#prayer

How many of us have conflicts with someone else- and how many of us pray for that person? We have individuals with whom we are competitive, or whom we dislike or have a quarrel with; but very few of us have true enemies in the martial sense. And yet if Lincoln could pray fervently- and contemporary reports indicate he did- for the people who were opposing him, how much more can we do for someone we just find a little irritating? ↗

— John Wooden

#lincoln #love #prayer #life

If desire causes suffering, it may be because we do not desire wisely, or that we are inexpert at obtaining what we desire. Instead of hiding our heads in a prayer cloth and building walls against temptation, why not get better at fulfilling desire? Salvation is for the feeble, that's what I think. I don't want salvation, I want life, all of life, the miserable as well as the superb. If the gods would tax ecstasy, then I shall pay; however, I shall protest their taxes at each opportunity, and if Woden or Shiva or Buddha or that Christian fellow--what's his name?--cannot respect that, then I'll accept their wrath. At least I will have tasted the banquet that they have spread before me on this rich, round planet, rather than recoiling from it like a toothless bunny. I cannot believe that the most delicious things were placed here merely to test us, to tempt us, to make it the more difficult for us to capture the grand prize: the safety of the void. To fashion of life such a petty game is unworthy of both men and gods. ↗

— Tom Robbins

#desire #prayer #religion #repression #salvation

Many people have found prayer impossible because they thought they should only pray for wonderful but remote needs they actually had little or no interest in or even knowledge of. Prayer simply dies from efforts to pray about ‘good things’ that honestly do not matter to us. The way to get to meaningful prayer for those good things is to start by praying for what we are truly interested in. The circle of our interests will inevitably grow in the largeness of God’s love.” --Dallas Willard ↗

— Dallas Willard

#life

Continual prayer is a lifestyle." ~R. Alan Woods [2013] ↗

— R. Alan Woods

#prayer-worship #r-alan-woods #lifestyle

Prayer should be the key of the day and the lock of the night. ↗

— George Herbert

#key #lock #night #prayer #should

The object of most prayers is to wangle an advance on good intentions. ↗

— Robert Brault

#good #good intentions #intentions #most #object

I don't know whether I believe in God or not. I think, really, I'm some sort of Buddhist. But the essential thing is to put oneself in a frame of mind which is close to that of prayer. ↗

— Henri Matisse

#buddhist #close #essential #essential thing #frame

Make your goals big and broad enough so that they never become answered prayers and boomerang to curse you. ↗

— Doug Coupland

#answered prayers #become #big #boomerang #broad

When I went public with my breast cancer diagnosis six weeks ago, the overwhelming outpouring of love, prayers and support really helped me heal faster. I want to make sure to thank everyone. ↗

— Giuliana Rancic

#breast cancer #cancer #diagnosis #everyone #faster

I pray for miracles. I have always found prayer to bring quick results. ↗

— Martha Reeves

#bring #found #i #miracles #pray