Canadian West Collection Quotes

“I really don’t know. We should be wise enough to know we can trust Him with everything, but it seems as if He is forever needing to remind us—one thing at a time. Maybe it’s because we just hang onto some things too tightly, wanting our own way too much.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“Thank you, Lord, I prayed, for turning something bad into something good.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“Father led in prayer, asking that the Lord would make my home, wherever it might be, a place of love. “Might there always be harmony and commitment, love and happiness. Might there be strength for the hard times, humor to ease the tense times, and shoulders always available for the times of tears,” he prayed.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“about Mother, though she tried hard not to let it affect the rest of us.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“His eyes fixed on mine for an instant, then he turned back to the fire. The”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“From somewhere LaMeche produced a coffee pot and coffee. I will never be able to find the words to express what it was like to sit before the fire, smelling coffee brew on that horrible night. Somehow it seemed to be a promise that the world would one day be normal again. The trader had also found a couple of battered tin cups. I clutched the cup closely in chilled hands and drank of the dark, hot liquid. I knew that with the help of the coffee I would somehow make it through this nightmare until the morning came again.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“I stood too. I didn’t want to return to the village. I disliked even more the thought of returning to the small cabin. I was so thankful that it would soon be spring again and I could enjoy more and more of the outdoors.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“God had promised He would never leave me nor forsake me. That held true on a city street, in a rural teacherage, or in a remote part of the North.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“I didn’t feel comfortable with this new world. My northern isolation had protected me from all this.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“You’re like Jesus,” Susie said, more positively now that she had said the words out loud. “He doesn’t like it when people be bad either. An’ He doesn’t like to send them away—out of heaven. But it would spoil heaven for everybody else if He let bad people in there.” Wynn said nothing, but his eyes looked misty as he reached out to tousle the little black head on his way to the bedroom for his slippers.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“Where do you white women get the idea that having a child makes one weak and unable to do one’s own work?”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“It was much easier to clean feet than to clean shoes.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“How I looked forward to having my house neat and orderly again.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“We did not go right to sleep but talked until late into the night. There was so much to tell one another, so many questions on my mind.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“I loved seeing your world. It truly was fascinating. But as the days and weeks went by, I was so homesick for the rivers, the forests, I could hardly wait to come home.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“Something I maybe should have said long ago, but I want to say now, with all my heart—with all my love. I’m proud of you, Elizabeth. Proud of your strength, your support, your ability to adjust to hard things. You’ve been my help, my support, my right arm, Elizabeth. I don’t know what I ever would have done without you. You’ve more than proved me wrong—over and over. You belong here—with me.” Wynn kissed me again, and I brushed away happy tears and lifted my face again to his.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“I will even admit that spinach, which I hate, might taste good. But I am not sorry that I came with you, Wynn.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“Desserts were now only a dim memory.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“We bowed our heads together, and I prayed and then Nimmie prayed. Hers was a beautiful, simple prayer, beginning in faith and repentance and ending with joy and praise.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“Nimmie, when I realized that I was a sinner, that I could do nothing myself to atone for my sins, I did the only thing one can do—that is necessary to do. I accepted what God has provided for all of mankind—His forgiveness. His forgiveness through the death of His Son, Jesus. He died for our sins so that we need not die for our own. I don’t understand that kind of love either, Nimmie. But I know that it’s real, for I have felt it. When I prayed to God and asked for His forgiveness and took His Son as my Savior, that love filled my whole person. Where I had had misery and fear before, now I have peace and joy.” “And He would do that for me?”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“After some minutes, I went back to the Bible. Again my eyes skimmed the pages. My spirit was calm now. My trembling had ceased. I read passage after passage until I came to Psalm 27:14. I stopped and read it through again. “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“I had been used to chatter. To sit quietly did not come easy. However, with time and patience, I was learning.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“We didn’t try to talk. We really didn’t need to. Later we would hear from one another all the details of the four miserable days of separation. For now it was enough just to be together again.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“I clung to my Bible and prayed until I felt utterly exhausted. Mid-morning, after reading, weeping, and praying for what seemed like hours, I fell asleep. The long days and sleepless nights had taken their toll, and my body demanded some rest even if my mind fought against it.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“I tried to drink a cup of tea, but my hands shook when I lifted the cup to my mouth. I was on the verge of tears, but I knew that tears would do no good. I fed the fire, I prayed, I walked the floor, I prayed, I read my Bible, I prayed; and somehow this even longer second day of storm passed by, hour by hour.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“The Bible tells us that God abhors it, too. He wants us to love and care for one another.” “Does the white man know that?” “Some of them do.” “Hasn’t the white man had the Bible for many years?” “Yes, for many years.” “Then why doesn’t he read it and do what it says?” I shook my head. It was a troubling question. “I don’t know,” I finally admitted. “I really don’t know.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“From now on, I determined, I’m going to pay more attention to my husband and be less concerned with my silly little doings.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“do so, and the sooner the better in her estimation. I was glad to step out into the warm sunshine and close the door behind me on the angry woman inside. I stood trembling. I had never seen anyone behave in such a way. My, what deep bitterness is driving this woman? I wondered. It could completely destroy her if something wasn’t done. But what could one do? Personally, I hoped I would never need to encounter her again.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“Well, Elizabeth, I said to myself, you certainly have a lot to learn.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection

“It was Sunday again, though I had a hard time really convincing myself of that fact. It seemed so strange not to be preparing for church. I missed the worship. I missed the contact with friends. I missed being with my own family. But, most of all, I missed the feeling of refreshing that came from spending time with other believers in praise and prayer.”
― Janette Oke, Canadian West Collection