John 15:9–10 (NRSVUE)

As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.

I remain in love.

Brennan Manning, from The Ragamuffin Gospel

"Jesus comes not for the super-spiritual but for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don't have it all together and are not too proud to accept the handout of amazing grace."

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John 15:16 (NRSVUE)

You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.

I did not choose first — I was chosen.

Henri Nouwen, from Life of the Beloved

"Long before any human being saw us, we are seen by God's loving eyes. Long before anyone heard us cry or laugh, we are heard by our God who is all ears for us. Long before any person spoke to us in this world, we are spoken to by the voice of eternal love."

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John 15:7–8 (NRSVUE)

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.

Fruit grows when I remain.

Frederick Buechner, from Wishful Thinking

"The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet."

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John 15:5 (NRSVUE)

I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.

I am rooted in the vine.

John of the Cross, from The Ascent of Mount Carmel

"The soul that is attached to anything, however much good there may be in it, will not arrive at the liberty of divine union."

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John 15:4 (NRSVUE)

Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.

I choose to abide.

Thomas R. Kelly, from A Testament of Devotion

"For God Himself works in our souls, in the deepest depths, taking increasing control as we are progressively willing to be prepared for His wonder."

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Galatians 5:22–25 (NRSVUE)

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

I walk in step with the Spirit.

Thomas R. Kelly, from A Testament of Devotion

"There is a way of ordering our mental life on more than one level at once. On one level we may be thinking, discussing, seeing, calculating, meeting all the demands of external affairs. But deep within, behind the scenes, at a profounder level, we may also be in prayer and adoration, song and worship, and a gentle receptiveness to divine breathings."

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1 John 4:18 (NRSVUE)

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.

Love has moved in where fear used to live.

Julian of Norwich, from Revelations of Divine Love

"Love was His meaning. Who showed it thee? Love. What showed He thee? Love. Wherefore was it showed? For Love. Hold thee therein and thou shalt learn and know more in the same. But thou shalt never know nor learn therein other thing without end."

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Galatians 5:13 (NRSVUE)

For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become servants to one another.

Free to love, I turn toward others.

Dorothy Day, from The Long Loneliness

"We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community."

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