Glorious Mess Quotes

“I pray that in the heat of planning, of running, of achieving and performing, that you would pause. Hear the Lord calling you to draw close to him. God loves you, and as unbelievable as it is, he wants to be with you. Find some time today to climb up in your Father’s arms, let him drive the universe, and just rest. He’s a strong dad. And you never get too big for his lap.”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People

“I know too many people who muck around in the haze of being near God but never really embracing the new, wonderful, incredible, blessed life that God has for them. We have all lived in the haze from time to time. I know I have. This is the essence of our mess. And the challenge is to invite Jesus into the midst of your mess. Jesus died for your salvation in the afterlife, and you have a place in heaven for all of eternity. But Jesus also died for your freedom now.”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People

“I hope you see how this changes the definition of success. Suddenly success is primarily about having a bold enough faith to follow God’s call, no matter what the outcome. Mother Teresa said, “I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.” Of course, we want both! But if that isn’t possible, it is important to remember that faithless success isn’t success at all. The call of God required Jonah to take a step of faith. He had to have faith that God had spoken, faith that God knew better than Jonah did, and faith that God would provide for the adventure he was sending Jonah on.”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People

“As you ascertain the validity of the call you believe God is placing on your life, search your heart for any sinful motivation, any thoughts of power, greed, or pride. If you find it, repent and get humble again before Jesus, because his call won’t involve manipulation. His Call Will Involve the Desire of Your Heart”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People

“If you are trying to figure out if something is God’s call on your life, ask these questions: Who would this be helping? What good is it?”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People

“God’s call will never involve temptation or evil or selfishness.”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People

“His Call Will Not Go against His Word or His Character”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People

“love God, love people, serve the world, care for creation, live in the truth, and share the Good News of God’s love revealed in Jesus.”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People

“Many of us are living contradictions. I’ve done some empirical probing in my own life and have determined this to be true. We want God to speak to us, but we’re petrified he’ll call us to something uncomfortable, or difficult, or worse . . . something uncool.”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People

“How would our lives change if we knew what to listen for? What effect would it have if we learned how to listen for his voice in the midst of our dailiness, our everyday work and play? According to the witness of Scripture, God does have a call on our lives, a purpose, a plan, a message, and he does care about our moment-by-moment existence. This is an incredibly exciting prospect! And potentially a frightening one as well.”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People

“God knew you’d pick up this book. God knows you. He knows what you think about, what drives you nuts, when you obsess about the parts of your body, how your significant other drives you crazy sometimes, how frustrated you get with yourself for not being all that you would like to be. In your mess, God showcases his glory. God also knows the incredible plans he has for you—the empowered and abundant and fruitful life to which he calls you. We are imperfect. His love is unending.”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People

“Jonah 3:1: “The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time”
― Mike Howerton, Glorious Mess: Encountering God's Relentless Grace for Imperfect People