Isaac Ambrose: Looking Unto Jesus

So I've had this book for a while and the goal is to finish it at some point before I kick the bucket.  Seriously, it is 694 pages of text in size 9 font!  I pick it up and read small portions periodically.  Half of one page is often enough to chew on for days.  Since I think it will be ages before I finish this treasure I decided to skip to the end and read the 1.5 page conclusion.  The last two paragraphs alone have enough to make your heart rejoice... Here's a small sample for your day:

Click to enlarge if necessary.

May your heart rejoice in Christ this day!

44 ways to ruin your financial life....

A blog I follow via my handy dandy GoogleReader posted a link to this website recently, which is a post on another blog about 44 ways to ruin your financial life by age 30.  Given my profession as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and my general love for promoting personal fiscal responsibility/stewardship I loved reading this post and felt it worthy enough to share with you. Let me know what you think!

another gem from Hudson Taylor

I've had multiple posts of late (check out this, this and this if you happened to miss them) with tiny samplings of the gems that can be found in Hudson Taylor's two volume biograpy and here's yet another that I absolutely love:

"God owns all the gold and silver in the world, and the cattle on a thousand hills.  We need not be vegetarians." -Hudson Taylor

another Vita-Mix treat

Several months ago I posted about my new fancy blender (click here if you missed it) and since then I've tried multiple new recipes in it but discovered what is sure to become a new fav this past weekend... Peach Sorbet! This treat is SO simple, Peaches (fresh or frozen), a small bit of your sweetener of choice (of course I'm a huge Splenda fan but for this recipe I used half Splenda and half honey), and a touch of vanilla. Throw it all in the blender and what do you get after about a minute and a half? Frozen Peach Sorbet! Can your blender to that? :)

wondering

I'm wondering if all true believers adopted Hudson Taylor's view of missions how many unreached people groups would still be out there today?

For those of you who are keeping score at home, I am now reading Hudson Taylor: The Growth of a Work of God, which is Volume II.  These books now officially have to be at the top of my "Favorite Books of all Time" list; again I urge you to run get these two books!   **Update: Just so you know, the two volume set is on sale here now!!**

"For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts."   -Malachi 1:11

first time for everything...

Wheatberries. Has anyone out there in the blogosphere ever tried cooking them? Last night, I did and despite the 45 minutes that they have to simmer on the stove, they were incredibly yummy! Super nutty and very filling!

"My Hope is Built"

On their latest album, Everything is Different, Shane and Shane redid the timeless hymn, "The Solid Rock" retitling it "My Hope is Built."  The words are the same but the tune has been slightly modified.  Though the hymn has been around for ages and Shane and Shane's latest album out since last November, the truth found in the following words have arrested my heart yet again this week...  

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

but wholly lean in Jesus' Name

When darkness seems

to hide His face

I rest on His unchanging grace

In every high and stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil

On Christ the solid Rock I stand

All other ground is sinking sand

His oath, His covenant, His blood

Support me in the whelming flood

When all around my soul gives way

He then is all my Hope and Stay

When He shall come

with trumpet sound

Oh may I then in Him be found

Dressed in His righteousness alone

Faultless to stand before the throne

I stand on the Rock Of Ages

more lessons from Hudson Taylor...

Due to a combination of things that the Lord has been working in my heart over the last 6 months this quote from Volume I of Hudson Taylor's biography is having a profound effect in my life in regards to being intentional about having Gospel conversations with folks in MEMPHIS. Most immediately, I'm praying for and talking with my neighbor.  You just can get closer to home than that! 

lessons from Hudson Taylor

I've been reading Volume I of Hudson Taylor's biography The Growth of a Soul.  I can not possibly commend it to you enough.  Here's a brief excerpt to whet your appetite.... Enjoy and then RUN get the book!

prayers from my clothes closet

I was at church last night where they were finishing up a weekend conference on missions.  The speaker for the weekend was encouraging consistent labor in prayer for the nations and unreached people groups all around the globe.  He suggested a simple method that he had adopted for assimilating further prayer for various nations into his daily routine: Each morning when you put on your clothes, take a brief moment to see where the article of clothing you are putting on was made.  Then as you continue to dress for the day spend a few minutes in prayer for that particular country, the unreached people groups there, the advance of the Gospel, the unrestrained worship of Christ, and laborers to go forth.  Genius!  I took a brief survey in my closet this morning and realized that using this method I would quickly be praying for India, Thailand, China, Bangladesh, and even the United States, just to name a few. So today I'm praying for Sri Lanka... who are YOU praying for?