Isaiah 40:31
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
Our Life Himself came down into this world and took away our death. He slew it with His own abounding life, and with thunder in His voice He called us from this world to return to Him in heaven. From heaven He came down to us, entering first the Virgin’s womb, where humanity, our mortal flesh, was wedded to Him, so that it might not be forever mortal. Then as a bridegroom coming from his bed, he exalted like some great runner who sees the track before him. He did not linger on His way but ran, calling us to return to Him, calling us by His words and deeds, by His life and death, by His descent into hell and His ascension into heaven. He departed from our sight, so that we should turn to our hearts and find Him there. He departed, but He is here with us. He would not stay long with us, but He did not leave us. He went back to the place which He had never left, because He, through whom the world was made, was in the world, and He came into the world to save sinners.
— Augustine, Confessions
Why do many churches celebrate someone being “called” into ministry but so few celebrate when people are called into law or medicine or business or art or making burritos or being a mother?
— Rob Bell, What We Talk About When We Talk About God (via darkenedanddazzled)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, J.R.R. Tolkien
Don’t wait for your education, or career, or income to tell you who you are. You are more important to God than you ever will be to the world (or anyone in it). God gives your life a gravity and meaning that you will never find in the world. To know who you are to God, and live that out… this the ultimate adventure.
— Unka Glen (unkaglen.tumblr.com)
Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must hate or fear them. The second is to love someone means you agree with everything they believe and do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.
— Rick Warren (via aheartfortheheartless)
The Increase- Josh McCown →
He isn’t just from my hometown, he’s from my home church. I’ve grown up in the youth group hearing him and his brothers speak. It’s amazed me seeing such examples of people who did pursued what they were made to do, did it, and have served and glorified God through out it. God is so good.
He must increase, I must decrease
We need to tone down the obsession with test scores and test preparation,” said Villarreal, adding that the Legislature needs to bring balance to the state testing system during the next session. “It’s hard to know if a low score is the result of a student having a bad day or if a high score is the result of a teacher putting aside enriching lessons and just teaching to the test.
— Texas state Rep. Mike Villarreal on STAAR test results
