Mrs. Oswald Chambers ~ Book Review

Mrs. Oswald Chambers

By: Michelle Ule

About the Book:

Among Christian devotional works, My Utmost for His Highest stands head and shoulders above the rest, with more than 13 million copies sold. But most readers have no idea that Oswald Chambers' most famous work was not published until ten years after his death. The remarkable person behind its compilation and publication was his wife, Biddy.

Bestselling novelist Michelle Ule brings Biddy's story to life as she traces her from her upbringing in Victorian England to her experiences in a WWI YMCA camp in Egypt to her return to post-war Britain, a destitute widow with a toddler in tow. Refusing personal payment, Biddy published thirty books with her husband's name on the covers, all while raising a child alone, providing hospitality to a never-ending stream of visitors and missionaries, and nearly losing everything in the London Blitz during WWII.

This inspiring story of a devoted woman ahead of her time will quickly become a favorite of anyone who loves true stories of overcoming incredible odds, making a life out of nothing, and serving God's kingdom.

My Review:

Before reading this book, I didn't know anything about Oswald or his wife, Gertrude. She was always called "Biddy", which was the nickname Oswald gave to her. (The nickname was first "Beloved Disciple", then it was shortened to "B.D.", then became "Biddy.") I felt like the author did a very thorough job of researching and providing facts in a somewhat story-like manner. I learned so much about the Chambers-they were a family who had given themselves wholly to God and were devoted to living a life to the extreme for the King. Biddy was an expert in shorthand and each time her husband spoke, she would write down everything he said in shorthand. She filled countless notebooks with his sermons and teachings. From those, she compiled many books, including My Utmost for His Highest. Something interesting I learned about the Oswalds is that they lived in Egypt for many years, ministering and sharing the gospel to soldiers and the natives. They also became close friends of Samuel and Amy Zwemer, missionaries to the Muslims. This was an excellent book, one I'd recommend to most anyone.

I received this book from Baker Books in exchange for an honest review. You can purchase the book here. 

Rare Flowers In the Garden....

Good morning friends! I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend.

I have something very exciting to share with you...on November 18th, I spied a couple of purple flowers on my sweet potato plants. I knew they weren't the potatoes because they grow underground, so I immediately started researching. Turns out, these purple flowers are somewhat rare. :) How cool is that?!

 

 

 Scientists have discovered that these flowers bloom best when there is high humidity combined with damp soil. Trimming the vines back seem to help stimulate bud and flower growth as well. We did receive a ton of rain two weeks ago, and I have been trimming back the potato vines. There are little hairs every few inches on the vine that will implant themselves in the ground and start growing new potatoes. If I didn't trim them, they would just keep growing and overtake everything.

This is the very first sweet potato, picked on November 20th.

These two sweet potatoes were picked on November 22nd. The potato on the left was very large! I couldn't believe how big it was. They tasted pretty good too. There are still quite a few plants in the garden, so I suspect I'll be picking more sweet potatoes in the next couple months. :)

 

 

Have you ever grown sweet potatoes? If so, did they sprout flowers? 

Worth It All ~ Book Review

Worth It All

By: Isabella Morganthal

About the Book:

We are all running a race.
A race that will change our lives…
This is the personal race--the journey—to know Jesus more deeply than we could even imagine, and live completely dedicated to Him. It’s the race of a lifetime. In her third book, Worth it All, National Bible Bee Alumnus Isabella Morganthal shares about her journey as a Bible Bee contestant for five years. Comparing her time as a contestant to a race, she encourages readers to run their own race of knowing Jesus well.
Worth it All is meant to inspire you to live for Jesus radically in a way that shows the world He is worth more to you than anything or anyone else.
So if you’re willing to step onto the racetrack for the race of your life, begin reading.
Ready? Set…
Go.

My Thoughts:

Isabella did a very nice job of writing this book. I found it interesting to read what she saw and felt as she competed in the Bible Bee. I watched the Bible Bee competition two years ago online, and I remember seeing Isabella recite her verses up there on the stage. She certainly grew in the Lord and learned much from memorizing such large portions of Scripture. Isabella shares the tips she used to memorize her verses, and throughout the book, gives glory to God for everything that happened during her years as a Bible Bee contestant. She also kept encouraging the reader that Jesus is worth everything. I thought she could have talked a little more about the Christian's race, but overall, I really enjoyed it. It was an amazing, inspiring, and encouraging book!  I'd say that those ages 12 and up would enjoy this book.

