The Three Things

Today I wanted to share with you some quotes and Scripture that I wrote in my journal. Each one touched my heart in some way; I hope they do the same for you.


[Don't] be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God's giving. -Matthew 6:31

Feelings have a crucial role in life, but they must not be taken as a basis for actions or character change. That role falls to insight, understanding, and convictions of truth which will always be appropriately accompanied by feeling... many sincere, professing Christians suffer in their walk with God because they made a commitment prompted by a feeling of 'need' and not by insight into how things are with God and their soul. -Dallas Willard

You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. -Matthew 5:3

The person in right standing before God through loyal and steady believing is fully alive, really alive. -Habakkuk 2:4

Catastrophe doesn't introduce anything new into our lives. It simply exposes the moral or spiritual reality that already exists but was hidden beneath an overlay of routine, self-preoccupation, and business as usual. -Eugene Peterson in the introduction to Joel from The Message

You talk about God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, being your best friend. Well live like it, and maybe it will happen! -Amos 5:4

Real faith is always increased by opposition, while false confidence is damaged and discouraged by it. -J.B. Stoney

Walking by faith might be thought of as putting on "Bible glasses" so everything you see is filtered through the lens of God's Word. -Catherine Martin

Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace. -Donald Grey Barnhouse

When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full face. The "worst" is never the worst. Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way. -Lamentations 3:28-33

Sloppy work in God's name is cursed. -Jeremiah 48:10

No one who hopes in [God] ever regrets it. -Isaiah 49:27


You're blessed when you're content with just who you are - no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that cannot bought. -Matthew 5:5

The Three Things by Kent B. Mickelson is one man's look at the three things that make up God: love, truth, and grace. An engineer who has struggled with mental illness, Mickelson has a deep faith and love in God and he wants to share that with readers who may be questioning their own faith or even wondering why anyone would have faith in Him at all. While there are some places that need an editor's touch, Mickelson carries through and will touch readers' hearts with his honesty about his own faith journey. Sometimes as an engineer, he uses examples that the average reader will not be able to follow (I don't even know what a bootstrap loader is on a computer, so using it as a metaphor left me confused). Mickelson spends a lot of time focusing on inspiration by the Holy Spirit as well as the nature of grace. Again, an editor could have put similar thoughts together in more coherent thoughts. The wordy spots are worth getting through for the deep message of faith Mickelson shares with his readers.

Thank you to PR by the Book for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

Today's picture is one my mom took on Easter, and it was just too gorgeous not to share!