St. Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa of Avila is celebrated today by the Catholic Church. She was a reformer of the Carmelites, a mystic, and later recognized as a Doctor of the Church. Very much like us, she struggled with sin and yet never gave up her pursuit of holiness.
Her writings in "The Interior Castle" were a favorite among some of the charismatic protestants I had known and a former pastor had spoken of her from time to time. I am not quite sure how her acceptance of illness and suffering would have jived with modern-day charismatic healing theology, but obviously something in her writings rang true for some of us.

"Oh, my Lord! How true it is that whoever works for you is paid in troubles! And what a precious price to those who love you if we understand its value."