“Solitude is the one place where we can gain freedom from the forces of society that will otherwise relentlessly mold us. Solitude requires relentless perseverance.”

The possibility of transformation is the essence of hope.

It may be a very bad thing that I needed God to die for me, but it is a wonderful thing that God thinks I am worth dying for.

Over time, grit is what separates fruitful lives from aimlessness.

God is not interested in our spiritual life. He’s interested in our life.

True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.

As long as we have unsolved problems, unfulfilled desires, and a mustard seed of faith, we have all we need for a vibrant prayer life.

If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat.

When we live in the love of God, we begin to pay attention to people the way God pays attention to us.

Joylessness may be the sin most readily tolerated by the church.

Your world could grow infinitely bigger if you were only willing to become appropriately small.

Jesus changed how the world thinks about science, medicine, human rights, education & more.

At the deepest level, pride is the choice to exclude both God and other people from their rightful place in our hearts. Jesus said the essence of the spiritual life is to love God and to love people. Pride destroys our capacity to love.

Death is the prerequisite to resurrection, the new life God intends.

You have a “turn” every time you have an opportunity to choose. But most of us only see a tiny fraction of the choices we have.

The reason our souls hunger so is that the life we could be living so far exceeds our strangest dreams.

Leadership is the art of disappointing people at a rate they can stand.

The men are much alarmed by certain speculations about women; and well they may be

At least half of your mind is always thinking, I’ll be leaving; this won’t last. It’s a good Buddhist attitude. If I were a Buddhist, this would be a great help. As it is, I’m just sad.

Of all wild beasts on earth or in sea, the greatest is a woman.

Everything depends on liking the people and trusting the people. You have to assume that whatever they do will be as good as you want the thing to be and just go ahead with that.

Have we not all, amid life’s petty strife, / Some pure idea of a noble life / That once seemed possible?

One of the most painful aspects of suffering is the loneliness of it. Others may offer support or empathy, but no one can walk the road to Moriah in our place.

Do you remember when they taught cursive in schools? I think they don’t anymore. But I still enjoy it – just the physical act and all the – the whole business of making a thing out of language.

Forge thy tongue on an anvil of truth and what flies up, though it be but a spark, will have light.