"Prayer is a sincere, affectionate pouring out of the heart to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, according to his Word, for the good of the church, with submission in faith to the will of God." - John Bunyan

I'm reading a book with Caleb called One Thousand Gifts.
It's really quite beautiful and moving and convicting.
I would recommend it to everyone.
Mrs. Voskamp knows Scripture well and knows the gritty-ness of real life well.
She is raw and honest and deep and humble.
Also, on a mushy side note, I really love listening to Caleb read.
Anyway, here is a thought from chapter one.

"From all of our beginnings, we keep reliving the Garden story. Satan, he wanted more. More power, more glory. Ultimately, in his essence, Satan is an ingrate. And he sinks his venom into the heart of Eden. Satan's sin becomes the first sin of all humanity: the sin of ingratitude. Adam and Eve are, simply, painfully, ungrateful for what God gave.

Isn't that the catalyst of all my sins?

Our fall was, has always been, and always will be, that we aren't satisfied in God and what He gives. We hunger for something more, something other" (Voskamp 15).

"Since we took a bite out of the fruit and tore into our own souls, that drain hole where joy seeps away, God's had this wild secretive plan.

He means to fill us with glory again" (Voskamp 17).

"The promise of mercy is traceable throughout the Old Testament. Indeed, God has always had a disposition of kindness towards us. Before Adam and Eve sinned, God had determined to express love and mercy towards his people. There's nothing about sin that has ever changed his mind or altered his plan. And that plan, of course, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ." 

-Dave Harvey