ramblin_rosie | A bit of encouragement...

Promised this to

nuranar, but I thought there might be someone else who could use it as well.

From William of St. Thierry's Exposition on the Epistle to the Romans:
(Rom. 1:13) But I have been hindered up to now – Hindered by whom? If we say ‘by God,’ it is certainly not unworthy of God to dispose of his servants’ acts, for he knows on which city the rain of the word of God should fall, and on which it should not. Therefore we find in the Acts of the Apostles, ‘We wished to go into Bythnia but the Spirit of Jesus forbade us.’ If we say that Paul was hindered by Satan, as he himself clearly says elsewhere [I Thess. 2:18], God sometimes permits this in order to put his servants’ perseverance to the test. But be assured that Satan cannot in any way know or disturb a holy intention or a holy counsel that is stirring in one’s heart, unless he becomes aware of it from external signs. But what is shown forth through outward signs he can block, only if God permits.

Also: I have been having entirely too much fun today with This Week in Texas History and thought I'd share. :D