--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give…" description: "\"Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks and praise then you will discover the fullness of your life.\" — David Steindl-Rast" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fce/david-steindl-rast-9835_fullness_love-wholeheartedly-be-surprised-give-th_2957282.png" --- # Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks and praise… ![“Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks and praise then you will discover the fullness of your life.” quote by David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fce/david-steindl-rast-9835_fullness_love-wholeheartedly-be-surprised-give-th_2957282.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fce/david-steindl-rast-9835_fullness_love-wholeheartedly-be-surprised-give-th_2957282.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fce/david-steindl-rast-9835_fullness_love-wholeheartedly-be-surprised-give-th_2957282.png) > “Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks and praise then you will discover the fullness of your life.” [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embracing love, surprise, gratitude, and praise leads to a fuller, richer life experience. **In simple terms:** Love, gratitude, and praise create a fuller life. Key Takeaway Practice gratitude daily. Themes gratitude spirituality fulfillment mindfulness Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational spiritual When to use this quote - personal growth - relationships - daily meditation Key Concepts thankfulness presence humility Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate surprise into routine? - What does fullness mean to you? A Different Perspective Gratitude alone may not solve deeper existential issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fullness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fullness/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [“...and after discarding the emptiness of the Big Congested Mess, we discover the fullness of Nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-hoff/and-after-discarding-the-emptiness-of-the-big-congested-mess-we/) [Benjamin Hoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-hoff/) > [I don't think anyone's sexuality needs to be a public issue other than to give others the confidence to love themselves wholeheartedly and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-bowersox/i-don-t-think-anyone-s-sexuality-needs-to-be-a-public-issue-other/) [Crystal Bowersox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-bowersox/) > [You cannot love someone, wholeheartedly, if most of your heart has already been given away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucas-hunter/you-cannot-love-someone-wholeheartedly-if-most-of-your-heart-has/) [Lucas Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucas-hunter/) > [If you give your life as a wholehearted response to love, then love will wholeheartedly respond to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/if-you-give-your-life-as-a-wholehearted-response-to-love-then-love/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Only gratefulness, in the form of limitless openness for surprise, lays hold of the fullness of life in hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/only-gratefulness-in-the-form-of-limitless-openness-for-surprise-lays/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Gratefulness is that fullness of life for which we are all thirsting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/gratefulness-is-that-fullness-of-life-for-which-we-are-all-thirsting/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [The fullness of life is incubated in its messy places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-dickinson/the-fullness-of-life-is-incubated-in-its-messy-places/) [Amy Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-dickinson/) > [I came to a clear conclusion, and it is a universal one: To live, to struggle, to be in love with life--in love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-smith/i-came-to-a-clear-conclusion-and-it-is-a-universal-one-to-live-to/) [Betty Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-smith/) > [“The fullness of life's balancing grace will demand the symmetry of recompense for all your loss and pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-fullness-of-life-s-balancing-grace-will-demand-the-symmetry-of/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [Pray for and work for fullness of life above every thing; full red blood in the body; full honesty and truth in the mind;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillips-brooks/pray-for-and-work-for-fullness-of-life-above-every-thing-full-red/) [Phillips Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillips-brooks/) > [I believe that is what the God experience does for us. It calls us beyond our limits into the fullness of life - into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-believe-that-is-what-the-god-experience-does-for-us-it-calls-us/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [But we have only begun to love the earth. We have only begun to imagine the fullness of life. How could we tire of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/but-we-have-only-begun-to-love-the-earth-we-have-only-begun-to/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [The fullness of life comes from an identity built on giving and on joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-fullness-of-life-comes-from-an-identity-built-on-giving-and-on-joy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-beattie/gratitude-unlocks-the-fullness-of-life-it-turns-what-we-have-into/) [Melody Beattie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-beattie/) > [Faith is more important to me than life itself because without it there would be no fullness of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/faith-is-more-important-to-me-than-life-itself-because-without-it/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) ## More by David Steindl-Rast > [Home and journey together constitute the creative polarity of the heart, the two dimensions we must cultivate if we want to 'develop the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/home-and-journey-together-constitute-the-creative-polarity-of-the/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Only gratefulness, in the form of limitless openness for surprise, lays hold of the fullness of life in hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/only-gratefulness-in-the-form-of-limitless-openness-for-surprise-lays/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [As I express my gratitude, I become more deeply aware of it. And the greater my awareness, the greater my need to express it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/as-i-express-my-gratitude-i-become-more-deeply-aware-of-it-and-the/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Gratefulness makes us aware of the gift and makes us happy. As long as we take things for granted they don't make us happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/gratefulness-makes-us-aware-of-the-gift-and-makes-us-happy-as-long-as/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Any change in attitude changes the way one sees the world, and this in turn changes the way one acts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/any-change-in-attitude-changes-the-way-one-sees-the-world-and-this-in/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [If you learn to respond as if it’s the first day in your life and the very last day, then you will have spent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/if-you-learn-to-respond-as-if-it-s-the-first-day-in-your-life-and-the/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [We have thousands of opportunities every day to be grateful: for having good weather, to have slept well last night, to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/we-have-thousands-of-opportunities-every-day-to-be-grateful-for/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [The universe is gratis. It cannot be earned, nor need it be