King"

"What do you fear my lady?" asked Aragorn. "A cage. To be behind bars until use and old age accept them and all chance of valor has gone beyond recall or desire." replied Eowyn. "You are a daughter of kings, a sheildmaiden of Rohan. I do not think that will be your fate." replied Aragorn.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." John 14:1-7


Then Gandalph said: "Let us not stay at the door, for the time is urgent. Let us enter! For it is only in the coming of Aragorn that any hope remains for the sick that lie in the House. Thus spake Ioreth.. "The hands of the king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known.." Suddenly Faramir stirred..."My lord, you called me. I come. What does the king command?" "Walk no more in the shadows, but awake!" said Aragorn.."I will, my lord," said Faramir. "For who would lie idle when the king has returned?" -Tolkien

"The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed. John 4:49-50

"I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had ever happened", said Frodo. "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for us to decide.
All we have to decide is what to do with the time given us". replied Gandalph

..."Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what it ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 3:13-14

These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised...therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us and let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross...Hebrews 11:39, 12:1-2


"Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.”
― Brene Brown, "The Gifts of Imperfection"


Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) in "Signs": People break down into two groups. When they experience something lucky, group number one sees it as more than luck, more than coincidence. They see it as a sign, evidence, that there is someone up there, watching out for them. Group number two sees it as just pure luck. Just a happy turn of chance. I'm sure the people in group number two are looking at those fourteen lights in a very suspicious way. For them, the situation is a fifty-fifty. Could be bad, could be good. But deep down, they feel that whatever happens, they're on their own. And that fills... them with fear. Yeah, there are those people. But there's a whole lot of people in group number one. When they see those fourteen lights, they're looking at a miracle. And deep down, they feel that whatever's going to happen, there will be someone there to help them. And that fills them with hope. See what you have to ask yourself is what kind of person are you? Are you the kind that sees signs, that sees miracles? Or do you believe that people just get lucky? Or, look at the question this way: Is it possible that there are no coincidences?

"God sometimes denies our prayers for silver, because He wants to give us gold". Martin Luther

"May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Oh Lord, My Rock and My Redeemer." Psalm 19:14

"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
― Maya Angelou

"Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten." -G.K.Chesterton 

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face if marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly..."- Teddy Roosevelt

Wind Of Joy

"Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.  You will increase my honor and comfort me once again."  Psalm 71:20

 

"You number my wanderings; put my tears into your bottle; are they not in your book?" Psalm 56:8

 

"I am weary in groaning; all night I make my bed swim; I drench my couch with tears." Psalm 6:6

 

"Hear my prayer O Lord; and give ear to my cry; do not be silent at my tears..."  Psalm 39:12

 

"My tears have been my food day and night..." Psalm 42:3

 

"Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy." Psalm 126:5 

 

"When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God..." Psalm 73:16-17

 

"You guide me with Your counsel and afterward you will take me into glory.  Whom have I in heaven but you?  And earth has nothing I desire beside you.  My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:24-26

 

 

I don't know what your story is.  I don't know what your trials are, your battles and burdens.  What you carry inside that no one else see's, unless they are discerning enough to see the pain behind your smile.  There is, however, no one who is without pain on some level.  Be it physical, emotional, mental, spiritual.  Pain on any level is its own - story. 

 

 

As I was reading the Psalms tonight, I found myself drawn to the many words that calculate the journey of such pain... as I listened to the words spoken here, I found my own storyline mingled in the pain.  And in that mingling, moved to share some of that story here.

 

 

Some battles, some wrestling matches, are easier to talk about than others.  I will be honest, this is one that is not easy for me.  See, first, I don't "wrestle with flesh and blood, but against principalities, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."  Ephesians 6:12


Therefore, it is not a person that I am wrestling with, nor is it about the person.  It is about what can be brought against me to disarm and disable me, on every level.  And some things just don't need to be entertained as to being worthy of a wrestling match.  That too, takes discernment.  But, there are moments when we are weak, and we are strong, or feel weak and believe we are weaker than we really are.  Moments that we are completely undone and in the undoing, we find ourselves nakedly sitting, emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and maybe for some, physically.... and at times, for some all at one time. 

 

What do you do in that moment? 

 

Though a myriad of choices and responses one makes.... yes, at the end of the day... what are you feeling? 

