Home > Work > Happily Ever After (Deep Haven, #1)
1 " Everyone, even within a family, is different. We all have different needs, different issues we struggle with. Part of being a family is learning to face those differences, forgive, and accept so that you can move on to love. "
― Susan May Warren , Happily Ever After (Deep Haven, #1)
2 " The question isn't who causes something to happen, but rather, whether you see the outcome with His eyes or yours. Whether or not you trust He's got it all in His hands. "
3 " Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. "
4 " I have called you back from the ends of the earth so you can serve Me. For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with My victorious right hand. "
5 " The mystery of free will versus predestination. You’re going to tie yourself up with that one, Mona. Either God is in charge or He’s not. We can go round and round about the origin of evil, but the buck stops at God. The question isn’t who causes something to happen, but rather, whether you see the outcome with His eyes or yours. Whether or not you trust He’s got it all in His hands. "
6 " We are accountable because we are sinful. The unfortunate truth is that Adam chose to sin, and so do we. But the good news is that God gives us a way out, through Christ. Accountability and forgiveness in one shot. All we have to do is accept it. It’s pretty easy. "
7 " She’d been hoping for God’s blessings, but had she truly enjoyed knowing Him? She’d been so focused on her goals for so long, the whisper of God in her heart seemed but an ancient echo. "
8 " Lord, I know You’re the only one who can make my dreams come true.” Mona forced herself to surrender the next words. “I give You this dream, and all others, right now into Your hands for You to handle however You see fit. "
9 " Mona, God isn’t the great saboteur of dreams. He doesn’t give us a dream just to make it fail. He puts that dream inside us for a reason, and He wants to help make it happen. "
10 " Listen, the character of God is full of mercy—not giving us what we do deserve—and grace—giving us what we don’t deserve. You say you don’t deserve God’s help, but by your very words, you prove He isn’t trying to destroy your dreams. Ask God for help. If you don’t think you deserve it, then perhaps that is exactly what God wants to delight you with, to show how much He loves you. "
11 " He’s the author of dreams. And He’s not a trickster. He doesn’t give us a dream only to yank it away and laugh. "
12 " don’t judge God based on your understanding of people. God isn’t just a really good guy up in the sky. He is God. He operates on an entirely different set of rules. We’ll never deserve His love, but He knows that, and He’s chosen to love us anyway. We can accept it or not. But that doesn’t change who He is. He’s a God who loves us more than we can imagine and desires to fulfill the dreams He gives His children. "
13 " I don’t deserve the best.” Mona’s voice broke. “None of us do. But while we were still sinners, God chose to give us His best, and He will do nothing less after we are adopted as His children. We don’t deserve grace, but because of God’s character, we can expect it! If this dream is from Him, then you can expect Him to make it come true. "
14 " And yesterday, when she’d claimed a quiet place on "
15 " I’m having a rotten day. First I lock myself out of the house, then I rip my skirt climbing through the window, then Macy’s computer eats my layaway. And now, old Noah here won’t start. "
16 " God knows how tough it is to forgive, especially when someone has done you wrong. But He does expect you to do it. And He expects you to be patient and trust Him to work in others’ lives. Psalm 37. It’s one of my favorites, especially when I know God wants me to do something impossible, like forgive. "
17 " Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes. "
18 " When you forgive someone, it gives you room in your heart to love them. "
19 " The difference is Gabe lets God fight his battles. He lets God work in people’s lives, and he lets them be human. Trusting God protects him, gives him the courage to risk opening his heart and let out love. He knows he is safely in God’s shelter. He won’t crumble if your father, or even you, let him down. God will hold him up. "
20 " She would be a tough one to win over. He saw it in the way she quickly hooded her feelings, snatching them in whenever they wandered. She didn’t trust easily and depended only on herself "