 

Thank you, Isabella, for allowing me to read your book. (I liked how large the print was too. :) ) You are very inspiring and encouraging...keep writing and giving God all the glory!

Click on this link to view Isabella's website and to see other books she has written.

For the Beauty of the Earth

For the Beauty of the Earth

By: Folliott S. Pierpoint  

For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth, over and around us lies:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.

 For the wonder of each hour of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale, and tree and flow'r, sun and moon, and stars of light:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise. 

 For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth, and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise. 

 For Thyself, best gift divine! To our race so freely giv'n;

For that great, great love of Thine, peace on earth and joy in heav'n:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.

Folliot Sandford Pierpoint is the author of this hymn. He was born on October 7, 1835, in Bath, England. After graduating from Cambridge, he taught at Somersetshire College in his hometown of Bath. One Spring day when he was 29, Folliot was walking in the countryside. He saw the ocean of green, the blue dome of heaven, and the winding Avon River cutting through the flowery landscape. Overwhelmed with God's creation, he wrote this poem. Originally, he intended it primarily for Communion services in the Anglican Church, but soon it became associated with the American Thanksgiving holiday. In Folliot's original version, each verse ended with: "Christ, our God, to Thee we raise, this our sacrifice of praise." Little else is known about Folliot Sandford Pierpoint. He resigned from his position at Somersetshire and apparently moved from place to place, teaching, writing hymns, and publishing his poetry. He died in 1917. 

*Friends, I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving. Let us remember to be thankful for not just the extraordinary things, but also for the ordinary ones. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!*

2 Samuel 7:22

Wherefore thou art great, O Lord, God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 

All Creatures of our God and King

All Creatures of Our God and King

By: St. Francis of Assisi

 

 All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing, Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thou burning sun with golden beam, thou silver moon with softer gleam, O praise Him!

O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

Thou rushing wind that art so strong, ye clouds that sail in Heaven along, O praise Him! Alleluia! Thou rising moon, in praise rejoice, ye lights of evening, find a voice! 

O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 

 Thou flowing water, pure and clear, make music for thy Lord to hear, O praise Him!

Alleluia! Thou fire so masterful and bright, that givest man both warmth and light.

O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

And all ye men of tender heart, forgiving others, take your part, O sing ye! Alleluia! 

Ye who long pain and sorrow bear, praise God and on Him cast your care! 

O praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let all things their Creator bless, and worship Him in humbleness, O praise Him! Alleluia!

Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son, and praise the Spirit, Three in One!
O praise Him, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Psalm 146:2

While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.

~~~~~

Hebrews 13:15

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

