Quotes from Max Lucado

A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks that he gets as much as he deserves."1 The grateful heart, on the other hand, sees each day as a gift.

Perhaps you do not understand that God is kind to you so you will change your hearts and lives" (Rom. 2:4 NCV). The

She couldn't alter the past but this was her chance to change the future.

Reaching for the Bible on the end table.) There's an answer for every occasion in here. Like a map for life.

Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:5–10 NLT)

She delighted in serving her guests a soothing cup of coffee, a slice of cake, and when the occasion called for it, a prayer of encouragement.

We rest in him, find our nourishment in him. His roof of grace protects us from storms of guilt. His walls of providence secure us from destructive winds. His fireplace warms us during the lonely winters of life. We linger in the abode of Christ and never leave.

Don't see your struggle as an interruption to life but as preparation for life. No one said the road would be easy or painless. But God will use this mess for something good. "This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children . . . God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best" (Heb. 12:8, 10 MSG).

Heavenly Father, loosen my grip on the things of this world. Lead me in the dance of spontaneous, cheerful giving, and let that generosity remind me always of your grace toward me, which I in no way deserve. In your Son's name I pray, amen.

In God's hands intended evil becomes eventual good.

In our parents' day the nightly news communicated the catastrophe. Now it is a matter of minutes. We've barely processed one crisis, and then we hear of another.

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Phil. 4:11–13 NIV)

Christmas is best pondered, not with logic, but with imagination.

Wise is the man who learns the nonverbal language of his wife, who notes the nod and discerns the gestures. It's not just what is said, but how. It's not just how, but when. It's not just when, but where. Good husbanding is good decoding. You've got to read the signs.

God meets daily needs daily. Not weekly or annually. He will give you what you need when it is needed.

Don't equate the presence of God with a good mood or a pleasant temperament. God is near whether you are happy or not.

He [satan] vies for the bedside position, hopping to be the first voice you hear. He covets your waking thoughts, those early, pillow-born emotions. He awakes you with words of worry, stirs you with thoughts of stress. If you dread the day before you begin your day, Mark it down; your giant has been in your head.

Anytime we trust an object or activity to give us life and meaning, we worship it.

The story of Joseph is in the Bible for this reason: to teach you to trust God to trump evil. What Satan intends for evil, God, the Master Weaver and Master Builder, redeems for good.

Because of Calvary, I'm free to choose. And so I choose. I choose love . . . No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek his grace.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. PSALM 23:6 NKJV

God doesn't call the qualified. He qualifies the called.

Fear, at its center, is a perceived loss of control. When life spins wildly, we grab for a component of life we can manage: our diet, the tidiness of a house, the armrest of a plane, or, in many cases, people. The more insecure we feel, the meaner we become.