The best way to prepare for a challenge is to cultivate the ability to call on an infinite variety of responses.

It wasn't necessary to know your own demons in order to find God.

So it was in life. In order for the more substantial pieces of wood to catch fire, the kindling must burn first. In order for us to liberate the energy of our strength, our weakness must first have a chance to reveal itself. In order for us to understand the powers we carry within us and the secrets that have already been revealed, it was first necessary to allow the surface expectations, fears, appearances — to be burned away.

I'm tired of having such a happy, perfect life. And that can only be a sign of mental illness. That's what I fall asleep thinking. Perhaps I really do have a serious problem.

There is no art which has not had its beginnings in things full of errors. Nothing is at the same time both new and perfect.

Creativity is often blocked by trying to be perfect. Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.

Surely the novel should be a form of art - but art was not enough. It must contain not only the perfection of art, but the imperfection of nature.

True Christianity is nothing but the continual dependence upon God through Christ for all life, light, and virtue; and the false religion of Satan is to seek that goodness from any other source. So

Grace transforms desolate and bleak plains into rich, green pastures. It changes grit-your-teeth duty into loving, enthusiastic service. It exchanges the tears and guilt of our own failed efforts for the eternal thrill and laughter of freely offered pleasures at the right hand of God. Grace changes everything!

Now this is a mystery to a carnal heart. They can see no such thing; perhaps they think God loves them when he prospers them and makes them rich, but they think God loves them not when he afflicts them. That is a mystery, but grace instructs men in that mystery, grace enables men to see love in the very frown of God's face, and so come to receive contentment.

For a long time I've concentrated on how small I am, how little I have to offer," Vicki continued. "That's not the point. The point is how big God is and what he wants to do." Shelly

Never learn to do anything: if you don't learn, you'll always find someone else to do it for you.