[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fIU2zRNeKXOkGJQj3Z8ALLcCnR20m9krbTDmxVU1_1Ok":3,"$fGMCbhL0Hdnvn7VlX7DWHJ_icAUve65jkJq1zfNR64Wo":20},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},12201,"Jen Pollock Michel","J",30,null,"jen-pollock-michel",[12,16],{"tag_id":13,"tag_name":14,"tag_count":15},16609,"discipleship",12,{"tag_id":17,"tag_name":18,"tag_count":19},12987,"sovereignty-of-god",7,{"quotes":21,"pagination":207},[22,36,51,66,90,107,131,148,168,185],{"id":23,"quote_text":24,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":26,"author":27,"source":28,"quote_tag":29,"commentary":35},737727,"The author says our prayers are misdirected when we ask God that He help us to love Him more. If we pray to him more, we will love Him more.",2,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[30],{"id":31,"tag":32},3559039,{"id":33,"tag_name":34},20594,"glory-of-god","**The Backstory**\nJen Pollock Michel, a Canadian author and speaker, wrote these words in her book \"Do They Hear You When You Cry?\" which explores the intersection of faith and emotions. The quote reflects her contemplation on the nature of prayer and intimacy with God, likely influenced by her experiences as a writer and a Christian. During this time, Michel may have been grappling with the complexities of faith and the human condition.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a counter-intuitive truth: the idea that seeking a deeper emotional connection with God through prayer is actually a hindrance to genuine love for Him. Michel suggests that our prayers are misdirected when we focus on feeling a certain way about God, rather than simply being present with Him. This insight highlights the tension between seeking emotional experience and cultivating a more profound, unforced love for God.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, recognize that your prayers are not about inducing a certain emotional response, but about being present with God in the midst of your experiences. Instead of asking God to help you love Him more, focus on being with Him in the midst of your struggles and doubts, allowing your love for Him to grow organically from this place of presence.",{"id":37,"quote_text":38,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":26,"author":39,"source":40,"quote_tag":41,"commentary":50},724325,"Holy desire can be learned. All prayer is part work and part rest.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[42,45],{"id":43,"tag":44},3525081,{"id":13,"tag_name":14},{"id":46,"tag":47},3525082,{"id":48,"tag_name":49},43238,"intimacy-with-god","**The Backstory**\nJen Pollock Michel, a Canadian author and speaker, likely penned this quote in the context of her book \"Teaching from Rest: A Sabbath Mindset for the Overwhelmed\" (2015). At that time, Michel was reflecting on her own struggles with burnout and the importance of finding balance in a chaotic world. As a pastor's wife and mother, she was acutely aware of the pressure to perform and the need for rest in a culture that often values productivity above all else.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a profound paradox: holy desire, the driving force behind our prayers and passions, can be learned. This counters the common assumption that holy desire is an innate or unattainable quality, reserved for the spiritually gifted. Instead, Michel suggests that it can be cultivated through a combination of effort and surrender, much like the rhythm of work and rest.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset, consider scheduling \"work\" and \"rest\" into your daily or weekly routine, not just as separate tasks, but as complementary aspects of your spiritual practice. By intentionally pairing periods of focused effort with periods of surrender and relaxation, you can tap into the transformative power of holy desire and cultivate a deeper sense of purpose and fulfillment.",{"id":52,"quote_text":53,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":26,"author":54,"source":55,"quote_tag":56,"commentary":9},707150,"God is the I AM that I AM not the I AM that we wish.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[57,60,63],{"id":58,"tag":59},3481312,{"id":17,"tag_name":18},{"id":61,"tag":62},3481310,{"id":13,"tag_name":14},{"id":64,"tag":65},3481311,{"id":33,"tag_name":34},{"id":67,"quote_text":68,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":26,"author":69,"source":70,"quote_tag":71,"commentary":9},668507,"According to Aquinas, effort may not be the best measure of our virtue.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[72,77,82,87],{"id":73,"tag":74},3376512,{"id":75,"tag_name":76},102,"religion",{"id":78,"tag":79},3376513,{"id":80,"tag_name":81},7772,"self-denial",{"id":83,"tag":84},3376511,{"id":85,"tag_name":86},15800,"legalism",{"id":88,"tag":89},3376510,{"id":13,"tag_name":14},{"id":91,"quote_text":92,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":26,"author":93,"source":94,"quote_tag":95,"commentary":9},668113,"Kingdom is a signpost to the holy.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[96,101,104],{"id":97,"tag":98},3375519,{"id":99,"tag_name":100},7735,"ministry",{"id":102,"tag":103},3375517,{"id":13,"tag_name":14},{"id":105,"tag":106},3375518,{"id":33,"tag_name":34},{"id":108,"quote_text":109,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":26,"author":110,"source":111,"quote_tag":112,"commentary":9},618987,"Dinner is a cacophonous exercise of holy sanctification.