We can worship Christ in our sanctuaries and we can pray to God on our knees, but how we treat - or neglect - the person next door, the poor, every human being, this is how we truly speak to Christ and this is how we really treat Jesus. Ann Voskamp More Quotes by Ann Voskamp More Quotes From Ann Voskamp Love doesn't necessarily mean bless or agree with, it means sacrifice for and suffer with. Ann Voskamp sacrificesufferingmean Sometimes, too often, I don't want to muster the energy. Stress and anxiety seem easier. Ann Voskamp anxietystressenergy Maybe the man who said that his doctor had pulled him off Prozac because One Thousand Gifts and taking the dare to write 1,000 gifts was healing deep places in him and leading him to *experience* joy. Ann Voskamp healingwritingmen God’s not out to get you - He’s out to give to you. Ann Voskamp giving It’s impossible to give thanks and simultaneously feel fear Ann Voskamp thanksimpossiblegiving That which tears open our souls, those holes that splatter our sight, may actually become the thin, open places to see through the mess of this place to the heart-aching beauty beyond. To Him. To the God whom we endlessly crave. Ann Voskamp soulsightheart We're called to do more than believe in God, we're called to live in God. Ann Voskamp believe-in-godbelieve The joy of the Lord is your strength and the person of Christ is your unassailable joy - and the battle for joy is nothing less than fighting the good fight of faith. Ann Voskamp battlefightingjoy More important than a clean house is a close family. Ann Voskamp cleanimportanthouse If I had the perspective of the whole, perhaps I'd see it? That which seems evil, is it a cloud to bring rain, to bring a greater good to the whole of the world? Who would ever know the greater graces of comfort and perseverance, mercy and forgiveness, patience and courage, if no shadows fell over a life? Ann Voskamp perseverancerainclouds Simplicity is never a matter of circumstances; simplicity is a matter of focus. So in the midst of educating and parenting our children, we can't necessarily go ahead and make everything fit into neat, controllable, simple schedules. But the point is, simplicity is: how do we keep our eyes fixed and focused on Christ, no matter where we are? Ann Voskamp eyesimplechildren The gift list is thinking upon His goodness – and this, this pleases Him most! And most profits my own soul and I am beginning, only beginning, to know it. If clinging to His goodness is the highest form of prayer, then this seeing His goodness with a pen, with a shutter, with a word of thanks, these really are the most sacred acts conceivable. The ones anyone can conceive, anywhere, in the midst of anything. Eucharisteo takes us into His love. Ann Voskamp soulprayerthinking I don't think of myself as an author. But simply as a grateful child of God. John 3:27 has long been a life verse: "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven." Any more words will only be solely a gift from Him. I can only faithfully wait. Ann Voskamp gratefulmenchildren Any kind of love that lacks the iron of the Cross in it, is anemic love. Ann Voskamp ironkindcrosses In a storm of struggles, I have tried to control the elements, clasp the fist tight so as to protect self and happiness. But stress can be an addiction, and worry can be our lunge for control, and we forget the answer to this moment is always yes because of Christ. Ann Voskamp stressstruggleself When I fully enter time’s swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention, I slow the torrent with the weight of me all here. Ann Voskamp momentsweightattention Parenting is about preparing children to get along with each other, to get along with you and without you, and that it's impossible to get along without God. Ann Voskamp parenthoodimpossiblechildren Holy joy lies in the habit of murmuring thanks to God for the smallest of graces. Ann Voskamp gracejoylying What is time for if not to bless? Ann Voskamp blessifs Every day, with every word, we get to decide: Do we mar the world, or mark the world? Ann Voskamp marsmarkworld
