A man doesn't grow old because he has lived a certain number of years. A man grows old when he deserts his ideal. The years may wrinkle his skin, but deserting his ideal wrinkles his soul.

Our identity rests in God's relentless tenderness for us revealed in Jesus Christ.

Put bluntly, the American church today accepts grace in theory but denies it in practice. We say we believe that the fundamental structure of reality is grace, not works - but our lives refute our faith.

The ragamuffin gospel says we can't lose, because we have nothing to lose.

Faith will become vision, hope will become possession, but the love of Jesus Christ that is stronger than death endures forever. In the end, it is the only thing you can hang onto.

Troubadours have always been more important and influential than theologians and bishops

We even refuse to be our true self with God- and then wonder why we lack intimacy with him.