--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Although I never found a church where I…" description: "\"“Although I never found a church where I felt completely at home again, I made a new home in the world. I renewed my membership in the priesthood of al..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_consolation-prize_although-i-never-found-a-church-where-i_1365334.png" --- # Although I never found a church where I felt completely at… ![“Although I never found a church where I felt completely at home again, I made a new home in the world. I renewed my membership in the priesthood of all believers, who may not have as much power as we would like, but whose consolation prize is the freedome to meet God after work, well away from all…” quote by Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_consolation-prize_although-i-never-found-a-church-where-i_1365334.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_consolation-prize_although-i-never-found-a-church-where-i_1365334.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/barbara-brown-taylor-3225_consolation-prize_although-i-never-found-a-church-where-i_1365334.png) > ““Although I never found a church where I felt completely at home again, I made a new home in the world. I renewed my membership in the priesthood of all believers, who may not have as much power as we would like, but whose consolation prize is the freedome to meet God after work, well away from all centers of religious command, wherever God shows up.”” [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Finding spiritual home beyond institutional churches, embracing a universal priesthood that offers freedom to encounter the divine in everyday life. **In simple terms:** Spiritual belonging can be found outside formal religion. Key Takeaway Cultivate personal spiritual practice. Themes spirituality community freedom faith identity Mood contemplative hopeful serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily meditation - community service - nature walks - artistic expression - personal rituals Key Concepts theology existentialism ecumenism Questions to Reflect On - Where do you feel most connected to the divine? - How can you balance personal faith with communal expectations? A Different Perspective Institutional structures may still influence personal spirituality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Completely Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/completely-home-469710/) [Consolation prize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consolation-prize/) [Meet God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meet-god/) [Membership Priesthood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/membership-priesthood-4685902/) [Priesthood Believers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/priesthood-believers-1694150/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [World Renewed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-renewed-1853916/) ## Related quotes > [“The New Testament pictures the church as an every-member ministry. The “priesthood of all believers” is not just a Reformation watchword but a biblical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-ogden/the-new-testament-pictures-the-church-as-an-every-member-ministry-the/) [Greg Ogden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-ogden/) > [Deep in the human heart The fire of justice burns; A vision of a world renewed Through radical concern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wallace/deep-in-the-human-heart-the-fire-of-justice-burns-a-vision-of-a-world/) [William Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wallace/) > [It is through beauty, poetry and visionary power that the world will be renewed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-tatar/it-is-through-beauty-poetry-and-visionary-power-that-the-world-will/) [Maria Tatar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-tatar/) > [A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval. There is nothing more satisfying than that sense of being completely "at home" in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-man-cannot-be-comfortable-without-his-own-approval-there-is-nothing/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart always will be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miriam-adeney/you-will-never-be-completely-at-home-again-because-part-of-your-heart/) [Miriam Adeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miriam-adeney/) > [I feel completely at home in the absurdities of India.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/upamanyu-chatterjee/i-feel-completely-at-home-in-the-absurdities-of-india/) [Upamanyu Chatterjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/upamanyu-chatterjee/) > [“Being somewhere but not completely: that was home for Danny, and it sure as hell was easier to land than a decent apartment. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/being-somewhere-but-not-completely-that-was-home-for-danny-and-it/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [“Home is with the person you love, and who loves you back stupidly and completely. Home is the space of peace in your heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-young/home-is-with-the-person-you-love-and-who-loves-you-back-stupidly-and/) [Suzanne Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-young/) > [Being somewhere but not completely: that was home for Danny. . . . All he needed was a cellphone or I-access, or both at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/being-somewhere-but-not-completely-that-was-home-for-danny-all-he/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [Being a professional musician with Downhere for 11 years now, I feel completely at home on stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-martel/being-a-professional-musician-with-downhere-for-11-years-now-i-feel/) [Marc Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-martel/) > [But where, after we have made the great decision to leave the security of childhood and move on into the vastness of maturity, does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/but-where-after-we-have-made-the-great-decision-to-leave-the-security/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [“Justice didn’t compensate for the loss of human life. Justice was an intellectual concept, inevitably trumped by emotion. Justice was the word we used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-scottoline/justice-didn-t-compensate-for-the-loss-of-human-life-justice-was-an/) [Lisa Scottoline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-scottoline/) > [Before an attack, the platoon pools all its available cash and the survivors divide it up afterwards. Those who are killed can't complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/before-an-attack-the-platoon-pools-all-its-available-cash-and-the/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [“When I was a kid, I used to watch that show, sitting on the couch in my pajamas and wishing more than anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/when-i-was-a-kid-i-used-to-watch-that-show-sitting-on-the-couch-in-my/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) ## More by Barbara Brown Taylor > [The poets began drifting away from churches as the jurists grew louder and more insistent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/the-poets-began-drifting-away-from-churches-as-the-jurists-grew/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [I decided I got to say whether I was Christian or not, and so I've relaxed enormously since then. I'm the one who gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/i-decided-i-got-to-say-whether-i-was-christian-or-not-and-so-i-ve/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [Having been brought up with a definition of faith as adherence to a set of beliefs, I have more and more begun to turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/having-been-brought-up-with-a-definition-of-faith-as-adherence-to-a/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [I don't miss the ministry, because I'm completely engaged in it. In terms of parish ministry, I miss the intimacy with a group