“You refuse to listen. Because, like every other man, you can keep only one idea in your head at a time-usully the wrong one.”

“A PrayerRefuse to fall downIf you cannot refuse to fall down,refuse to stay down.If you cannot refuse to stay down,lift your heart toward heaven,and like a hungry beggar, ask that it be filled. You may be pushed down.You may be kept from rising.But no one can keep you from lifting your hearttoward heavenonly you.It is in the middle of miserythat so much becomes clear.The one who says nothing goodcame of this, is not yet listening.”

“A man can only lead when others accept him as their leader, and he has only as much authority as his subjects give to him. All of the brilliant ideas in the world cannot save your kingdom if no one will listen to them.”

“You listen to me this one time, Dahlia. If something goes wrong, anything at all, you haul butt out of here fast. You have the cell phone and the number. Call Lily. The Ghost Walkers will be here as soon as possible."She caught him before he could turn away. "You listen to me this one time, Nicholas. If anything goes wrong, don't be a hero. Haul your butt out of there and in one piece. We'll call Lily, and she can send the others.”

“Talent renders the whole idea of rehearsal meaningless; when you find something at which you are talented, you do it (whatever it is) until your fingers bleed or your eyes are ready to fall out of your head. Even when no one is listening (or reading or watching), every outing is a bravura performance, because you as the creator are happy. Perhaps even ecstatic.”

“If you do not listen to theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean that you have a lot of wrong ones!”