100 Quotes on Sanctification

Without further ado . . . the randomly selected winner of the quote contest is Andrew Donth, who shared some Spurgeon with us. Here’s the quote:

Charles Spurgeon: “If he gives you the grace to make you believe, he will give you the grace to live a holy life afterward.” (Sermon, “Justification by Grace”)

Thanks to all of those who participated in the “send us a quote” contest that began on Monday. We have received hundreds on sanctification, the theme of our National Conference. There were so many that we literally cannot fit them into one blog post (I tried). So I’ve whittled the list down to 100 for you to spread or archive.” via 100 Quotes from You on Sanctification – Desiring God.

Twelve Propositions on Sanctification (challies.com)
What Sanctification Is and Is Not (challies.com)
Charles Spurgeon on Pride (translucentheart.wordpress.com)
Wright, Imputation, and a Clear Summary (inchristus.wordpress.com)

July 1, 2012 0

Mother Teresa, 1920s

Retronaut via Mother Teresa, 1920s.

July 1, 2012 0

Into Orbit

Melody Beattie writes:

“It doesn’t matter if they’re hurting themselves. It doesn’t matter that we could help them if they’d only listen to, and cooperate with, us. IT DOESN’T MATTER, DOESN’T MATTER, DOESN’T MATTER, DOESN’T MATTER.” Codependent No More

I think I can change him. Nobody’s ever really loved him and appreciated him before. I’ll be the one to do that, and then he’ll change.. .. She’s never been with anybody trustworthy before. I’ll prove how trustworthy I am, and then she’ll be able to love. . . . Nobody’s been able to get to her, to conquer her, before. I’ll be the one to do that … Nobody’s ever really given him a chance. . . . Nobody’s ever really believed in him before….

These are warning signs. Red lights. Red flags. In fact, if we’re thinking these thoughts, they need to be stop signs.

If we have gotten hooked into believing that somehow we will be the one who will make the difference in someone’s life, if we are trying to prove how good we can be for someone, we may be in trouble.

This is a game. A deception. It won’t work. It’ll make us crazy. We can trust that. We’re not seeing things clearly. Something’s going on with us.

It will be self-defeating.

We may be “the one” all right — the one to wind up victimized.

The whole thought pattern reeks of codependency, of not being responsible for oneself, and of victimization. Each person needs to do his or her own work.

Nobody in the past has really understood him…. Nobody has seen what I see in her…. It’s a set-up. It sets us up to stop paying attention to ourselves while we focus too much on the other person. It takes us away from our path and often puts us in orbit.

Nobody has appreciated him enough…. Nobody has been good enough to her, or done for her what I can do…. It’s a rescue. It’s a game move, a game we don’t have to play. We don’t have to prove were the one. If we’re out to show people we’re the best thing that ever happened to them, it may be time to see if they’re the best thing that ever happened to us.

We have not been appointed as guardian angel, godmother, godfather, or “the one who will.”

The help, support, and encouragement that truly benefits others and ourselves emerges naturally. Let it.

God, help me let go of my need to meet dysfunctional challenges in my relationships.” via June 29: Into Orbit.

July 1, 2012 0

Hmmm…

Anderson Layman’s Blog via Hmmm………..

July 1, 2012 3

:-D

The New Yorker via Cartoon of the night. For more from this week’s….

July 1, 2012 0

Waiting on an epic scale

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And you thought the Port-a-John line at the music festival was long…

This mind-blowing shot was part of a blog post by Steve McCurry called “Simple Act of Waiting,” and shows what the Indian government estimated to be seventy million Hindus waiting to bathe in the Ganges at the Kumbh Mela Festival in 2001.

McCurry starts his piece with a quote we can all appreciate and which makes this photo all the more compelling:

“Of all the hardships a person had to face, none was more punishing than the simple act of waiting.” Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns” via Waiting on an epic scale.

July 1, 2012 0

The Venn of Yoda

Holy Kaw! via The Venn of Yoda.

July 1, 2012 0

We’re Not Looking for Ideas

Chris Brogan writes:

Most times, when we search and scour the web, we tell ourselves that we’re looking for ideas. I don’t think this is actually true. Instead, I think we’re looking for one of two things: permission or a plan.” Get more here: We’re Not Looking for Ideas.

July 1, 2012 0

Forgiveness

July 1, 2012 2

True Positive Thinking is Not the Absence of Negative Thoughts

A positive focus in life, the type of focus that can help you achieve your goals, overcome adversity, and realize your full potential, doesn’t mean the avoidance of negative thoughts or comments.

Positive thinking is the ability to feel negative when you have to and still maintain enough hope to keep on going.

A school of thought has developed that says you always have to turn negative thoughts into positive ones and avoid saying or thinking negative things. This is a denial of all that is human about us. The starting point for creating a better life is to understand what it means to be human and accept who and what we are. As humans, we are frail, imperfect, mistake-prone beings who can react in an emotional way to what happens to us.” Get more here: True Positive Thinking is Not the Absence of Negative Thoughts « Positively Positive.

July 1, 2012 1

Stalin, 1902

via Retronaut. Get more here: Stalin, 1902.

July 1, 2012 0

Angel’s Wings

Another incredible pic from Bill Pevlor:

This female Ruby-throated hummingbird was keeping an eye on me as I took her profile portrait.

Three things I love about this shot. 1) The sharp detail in the bird’s head. 2) The ghost-like blurring of the wings. 3) The little feathers on the neck that look like flecks of gold.

To see more of the detail, click the photo.” via Angel’s Wings.

July 1, 2012 0

Marketing vs. Advertising

Marketing shouldn’t be confused with advertising. Although these two terms are often used synonymously, they shouldn’t be.

We’re all marketers. Good or bad, we all market ourselves—often unconsciously—and hope that certain people look upon us favorably based on the image we project to the world. There are many fakers, but most individuals are authentic when marketing themselves. That’s because most people can detect individual insincerity and reject frauds accordingly.

Advertising is different. The motive behind (most) advertising is primarily financial. Thus, advertising itself is inherently tainted and, in many cases, disingenuous. But ads are everywhere in our heavily-mediated culture, so be careful. Proceed with caution.” via Marketing vs. Advertising.