In his mentorship as an elder, father Alexei (Mechev) always led the person, under his guidance, to spiritual struggle, in other words, to the hardest and most-important. But everything hard begins with the easy. The external spiritual struggle is necessary, even the smallest. It trains the strength of will, without which any struggle, even more a spiritual one, is impossible. But before that a person has to evaluate his strength and possibilities carefully: “Measure seven times – he said – cut once”. But if you have decided something, you have to do it to the end. Otherwise you won‘t accomplish your goal. For example the prayer rule may not be big, but it has to be done necessarily, no matter tiredness, busyness and other impediments.

From the book “The Life of the Moscow Elder Father Alexei Mechev“