Quotes from John Eldredge

Yes—God is sovereign. And in his sovereignty he created a world in which the choices of men and angels matter. Tremendously. He has granted to us "the dignity of causation," as Pascal called it. Our choices have enormous consequences.

What do you want me to pray for them? Show me what to pray.

The nearest anyone can come to finding himself at any given age is to find a story that somehow tells him about himself.

Essential prayer is conversational.

Few men looked on her without becoming, in a certain fashion, her lovers. But it was the kind of love that made them not less true, but truer, to their own wives.

For the followers of Jesus, the real finish line is either the return of Jesus or our homecoming to him.

I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. (Isa. 45:2—3)

Jesus said nothing about pillows and comfortable retirement. He launched the invasion of the kingdom of God into a world held by darkness. He invites you to join him in living in that startling, dangerous, and beautiful Story.

You will discover that freedom comes only as you bring unsanctified and unholy places under the rule of Jesus Christ, so that he can possess these very places deeply and truly. Therefore, part of this first step involves sanctifying the place of bondage to Christ. If it's emotional (as with rage) you sanctify your emotions; if it involves addiction you sanctify your obsession, and your body.

God rarely forces a man to do something against his will, because God would far and above prefer that he didn't have to, that the man wills to do the will of God. "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve" (Josh. 24:15 NIV). What God is after is a man so yielded to him, so completely surrendered, that his heart is easily moved by the Spirit of God to the purposes of God. That kind of heart makes for a good king.

There is hope of freedom because of what Christ has done. Now you have an option. But you do have to stop presenting yourself over to sin as best you can. Your choices matter. You need to renounce the ways you have presented yourself to sin, and represent yourself to Christ.

When it comes to helping another human being, you can treat the symptoms or you can treat the cause. Most people dabble in symptom management, and that is why most people don't seem to be getting better.