Perseverance/Persistence
“We need to have perseverance in our petitions before God.” (Orthodox Study Bible, John 2:3-5) “When bad thoughts surround us like a...
Questioning
""Independent thinking is an important goal of our education system. We want our children to grow up thinking for themselves so that they...
Praying in Jesus' Name
"…the Name Jesus as His proper Name is ontologically connected with Him. For us it is the bridge between ourselves and Him [cf. Jn....
Grace and Joy
“The Greek word for joy is chairo. This word is related to charis, which means “grace.” Joy, therefore, is literally rooted in grace....
Love and Action/Will
"Love is a choice, a choice we must go on making for the rest of our lives. To love is not to act on instinct but to set before ourselves...
Opposition
“If man is not made for God, why is he not happy except in God? If man is made for God, why is he so opposed to God?’ (Blaise Pascal) Our...
Silence and Prayer
“…silence is the preferred sound of the soul. The noise of the mind is the chatter of distraction. Such a description is frustrating to...
Openness
"Today let me stop and wonder at what God is showing me in my life, rather than fight to attain control of the situations and people He...
Mess
“The way of the spiritual life begins where we are now in the mess of our lives. Accepting the reality of our broken, flawed lives is the...
Our Own Good
“Nothing that happens to us escapes God’s notice and care; not a tear falls to the ground that He does not remember. When we suffer, it...