Hi, I’m Gretch, and I love quotes. Not the cheesy “Live, Laugh, Love” or “Be happy for this moment, this moment is your life” kind of sayings. Those are the quotes that no one reads twice. Heck, I just glance and decide I’ve had enough of that mumbo jumbo.
I guess it’d be helpful for you to know that I strongly enjoy the book of Proverbs in the Bible, which is a bunch of short, wise sayings like quotes! It was a challenge to not include each verse from Proverbs or any verse of the Bible in this article, but here are five (kind of cliché, but not cliché enough where I roll my eyes) wise sayings that will challenge your thinking, and hopefully your way of living.
1. “Your life will not get better by chance, it gets better by change” – Jim Rohn
We have two options in any given situation: 1. Come up with a plan to invoke change and alter the result, and 2. Embrace what we have no control over. Need I say more? We can sit here tapping our foot, waiting to have time for the gym or we can set aside a number of minutes from social media—or dare I say, even homework—to lift the weights. We can hope and wish for an angel to fall from the sky to pay tuition, rent, gas and tips for a new phone, or we can search for and secure a job, save money and earn the lifestyle we have worked for. Now that your mind is reflecting, take the time and set goals on how you will start your journey of change. Want more sleep? Put the phone away one hour before hitting the pillow, get black-out shades, practice nightly yoga, there’s no one answer! It’s up to you to decide how and when you will stop a bad habit and start a helpful routine.
2. “When God created us, He didn’t create us with anyone else in mind.”
I got this quote from a She Invited event I went to in the Twin Cities. The women on the panel were discussing body image, eating disorders and the wonderful Jesus Christ. I like to take phrases like these and replace “us” with “me” to make it more personal. Sometimes, if my head space is really out of sorts, I say to myself, “My Beloved Daughter, I created you with intention and purpose; I created you uniquely, without anyone else in mind.” My mind starts to repeat this truth as my heart slowly accepts it and peace washes over me. I no longer desire to physically look like someone else; I don’t desire to pursue habits that force my body to shape a certain way. I start to desire the Lord’s heart and how mine can look more like His—loving, illuminating, pure, selfless, compassionate, wise and more. This may be a daily, weekly or simply a one-time walk for you. But let me remind you, this process of loving who you were meant to be will be tough but oh-so-worth-it.
3. “What you feed on is what you hunger for” – John Bevere
I wrote down this sentence when I was listening to a podcast called Conversations with John and Lisa Bevere. This quote can be applied to anything in life! The more I eat chocolate, the more I hunger for it. I’ve made a bad habit of opening my Pinterest app every time I go to the bathroom, even for a 10-second pee! I just can’t get enough of those easy DIY crafts, spunky nail art or vegan recipes that I’ll never attempt. I then got into the routine of reading a devotional on the Bible App, which also has daily Bible verses, quoted images, videos and infinite reading plans. As long as I continue to do it each night, I start to look forward to it as soon as I hit the pillow. The great thing about sticking to healthy habits is that I am always left fulfilled and satisfied, yet willing to grow more. With a not-so-healthy pattern, I am usually left with shame, regret and dissatisfaction. What practices in your life are leading you to captivity instead of liberty?
4. “The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all” – Richard Branson
Don’t avoid the depth that your heart is aching to take you to right now! Sit down and reflect, girl! What are you so afraid of? The trait of courage is accessible to everyone, and no one can access it for you. If you’re constantly remaining in a state of comfort and predictability, how can you expect anything beyond the mundane? If you don’t snatch that volunteer opportunity by the hair, what’s gonna set you apart on your resumé? One of my favorite goals to set is to sit by someone new in class or invite an unfamiliar classmate to the cafeteria with me. College is probably the best opportunity to not only meet others, but also to add something to their lives (and your own)! It’s irrational to expect others to be welcoming and inviting if we don’t practice inclusivity either. Let’s take an adventure into the freedom of the unknown, shall we?
5. “Difficult times don’t build character, they show character” – My dad
This reminds me of another expression, or even parable, that I recall from a church sermon: “When you squeeze an orange, juice will come out. The orange juice will either be sweet, or it will be bitter.” What do you think this means? (Pause and take time to consider your presumptions before I expand on my interpretation). We are the orange. When put in a tough situation, like the orange under pressure and producing juice, we produce a response. We can either respond in a profitable and useful way, or we can react by stomping our feet and pouting our lips, resulting in an unenjoyable and draining experience. Another way to think of life is that we are the meat and life is the pressure cooker. You get put through the fire and your whole self turns from inedible to fruitful! You once offered nothing, and now you bring life and strength to those who feed off you. Your character is ultimately life-giving.
“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way” – James 1:4 The MSG.
Here are a couple of other quotes I like that you can use as your lock screen!
Wipe your tears, sis! How beautiful it is to feel such strong emotions from reading a simple sentence. I pray that you will endure through the toughening processes of life to only end up strong and complete for eternity.