Ed Cyzewski QUOTES

1 " Once I am aware of what has been on my mind and have established ways to respond in faith with a particular prayer, sacred word, or silence before God, my anxious thoughts lose a great deal of their power. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Flee, Be Silent, Pray: An Anxious Evangelical Finds Peace with God through Contemplative Prayer

2 " Silence doesn’t have to be a major pilgrimage into the wilderness in order to find a solitary space. Everyday tasks such as driving around town, folding laundry, preparing food, washing dishes, or taking walks can all provide a measure of solitude each day when approached with the right mindset and a commitment to shut off televisions, computers, tablets, smartphones, radios, and anything else that could interrupt silence. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Flee, Be Silent, Pray: An Anxious Evangelical Finds Peace with God through Contemplative Prayer

3 " [W]e wouldn't want to read a book about a perfect character who never struggles with character flaws, a difficult past, or interpersonal conflict. Writers can powerfully connect with readers when they venture to these thin places of pain and brokenness because readers can see themselves in the pain and want to journey from pain and struggle toward redemption or some kind of resolution. "

― Ed Cyzewski

4 " When you're hounded by the shame of the past, you can turn into a pretty miserable person who is always trying to measure up and please others. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Pray, Write, Grow: Cultivating Prayer and Writing Together

5 " Contemplative prayer removes us from the driver's seat. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Flee, Be Silent, Pray: An Anxious Evangelical Finds Peace with God through Contemplative Prayer

6 " Closed systems that thrive on control that is managed with sticks and carrots can't help but fail the people they claim to protect. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Flee, Be Silent, Pray: An Anxious Evangelical Finds Peace with God through Contemplative Prayer

7 " We have faith that the practices of silence, praying with scripture, or reciting the prayers passed on to us will bear fruit over time. If we continue to fight through our fears and anxieties in order to sit in silence, we trust that God can meet us, even if it leads to results we aren't expecting or doesn't even result in quantifiable progress. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Pray, Write, Grow: Cultivating Prayer and Writing Together

8 " If you're trying to add something to your life without subtracting something else, there's a good chance the stuff that's already there will win. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Pray, Write, Grow: Cultivating Prayer and Writing Together

9 " Ironically, some anxious evangelicals get even more anxious at the mention of contemplative prayer. Isn't that too Catholic or Eastern Orthodox? Isn't that Buddhist? Isn't that a slippery slope into NEW AGE RELIGION? Evangelicals are terrified of slippery slopes that start out innocent enough. One minute you're doing a downward dog stretch in a yoga studio and then the "eastern religion" slippery slope takes hold. Next thing you know, you're offering a fruit bowl to a pleasant little false idol statue somewhere in Asia. We've all heard that this happened once to a friend of a friend of someone we knew once at a church somewhere. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Flee, Be Silent, Pray: An Anxious Evangelical Finds Peace with God through Contemplative Prayer

10 " One evangelical generation after another earnestly studies the scriptures in search of Jesus, trying to get past the fact that Jesus said studying the scriptures is not the same thing as pursuing him. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Flee, Be Silent, Pray: An Anxious Evangelical Finds Peace with God through Contemplative Prayer

11 " If I am not in touch with my own belovedness, then I cannot touch the sacredness of others. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Flee, Be Silent, Pray: An Anxious Evangelical Finds Peace with God through Contemplative Prayer

12 " I can't learn or will myself into God's holiness, but my own willpower and planning can make all of the difference in whether I am present for God and his transformation. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Flee, Be Silent, Pray: An Anxious Evangelical Finds Peace with God through Contemplative Prayer

13 " When people pray, they're choosing to believe there's a good, loving God reaching out to us, listening to our prayers, and meeting with us. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Pray, Write, Grow: Cultivating Prayer and Writing Together

14 " The mystics believe we go through spiritual darkness as a part of our transformation, not as the end of our faith and ministry. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Flee, Be Silent, Pray: An Anxious Evangelical Finds Peace with God through Contemplative Prayer

15 " Writing and prayer are both hopeful leaps into the darkness. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Pray, Write, Grow: Cultivating Prayer and Writing Together

16 " However, if you're already inclined to both write and pray, you may as well figure out how they can help each other. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Pray, Write, Grow: Cultivating Prayer and Writing Together

17 " The more I see God in these relationships with my children, the more I've become aware of how easily we can wall God's presence off from very important areas of our lives. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Pray, Write, Grow: Cultivating Prayer and Writing Together

18 " a fresh carrot from the garden has a complex flavor that is lost after a few days in transit. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Creating Space: The Case for Everyday Creativity

19 " You have gifts to share. When used well, creativity isn’t just about you. It’s about what you have to give. It’s about leaving a mark, changing lives, and sparking a legacy that others can pass on. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Creating Space: The Case for Everyday Creativity

20 " A gift for others should be the absolute best thing you can produce. It should meet a real need, proclaim a truth, capture an emotion, or tell a story that is unique to you and makes the world better. "

― Ed Cyzewski , Creating Space: The Case for Everyday Creativity

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