earned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/the-universe-is-gratis-it-cannot-be-earned-nor-need-it-be-earned/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [...our happiness hinges not on good luck; it hinges on peace of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/our-happiness-hinges-not-on-good-luck-it-hinges-on-peace-of-heart/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [From experience we know that whenever we are truly awake and alive, we are also truly grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/from-experience-we-know-that-whenever-we-are-truly-awake-and-alive-we/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Blessing is the lifeblood throbbing through the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/blessing-is-the-lifeblood-throbbing-through-the-universe/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Beauty seen makes the one who sees it more beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/beauty-seen-makes-the-one-who-sees-it-more-beautiful/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Each one of us is called to become that great song that comes out of the silence, and the more we let ourselves down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/each-one-of-us-is-called-to-become-that-great-song-that-comes-out-of/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [In moments of surprise we catch at least a glimpse of the joy to which gratefulness opens the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/in-moments-of-surprise-we-catch-at-least-a-glimpse-of-the-joy-to/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [...One can learn to focus on 'opportunity' as the gift within every given moment. This attitude towards life always improves the situation. Even in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/one-can-learn-to-focus-on-opportunity-as-the-gift-within-every-given/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) [Explore all 70 David Steindl-Rast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) ## More Fullness quotes > [The protestant world is in great need of examples (like these) that will beckon us to the fullness of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-bickle/the-protestant-world-is-in-great-need-of-examples-like-these-that/) [Mike Bickle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-bickle/) > [So many times we come to Jesus in worship and ask Him for things that He already IS and has already done... What a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-nockels/so-many-times-we-come-to-jesus-in-worship-and-ask-him-for-things-that/) Christy Nockels > [The future teachers I try to recruit are those show have refused to let themselves be neutered in this way, either in their private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-future-teachers-i-try-to-recruit-are-those-show-have-refused-to/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [We all carry it within us: supreme strength, the fullness of wisdom, unquenchable joy. It is never thwarted, and cannot be destroyed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huston-smith/we-all-carry-it-within-us-supreme-strength-the-fullness-of-wisdom/) [Huston Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huston-smith/) > [What will be the crown of those who, humble within and humiliated without, have imitated the humility of our Savior in all its fullness!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernadette-soubirous/what-will-be-the-crown-of-those-who-humble-within-and-humiliated/) [Bernadette Soubirous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernadette-soubirous/) > [Everyone suffers; life is pain; and death is the final punctuation at the end of that sentence, so deal with it. I really think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sufjan-stevens/everyone-suffers-life-is-pain-and-death-is-the-final-punctuation-at/) [Sufjan Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sufjan-stevens/) > [Most people's lives are run by desire and fear. Desire is the need to add something to yourself in order to be yourself more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-s-lives-are-run-by-desire-and-fear-desire-is-the-need-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might also pray in the fullness of your joy and in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/you-pray-in-your-distress-and-in-your-need-would-that-you-might-also/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [There are happy blues, sad blues, lonesome blues, red-hot blues, mad blues, and loving blues. Blues is a testimony to the fullness of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-harris/there-are-happy-blues-sad-blues-lonesome-blues-red-hot-blues-mad/) Corey Harris > [I believe certain members of the U.S. Congress have aided in the oppression and diversion of critical information that could have revealed a fullness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-gritz/i-believe-certain-members-of-the-u-s-congress-have-aided-in-the/) [Bo Gritz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-gritz/) > [The gifts that Yeshua left in the earth realm to enforce His authority were apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists. The gift that gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-pierce/the-gifts-that-yeshua-left-in-the-earth-realm-to-enforce-his/) [Chuck Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-pierce/) > [The word of God is complete, and those who don't preach the word in its fullness are false teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/the-word-of-god-is-complete-and-those-who-don-t-preach-the-word-in/) [Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/) > [When the New Testament speaks about the fullness of grace which we find in Christ, it does not mean only forgiveness, pardon and justification.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-b-ferguson/when-the-new-testament-speaks-about-the-fullness-of-grace-which-we/) [Sinclair B. Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-b-ferguson/) > [“All men are hungry. They always have been. They must eat, and when they deny themselves the pleasures of carrying out that need, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-men-are-hungry-they-always-have-been-they-must-eat-and-when-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Life is an illusion which wisely prevents you from seeing yourself fully.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/life-is-an-illusion-which-wisely-prevents-you-from-seeing-yourself/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) [Browse all 490 Fullness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fullness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks and praise then you will discover the fullness of your life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Steindl-Rast" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/love-wholeheartedly-be-surprised-give-thanks-and-praise-then-you-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fullness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/love-wholeheartedly-be-surprised-give-thanks-and-praise-then-you-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fce/david-steindl-rast-9835_fullness_love-wholeheartedly-be-surprised-give-th_2957282.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fce/david-steindl-rast-9835_fullness_love-wholeheartedly-be-surprised-give-th_2957282.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fce/david-steindl-rast-9835_fullness_love-wholeheartedly-be-surprised-give-th_2957282.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks and praise then you will discover the fullness of your life.” — David Steindl-Rast", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Steindl-Rast", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Love wholeheartedly, be surprised, give thanks...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/love-wholeheartedly-be-surprised-give-thanks-and-praise-then-you-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/love-wholeheartedly-be-surprised-give-thanks-and-praise-then-you-will/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```