“Gratitude is at the center of a life of faith. It sounds to simple to be true, but isn't that the sign of all deep truth: so simple we're tempted to dismiss it, and so hard, it is exactly what God uses to change our hard lives.” HardUseSoundSimpleGratitudeBeing TrueTemptedHard Life Author:Ann Voskamp
“The cynics, they can only speak of the dark, of the obvious, and this is not hard. For all it's supposed sophistication, it's cynicism that's simplistic. In a fallen world, how profound is to see the cracks?” WorldHardSpeakDarkProfoundObviousFallenCracksCynicismSophisticationFallen World Author:Ann Voskamp
“Gratitude is not only a response to God in good times - it's ultimately the very will of God in hard times. Gratitude isn't only a celebration when good things happen. It's a declaration that God is good no matter what happens.” MatterHardHappensGratitudeNo Matter WhatGood ThingsResponseThings HappenGods WillHard TimesGood TimesCelebrationDeclaration Author:Ann Voskamp
“He does have surprising, secret purposes. I open a Bible, and His plans, startling, lie there barefaced. It’s hard to believe it, when I read it, and I have to come back to it many times, feel long across those words, make sure they are real. His love letter forever silences any doubts: “His secret purpose framed from the very beginning [is] to bring us to our full glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7 NEB).” FeelsBelieveLongDoeRealHardLyingPurposeSecretSilenceForeverDoubtPlansGloryLettersSurprisingHis LoveFramedHard To BelieveLove LetterCorinthians Book:One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are Source: One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are
“When we lay the soil of our hard lives open to the rain of grace and let joy penetrate our cracked and dry places, let joy soak into our broken skin and deep crevices, life grows. How can this not be the best thing for the world? For us?” WorldHardJoyGrowsGraceBrokenRainSkinsLaysBest ThingsDrySoilBeing The BestPenetrateCrackedHard LifeCrevice Author:Ann Voskamp
“How my eyes see, perspective, is my key to enter into His gates. I can only do so with thanksgiving. If my inner eye has God seeping up through all things, then can't I give thanks for anything? And if I can give thanks for the good things, the hard things, the absolute everything, I can enter the gates to glory. Living in His presence is fullness of joy- and seeing shows the way in.” IfsWayGivingI CanHardShowsEyeJoyChristianitySeeingPerspectiveKeysGloryAll ThingsAbsolutesGood ThingsThanksGatesFullnessHard Things Author:Ann Voskamp
“The whole of the life -- even the hard -- is made up of the minute parts, and if I miss the infinitesimals, I miss the whole. These are new language lessons, and I live them out. There is a way to live the big of giving thanks in all things. It is this: to give thanks in this one small thing. The moments will add up.” IfsWayGivingMadeHardWholeMomentsBigsLanguageMinutesMissingLessonsAll ThingsAddThanksThanksgivingSmall ThingsWay To Live Author:Ann Voskamp
“The cynics, they can only speak of the dark, of the obvious, and this is not hard. For all it’s supposed sophistication, it’s cynicism that’s simplistic. In a fallen world, how profound is to see the cracks? The sages and prophets, the disciples and revolutionaries, they are the ones up on the ramparts, up on the wall pointing to the dawn of the new Kingdom coming, pointing to the light that breaks through all things broken, pointing to redemption always rising and to the Blazing God who never sleeps.” WorldHardLightSpeakDarkSleepBreakBrokenWallAll ThingsProfoundObviousKingdomsRedemptionDawnRevolutionaryFallenProphetRisingCracksCynicismDiscipleSagePointingBreak ThroughSophisticationBlazingNever SleepFallen World Author:Ann Voskamp
“But wells don't come without first begging to see the wells; wells don't come without first splitting open hard earth, cracking back the lids. There's no seeing God face-to-face without first the ripping.” FirstsWellsHardEarthFacesSeeingFace To FaceBeggingSplitting Author:Ann Voskamp
“The bravest love is wildly faithful and it falls hard again every morning... It knows what we seek may be found in what we already have... it's grace and fresh gratitude that can make us strong enough to marvel in the seeming monotony of anything... And the happily married have eyes that look long enough to make the familiar new.” KnowsLooksMayLongHardEnoughEyeFallFoundStrongLove IsMorningGraceAdviceGratitudeMarriedFamiliarFaithfulEvery MorningStrong EnoughRelationship AdviceSeemingMonotonyNew RelationshipHappily Married Author:Ann Voskamp