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[113,118,123,128],{"id":114,"tag":115},3226572,{"id":116,"tag_name":117},86,"family",{"id":119,"tag":120},3226574,{"id":121,"tag_name":122},4751,"parenthood",{"id":124,"tag":125},3226573,{"id":126,"tag_name":127},10744,"graciousness",{"id":129,"tag":130},3226571,{"id":13,"tag_name":14},{"id":132,"quote_text":133,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":26,"author":134,"source":135,"quote_tag":136,"commentary":9},618964,"Blessing and obedience do comfortably and mysteriously coexist.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[137,140,143],{"id":138,"tag":139},3226507,{"id":121,"tag_name":122},{"id":141,"tag":142},3226505,{"id":13,"tag_name":14},{"id":144,"tag":145},3226506,{"id":146,"tag_name":147},19008,"grace-of-god",{"id":149,"quote_text":150,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":26,"author":151,"source":152,"quote_tag":153,"commentary":167},571520,"We all have a tendency to use prayer to dictate to God.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[154,159,164],{"id":155,"tag":156},3060749,{"id":157,"tag_name":158},85,"faith",{"id":160,"tag":161},3060751,{"id":162,"tag_name":163},3283,"surrender",{"id":165,"tag":166},3060750,{"id":17,"tag_name":18},"**The Backstory**\nJen Pollock Michel's quote \"We all have a tendency to use prayer to dictate to God\" is likely rooted in her personal experiences and theological reflections. As a Christian writer and speaker, Michel often grapples with the complexities of faith and prayer. This quote may have originated from her book \"Do They Hear You When You Cry: A Novel\" (2004) or from a series of sermons or talks she delivered on prayer and faith.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe hidden insight in this quote lies in its subtle critique of the human tendency to use prayer as a means of control rather than surrender. Michel is pointing out that prayer can often become a way of imposing our will on God, rather than humbly seeking His guidance and wisdom. This tension between control and surrender is a common paradox in the Christian faith, where believers are called to trust in God's sovereignty while still taking action in the world.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, recognize when you're using prayer as a way to dictate to God, rather than seeking His guidance and wisdom. Practice surrender by asking open-ended questions in prayer, such as \"What do you want me to learn from this situation?\" or \"How can I trust you in this moment?\" By doing so, you'll cultivate a deeper sense of humility and trust in God's sovereignty.",{"id":169,"quote_text":170,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":26,"author":171,"source":172,"quote_tag":173,"commentary":184},555235,"All prayers that beseech the mercy of God are finally and fully answered in that suffering Servant Whom God sent, Jesus Christ. We, even our desires, are saved because HE was bruised.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[174,179],{"id":175,"tag":176},3004257,{"id":177,"tag_name":178},2992,"justification",{"id":180,"tag":181},3004259,{"id":182,"tag_name":183},15926,"sanctification","**The Backstory**\nThis quote is likely from the writings of Jen Pollock Michel, a Canadian author and speaker known for her work on theology, culture, and the human experience. While the specific origin of this quote is unclear, it reflects Michel's broader theological themes and her emphasis on the significance of Jesus Christ in understanding suffering and redemption. As a Christian author, Michel has written extensively on the intersection of faith and everyday life, often exploring the ways in which suffering can be a catalyst for spiritual growth and transformation.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a counter-intuitive truth about the nature of prayer and suffering. On the surface, it seems to suggest that our prayers are answered because of Jesus' suffering, but the deeper insight is that our desires are actually saved because Jesus was bruised, implying that our salvation is not contingent on our own merit or deservingness, but rather on the fact that Jesus has already taken on the burden of our sin and suffering. This tension highlights the paradox that our salvation is not something we earn or deserve, but rather something that is freely given to us through Jesus' sacrifice.\n\n**How to Use This**\nIn applying this mindset to modern life, consider that your worth and value are not tied to your own achievements or efforts, but rather to the fact that you are seen and loved by God through Jesus Christ. This can free you from the burden of trying to earn your own salvation or self-worth, and instead allow you to approach challenges and difficulties with a sense of trust and reliance on God's mercy and provision.",{"id":186,"quote_text":187,"author_id":5,"source_id":25,"has_image":26,"author":188,"source":189,"quote_tag":190,"commentary":9},546789,"Only he who cries out for the persecuted Jews can sing Gregorian chants. – Dietrich Bonhoeffer",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[191,196,201,204],{"id":192,"tag":193},2967579,{"id":194,"tag_name":195},2833,"obedience",{"id":197,"tag":198},2967580,{"id":199,"tag_name":200},4398,"worship",{"id":202,"tag":203},2967577,{"id":99,"tag_name":100},{"id":205,"tag":206},2967576,{"id":13,"tag_name":14},{"currentPage":208,"totalPages":209,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":210},1,3,10]