Brittany Welsh

“If people who come into our lives are either a blessing or a curse, it’s up to us to decipher, Is this relationship going to push me toward what God has for me, or is it keeping me from what God has for me?”
― Michael Todd, Relationship Goals: How to Win at Dating, Marriage, and Sex

“He gave us taste buds, then filled the world with incredible flavors like chocolate and cinnamon and all the other spices. He gave us eyes to perceive color and then filled the world with a rainbow of shades. He gave us sensitive ears and then filled the world with rhythms and music. Your capacity for enjoyment is evidence of God's love for you. He could have made the world tasteless, colorless, and silent. The Bible says that God "richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." He didn't have to do it, but he did, because He loves us.”
― Rick Warren, The Purpose of Christmas

“One of the local pastors raised his hands to ask a question. What he wanted to know was this: 'Do the people in other countries also know about Jesus- or is He still known only in China?' I had never been asked that question before - or even considered that point of view. For several long seconds I gathered my thoughts, trying to figure out where exactly to begin my answer. Then, with David interpreting for me, I told the group that believers in other parts of the world knew about and followed Jesus. I then told the group that believers in other parts of the world also knew about them- the Chinese believers in house churches. I told them that believers in many parts of the world prayed for them and their churches. 'Wait, wait!' people cried out. They could hardly believe what I was saying. One man responded this way: 'Do you mean that people in your country know that we believe in Jesus? Do you mean that they haven't forgotten us and that they pray for us?' I assured them: 'Why yes, we have always loved you. And we have never forgotten you. For a long time, we have prayed for you.' It was a holy moment as these believers realized that they were recognized, remembered and prayed for by fellow believers around the world.”
― Nik Ripken, The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected

“What is Satan's paramount intent? Quite simple, it is this: denying the world access to Jesus! Satan's greatest desire is for the people of this planet to leave Jesus alone. Satan desires that we turn away from Jesus - or that we never find Him in the first place. If Satan cannot be successful at that, he desires to keep believers quiet, to diminish or silence our witness, and to stop us from bringing others to Christ. It is that simple. Once we understand the nature of the spiritual battle and the strategy of the Enemy, we see clearly the role that believers have been called to play. We also see the importance of our choices regarding witness and faithfulness and obedience. At the beginning of every day, we choose. It is simply a matter of identification. Will we identify with believers in persecution - or will we identify with their persecutors? We make that choice as we decide whether we will share Jesus with others or keep Him to ourselves. We identify ourselves as believers by taking a stand with, and following the example of, those in persecution. Or we identify with their persecutors by not giving witness of Jesus to our family, our friends, and our enemies. Those who number themselves among the followers of Jesus- but don't witness for Him - are actually siding with the Taliban, the brutal regime that rules North Korea, the secret police in communist China, and the Somaliland and Saudi Arabias of the world. Believers who do not share their faith aid and abet Satan's ultimate goal of denying others access to Jesus. Our silence makes us accomplices.”
― Nik Ripken, The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected