every time God forgives us, God is saying that God's own rules do not matter as much as the relationship that God wants to create with us.

The cross solved our problem by first revealing our real problem, our universal pattern of scapegoating and sacrificing others. The cross exposes forever the scene of our crime.

When we fail we are merely joining the great parade of humanity that has walked ahead of us and will follow after us.

Those who are not true leaders will just affirm people at their own immature level.

The ego hates losing – even to God.

People who know how to creatively break the rules also know why the rules were there in the first place.

Much of the work of midlife is to tell the difference between those who are dealing with their issues through you and those who are really dealing with you.

Denial of our pattern of failure seems to be a kind of practical atheism or chosen ignorance among many believers and clergy.

I have prayed for years for one good humiliation a day, and then, I must watch my reaction to it. I have no other way of spotting both my denied shadow self and my idealized persona.

Sin happens whenever we refuse to keep growing.

Change is not what we expect from religious people. They tend to love the past more than the present or the future.

When something seems unbalanced and out of rhythm, just a song can tune things up in a moment. The power of music is therapy.

In marriage, God rarely starts with the issues on the table. He starts with the ones in our hearts

My mother was never very famous when I was growing up, so it wasn't so difficult. It was only when I left home and went to university that she become this style icon.

It's important to be thankful, even if you're poor. I mean, come on, we all have clean water—well OK, not people in the developing world.

We are growing the economy in smart ways and rebuilding our infrastructure and investing in science and development and that we stay true to those values that helped to get us here.

With her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Rooney Mara gave fashion fans a new Gothic-chic muse.

I was within and without. Simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.

it is very well worthwhile to be tormented for two or three years of one's life, for the sake of being able to read all the rest of it.

I am keenly aware that I benefit from a wonderful tradition in the UK of designing and making.

Nobody with me at sea but myself.