Simply Ask
Instead of taking someone else’s word on what God wants us to do, what possible harm can come from taking God’s hand and simply asking?
— Hugh Prather, Spiritual Notes to Myself, p. 66
Live Love in the Present
Those who believe in themselves, and trust in the moment, are those who find life most enjoyable. They have learned that the past is a place to store memories, not regrets; that the future should be full of promise, not apprehension. And the present is all we need.
— Leo Buscaglia, Born for Love, p. 266
An Ancient Glory
Our aim is not to keep our child’s ego from getting mad at us — we are not anxiously building a relationship with our child. And certainly we are not building a child. We are gently brushing away the dust from an ancient glory, so that we both may stare in awe at what God has already made.
— Hugh Prather, Spiritual Notes to Myself, p. 65
The Power of Literature
Through reading literature, you see, I coexperience others’ struggles and occasional joys. Great literature grows me.
— Patty Kirk, Confessions of an Amateur Believer, p. 75
Guiding Children
Every child will try out an unhappy approach to life from time to time. We must be wise and not let this go too far. Don’t react impulsively; act from your quiet knowledge of this child. You are the advocate for his inner strength. You step in and say no because you see that now he can do better. From your intuition and calm perception, you see that he has learned all he can from the mistake and now can use a firm hand to guide him.
— Hugh Prather, Spiritual Notes to Myself, p. 64
Literature and Life
There is no story without conflict, I tell would-be story writers. Universal truth is ratified, in literature as in life, not through a character’s mere mindless affirmations of it but through the lifelong study that comes from doubting and challenging and searching and returning to the problem again and again.
— Patty Kirk, Confessions of an Amateur Believer, p. 73
Well-chosen Nos
Have as few nos as possible. But do have a few. A small child feels cuddled by a few well-chosen nos.
— Hugh Prather, Spiritual Notes to Myself, p. 64
A Choice
When we get hurt, no matter how serious the offense or how deep the wound, God has grace available to help us deal with the offense and forgive the offender. At that point, we have one of two choices: We can acknowledge our need and humbly reach out to Him for His grace to forgive and release the offender. Or we can resist Him, fail to receive His grace, and hold on to the hurt.
— Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Choosing Forgiveness, p. 75
Reference Librarians
“I’ve been a reference librarian for thirty-three years. I know more than I say about nearly everything.”
Mrs. Sobell in The Magic and the Healing, by Nick O’Donohoe, p. 116
Like Drinking Poison
Like drinking poison and hoping someone else would die. That’s a powerful word picture for what unforgiveness is like in the human heart. Though it may feel right, though it may seem justified, though it may appear to be the only option available to us, it is destructive and deadly to the one who drinks it. The very weapon we use to inflict pain on our offender becomes a sword turned inward on ourselves, doing far more damage to us — and to those who love us — than to those who have hurt us.
— Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Choosing Forgiveness:Â Your Journey to Freedom, p. 50-51