#ray

No one can believe how powerful prayer is and what it can effect, except those who have learned it by experience. Whenever I have prayed earnestly, I have been heard and have obtained more than I prayed for. God sometimes delays, but He always comes. ↗

— Martin Luther

#experience

I used unexpectedly to experience a consciousness of the presence of God, or such a kind that I could not possibly doubt that He was within me or that I was wholly engulfed in Him. This was in no sense a vision: I believe it is called mystical theology. The soul is suspended in such a way that it seems to be completely outside itself. The will loves; the memory, I think, is almost lost; while the understanding, I believe, thought it is not lost, does not reason—I mean that it does not work, but is amazed at the extent of all it can understand; for God wills it to realize that it understands nothing of what His Majesty represents to it. ↗

— Teresa of Ávila

#mystical-theology #mysticism #prayer #experience

I love to walk through snow, to climb mountains, to smell the fresh air and I love to dream about flying. Soaring through the air, watching the earth from above, feeling the wind in my face and touching the clouds would be an amazing experience. ↗

— Oliver Neubert

#fantasy #first-love #flying #life-skills #middle-grade

I thank you, God, who lives always, and Who, as i awaken, has in mercy returned my soul to me; we can ever trust in you. ↗

— Priscilla Warner

#religious #spiritual #faith

Only when we can accept God as he is can we give up the desire for spiritual experiences that we can feel. ↗

— Thomas Keating

#experience

For once, I can feel everything. Every emotion, every feeling, every sense. I’ve never felt so alive. How ironic. ↗

— Karina Halle

#experience

Although initially only few in numbers, it seems my gray hairs have launched an effective peer-pressure campaign intended to convert the others. ↗

— Steve Maraboli

#funny #gray-hair #humor #peer-pressure #experience

Do you think you're special, Perry?" he asked seriously. I winced. "A little bit. Maybe more in the Special Olympics kind of way." He smiled and turned his eyes to the road. "You are special, kiddo. ...And not entirely in the Special Olympics kind of way. ↗

— Karine Halle Red Fox

#experiment-in-terror #karine-halle #perry-palomino #red-fox #experience

Divine justice pursued its course; disasters came thick on me: I was forced to pass through the valley of the shadow of death. His chastisements are mighty; and one smote me which has humbled me for ever. You know I was proud of my strength: but what is it now, when I must give it over to foreign guidance, as a child does its weakness? Of late, Jane - only - only of late - I began to see and acknowledge the hand of God in my doom. I began to experience remorse, repentance; the wish for reconcilement to my Maker. I began to pray: very brief prayers they were, but very sincere. ↗

— Charlotte Brontë

#prayer #struggle #death

Sometimes, you have to shot block a friend's prayer because she's asking God to bless an obviously bad dating relationship. ↗

— jonathon acuff

#dating #humor #prayer #dating