Lysa TerKeurst quotes:

No matter your age, stage of life, or circumstances, don't forget to dare to dream with God. You don't have to figure anything out. Just keep saying yes to Him, in big ways and small, and watch what He does.

Dear Lord, forgive me for all of the times I've compared myself to others. I know that You have hand-picked all of my qualities. Help me to see these things as beautiful reminders of Your great love in creating me as Your daughter. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Spending some time getting quiet can really be the best remedy for tangled situations. Taking a step back from all the emotion, frustration, and exhaustion to sit quietly with Jesus will do more to untangle a mess than anything else I've ever found.

God is mighty. God is caring. God is worthy of praise. God is loving. God is able. God is in control. Nothing takes God by surprise. Some sweet reminders to soak in before falling asleep tonight.

I was made for more than being stuck in a vicious cycle of defeat. I am not made to be a victim of my poor choices. I was made to be a victorious child of God.

Regardless of where you are tonight, God is with you. God is wooing you. God wants you to experience Him. Whatever you are going through today, you can find His joy and peace. However distant your dreams may seem, God is working things out, and today is an important part of that process.

The secret to healthy conflict resolution isn't taking a 'you against me' stance. The secret is realizing it's 'us against Satan.' He's the real enemy.

Jesus, I don't want to be a secret keeper with my faith. I want to be a bold and gracious truth proclaimer. For You. With You. Because of You. Me, the unwanted girl whom You loved, redeemed and wanted.

Big things are built one brick at a time. Victories are achieved one choice at a time. A life well lived is chosen one day at a time.

This morning, you have a choice. You can lay in the dark replaying the awful events of the week, or you can turn the light on and read God's Word-His truth-which is the best thing to do when lies are swarming and painful thoughts are attacking like a bunch of bloodthirsty mosquitoes.

Trying to fix another person will only add to my anxiety. Letting Jesus work on me is where real progress can happen.

No person, possession, profession, or position ever fills the cup of a wounded, empty heart. It's an emptiness only God can fill.

Remember who you are. Don't compromise for anyone, for any reason. You are a child of the Almighty God. Live that truth.

I have discovered a few things that help me when God seems silent... - Press in to God when you want to pull away. - Praise God out loud when you want to get lost in complaints. - Put yourself in the company of truth (reading Scriptures and surrounding yourself with positive, Godly people.)

It is a rare and beautiful thing when we choose to offer love in situations when most people would choose to scorn or ignore.

Remember, the Devil loves to make us focus on the little that's wrong so we miss the big picture of all that's right.

Great love isn't two people finding the perfect match in one another. Great love is two people making the choice to be a match.

Being uncertain and scared and riddled with doubt some days isn't a sign of bad things to come. It's actually quite the opposite. After all, if great things weren't on the horizon, I don't think the enemy would be so bent on attacking us.

Whatever has you afraid, angry, intimidated or frustrated tonight - take it to our all-powerful and all-capable God. He has the answer.

Progress. Just make progress. It's okay to have setbacks and the need for do-overs. It's okay to draw a line in the sand and start over again - and again. Just make sure you're moving the line forward. Move forward. Take baby steps... Then change will come. And it will be good.

Scars are beautiful when we see them as glorious reminders that we courageously survived.

At the end of the day, honoring God leads to good things. Anything else leads to confusion, emotional exhaustion and a lack of good things.

Truth is the only healthy place from which to speak. Assumption is the birthplace of godless chatter.

I'm an encourager at heart. I love to give words of encouragement and I love to receive words of encouragement. That's probably why words of discouragement affect me so deeply.

When to give grace? I'd rather stand before God knowing I loved others too much rather than regretting that I judged too harshly.

You have the exact qualities God knew your kids would need in a mother. Each day, hold up your willingness and ask God to make you the best version of you that you can possibly be.

When we have the same thought again, the line of the original thought is deepened, causing what's called a memory trace. With each repetition the trace goes deeper and deeper, forming and embedding a pattern of thought. When an emotion is tied to this thought pattern, the memory trace grows exponentially stronger.

I can face things that are out of my control and not act out of control.

Outside our comfort zone, though, is where we experience the true awesomeness of God.

How I wish we could all see the cost of our choices as clearly as a price tag on items in a store. If I know how much something is going to cost me, I make much wiser choices. But we have an enemy who schemes against us to keep the cost of dumb decisions concealed until it's too late.

Today, let's set our minds and hearts on feeling more thankful for what we are than guilty for what we're not. Let's cut the threads of guilt with grace.

Having faith doesn't mean I have all the answers. It means trusting God especially in the midst of uncertainty.

This life is not about me. It's about joining hands with Jesus to fulfill whatever tasks He sets before me and to share His love with all He brings my way.

Feelings are indicators, not dictators. They can indicate where your heart is in the moment, but that doesn't mean they have the right to dictate your behavior and boss you around. You are more than the sum total of your feelings and perfectly capable of that little gift . . . called self-control.

