Dennis Rainey > Quotes

“A careful man I must always be; A little fellow follows me. I know I dare not go astray For fear he’ll go the self-same way. I cannot once escape his eyes; Whate’er he sees me do, he tries, Like me, he says, he’s going to be, This little chap who follows me. He thinks that I am good and fine; Believes in every word of mine. The base in me he must not see, This little chap who follows me. I must be careful as I go Through summer’s sun and winter’s snow, Because I am building for the years to be This little chap who follows me.3”
― Dennis Rainey, Stepping Up

“Male passivity is a disease that robs a man of his purpose while it destroys marriages, ruins families, and spoils legacies. A passive man doesn’t engage; he retreats. He neglects personal responsibility. At its core, passivity is cowardice.”
― Dennis Rainey, Stepping Up

“I spent a long time trying to come to grips with my doubts, when suddenly I realized that I had better come to grips with what I believe. I have since moved from the agony of questions that I cannot answer to the reality of answers that I cannot escape . . . and it’s a great relief!”
― Dennis Rainey, Stepping Up

“We cannot, Lord, Thy purpose see But all is well that’s done by Thee.”
― Dennis Rainey, Stepping Up

“Like a young eaglet that gets pushed out of the nest at the appropriate time, a young man must learn to fly on his own. If the nest is too cushy, if all of his creature comforts are there for his enjoyment, then he may set up his high-definition television and perch for a while.”
― Dennis Rainey, Stepping Up

“A husband’s leadership in marriage is not based on superior abilities but on divine placement. Leadership means assuming responsibility for the relationship, being accountable to God and putting your wife’s needs above your own. It means making her load lighter, not heavier. It means helping her develop and utilize her gifts and abilities. It means loving her sacrificially.”
― Dennis Rainey, Preparing for Marriage: Conversations to Have before Saying “I Do”

“Sin would have fewer takers if the consequences occurred immediately.”
― Dennis Rainey

“Every day we need to decide what kind of legacy we want to leave. What kind of children do we want to raise? And what kind of relationship do we need to build with them?”
― Dennis Rainey, The Art of Parenting: Aiming Your Child's Heart toward God

“When God calls you to marry, He gives you a spouse who, by divine design, will complete you. Together you will be stronger and more effective than when you were apart.”
― Dennis Rainey, Preparing for Marriage: Conversations to Have before Saying “I Do”

“A GENERATIONAL CONNECTOR Patriarchs understand the power of love and relationships. True patriarchs are humble men of grace and forgiveness. They deliberately build relationships with their families. The patriarchs I’ve interviewed were proactive in loving imperfect family members. They built relationships through organizing family reunions, keeping key family traditions alive, and encouraging communication between family members. Despite the challenges of being separated by hundreds of miles, they refused to allow relationships to grow cold. Becoming a generational connector requires determination and perseverance. Yet the opportunities are endless:”
― Dennis Rainey, Stepping Up

“It is your commitment to God—to know Him, to grow in your relationship with Him, to obey Him and follow His leading in your life—that will enable you to see your spouse as His perfect complement to your life.”
― Dennis Rainey, Preparing for Marriage: Conversations to Have before Saying “I Do”

“Resolving conflict also requires forgiveness—giving up the right to punish the one who has wronged you. This is the miracle of the Christian life—that we can heal our relationships with others in the same way Christ healed our relationship with Him—through forgiveness.”
― Dennis Rainey, Preparing for Marriage: Conversations to Have before Saying “I Do”

“The goal is to tirelessly teach, train, and pray that God will change their hearts.”
― Dennis Rainey, The Art of Parenting: Aiming Your Child's Heart toward God

“the most important thing we did in our first year of marriage was to give God the gift of our lives at Christmas.”
― Dennis Rainey, Starting Your Marriage Right: What You Need to Know in the Early Years to Make It Last a Lifetime

“Proverbs 14:27 says, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death” (NIV). Where there is no fear of God, there is no fear of divine punishment, of incurring divine wrath. I look at the headlines in our newspapers today and lament that our nation has lost its fear of God and divine punishment. I believe God is punishing us as a nation because we won’t recognize and fear Him. We are a people who have turned our backs on God. And change will only occur as each of us renews a holy fear of the God who gave us life. Come”
― Dennis Rainey, Moments Together for Couples: 365 Daily Devotions for Drawing Near to God & One Another