The lifeblood of Christianity is not our persistence in moving toward God but God's persistence in moving toward us.

Your identity is firmly anchored in Christ's accomplishment, not yours; his strength, not yours; his performance, not yours; his victory, not yours.

The people who tend to be the most gracious are those who know how badly they need grace

Legalism says God will love us if we change. The gospel says God will change us because He loves us.

God's acceptance of us cannot be gained by our successes nor forfeited by our failures.

God's ability to clean things up is infinitely greater than our ability to mess things up.

The desperate addict is closer to the heart of grace than the devout moralist.

Here's one way I can know that I've forgotten the gospel of grace: when your sin bothers me more than my sin.

Christianity is not about good people getting better. It is good news for bad people coping with their failure to be good.

If people knew the REAL us, they would run. God knows, stays, and loves.

Nothing makes me want to obey more than knowing that God unconditionally loves me and forgives me even when I disobey.

Say, ‘Thank you, Phin.’ ”“Oh, please.”“Say, Thank youvery much, Phin. ”“I don’t think so.”“Say, ‘You are a great lover, Phin.’ ”“I’m out of here.

FEAR IS PURGATORYI have died many timesAnd my episodes of deathGave me the powerOver the greatest fearsThe fear of lifeThe fear of self

You don't think he's crazy now?""Crazy, nah, " Nicky said. "Soulless, perhaps.

Tonight I'm stepping lightly and I'm feeling no pain.

I give you soul. I give you wisdom and light and music and a bit of laughter. Also, I am the world's greatest horseplayer.

Don't judge me because I sin differently from you.

As we grow better, we meet better people.

When I'm really stressed emotionally, I say to myself that there's only so much I can do to change things. Life happens on life's terms. Then, I go for a run.

If you want to be the best, find the best in others.

We can only grasp the gospel's sweetness if we first grapple with its offense- you can't save yourself.