Our identity rests in God's relentless tenderness for us rev... - Brennan Manning, Abba's Child: The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging

"In Love's service, only wounded soldiers can serve."

"we unwittingly project onto God our own attitudes and feelings toward ourselves... But we cannot assume that He feels about us the way we feel about ourselves -- unless we love ourselves compassionately, intensely, and freely."

"Define yourself radically as one beloved by God. This is the true self. Every other identity is illusion."

"As we come to grips with our own selfishness and stupidity, we make friends with the impostor and accept that we are impoverished and broken and realize that, if we were not, we would be God. The art of gentleness toward ourselves leads to being gentle with others -- and is a natural prerequisite for our presence to God in prayer."

"The sorrow of God lies in our fear of Him, our fear of life, and our fear of ourselves. He anguishes over our self-absorption and self-sufficiency... God's sorrow lies in our refusal to approach Him when we sinned and failed."