Welcome to The Week In Words, where we share quotes from the last week’s reading. If something you read this past week inspired you, caused you to laugh, cry, think, dream, or just resonated with you in some way, please share it with us, attributing it to its source, which can be a book, newspaper, blog, Facebook — anything that you read. More information is here.
This week, I don’t know anything about any of the people quoted, so I thought it might be wise to say that I am just taking their quotes at face value and not necessarily endorsing everything about them. They may be fine doctrinally and every other way, but I felt maybe I needed to offer that disclaimer.
That said, here are a few quotes that ministered to me this week:
This is from a friend’s Facebook:
“Be master of your petty annoyances and conserve your energies for the big, worthwhile things. It isn’t the mountain ahead that wears you out – it’s the grain of sand in your shoe.” – Robert Service
So very true. So often it’s the little things that get me down or trip me up and waste time and energy needed for better pursuits.
And from a different friend’s Facebook:
If the Lord is stripping us, emptying us, pruning us, and bringing us low; so that we feel weak, empty and void of good — it is in order that he may strengthen us with his might, bring us to rest on his Word, fill us with his own love, and lead us to look for everything in Jesus. ~ James Smith
A good reminder. It’s so easy to focus on the pruning rather than the ultimate purpose.
And yet another Facebook status (I’m fortunate to have friends who post great quotes!):
A love of knowledge and a desire to explore God’s creation through the discipline of science need not alienate us from our Creator; on the contrary, it should draw us closer to Him. –Ken Connor
Having a husband who is a scientist and having read and studied science a bit, I can attest to this. There is a “science falsely so called,” but rightly understood, studying God’s creation glorifies Him.
This is from a section commenting on I Chronicles 16 in Warren Wiersbe’s With the Word:
To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God. ~ Archbishop William Temple
I’m still contemplating this one. I think I would agree with it. Worship is definitely far more than going through certain procedures: it has to somehow involve a glimpse of God and a loving, submissive response to Him.
If you’ve read anything that particularly spoke to you that you’d like to share, please either list it in the comments below or write a post on your blog and then put the link to that post (not your general blog link) in Mr. Linky below. I do ask that only family-friendly quotes be included. I hope you’ll visit some of the other participants as well and glean some great thoughts to ponder.
And please — feel free to comment even if you don’t have quotes to share!
Stray Thoughts 
I was moved by the James Smith comment today. You can read or hear a comment that may do nothing to your heart, until the Lord is having you go through something. Isn’t it interesting, I find this true in reading the Word, too. One day, because of where you are in His path, a very familiar verse becomes illuminated, highlighted in your mind, and you see within it a direction He is leading.
Thanks for the share today.
:-}pokey
Wow, that Warren Wiersbe quote is rich — lots to think about. I agree with your take.
I have been underlining almost everything in ‘The Imitation of Christ’ this week. 🙂
I know what you mean, Barbara, about quoting from unknown sources. When I do that I wonder too: what if this guy is a crazy heretic and here I am spreading his words around? Ha. So I offer that disclaimer also.
“It isn’t the mountain ahead that wears you out – it’s the grain of sand in your shoe.”
I need to dump my shoes this morning of the grains of sand: dog being annoying; grouchy kid; solicitor phone calls… They’re not the big things.
But the James Smith’ quote really speaks to me the most this morning. I’ve felt so unimportantly lately, and this reminds me that yes, the Lord DOES empty us and bring us low. It’s a good thing. It reminds me to look to Jesus as THE important one.
Thanks for sharing your finds!
Here’s another from Mr. Unknown:
“Many of the things that go wrong surprise us by turning out all right.”
I like that grain of sand quote. I know I have a tendency not to deal with grains of sand because “I have a mountain to climb. I can’t stop to empty out my shoes.” But then I end up quitting halfway up the mountain because I’ve developed a blister where that sand was rubbing.
Yikes!
I was pleasantly surprised to see two of the quotes (the one about little annoyances and the one about creation) because they are about topics I recently studied. I love how God reinforces His message to me! Thanks for sharing such great quotes!
Amoeba once told me that he didn’t understand how any scientist could study the intricacy of the universe and not believe in a creator.
I have facebook friends who post amazing and profound quotes, too. I do like that. Thanks for sharing yours, and for stopping by my blog today.
No quotes to share this week, sorry.
Your quote from Robert Service is a good one. As my husband would say, “Pick your battles!”
Blessings on your day, Barbara.
Barbara,
I finally get a moment to catch up with your blog. The Temple quote is definitely rich, and challenges my thinking.