Quotes by James Platt

“Disciples like Peter, Andrew, James, and John show us that the call to follow Jesus is not simply an invitation to pray a prayer; it is a summons to lose our lives.””

“Seeing what happened in Scripture to people who proclaimed God’s Word will come close to talking you out of being a preacher. Those who proclaim the Word of God don’t often end up well in the world.””

“True religion consists of just and consistent demonstrations of supernatural, selfless love..it means more than simply saying hello..to visit orphans and widows means to seek them out with a deep concern for their well-being and a clear commitment to care for their needs..People who live according to the ways of the world, James says, give attention and honor to the kind of people who can benefit them the most, who have the most to offer them in return for their kindness..True religion counters culture and results in sacrificially caring for people who can benefit you the least, who have the least to offer you in return for your kindness..For in Christ, Christians have been adopted into an entirely new family that rises far above physical lineage..We have not been put on this earth simply to preserve our genetic material..when you come to Christ, another bloodline becomes far more important to you. The blood of Christ on a cross makes you who you are, unites you as a church, and compels you to risk shame and ridicule in your culture to show that Christ cares for those who have no family..While God has called certain families to adopt and foster, he has called other families to give foster children rides to and from various places, other families to cook meals for foster families, and still other families to watch adopted children so that adoptive parents can have some time alone..For we are not rescuers giving our lives and families to save orphans and widows in need; instead, we are the rescued whose lives have been transformed at our deepest point of need.””

“The Platte!” I gasped. “None other,” Leeds said. “That’s the sorriest river in America. You’ve heard all the jokes about the Platte. ‘Too thick to drink, too thin to plow.’ That’s a nothing river.””

“Wendy Shalit and Carol Platt Liebau. Their books, written separately, are must-reads for every parent who wants to understand the culture and protect his or her girls from those who would subvert their moral character. Shalit wrote A Return to Modesty and Girls Gone Mild. Liebau is the author of Prude. These three books expose the toxic nature of the hookup (or raunch) culture and warn of its devastating impact on both boys and girls. I recommend them highly.””