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(Stowell) The issue is not how much we have, but disciplining our hearts to remember that God is the One who has graciously provided what we have, will be there if we lose what we have, and remain of far greater value than anything we will ever have

(Stowell) When our faith becomes a system more than a Savior, a ritual more than a relationship, then our longings become legalized and our passion is frozen by meaningless practices

(Stowell) Beware lest we quickly come to a  place in our Christian life where service is not a passion, but a project. Have we forgotten when we used to do what we did because we loved Christ and wanted to express that love? When living for Him becomes list of chores, Christ becomes our burden and not our passion. The first priority love of my life is to Jesus Christ, and out of that love we are stimulated to do all that we do. Then He is no longer a function, but a friend; no longer a burden, but the blessing of our lives

( Stowell) Four fatal distractions: (1) willful sin in our lives;(2) the distraction of abundance;(3) our struggle with self;(4) allowing our walk with Christ to become ritualized and systematized

(Stowell) Are you a people pleaser? Who do you live to please? What are the accomplishments of life that you are most prounud of? What did God provide in your life that enabled you to accomplish these realities? Who deserves the credit?

(Stowell) God never wastes the sacrifice and suffering of His saints

(Stowell) In its purest form, significance is not something that we reach for, but something that is given by God in His time and in His way

(Stowell) Attaching our security to persons or possessions will only expose us to fears of rejection and loss

(Stowell) The issues of pleasure, pride and passion is not their existence but their management