The Anglican Priest

Lord Jesus, I believe that you are able and willing to deliver me from all the care and unrest and bondage of my Christian life. I believe you did die to set me free, not only in the future, but now and here. I believe you are stronger than sin, and that you can keep me, even me, in my extreme weakness, from falling into its snares or yielding obedience to its commands. And, Lord, I am going to trust you to keep me. I have tried keeping myself, and have failed, and failed, most grievously. I am absolutely helpless. So now I trust you. I give myself to you. I keep back no reserves. Body, soul, and spirit, I present myself to you as a piece of clay, to be fashioned into anything your love and your wisdom shall choose. And now I am yours. I believe you accept that which I present to you; I believe that this poor, weak, foolish heart has been taken possession of by you, and that you have even at this very moment begun to work in me and to do of your good pleasure. I trust you utterly, and I trust you now.

–Hannah Whitall Smith, The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life

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Put yourself completely under the influence of Jesus, so that he may think his thoughts in your mind, do his work through your hands, for you will be all powerful with him to strengthen you.

–Mother Teresa, A Gift for God

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The one thing we owe to our Lord is never to be afraid. To be afraid is doubly an injury to him. First, it means that we forget him; we forget he is with us and is all powerful. Second, it means that we are not conformed to his will; for since all that happens is willed or permitted by him, we ought to rejoice in all that happens to us and feel neither anxiety or fear. Let us then have the faith that banishes fear.

–Charles de Foucauld, Meditations of a Hermit

I’m not there yet, especially with that rejoice in all circumstances thingy.

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The hour in our life in which we are best employed is the hour in which we best love Jesus. A soul does good to others not in the measure of its knowledge or intelligence but in that of its holiness. I must remember only Jesus. I must reserve all my strength for Jesus.

–Charles de Foucauld, Meditations of a Hermit

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The dwelling of Jesus in us is the power of the Spirit of God upon us. When we think Christ, Christ comes. When our hearts turn to him, that is opening the door to him. Then he comes in, not by our thought only, not in our idea only, but he comes himself, and of his own will.

–George MacDonald, Creation in Christ

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