Hannah Whitall Smith
(1832-1911)
US evangelist, and suffragist. She championed feminist causes and 
the right of young women to attend college

 
Faith, like sight, is nothing apart from God. 
You might as well shut your eyes and look inside 
and see whether you have sight as to look inside 
to discover whether you have faith.

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The mother eagle teaches her little ones to fly 
by making their nest so uncomfortable that
they are forced to leave it and commit themselves 
to the unknown world of air outside.
And just so does our God to us.

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 God stirs up our comfortable nests, 
and pushes us over the edge of them, 
and we are forced to use our wings 
to save ourselves from fatal falling. 
Read your trials in this light, 
and see if your wings are being developed.

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The true secret of giving advice is, 
after you have honestly given it, 
to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not, 
and never persist in trying to set people right.