The Christmas message itself is that God chooses common people to do the most uncommon things. No matter how common you are, and no matter how simple you are, God has a plan and ability to come into our world and do something unusual.

Someday I want to go back and maybe write another book on those seven sayings. I just think they are kind of like a table of contents to the Christian hope. They invite us to go into all the aspects of the heart of Jesus. Everything about them from the drama, the setting, the passion around them - I think the seven sayings of the cross are powerful.

The wizard [of Oz] says look inside yourself and find self. God says look inside yourself and find [the Holy Spirit]. The first will get you to Kansas. The latter will get you to heaven. Take your pick.

The presence of anxiety is unavoidable, but the prison of anxiety is optional. Anxiety is not a sin; it's an emotion. So don't be anxious about feeling anxious. Anxiety can, however, lead to sinful behavior. When we numb our fears with six-packs or food binges, when we spew anger like Krakatau, when we peddle our fears to anyone who will buy them, we're sinning.

One phrase summarizes the horror of hell. "God isn't there."

When grace happens, generosity happens. Unsquashable, eyepopping bigheartedness happens.

Forgiveness is not saying that the one who hurt you was right. Forgiveness is stating that God is faithful and he will do what is right.