SOME OF PATI'S FAVORITE WORDS BY OTHERS

Some of Pati's Favorite Words by Other Wordsmiths

"There isn't much that I can do,

but I can share my bread with you,

and sometimes share a sorrow, too -

as on our way we go.

There isn't much that I can do,

but I can sit an hour with you,

and I can share a joke with you,

and sometimes share reverses too -

as on our way we go.

There isn't much that I can do,

but I can share my flowers with you,

and I can share my books with you

and sometimes share your burdens, too -

as on our way we go.

There isn't much that I can do,

but I can share my songs with you,

and sometimes come and laugh with you -

as on our way we go.

There isn't much that I can do,

but I can share my hopes with you,

and I can share my fears with you,

and sometimes shed some tears with you -

as on our way we go.

There isn't much that I can do,

but I can share my friends with you,

and I can share my life with you,

and oftentimes share a prayer with you -

as on our way we go."

- Author Unknown

"Giver of life, Creator of all that is lovely,

Teach me to sing the words to Your song;

I want to feel the music of living

And not fear the sad songs

But from them make new songs

Composed of both laughter and tears.

Teach me to dance to the sounds of Your world

and Your people,

I want to move in rhythm with Your plan,

Help me to try and follow Your leading

To risk even falling

To rise and keep trying

Because You are leading the dance."

- Author Unknown

"I danced on Friday when the sky turned black

Oh, it's hard to dance with the devil on your back

They buried My body and they thought I'd gone

But I am the dance and the dance goes on

Dance, dance, wherever you may be

I am the Lord of the dance, said He

And I will lead you all wherever you may be

I'll lead you all in the dance, said He."

- Sydney Carter

"It is amazing how much you can learn in one year. Just like Paul, who was knocked off his mule into the dust on the way to Damascus, and discovered God, I had a rude awakening. I'm not sure I learned anything much about mortality, or death, or pain, or even love, although in the years since, I have found that that one horrible year has given me a perspective on all those things I wouldn't otherwise have had. "Before" and "after" for me was not just before my mother's illness and after her death. It was the dividing line between seeing the world in black and white, and in Technicolor. The lights came on, for the darkest possible reason." - Anna Quinlan, A Short Guide to a Happy Life

"God made man because He loves stories." - Elie Wiesel

"My assumption is that the story of any one of us is in some measure the story of us all." - Frederic Buechner

"If we'd just roll up our sleeve & get involved in opportunities before us, God could accomplish great things through us.” - Jill Briscoe

“Let us guard our hearts and keep our work for the Lord from becoming more consuming

than our delight in the Lord.” - Roy Lessin

“God has designed a purpose for my life, and through that purpose He will bring glory to Himself.”
- Joan Horner

“Great news: We’re called to bless, not impress.” - Holley Gerth

“It’s finally time for me to speak. As I step into the spotlight it seems God whispers,

“You’re not here to impress them. You’re here to bless them.”

Oh, yes. How had I forgotten?

Peace flows over me and words from God’s heart flow through me.

It feels as if it’s not about me at all. And that’s exactly as it should be...because it isn’t...

I’m sharing this because we’ll all have moments when it feels like

we are entirely inadequate for the task in front of us - even if we’ve conquered it before.

In those moments, the best thing we can do is remind ourselves again it’s not about us.

It’s about serving. It is about encouraging.

It’s about grabbing that spotlight and swinging it as hard as we can in the direction of Jesus...

We’re all a little more afraid than we like to admit.

And we’re all a lot more loved than we realize.

So let’s dare to step into whatever place God has for us and remember,

“I’m not here to impress them’ I’m here to bless them.”

Our lives are messages written by God that only we can deliver.”

- Holley Gerth

"When I stand before God at the end of my life -

I would hope that I would have not a single bit of talent left and could say,

“I used everything You gave me.”

Erma Bombeck

“If He has become God alone to you, giving powerful evidence of His unfailing love,

you have a story to tell. Start talking.” - Beth Moore

“There’s always hope when Jesus is writing your story.” - Holley Gerth

“We serve God faithfully when we use our gifts to honor Him.” - Jennifer Studio JRU

“IN CHRIST, no matter the road, storm, the story...we always know the outcome.

Our Savior surrounds us. Our future is secure. Our joy is certain.” - Ann Voskamp

“Love is the willful and joyful sacrifice of ourselves in the service of others

so that they might be blessed.” - The Gospel Coalition

“But let the preacher take heart. He is called not to be an actor, or a magician, in the pulpit. The preacher is called to be himself-- called to tell the truth as he has experienced it. He is called to be human, and that is calling enough for any person. If the minister does not make real to them the human experience of what it is to cry into the storm and receive no answer, to be sick at heart and find no healing, then he becomes the only one there who seems not to have had that experience because most surely under their bonnets and shawls and jackets, under their afros and ponytails, all the others there have had it whether they talk of it or not. As much as anything else, it is their experience of the absence of God that has brought them there in search of God's presence, and if the preacher does not speak of that and to that, then he becomes like the captain of a ship who is the only one aboard who either does not know that the waves are twenty feet high and the decks awash or will not face up to it so that anything else he tries to say by way of hope and comfort and empowering becomes suspect on the basis of that one crucial ignorance or disingenuousness or cowardice or reluctance to speak in love any truths but the ones that people love to hear.”

-Frederick Buechner with slight adaptations