Superficiality is the curse of our age. The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem.

The Spiritual Disciplines are things that we do. We must never lose sight of this fact. It is one thing to talk piously about 'the solitude of the heart,' but if that does not somehow work its way into our experience, then we have missed the point of the Disciplines. We are dealing with actions, not merely states of mind.

Pride is one of the socially acceptable sins in some corners of the evangelical culture. Its just straight-out ego gratification - how important I am; whether my name gets on the building or on the TV program or in the magazine article.

Let's discipline ourselves so that our words are few and full.

Each activity of daily life in which we stretch ourselves on behalf of others is a prayer in action.

He is inviting you - and me - to come home, to come home to where we belong, to come home to that for which we were created. His arms are stretched out wide to receive us. His heart is enlarged to take us in.

In the context of Quaker worship, it is perfectly appropriate for any person in the congregation to speak a timely word from the Lord.