I think this quote by George Matheson is perceptive insight and it speaks to a lot of religions and philosophies that promote meditation etc.

"My brother, do not say that the purpose of your prayer is to calm your mind! That is not the end; it is a beginning. If you have a calm mind you will come out in the open. Your Father's aim is not that you should enter into rest; it is that you should enter into movement. He offers you His peace, not to make you lie down in green pastures, but to make you walk in the paths of righteousness."

  "On a beautiful morning in the fall of 1917, the following incident occurred in a Protestant hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The men's ward of about forty beds was practically filled. Among the patients was an elderly man who was not confined to his bed but was permitted to walk about the ward. He was rather reserved in manner, he was not given to saying much, but he appeared to observe closely what was going on.

   Among the nurses was a young girl who was a general favorite because of her constantly cheerful disposition -- her winning smiles and kind, encouraging words. She fairly radiated Christian sunshine and joy. On this morning she was assigned to a patient who was critically ill and not expected to recover. Miss K----- set about her task in her usual attractive manner, efficient, gentle and considerate. All the while she smiled into the sick man's face and spoke words of hope and cheer to lift him out of his sadness.

  The old gentleman, who had been walking about, hobbled up and stood watching her intently. After a few moments, he blurted out in a very brusque but sincere and meaningful way, and in a voice heard distinctly throughout the ward: "Miss K---,

do you know, if I were so sick that the doctor said I must die, and if you were to look at me and smile -- I just wouldn't!"

  I saw it all; and I shall never forget the ripples of approving laughter, which brightened up the whole ward. Everyone felt that the old man's remark was an excellent and deserved tribute to the winsome personality of the little favorite nurse, whose Christian character was ever expressing itself in cheerful smiles, comforting words and kindly deeds."

Roy V. Derr.

I read about the prayers of Julian of Norwich today; she lived from 13433 to 1413, she is one of the most popular of the English mystics. Here's a little piece she wrote that moved me. 

  "By the grace of God and the teaching of the Church I conceived a great desire to receive three wounds in my life. They were: the wound of true contrition; the wound of loving compassion; and the wound of longing with my will for God." 

I was struck by the simplicity and the devotion of her heart. She taught that the highest form of pray is to the goodness of God. "It comes down to us to meet our humblest needs. It gives life to our souls and makes them live and grow in grace and virtue. It is near in nature and swift in grace, for it is the same grace which our souls seek and always will. 
God only desires that our soul cling to Him with all of its strength, in particular, that it clings to His goodness. For of all of the things our minds can think about God, it is thinking upon His goodness that pleases Him most and brings the most profit to the soul."  

   I learned about two new chemicals that humans and animals produce; one is called Serotonin, which produces feelings of confidence; and Octopamine, which produces a cringing personality. Winning increases the production of Serotonin while losing increases the secretion of Octopamine. In this complex equation, a winner is likely to keep on winning and a loser is likely to keep on losing. I've certainly experienced this sensation in sports where winning intensified feelings of confidence. As I considered all the areas of life where this might impact us, certainly our childhood experiences would have a dramatic affect on our feelings of confidence or cringing; security or fear, confidence in life or forecast of defeat: doom or prosperity.  Apparently the continued expression of such attributes increases or decreases production of both chemicals. It seems obvious to me that a childhood that lacked nurture would necessarily cause the child to approach life with a cringing, fearful expectation.

  I love this drawing, and I know so many that have lived, and are living still, in a continual battle with ravenous wolves. We all fight the wolf, but some battle the pack. 

   I left the downtown mission today, once again, surrounded by the presence of the Holy Spirit and on the verge of tears. 
I met a 19 year old girl named Karen, humble and quiet as she volunteers there as a part of a mission organization that will lead her to Africa in the spring for a five month stay serving the Lord in many ways. As I asked her about her life and testimony, she shared that she was brought up in a home without God, and like so many, she was traumatized as a youth. As she aged she went from an atheist to a "misotheist" one who believes in God but hates Him. In High School, because of the continual persistence of a Christian girl who invited her to youth group every single day, and when to no avail, she rallied her friends to ask her as well. Eventually she gave in and joined the Christian girls to youth group, which eventually led to her conversion. From her hatred of God to a now radiant, fire-filled Christian servant that has worked with an organization that rescues girls caught in human trafficking. Now I know something of the intense danger in what she did. I was stunned by her zeal to 'crush the jaws of the wicked!' This little maid, maybe five feet tall, working with Spirit filled passion, venturing in the darkest strongholds of satan, trusting Christ for her protection and success of mission. As she shared her story I was humbled to the core: her courage and determination to cast her life into the arms of Christ and serve in His most dangerous work, left me feeling once again like a novice in the faith. What hope do the gates of hell have against such a tenacious faith? A David, standing before Goliath! defying the enemy in the confidence of God. Certainly not by might! Can she weigh a hundred pounds? Not by power! a background of weakness and obscurity! Oh, but His Spirit has led her into the heat of the battle! 
  So, I sit here trying to find words for the admiration I feel for her and the absolute awe of God's wonder working power in the soul of a true believer. Words fail me....  

