Ben

“Christ’s people cannot be stopped—even in earthly death. Death has become gain (Philippians 1:21), because Christ has conquered, and we are eternally safe in him. As his disciples, how can we not delight to spread the news?”
― David Mathis, Rich Wounds: The Countless Treasures of the Life, Death, and Triumph of Jesus

“Butterflies need the struggle of emerging from the cocoon to invigorate their wings with blood. Without the struggle, they can never fully unfold their wings. They will never fly.”
― Chap Bettis, Launch: Biblical Help for Moving Your Teen or Young Adult into the Real World

“Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.”
― Saint Patrick

“The cross is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachments of this world. It is that dying of the old man which is the result of his encounter with Christ. As we embark upon discipleship we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with his death—we give over our lives to death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship