Ben

“Glory follows afflictions, not as the day follows the night but as the spring follows the winter; for the winter prepares the earth for the spring, so do afflictions sanctified prepare the soul for glory.”
― Richard Sibbes

“His resurrection from the dead declares once and for all that Jesus is unstoppable. The power the risen, glorified Christ now wields is “the power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16). In fact, as Peter came to know, and to preach at Pentecost, “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24). As Paul wrote to the Romans, “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him” (Romans 6:9).”
― David Mathis, Rich Wounds: The Countless Treasures of the Life, Death, and Triumph of Jesus

“Butterflies need the struggle of emerging from the cocoon to invigorate their wings with blood. Without the struggle, they can never fully unfold their wings. They will never fly.”
― Chap Bettis, Launch: Biblical Help for Moving Your Teen or Young Adult into the Real World

“Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.”
― Saint Patrick