[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fQtDA-K0DctL5eLQsSPC1hIUylrTl_v2HLQnyQbD79BU":3,"$f_CREgqqub7eS1Fn1fyExUXQozUtJ0z4U5VpiLO9vLdg":12},{"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},13528,"Richard J. Foster","R",186,null,"richard-j-foster",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":78},[14,22,28,35,42,48,54,60,66,72],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":9},3373240,"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.",6,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":23,"quote_text":24,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":25,"source":26,"quote_tag":27,"commentary":9},3373239,"Simplicity, then, is getting in touch with the divine center.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":29,"quote_text":30,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":31,"source":32,"quote_tag":33,"commentary":34},3373238,"For now, do not worry about “proper” praying, just talk to God. Share your hurts, share your sorrows, share your joys – freely and openly. God listens in compassion and love, just like we do when our children come to us.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nThis quote is likely from Richard J. Foster's book \"Celebration of Discipline,\" where he emphasizes the importance of authentic communication with God. Written in the 1970s, Foster was reflecting on the need for a more personal and relatable approach to prayer, moving away from rigid formulas and dogma. At that time, Foster was grappling with the limitations of traditional Christian practices and seeking to revitalize the spiritual lives of his readers.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe hidden insight in this quote lies in the tension between \"proper\" praying and simply \"talking to God.\" Foster is suggesting that our conventional notions of prayer as a formal, structured, and often intimidating experience can actually hinder our ability to connect with God. By acknowledging that God listens with compassion and love, just like a parent does with a child, Foster is pointing to a more vulnerable and open approach to prayer, one that prioritizes authenticity over propriety.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset today, take a cue from Foster and approach prayer as a conversational dialogue with God, rather than a formal exercise. By sharing your emotions, thoughts, and experiences with God in a free and open manner, you can cultivate a more intimate and meaningful relationship with Him.",{"id":36,"quote_text":37,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":38,"source":39,"quote_tag":40,"commentary":41},3373237,"Prayer is a little like that. With simplicity of heart we allow ourselves to be gathered up into the arms of the Father and let him sing his love song over us.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nRichard J. Foster, a renowned Christian author and theologian, likely penned this quote in the context of his spiritual writings. As a prominent figure in the modern Christian movement, Foster's work often explored the intersection of spirituality and everyday life. This quote likely originated from one of his books, such as \"Celebration of Discipline\" or \"Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home,\" where he delved into the intricacies of prayer and spiritual growth.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe quote reveals a profound paradox: that true prayer is not about achieving a specific state or feeling, but rather about surrendering one's expectations and allowing oneself to be enveloped by the Father's love. This simplicity of heart is not a natural state, but rather a choice that requires letting go of our need for control and our tendency to complicate the spiritual life.\n\n**How to Use This**\nTo apply this mindset in today's fast-paced world, practice embracing the unknown by surrendering your need for control and clarity in prayer. Allow yourself to be gathered up by the Father's love, not by trying to orchestrate a specific outcome or emotional response, but by simply being present with an open heart.",{"id":43,"quote_text":44,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":45,"source":46,"quote_tag":47,"commentary":9},3373236,"I said that every Discipline has its corresponding freedom. What freedom corresponds to submission? It is the ability to lay down the terrible burden of always needing to get our own way. The obsession to demand that things go the way we want them to go is one of the greatest bondages in human society today.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":49,"quote_text":50,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":51,"source":52,"quote_tag":53,"commentary":9},3373235,"Martin Luther declares that the life of the Christian should be one of daily repentance. Daily we confess, daily we repent, daily we “turn, turn, ’til we turn ’round right.” The Prayer of Tears is the primary aid to our turning.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":55,"quote_text":56,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":57,"source":58,"quote_tag":59,"commentary":9},3373234,"When the poor farmer of India is unable to buy a gallon of gasoline to run his simple water pump because the world’s demand has priced him out of the market, who is to blame?",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":61,"quote_text":62,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":63,"source":64,"quote_tag":65,"commentary":9},3373233,"There simply are no biblical laws that command regular fasting. Our freedom in the gospel, however, does not mean license; it means opportunity.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":67,"quote_text":68,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":69,"source":70,"quote_tag":71,"commentary":9},3373232,"God’s blessing is not for personal aggrandizement, but to benefit and bless all the peoples of the earth. To understand the distinction makes all the difference in the world. The theology of wealth says, ‘I give so that I can get.’ Christian simplicity says, ‘I get so that I can give.’ The difference is profound.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":73,"quote_text":74,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":75,"source":76,"quote_tag":77,"commentary":9},3373231,"If worship does not change us it has not been worship.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"currentPage":79,"totalPages":80,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":81},1,19,10]