But for those who resist insisting on idyllic circumstances and faultless people, new beginnings can be had.

We may as well accept faith challenges as a fact of life and not be shocked or feel picked on when they come.

Our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4:17

So on those days when it seems like God is silent and you have nothing to show for your life besides dung and death, know that even those are not wasted. God is using even the messiest parts and the most painful and seemingly hopeless parts to get your soil ready. You, loved and chosen by God, have much good fruit yet to bear.

The pain will not kill you. It will be a reminder that you are very much alive, engaged, and that you loved with abandon.

Playing in non-League gave me the resilience. I learned everything there. You needed to fight off hard tackles and I was playing against big men. You learn how to be strong and take them on and learn resilience.

Jesus lived a life that was full of joy and contradictions and fights, you know? If they were to paint a picture of Jesus without contradictions, the gospels would be fake, but the contradictions are a sign of authenticity.

Resistance is directly proportional to love. If you're feeling massive Resistance, the good news is that it means there's tremendous love there too.

The artist committing himself to his calling has volunteered for hell, whether he knows it or not. He will be dining for the duration on a diet of isolation, rejection, self-doubt, despair, ridicule, contempt, and humiliation.   The artist must be like that Marine. He has to know how to be miserable. He has to love being miserable. He has to take pride in being more miserable than any soldier or swabbie or jet jockey. Because this is war, baby. And war is hell.

Resistance will unfailingly point to true north. The action it most wants us to stop, we can let resistance use to guide us. The more important, the more resistance.

Strife is life's oldest and most holy fundament.

My friend Tony Keppelman snapped me out of it by asking if I was gonna quit. Hell, no! Then be happy. You're where you wanted to be, aren't you? So you're taking a few blows. That's the price for being in the arena and not on the sidelines. Stop complaining and be grateful. That was when I realized I had become a pro. I had not yet had a success. But I had had a real failure. FOR LOVE OF THE GAME