“There are several ways. You can think of a memory from before you came into your powers. Or focus on a time when your felt particularly strong human emotions: jealousy, fear, love...""What do you think about?"Setting his glasses on his nose, he replied, "Your mother.”

“What do you think the best way to conquer fear it? To face it head on and know in your heart that you are strong enough to overcome it...before it gets to you. There is no better way.”

“Did you know Grandfather would give the poems to me?” I ask.“We thought he might,” my mother says.“Why didn’t you stop him?”“We didn’t want to take away your choices,” my mother says.“But Grandfather never did tell me about the Rising,” I say.“I think he wanted you to find your own way,” my mother says. She smiles. “In that way, he was a true rebel. I think that’s why he chose that argument with your father as his favorite memory. Though he was upset when the fight happened, later he came to see that your father was strong in choosing his own path, and he admired him for it.”

“Magic must have meaning to hold power. You must believe in yourmagic or it is useless. Focus is the key. Focus your mind and your spirit.You must have a strong will to do what you must. Doubt causes weakness.Weakness causes doubt. Fear cripples us. Believe in your power and youwill become powerful.”

“Each time, before you intercede, be quiet first, and worship God in His glory. Think of what He can do, and how He delights to hear the prayers of His redeemed people. Think of your place and privilege in Christ, and expect great things!”

“For the first time in his life, the very first time in his life, he hated her. Or he tried to, at least. Tried mightily. But it is a hell of a thing to hate your own mother, to hate where you came from, to hate what succored you and nourished you when you could not do it for yourself. A hell of a thing to hate that, even when it hates you, even when it calls you a nothing, calls you garbage and tells you to throw yourself away. Because even then, she is still your mother.”