~~~~~

Revelation 19:4-6

And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts that fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 

~~~~~

Bound Book Review and Blog Tour

A cheery hello to you all! Happy Tuesday! 

Today is the first day of Victoria's blog tour for her second brand new book, Bound. 

About the Book:

  Two souls don’t find each other by simple accident. ~Jorge Luis Borges~

Levi thought he was making this journey alone. But when he meets an eight-year-old girl at the train station, that plan is turned on its head.

Casey is running away and finds out that Levi is too. They decide to journey together and their lives are suddenly bound together in a journey they will not soon forget.

Both children come from abusive situations and are running from the dangers of their previous life. Levi is confident he can handle this on his own, but when Casey is injured on the journey, he must seek help from the first person that comes into his path, or rather people. Mr. and Mrs. Bellworth are simple farm folk with a heart for kids and a passion for serving God. When their unconditional love and gentle care surrounds Levi and Casey, the troubles of their previous lives melt away and they start to flourish. But when Casey is dragged back into the abusive world she came from, the emotional trauma, pain and distrust resurfaces. Will they be forever bound by their past? Or will God answer their prayers?

My Thoughts:

 I first read Bound last year when Victoria posted weekly snippets on her blog. (You may remember she released her first book, London In the Dark, earlier this year.) I love her writing style, and she did a great job of creating this whole, somewhat mysterious story.The beginning has a fantastic attention grabber and this is one of those books that will keep you turning the page. It's a well-written book with a great message. You won't want to put it down! I will warn you, though, Bound is a sad (and real) book; you might even shed a tear or two while reading. It's about a little boy and girl who come from two abusive backgrounds. There are a few places where physical beatings are mentioned, but Victoria did a great job of writing those scenes and didn't go into too much detail.

 The main characters find they aren't only bound by their hurtful backgrounds, but end up also being bound by the saving power of Christ. And they find forgiveness, hope, and peace, which can only be found in Jesus.  Bound is a book that I really enjoyed reading (and will re-read), and would recommend to ages 13+. 

*Victoria, congratulations on publishing your second book, and thank you for allowing me to read, review, and be a part of your tour! Keep writing for the Lord, girl!*

Giveaway! 

 Victoria is having a giveaway to celebrate Bound being published. Just type in your name and email into the widget below to enter. (She's also giving away a couple e-books.) Click here, on this link, to view more details about the giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can find Bound on Amazon, or you can contact Victoria to purchase a signed copy. 

Click here to purchase on Amazon. (It's available in both kindle and paperback forms.)  

About the author:

 Victoria Lynn is in her 20s and if she's not writing, she is probably sewing, singing, playing the piano, washing dishes, creating something with her hands, or learning something new. She has a passion for serving her Creator, encouraging others and being creative. She blogs at www.rufflesandgrace.com about writing, fashion, modesty, her walk with God and life. She lives in Michigan with her parents and 8 siblings. 

All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name

All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name

By: Edward Perronet 

All hail the pow'r of Jesus' name! Let angels prostrate fall;

Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all;

Bring forth the royal diadem, and crown him Lord of all. 

Ye chosen seed of Israel's race, ye ransomed from the fall. 

Hail him who saves you by his grace, and crown him Lord of all;

Hail him who saves you by his grace, and crown him Lord of all. 

Let ev'ry kindred, ev'ry tribe on this terrestrial ball,

To him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all;

To him all majesty ascribe, and crown him Lord of all.

O that with yonder sacred throng we at his feet may fall! 

We'll join the everlasting song, and crown him Lord of all;

We'll join the everlasting song, and crown him Lord of all.

 Edward Perronet was born in 1726 in the English town of Sundridge. He was the son of a well-known and respected vicar (priest) in the Church of England, so he grew up in the parish church. As the evangelical movement headed by John and Charles Wesley swept across the English countryside, the elder Perronet became a trusted counselor to the younger preachers. Often, John Wesley would ride up to the parish on horseback, anxious to discuss with the vicar some matter of doctrine or administration. It was during these visits that Edward developed an admiration for Wesley and his determined efforts to break from the traditional forms of the Anglican church. Edward Perronet broke with his traditionalist background and joined the Wesleys. If it was adventure he sought, he was no to be disappointed. Shortly after his association with John Wesley, Perronet was involved in incidents of persecution where, according to Wesley's diary: "he was thrown down and rolled in mud and mire. Stones were hurled and windows broken." Edward was inspired by his mentor to preach, but had determined never to do so in front of John Wesley. So Wesley surprised Edward. One Sunday morning, John Wesley announced to the congregation that the following day, they would hear a wonderful message from Edward Perronet. Edward was quite shocked and irritated that Wesley would put him in such an uncomfortable position. He did not wish to cause public embarrassment by refusing the evangelist's request, but neither did he feel prepared to present the new day's sermon. In the morning, Edward announced: "Although I have no sermon of my own to give to you, I promise you I shall deliver the finest one ever heard." He then opened his Bible and proceeded to read the sermon on the mount. When he completed the reading, he closed the book and sat down without comment. Several years later, Edward Perronet left the Wesleys and became the pastor of an independent church at Canterbury, England. As he pastored his little flock of country folk, Perronet saw the need for new hymns. He wrote three small volumes of hymns, published in 1756, 1782, and 1785. "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" was included in the second volume, having been previously published in a 1779 issue of Gospel Magazine. The hymn reflects Perronet's conviction that God ought always to be worshipped in great glory and honor, with an emphasis upon his holy kingship. Paired with a beautiful melody written by Edward Srubsole, the hymn became popular across England. However, when it was first introduced in America, a Massachusetts carpenter composed the tune, "Coronation," for the stirring words and it is to this tune that the hymn is best known in the United States. It has been said that whenever Queen Victoria had the hymn played, she would direct that her jeweled crown be removed in deference to the hymn's message that Jesus should be crowned Lord of all. 

Have a blessed week, friends.

Blessings in Christ,

Ashley

Psalm 95:1-6

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.