"Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives" by Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

This was an excellent read, Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives , on how much our thoughts/perceptions/impulses/wants effect our lives.  His teachings are simple and clear to understand.  Truly, Elder Thaddeus was blessed by the Holy Virtues from God.  This book turned out to be full of wonderful insights that can guide one to the Truth of Faith and Christian praxsis.  Here are just a few, my book has much more excerpts highlighted and ear-marked that I would love to share but you should read the book for yourself and let it guide you.

"We must learn to ease the burden of thoughts that bears down upon us.  As soon as we feel burdened, we must turn to the Lord and give our worries over to Him, as well as the worries and cares of our loved ones. [snip]  As for me, how can I help others when I cannot even help myself?"


"Our thoughts determine our whole life.  If our thoughts are destructive, we will have no peace.  If they are quiet, meek, and simple, our life will be the same, and we will have peace within us."


"All of [the Saints] say that the perfection of the Christian life is in extreme humility.  This means that patient long-suffering is what we most need in this life.  We must bear everything patiently and forgive all."


"Everything, both good and evil, comes from our thoughts.  Our thoughts become reality."


"Our starting point is always wrong.  Instead of beginning with ourselves, we always want to change others first and ourselves last.  If everyone were to begin first with themselves, then there would be peace all around!"


"When we nurture evil thoughts, we become evil. [snip]  And we know that, as [Orthodox] Christians, we must not even think evil, let alone do it."


"We, however, have Divine power, Divine life, and Divine energy.  On the day of the Final Judgment we shall have to give an answer for the way we have used this Divine power, life, and energy which have been given to us: whether we have contributed to the harmony in the universe, or have sown disharmony."


"The Kingdom of God will not make its abode in the heart of a person who has no obedience, for such a person always wants his will - rather than God's - to be done."


Why does the Lord command us to love our enemies and to pray for them?  Not for their sake, but for ours!  For as long as we bear grudges, as long as we dwell on how someone offended us, we will have no peace."


"We must suffer much in our hearts until we learn humility.  The Lord is ever standing by our side..."


"God is a mystery to all beings.  God is in us, and that is why we are a mystery to our own selves."


"We must be obedient to the will of God in order to learn humility and meekness while we are still in this life, while there is still time.  A heart that is full of love thinks not of itself, but of others.  It prays for all living things and for the whole world."


"We should defend one another, for we are brothers - especially we who are of one Faith."