Stephen R. Lawhead > Quotes

“To see evil and call it good, mocks God. Worse, it makes goodness meaningless. A word without meaning is an abomination, for when the word passes beyond understanding the very thing the word stands for passes out of the world and cannot be recalled.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Arthur

“...tell me the word that will win you, and I will speak it. I will speak the stars of heaven into a crown for your head; I will speak the flowers of the field into a cloak; I will speak the racing stream into a melody for your ears and the voices of a thousand larks to sing it; I will speak the softness of night for your bed and the warmth of summer for your coverlet; I will speak the brightness of flame to light your way and the luster of gold to shine in your smile; I will speak until the hardness in you melts away and your heart is free...”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Taliesin

“If thou wouldst seek justice, thyself must be just. ”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Hood

“Do not think it impossible just because it has never happened.
- Friar Tuck”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Tuck

“Perhaps it is how we are made; perhaps words of truth reach us best through the heart, and stories and songs are the language of the heart”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Merlin

“We are closest to Christ when sharing the world’s misery. Think you Jesus came to remove our pains? Wherever did you get that notion? The Lord came, not to remove our suffering, but to show us the way through it to the glory beyond. We can overcome our travails. That is the promise of the cross.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead

“I have seen a land shining with goodness, where each man protects his brother's dignity as readily as his own, where war and want have ceased and all races live under the same law of love and honour.

I have seen a land bright with truth, where a man's word is his pledge and falsehood is banished, where children sleep safe in their mother's arms and never know fear or pain.

I have seen a land where kings extend their hands in justice rather than reach for the sword; where mercy, kindness, and compassion flow like deep water over the land, and men revere virtue, revere truth, revere beauty, above comfort, pleasure or selfish gain. A land where peace reigns in the hill, and love like a fire from every hearth; where the True God is worshipped and his ways acclaimed by all.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Arthur

“Truth is a constant delight to those that love her; such beauty holds no power to offend.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead

“When heaven joins the battle against you, who could stand?”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Hood

“Humility, if it comes at all, almost always comes too late.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Merlin

“Knowledge is a burden--once taken up, it can never be discarded.”
― Stephen Lawhead, The Paradise War

“The Queen of Air and Darkness tilted back her head and laughed. A more ghastly sound I hope never to hear. ‘Do you think I care about these trifles?’
‘Murder is no trifle, woman,’ Arthur said.
‘No? How many men have you killed, Great King? How many have you slain without cause? How many did you cut down that you might have spared? How many died because you in your battle-rage would not heed their pleas for mercy?’
The High King opened his mouth to speak, but could make no answer.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Arthur

“Arthur is no fit king. Uther's bastard, Merlin's pawn, he is lowborn and a fool. He is wanton and petty and cruel. A glutton and a drunkard, he lacks all civilized graces. In short, he is a sullen, ignorant brute.
All these things and more men say of Arthur. Let them. When all the words are spoken and the arguements fall exhausted into silence, this single fact remains: we would follow Arthur to the very gates of Hell and beyond if he asked it. And that is the solitary truth.
Show me another who can claim such loyalty.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Arthur

“What makes you so certain?"
"But I am not certain," I told him. "Nothing is certain. You want certainty?"
"Yes!"
"Then you want death.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, The Silver Hand

“Words are worth little when the heart refuses to hear. Therefore, judge us by our works.”
― Stephen R Lawhead

“Do not borrow tomorrow's troubles today”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Arthur

“The path is revealed in the treading.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, The Silver Hand

“Two friends . . . there are stronger forces on earth, perhaps, but few as tenacious and enduring as the bond between true friends.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Merlin

“Yet, there was once a king worthy of that name. That king was Arthur. It is paramount disgrace of this evil generation that the name of that great king is no longer spoken aloud except in derision. Arthur! He was the fairest flower of our race, Cymry's most noble son, Lord of the Summer Realm, Pendragon of Britain. He wore God's favour like a purple robe.
Hear then, if you will, the tale of a true king.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Arthur

“Three things cannot be called back: the arrow when it speeds from the bow, the milk when the churn is upturned, the word when it leaps from the tongue.”
― Stephen R Lawhead

“To friends! Life belongs to those who love, and where love reigns is man truly king!”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, The Paradise War

“Unbelievers enjoy the security of their unbelief; there is great confidence in ignorance.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, The Paradise War

“They are young and life has no limits. Nothing is impossible, nothing beyond doing or knowing. The world is theirs and everything in it.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Taliesin

“How is a man fortunate to live in the darkness, brother?"
"Why do you wonder?" asked Blaise. "For only he who has lived in darkness truly knows and values the light.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Taliesin

“Well, I was thinking this very thing. I was thinking: I am going to die today, but Jesu also died, so he knows how it is with me. And I was thinking, would he know me when I came to him? Yes! Sitting in his hall, he will see me sail into the bay, and he will run down to meet me on the shore; he will wade into the sea and pull my boat onto the sand and welcome me as his wayfaring brother. Why will he do this? Because he too has suffered, and he knows...HE KNOWS...Is that not good news?”
― Stephen Lawhead

“That Arthur has not always existed seems odd to me. Like the wind on the moors and the wild winter stars, surely he has always lived . . . and always will.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Arthur

“She [Mérian] shook her head sadly. 'What Bran wants is impossible.'
'Well,' I [Will] said, 'I wouldn't be too sure. I have seen the lone canny fox outwit the hunter often enough to know that it matters little how many horses and men you have. All the wealth and weapons in the world will not catch the fox that refuses to be caught.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Scarlet

“It is the poor man who clenches so tightly to the gold he is given - for fear of losing it. The man of wealth spends his gold freely to accomplish his will in the world. It is the same with life.'
Suddenly ashamed of my conspicuous poverty, I lowered my eyes. But Scatha placed a hand beneath my chin and raised my head. 'Cling too tightly to your life and you will lose it, my Reluctant Warrior. You must become the master of your life, not its slave.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, The Paradise War

“Only a fool demands proof of what he already knows.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead, Taliesin

“We kissed, then, and the ardour of her kiss stole my breath away. I returned her passion with all the fervor I possessed. A lifetime of vows and heart-felt disciplines had prepared me well, for in that kiss I sealed with all my soul the fate before me, embracing a mystery clothed in warm and yielding female flesh. Holding only the moment, with neither thought nor care for the future, I kissed her, and drank deep the strong wine of desire.”
― Stephen R. Lawhead