of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/i-don-t-miss-the-ministry-because-i-m-completely-engaged-in-it-in/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [ With all the conceptual truths in the universe at His disposal \[Jesus\] did not give them something to think about together when He was… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/with-all-the-conceptual-truths-in-the-universe-at-his-disposal-jesus/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [There comes a time when it is vitally important for your spiritual health to drop your clothes, look in the mirror, and say, ‘Here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/there-comes-a-time-when-it-is-vitally-important-for-your-spiritual/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [The problem is, many of the people in need of saving are in churches, and at least part of what they need saving from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/the-problem-is-many-of-the-people-in-need-of-saving-are-in-churches/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [“I cannot say for sure when my reliable ideas about God began to slip away, but the big chest I used to keep them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/i-cannot-say-for-sure-when-my-reliable-ideas-about-god-began-to-slip/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [I love being alone. I learned that from my father, I think, who loved his own company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/i-love-being-alone-i-learned-that-from-my-father-i-think-who-loved/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [There was no time anymore to be quiet or still or pray. So, in many ways, that's what led to my downward spin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/there-was-no-time-anymore-to-be-quiet-or-still-or-pray-so-in-many/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [The beauty in the losing is a loss finally of self-consciousness. There's a gorgeous moment that can happen in all kinds of places. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/the-beauty-in-the-losing-is-a-loss-finally-of-self-consciousness/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [“The world for which you have been so carefully prepared is being taken away from you,' he said, 'by the grace of God.' (Walter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/the-world-for-which-you-have-been-so-carefully-prepared-is-being-2/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [So if waiting is an aggravation, it is at least partly because we do not like being reminded of our limits. We like doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/so-if-waiting-is-an-aggravation-it-is-at-least-partly-because-we-do/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [Jesus was not killed by atheism and anarchy. He was brought down by law and order allied with religion, which is always a deadly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/jesus-was-not-killed-by-atheism-and-anarchy-he-was-brought-down-by/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) > [It can be difficult to be an introvert in church, especially if you happen to be the pastor. Liking to be alone can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-brown-taylor/it-can-be-difficult-to-be-an-introvert-in-church-especially-if-you/) [Barbara Brown Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) [Explore all 136 Barbara Brown Taylor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-brown-taylor/) ## More Consolation prize quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“When I was a kid, I used to watch that show, sitting on the couch in my pajamas and wishing more than anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-thomas-ford/when-i-was-a-kid-i-used-to-watch-that-show-sitting-on-the-couch-in-my/) [Michael Thomas Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-thomas-ford/) > [Before an attack, the platoon pools all its available cash and the survivors divide it up afterwards. Those who are killed can't complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-graves/before-an-attack-the-platoon-pools-all-its-available-cash-and-the/) [Robert Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-graves/) > [“Justice didn’t compensate for the loss of human life. Justice was an intellectual concept, inevitably trumped by emotion. Justice was the word we used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-scottoline/justice-didn-t-compensate-for-the-loss-of-human-life-justice-was-an/) [Lisa Scottoline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-scottoline/) > [“People often attempt to compensate for this loss of hope by comforting themselves with “consolation prizes”: easy but self-destructive habits like too much TV,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-o-connor/people-often-attempt-to-compensate-for-this-loss-of-hope-by/) [Richard O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-o-connor/) > [“I wish you could see yourself through my eyes. Every woman who’s met you wants a shot at you. How could you ever think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/i-wish-you-could-see-yourself-through-my-eyes-every-woman-who-s-met/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [“You are unwilling to pay that price, even knowing that the consolation prize is not only to learn every philosophy that has ever existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krisi-keley/you-are-unwilling-to-pay-that-price-even-knowing-that-the-consolation/) [Krisi Keley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krisi-keley/) > [“She did not want to be a consolation prize. Be pitied or a distraction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/she-did-not-want-to-be-a-consolation-prize-be-pitied-or-a-distraction/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [It's always been a dream of mine, and a childhood fantasy, to play a great champion. I would much rather haven been an athlete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/it-s-always-been-a-dream-of-mine-and-a-childhood-fantasy-to-play-a/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [“I was trying to apologize,” she said, relief and humor easing into her eyes and curving her lips. “You didn’t answer my question.” He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-kauffman/i-was-trying-to-apologize-she-said-relief-and-humor-easing-into-her/) [Donna Kauffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-kauffman/) > [“He had entered into every relationship in his life in good faith, reveling in the breathless flush of new love for as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/he-had-entered-into-every-relationship-in-his-life-in-good-faith/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [Such simple and steady acts of kindness are the essence of love, the substance of life. All of us need love; all of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-d-newell/such-simple-and-steady-acts-of-kindness-are-the-essence-of-love-the/) [Lloyd D. Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-d-newell/) > [The greater the artist, the greater the doubt. Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hughes/the-greater-the-artist-the-greater-the-doubt-perfect-confidence-is/) [Robert Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hughes/) > [I mean to say, really, I am near to developing a neurosis - is there anyone around who doesn't want to study or kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-carriger/i-mean-to-say-really-i-am-near-to-developing-a-neurosis-is-there/) [Gail Carriger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-carriger/) > [“His consolation prize was a hat. A battered fedora that looked as if it had blown off of Humphrey Bogart during the filming of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-brockmann/his-consolation-prize-was-a-hat-a-battered-fedora-that-looked-as-if/) [Suzanne Brockmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-brockmann/) [Browse all 39 Consolation prize quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consolation-prize/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Although I never found a church where I felt completely at home again, I made a new home in the world. 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