“We call an obsession with having someone's approval 'co-dependency;' t...” — John Ortberg Quote

“We call an obsession with having someone's approval 'co-dependency;' the Bible's word for it is idolatry. A country can be an idol. A family can be an idol.”

“If we are serious about loving God, we must begin with people, all people. And especially we must learn to love those that the world generally discards.”

“As much as we complain about it, though, there's part of us that is drawn to a hurried life. It makes us feel important. It keeps the adrenaline pumping. It means I don't have to look too closely at my heart or life. It keeps us from feeling our loneliness.”

“Am I trying to win the approval of human beings or God? If I were still trying to please people I would not be a servant of Christ.”

“With Marvel, I obviously don't own the characters, so there are levels of approval to go through. But I'm very seldom told no, and never without reason. Maybe I've just been lucky; I don't know, but I don't think it's as frustrating as people generally imagine. I act as though I own it all while I'm writing, I think. I hope, anyway.”

“I started saying things in church that didn't meet with a lot of approval - like 'Jesus isn't coming back.' They started throwing Bibles.”