Quotes of the day, December 26

Unless I had the spirit of prayer, I could do nothing.

Charles Grandison Finney

• Prayer
• Spirit

My mother taught me the principles of hard work, setting my own goals and visualizing my future. From my early days with Destiny's Child, I understood I had to be focused and dedicated if I wanted true success. We were taught we needed a plan and the discipline to execute that plan to the fullest. I strongly believe if you work hard, whatever you want, it will come to you. I know that's easier said than done but keep trying.

Beyonce Destiny's Child

• Work
• Believe
• Children

He advised parents and teachers not to "attack or confront" those drawn into extreme, black-and-white thinking, but to "build a bridge of empathy" and listen - to try to understand the underlying pain, even if the ideology is abhorrent.

Christian Picciolini

• Empathy
• Bridge
• Attack

I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him.

Jane Austen

• Man
• Woman
• Accept

The absence of risk is a sure sign of mediocrity.

Charles de Foucauld

• Risk
• Absence
• Mediocrity