 

For me, the other night, it was a night of feeling weary... so much so that all my ability to stay on the mat of life and enter into any further wrestling match was simply one of surrender.  I sat that night midst dim light on my desk so saturated with sorrow, that I could barely lift my normally able to voice in song that night.  But ... I did... barely.  And as I did, while listening to some worship music, I felt the sweet drawing close of Jesus presence through His Holy Spirit.  I could feel the tangible touch of His presence in my hands, a warmth and almost a tingling like feeling that just came with tremendous love. 

As I sat there... almost numb emotionally, and His presence washed upon my hands, I heard the sweet and sovereign whisper's of His Spirit's voice speak to me and say.... "go lay your hands on your son and pray..."   I had so little I felt to offer in that moment... but out of obedience and faith, I went.

 

 

In sweet slumber there he lay, as the worship was playing over Him.  And the song, "I'm praying for the Soulbreather, to breath on me."  (The Soulbreather being Jesus).  As I tenderly laid my hands upon his head and back, I felt the trembling as an earthquake begin to move my abdomen, as the tears pushed like a tsunami out of me.  And the kind of almost violent cry that was silently moving through me without a voice, but anyone looking onward would have seen the heaving movement of my abdomen bouncing up and down.  Then my face was washed wet with tears.  Then I began to pray in the gift of tongues, that He has so generously and lovingly given me.  (Acts 2; 1 Corinthians 12,14) 

 

I felt so weak, and so overcome with my tears and praying just came out of that pain... in that moment... it was easier for me too.  I didn't have to think of what to pray, I didn't have the words to pray... I had only my spirit through which He prayed through me. (Romans 8:26-27) 

 

 

I'm amazed in those moments,  how close to me He comes.  How much I know, He is right there with me.  When you get to know and understand how He never leaves you, nor forsakes you, (Deuteronomy 31:6) and really believe that... there is so much comfort in knowing that in our pain, He is there.

 

 

In that late hour of the night, weeping and waiting, praying and pressing through, I had no idea what impact if any, I was making.  But wait, that is just it... it's not me, nor is it ever about me.  See, it was not about what "I" was "doing," but rather it was about my obedience and surrender in that moment for me.  It was about letting my desperate need for Him to come and break through something that was far greater than myself, because again, I was not wrestling with flesh...with blood... but darkness. 

I could then come in all my brokenness to a Father and King and Beloved lover of my soul, and bring all of that pain and tears to Him... on behalf of what I was wrestling with.  Even though there was nothing of myself, apart from Him, that I could bring.  It was what I brought in Him through me, that He was able to use. 

 

The next day... there was a shift in something about my innermost being.  Something about Seth, too... that was full of something more... a peace and a calm that I felt, noticed in him.  It was distinct enough that, I couldn't say exactly what it was, but enough that I knew it was supernatural in origin. 

 

Beneath the uncertain sky's where the winds were blowing anxiously, we were walking along the road to go and pet some kitties at the house down the street. Suddenly in that beautiful prayer language I spoke of earlier, I was singing a song as though I had known it all my life, ... it was a long song, that just kept coming.  And though I know not what I sang of, I felt the peace of His Kingdom all over it.  I even caught Seth staring off as he pet the kitty, listening with this peace about him.  I felt something of Him, doing more of something in us. 

 

There is something beautiful and sacred, all our own between Him and us, when we enter into the sanctuary of God.  That sanctuary between you and Him... where the secret place becomes a sacred place.  And you encounter the living God of the universe in a way that is all for you. That though you feel troubles of many kinds surround you, and your tears become your food, there is a sanctuary of His Presence that is the One Thing that sustains and strengthens, satisfies and soaks a weary, drenched soul.  Allowing then your soul to align more and more with His Spirit. 

It is in those very moments He guides us, through our tears, through our pain, into the counsel of His Wisdom.  It comes in many ways... sometimes through nature, or a movie, or a phone call unexpected, maybe for you it is through a moment in the store watching something happen, or a commercial that brings tears, or His Holy Word, prayer, worship, song and art, depression or despair, joy and jubilation... so many ways we might encounter the counsel of His Spirit.  We must be looking, listening...

 

"Whom have I in heaven but you?

 

Earth has nothing I desire besides You.

 

My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my heart-

 

and my portion forever.

 

Those who are far from you will perish...

 

But as for me, it is good to be near, You-

 

I have made You, the Sovereign Lord my refuge;

 

I will tell of all Your deeds."

 

Psalm 25-28