Mary A

“(God speaking)...just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesn't mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don't ever assume that my using something means that I caused it or that I need it to accomplish my purposes. That will only lead you to false notions about me. Grace doesn't depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets and colors.”
― William P. Young, The Shack

“Getting rid of the fears is never the goal,” she said. “If we fix our eyes on that, then we won’t be looking at Jesus. Drawing close to the Lord is what we’re seeking. God is always our first desire. So we focus on the perfect love and faithfulness of God instead of the depth of our fear. We meditate on how big God is. How trustworthy God is. How loving and gracious God is. And slowly . . . Slowly we discover our trust growing, and our fears shrinking—all by God’s gift and power. Always by God’s gift and power—not by our own efforts.”
― Sharon Garlough Brown, Sensible Shoes

“I hate you. I hate the way your lip curls up when you're confused. It's sickeningly adorable. I hate the way your arms are so fucking strong. It kind of scares me. I hate that your smile makes me want to cry and I don't know why. I hate that you know how to look so together on the outside when you're screaming Inside. I hate that you always know the right thing to say. I hate the way that I already know what you're thinking just by the way you're looking at me. I hate that you saved me. But, most of all, I hate that you love me because now I love you and I don't know how to make it stop.”
― Cassia Leo, Black Box

“Self-examination isn’t about being perfect. It’s about listening and responding to the Spirit. It’s about allowing God to reveal where we are hiding and resisting his love so that we can come out from hiding to receive grace and mercy and wholeness. This isn’t about beating ourselves up, and it’s not an invitation to obsessive introspection. We can’t make ourselves whole or holy. That’s the Spirit’s work. Our work is simply to cooperate with the Spirit by saying yes to God’s movement in our lives.”
― Sharon Garlough Brown, Sensible Shoes: A Story about the Spiritual Journey