Thérèse, almost counter to reason, says: "Whoever is willing to serenely bear the trial of being displeasing to herself, that person is a pleasant place of shelter for Jesus.

The wounds to our ego are our teachers and must be welcomed. They must be paid attention to, not litigated.

Anne Wilson Schaef

The path to Christian perfection always runs across the collapse of our own moral efforts and self-established ideals.

Weakness with watchfulness will stand, when strength with too much confidence fails. Weakness, with acknowledgement of it, is the fittest seat and subject for God to perfect his strength in; for consciousness of our infirmities drives us out of ourselves to him in whom our strength lies.

God knows we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of grace he requires no more than he gives, but gives what he requires, and accepts what he gives.

Self-emptiness prepares us for spiritual fullness.

If God only used perfect people, nohting would get done. God will use anybody if you're available.

You can't grow strong without resistance.

I expect God to use me, not because of who I am but because of who Jesus is. Not because of what I've done, but because of what Jesus has done.

The sooner we give up the illusion that a church must be perfect in order to love it, the sooner we quit pretending and start admitting we're all imperfect and need grace. This is the beginning of real community.

God has never been impressed with strength or self-sufficiency. In fact, he is drawn to people who are weak and admit it.