Most of us spend years chasing things in this world that we think will make us feel loved. But everything this world has to offer is temporary. Everything. The kind of love our souls crave is lasting, eternal. And only God can fill up our hearts with that kind of love.

Here's an encouraging word for someone tonight - don't think you're not doing what God called you to do just because things don't seem as glamorous as you thought they would be. If you are a woman who honors God right where you are, you are in ministry. Keep being obedient, keep looking for the next open door of opportunity, and above all else hold closely to our Lord.

Refusing to gossip is a beautiful decision to make. It not only creates richer friendships but, more importantly, it makes our relationship with the Lord more authentic and believable. We honor God when we honor each other.

I want to honor Jesus with the things I say and the things I choose not to say. Lord, help us all be so careful with sharing opinions as if they are truth.

Everything I do and say tells a story of who I am serving. If I am acting out of anger and spite, I am serving the father of darkness and spreading his darkness. If I am honoring to the Lord with my actions, I am serving to further the name of Jesus and spreading His light.

Lord, help me to see what comes my way as an opportunity instead of an inconvenience.

Instead of wishing things would change, I'm asking God for His strength to make a change.

We need to make peace with who we are so insecurities don't become a distraction to how we live. Just because I sometimes feel insecure doesn't mean I have to be insecure.

Having God as an identity marker is nothing but a label, a language, and a lifestyle. I'm a Christian. I talk like one. I act like one. But having God as an identity changer is so much more. It's lavish abandon to who God is and who He's made me to be. Holding nothing back!

Satan has no power over us except what we allow. Moment by moment, decision by decision, step by step - will we operate in God's all powerful Truth or allow Satan to entangle us in his lies?

Not reaching back for what was lost in my yesterdays. And not reaching for what I hope will be in my tomorrow. But living fully with what is right in front of me. And truly seeing the gift of this moment.

Person who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul. So if we want to live better and invest wisely in our souls, we've got to change our approach to the way we make decisions. We've got to rethink how we use the two most powerful words, yes and no.

My goal should never be to raise kids that make me look good. (Oh but how my flesh craves this!) My goal should be to raise kids who love God and spend their lives making His goodness known in their corner of the world.

Raw emotions - anger, frustration, bitterness, resentment - are the feelings we tend to hide from people we want to impress but spew on those we love the most.

Toxic thoughts leave no room for truth to flourish. And in the absence of truth, lies reign. Spend some time soaking in your favorite verses from Scripture tonight. The more we read God's truths and let truth fill our minds, the less time we'll spend contemplating untruths and toxic thoughts.

God never intended for us to rely on others for our sense of well being. Only He is equipped to provide that.

Compromise built upon compromise equals failure. Instead, resisting temptation allowed promise upon promise to be built up in my heart, and that creates empowerment.

If I really want an unrushed life, I must underwhelm my schedule so God has room to overwhelm my soul.

So, I'm not on a diet. I'm on a journey with Jesus to learn the fine art of self-discipline for the purpose of holiness.

Wounds. Broken places.Possibility.Change.Steps toward holiness.Imperfect progress.The hurt in those who hurt me---their underbellies.Grace.Love.Me looking alot more like Jesus than I did before.And to discover through all this seeing---being unglued isn't all that bad.

It is good for God's people to be put in a place of longing so they feel a slight desperation. Only then can we be empty enough and open enough to discover the holiness we were made for. When we are stuffed full of other things and never allow ourselves to be in a place of longing, we don't recognize the deeper spiritual battle going on.

Tackle issues not people. Am I trying to prove my point or improve the relationship?

God is using all of your experiences, both good and bad, to develop your character to match your calling.

Brokenness to redemption, where mercy and grace kiss both sides of our face.Brokenness where we are split open.Redemption where God knits us back together.Mercy when we don't get the punishment we do deserve. Grace when we get the lavish love gifts we don't deserve. So here we are.

Forgiveness is mandatory; reconciliation is optional.

The decisions you make determine the schedule you keep. The schedule you keep determines the life you live. And how you live your life determines how you spend your soul.

We want big directional signs from God. God just wants us to pay attention.

So often, we want big directional signs from God. God just wants us to pay attention. But we need to leave enough space in our days to get up from our prayers and actually look for God in the moment-to-moment things that happen.

Remember: even the smallest drop of God's strength is more than enough to cover our frailties, our shortcomings, and the places where we deem ourselves weak.

Motherhood - no matter if you're a working mom or stay at home mom - is really tough sometimes. It can really leave us each day with a sense of wondering if we're doing it right. You know, it's a long term investment. You don't see big returns in the short term. Raising a child can easily pull you into being hyper-focused on the tough everyday moments of life.

Don't let people's compliments go to your head, and don't let their criticisms go to your heart. The degree to which you do either of these things is the degree to which you'll be ruled by what other people think of you.

