“Solitude, the safeguard of mediocrity, is to genius the stern friend.”  – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Tis the good reader that makes the good book; in every book he finds passages which seem confidences or asides hidden from all else and unmistakably meant for his ear; the profit of books is according to the sensibility of the reader; the profoundest thought or passion sleeps as in a mine, until it is discovered by an equal mind and heart.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Perseverance is more than endurance.  It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen….  If our hopes seem to be experiencing disappointment right now, it simply means that they are being purified.” – Oswald Chambers

“After the Lord resurrects you, He makes you fruitful.  He brings others into your life.  He brings someone to whom He wishes to commute divine love….  The love you will now express is simply the movement of the resurrected life within you.” – Madame Jeanne Guyon  

This year, I plan to explore more mystics like Guyon whose writings have for more than 300 years captivated and instructed readers with her striking timeless insights.

“Silence is so important.  Even when you cannot find total silence, you might try letting others take the lead in conversations.  There is no better way to quench the natural strength of the old nature than by silencing it.” – Fenelon