 
 "I cannot tell you how surprised I was the first time I felt my heart begin to warm. It was real warmth, not imaginary, and it felt as if it were actually on fire. I was astonished at the way the heat surged up and how this new sensation brought great and unexpected comfort. I had to keep feeling my breast to make sure there was no physical reason for it. 
  But once I realized it came entirely from within, that the fires of love had no cause, material or sinful, but was the gift of my Maker. I was absolutely delighted, and wanted my love to be even greater. And this longing was all the more urgent because the delightful effect and the interior sweetness which this spiritual flame fed into my soul. Before the infusion of this comfort, I had never thought that we exiles could possibly have know such warmth, so sweet was the devotion it kindled. It set my soul aglow as if a real fire was burning there."  Richard Rolle, from "The Spiritual Flame." 

   "The Spirit wrote a book, so being led by Him starts there." 

  "I listened to an excellent young woman make her confession. She had sinned grievously. She was in tears; and tears of sympathy and pity ran down my cheeks also. But in her tears was for me a profound experience, which I shall never forget. I saw and felt the inner meaning and the true value in the Confessional, and more than ever I realized the sacredness of the human soul. When I left my study, I felt that I had passed through Gethsemane and, immediately afterward, ascended the Mount of Transfiguration. The anguish, remorse, contrition, the bitter tears and the relief and peace after the confession- all this led me into the depths of human experience.

Only the presence of the Infinite can account for what took place in my study on that morning years ago. The spot became holy ground. The fruits of the experience were the reconstruction of a human soul and a consequent blessing to the lives of others. On that morning I felt the mercy and forgiveness of God flowing through my human soul, and I could see its effect in the soul of the penitent; and the Confessional has meant something very sacred to me ever since." William S. Morgan.

  "Years ago I was in charge of the Cleveland's largest mission for the "down-and-outs." We had been holding an open-air meeting near the mission one Sunday evening, with a large crowd in attendance. In the midst of my appeal I discovered that something was distracting the attention of the people. The object of their interest was soon discovered, as the wreck of a once beautiful woman came staggering up the alley. Many of the audience knew her, for she was a notorious character. She had just been kicked out of a low alley saloon, so drunk that she could not stand; and she was breathing out curses upon the saloonkeeper who had dared to treat her so.

Praying that this might be the night when God would give us a signal victory, we promptly closed the meeting and invited all who desired to turn away from their sins to come inside the chapel, where Christian workers would help them. On entering the chapel we sang a hymn as the people continued to come in. I then called for testimonies from those who had already accepted Christ. Suddenly the door was flung open, and in staggered this very woman. Screaming at the top of her voice, and waving her long, gaunt arms above her head, she shouted, "There’s no salvation for the likes of me; and you needn't say there is!"

  I immediately started a hymn, and leaving the platform, went to where the wretched creature had thrown herself into a seat. I called one of our loyal Christian women, and she on one side and I on the other, we knelt there by the outcast and poured out our hearts to God. The woman was so overcome that she offered no resistance. As we prayed, it seemed that the very house was filled with the power of God; and from that moment we felt assured that God had given us the victory.

  I had given instructions that the poor creature be taken upstairs, that her filthy rags be removed, and that she have a hot bath and be put to bed. The next morning, when she awoke and found herself in a clean, comfortable bed, the first she had been in for many months, she looked up into the face of the woman attending her and said, "God did save me after all!"

  Week by week I saw the outcast grow into a wonderful Christian character. She was a woman of fine intellect and high breeding; and much of her former beauty and stateliness of carriage returned. It was not long before she was going into the haunts of sin, telling of God's power to save.

When, at the end of a most remarkable summers work, I bade farewell to the workers and some of the converts, no face was more radiant with joy than that of the woman who, on that Sunday night, had cried out in her drunken frenzy, "There is no salvation for the likes of me; and you needn't say there is!"  Donald Grant. Is. 1:18.

  Remember when Peter saw the vision that was like a big sheet lowered from heaven in Acts 11:6? And on it were four-footed animals of the earth, and wild beasts and crawling creatures and the birds of the air. As I thought about this vision in the context of the passage, I wondered if it would be too much of a stretch to interpret the creatures, which symbolized the non-Jewish nations, and break it down to include those represented as 'four-footed creatures of the earth,' as the people that are trained to be subservient to others who have carnal purposes, 'earthy.' Or possibly it may represent addictions and other controlling influences that make us like a beast of burden? Now to me, the 'wild beasts' represents those whose lives are either out of control or predatory, without moral restraint or those pushing and shoving their way through life leaving behind wounded and bleeding souls who were 'attacked' by them. Then I thought the crawling creatures may well represent the manipulative: the souls that lie in wait to deceive and capture others and infect them with their lies and evil contrivances. And lastly the birds of the air, those who are led by pride, who see others as beneath them or those who abuse power and position? Either way, we know our duty, to bring them the words that lead to repentance and restoration.