“I have always looked upon a telephone as an official kind of machine which you prepared for with fasting and prayer, and only had recourse to when strictly necessary for important business.”

“Whatever you make, base it upon that which is most important to you. Only then will it have depth and meaning, and only then will it resonate with others.”

“The important thing is not the finding, it is the seeking, it is the devotion with which one spins the wheel of prayer and scripture, discovering the truth little by little. If this machine gave you the truth immediately, you would not recognize it.”

“When you want something in life and you find yourself looking over the precipice wondering if you should take a chance and jump, always jump, my son.” This is what Xavier said to his son Darius in my upcoming book "Strict Machine".”

“Prayer had always struck me as more or less a glorified attempt at a business transaction.”

“We broke into laughter—the kind that’s your only recourse when you feel like curling up in a fetal position and whimpering like a little girl.”