“The goal of prayer is to live all of my life and speak all of my words in the joyful awareness of the presence of God. Prayer becomes real when we grasp the reality and goodness of God's constant presence with 'the real me.' Jesus lived his everyday life in conscious awareness of his Father.” 
― John Ortberg Jr.

“The nature of the enemy's warfare in your life is to cause you to become discouraged and to cast away your confidence. Not that you would necessarily discard your salvation, but you could give up your hope of God's deliverance. The enemy wants to numb you into a coping kind of Christianity that has given up hope of seeing God's resurrection power.” 
― Bob Sorge

“Ask and it shall be given you,'" I began. "'Seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.' We have the same message in the Book of Saint John," I said, sounding for all the world like a preacher...."
Well, but how could I just stop there? Those words were worse than nothing if I didn't tell what they meant to Grandpa. Looking at the long rough box, I spoke timid, in a mumbled voice. Not preachified at all. "Grandpa didn't think Jesus meant, by that, that we should ask God for things, or for special favors. He said we could trust that in the nature of things, without askin', we'll get lots of blessin's and happy surprises and maybe a miracle or two. When Jesus said ask and you'll get it, He meant things of the spirit, not the flesh. Right now for instance, I could ask, 'Lord please raise Grandpa from the dead,' but it wouldn't happen. But I can say, 'Please, God, comfort me,' and I'll get heart's ease. Grandpa said Jesus meant us to ask for hope, forgiveness, and all that. Ask, 'Help us not be scared, help us not be greedy, give us courage to try." I was really carried away. "Ask any such and God will give it to you. But don't ask Him not to let fire burn, or say spare me from death. At least, uh, that's what Grandpa said.” 
― Olive Ann Burns

“Matthew 10:34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” 
― Holy Bible

“The Bible is the greatest of all books; to study it is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals.” 
― Charles C. Ryrie

“Christian spirituality was not a children's story. It wasn't cute or neat. It was mystical and odd and clean, and it was reaching into dirty. There was wonder in it and enchantment.” 
― Donald Miller

“Belief consists in accepting the affirmations of the soul; unbelief, in denying them.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Although, I admit, I desire,
Occasionally, some backtalk
From the mute sky, I can't honestly complain:
A certain minor light may still
Lean incandescent

Out of kitchen table or chair
As if a celestial burning took
Possession of the most obtuse objects now and then -- ” 
― Sylvia Plath