The only way our faith will ever strengthen is for us to use it. We need to apply thought and prayer to our decisions and then trust God for the outcome. We need to set our sights on growing in faith, not shrinking back for fear of failure.

Today, let's be determined to see blessings in the midst of things that seem like burdens.

Tonight, no matter what you're going through... backtrack and remember all the places where God has been so faithful before in your life. And know. Know with assurance. And boldness. And confidence. He is the same faithful God.

Wise women tuck Godly wisdom into the words they speak and even more into the words they choose not to speak.

A woman who is careful with her words is a gift to all who know her.

A woman who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul.

As I make goals for this year... Jesus, let your thoughts become my thoughts and bend my will to Your will.

Bad moments don't make bad mommas.

Because He's near, we dont have to be anxious or feel out of control. We have peace that rises above any circumstance!

Being married is amazing. Being married is incredibly difficult. Being married can seem impossibly hard. Being married is incredibly beautiful. Yes, marriage is a fragile blend of all of this and more.

Conflict tip: What comes out of someone else's mouth is a reflection of their heart ... not yours.

Determine to pray more words over your marriage than you speak about your marriage.

Do not confuse the command to love with the disease to please.

Don't allow the unrealistic demands of others to march freely into your life.

Don't get so locked in to your overwhelming schedule that you haphazardly spend your soul.

Don't let the hurt of today blind you to the hope of tomorrow. Disappointment ushers in a new appointment.

Don't put the whole of your identity into the smallness of a situation.

Each and every thing I say yes to sets the pace of my life.

Even Jesus, the Savior of the world, had to take time each day to ask for his portion.

Faith is learned through life.

Feelings should be indicators, not dictators.

Find that courageous yes. Fight for that confident no.

Food can fill our stomachs but never our souls. Posessions can fill our houses but never our hearts. Sex can fill our nights but never our hunger for love. Children can fill our days but never our identities. Jesus wants us to know only He can fill us and truly satisfy us.

Getting healthy isn't just about losing weight. It's not limited to adjusting our diet and hoping for good physical results. It's about recalibrating our souls so that we want to change - spiritually, physically, and mentally. And the battle really is in all three areas.

God can take what Satan meant for shame and use it for His glory. Just when we think we've messed up so badly that our lives are nothing but heaps of ashes, God pours His living water over us and mixes the ashes into clay. He then takes this clay and molds it into a vessel of beauty. After He fills us with His overflowing love, He can use us to pour His love into the hurting lives of others.

God does not want to make us comfortable as much as He wants to make us comfort-able - to take the comfort that we receive and share it with others.

God gave me emotions so I could experience life, not destroy it

God has challenged me to grow in my knowledge of Him but I have to CHOOSE whether or not to display this growth through my actions.

God invites us today to live a great story with Him.

God loves to take people from broken backgrounds and surprise them with possibilities.

God made us to consume food. He did not make food to consume us.

God never intended us to want anything more than we want Him. Just the slightest glimpse into His Word proves that, Look at what the Bible says about God's chosen people, the Israelites, when they wanted food more than they wanted God: 'They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved' (Psalm 78:18). Yikes

God will always do great things with people who are willing to be faithful in the small things.

God, I want to see You. God, I want to hear You. God, I want to know You. God, I want to follow hard after You. And even before I know what I will face today, I say yes to You.

How to overcome that seemingly impossible issue... Pray more words about it than you speak.

Humility opens the door of opportunity.

I give grace because I so desperately need it.

I know deep hurt. But I also know deep hope. Sometimes God's power is shown as much in preventing things as it is in making them happen. We may never know why. But we can always know and trust the Who.

I must exchange whispers with God before shouts with the world.

I realize how desperately I need grace, therefore I try to lavishly give it.

I so desperately want my words to be indicative of how deeply and completely I love my people.

I want my kids to head out the door full of peace, not the echoes of my frustrations.

I want to learn how to be more thankful for what I am, than guilty for what I'm not.

If I'm going to call myself a person of faith, I need to be willing to live a life that actually requires faith.

If I'm trusting myself, I will stare at all the possible ways I could fail. If I'm trusting God, I will stare at all the possible ways He'll use this whether I fail or succeed.

If you are a woman who honors God right where you are, you are in ministry.

If you desire to please God with the decision you make and afterward it proves to be a mistake, itâ??s an error not an end.

If you give your mess to the Messiah, He can turn it into a message.

Instead of always looking to get fulfillment from my loved ones and the other blessings in my life, I can simply enjoy them for what they are.

It's not my perfect performance that captures God's attention. It's my complete dependence on Him that He notices.

Jesus didn't mean this as a sweeping command for everyone who has a lot of money. Jesus meant this for any of us who wallow in whatever abundance we have. I imagine Jesus looked straight into this young man's soul and said, 'I want you to give up the one thing you crave more than me. Then come, follow me.'