Alas, if our children lose the crown of life, it will be but a small consolation that they have won the laurels of literature or art.
There are no crown-wearers in heaven who were not cross-bearers here below.
You cannot be Christ’s servant if you are not willing to follow him, cross and all. What do you crave? A crown? Then it must be a crown of thorns if you are to be like him. Do you want to be lifted up? So you shall, but it will be upon a cross.