“In my religious community, the Quakers, there are many different understandings of God, and some might not even believe in a God, as such. From that perspective, the God in question is an inner experience, the love and connection felt between people, maybe a metaphor which could help me to live a better life. With God within and alongside rather than above, there would be no actual giver for the gift. But I still feel gratitude.”
“When I go up to kiss my sleeping children and linger with them, in quietness and love, that is prayer. There is a wordless unity of God, myself, my children, a sense of gratitude and reverence, awareness of my need for strength, shame for my failings, a promise to try again.”
November 2025: This theme of Gratitude was chosen in acknowledgment of the Thanksgiving season here in the United States. In early Quaker texts, this sentiment is more often communicated as “awe,” and we explore these roots as well as more modern practices that build spiritual resilience in good times and bad.
“We began this month reading theologians’ interpretations of this quote and of the Scripture from which it is thought to be derived. Along the way we learned more about what early Friends meant by the Inner Light and that, in searching for the Light in others, we should remember to see the Light in ourselves. We read that although it is often difficult to love our neighbors, we have something new to learn about God in every interaction.”
“I think we exist to discern and do the will of God, and that looks like a lot of different things. Historically, Friends have experienced God asking us to listen—asking us to preach—asking us to care for each other—asking us to bear witness in the world. Sometimes the purpose of the Quaker community is to join (or lead) the nonviolent protest, to stand face to face against injustice, to be arrested, to prevent harm or, at least, to shine a spotlight on that harm. And sometimes the purpose of the Quaker community is to make sure the parent who’s just had surgery doesn’t have to worry about dinner. Oftentimes, I think it’s both.”
“If we love God and give ourselves to Him, we must give ourselves to the whole world. Otherwise we would divide off our personal experience of God from His Greatness and Infinite Presence and turn what ought to be dedication into private enjoyment.
One of the holy miracles of love is that once it is really started on its path, it cannot stop: it spreads and spreads in ever-widening circles till it embraces the whole world in God. We begin by loving those nearest to us, end by loving those who seem farthest. And as our love expands, so our whole personality will grow, slowly but truly. Every fresh soul we touch in love is going to teach us something fresh about God.”
There’s that of odd in everyone / It goes with being God’s daughter or son / It’s there in saints, outliers, and outlaws / It’s in what’s perfect, it’s in what’s broken / Inarticulate or well spoken / It’s where your genius meets your tragic flaws
“Based on the Quaker tenet that there is that of God in each person springs forth our guidelines for living, our testimonies, which are equality, peace, integrity, simplicity, and community. If there is that of God in each of us, we are all equal and we should treat each other that way. If there is that of God in each of us, why would we harm another person? We need to conduct our lives in peace and nonviolence. If there is that of God in each of us, we should live simply and not squander our extras. We should share them with those who don’t have and not waste our money or our resources on things we don’t need.”
“Our life is love, and peace, and tenderness; and bearing one with another, and forgiving one another, and not laying accusations one against another; but praying one for another, and helping one another up with a tender hand, if there has been any slip or fall.”
“Take time to learn about other people’s experiences of the Light. Remember the importance of the Bible, the writings of Friends and all writings which reveal the ways of God. As you learn from others, can you in turn give freely from what you have gained?”
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