Timothy R. Baldwin

“To walk inwardly with God, and not to be held by any outer affections, is the state of a spiritual man.”
― Thomas à Kempis, Christian Devotionals - The Imitation of Christ, Confessions, Jesus The Christ, The Book of Ruth and How To Become Like Christ

“Thou canst quickly drive away Jesus and lose His favour if thou wilt turn away to the outer things. And if thou hast put Him to flight and lost Him, to whom wilt thou flee, and whom then wilt thou seek for a friend? Without a friend thou canst not live long, and if Jesus be not thy friend above all thou shalt be very sad and desolate. Madly therefore doest thou if thou trusteth or findest joy in any other. It is preferable to have the whole world against thee, than Jesus offended with thee. Therefore of all that are dear to thee, let Jesus be specially loved.”
― Thomas à Kempis, Christian Devotionals - The Imitation of Christ, Confessions, Jesus The Christ, The Book of Ruth and How To Become Like Christ

“Books swept me away, one after the other, this way and that; I made endless vows according to their lights, for I believed them.”
― Annie Dillard, An American Childhood

“I knew well that people could not fly—as well as anyone knows it—but I also knew the kicker: that, as the books put it, with faith all things are possible.”
― Annie Dillard, An American Childhood