Plato Quote

"Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something."  -Plato


(I don't agree with everything Plato came up with because human philosophy directly contradicts the Bible, but I thought he was right on when he said this!)

17 Amazing Quotes

Helping One Another


1. "No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else."  -Charles Dickens


Contentment


2.  "All our discontents about what we want appear to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have."  -Daniel Defoe


3.  "All our discontents about what we want appear to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have."  -Martin Luther


4.  "The secret of contentment is the realization that life is a gift, not a right."  -Unknown


Things


5.  "I will place no value on anything I have or may possess except in relation to the kingdom of Christ." -David Livingstone


6.  "I have held many things in my hands, and have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess."  -Martin Luther


Sold Out for Christ


7.  "My dear Jesus, my Savior, is so deeply written in my heart, that I feel confident, that if my heart were to be cut open and chopped to pieces, the name of Jesus would be found written on every piece."  -St. Ignatius of Antioch


8.  "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."  -Jim Elliot


Encouragement


9.  "It is impossible for that man to despair who remembers that his Helper is omnipotent."  -Jeremy Taylor


Forgiveness


10.  "He who cannot forgive others destroys the bridge over which he himself must pass."  -George Herbert


Friends


11.  "A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend; one human soul whom we can trust utterly; who knows the best and the worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults; who will speak the honest truth to us, while the world flatters us to our face, and laughs at us behind our back."  -Charles Kingsley


Complete in Christ


12.  "None but God can satisfy the longing of the immortal soul; as the heart was made for Him, He only can fill it."  -Richard Trench


Hard Times


13.  "You are never to complain of your birth, your training, your employments, your hardships; never to fancy that you could be something if only you had a different lot and sphere assigned you. God understands His own plan, and He knows what you want a great deal better than you do. The very things that you most deprecate, as fatal limitations or obstructions, are probably what you most want. What you call hindrances, obstacles, discouragements, are probably God's opportunities. Bring down your soul, or rather, bring it up to receive God's will and do His work, in your lot, in your sphere, under your cloud of obscurity, against your temptations, and then you shall find that your condition is never opposed to your good, but really consistent with it."  -Horace Bushnell


Relationship with God


14.  "He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely find Him the rest of the day."  -John Bunyan


Pride


15.  "You can have no greater sign of confirmed pride than when you think you are humble enough."  -William Law


The Tongue


16.  "One of the first things which a physician says to his patient is, 'Let me see your tongue.' A spiritual advisor might often do the same."  -Nehemiah Adams


17.  "When I want to speak let me think first. Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? If not, let it be left unsaid."  Maltbie Davenport Babcock




Note:  All quotes are from Christian Quotes.

What to Do This Halloween

I can count on one hand the number of times my family has been at the house on Halloween.  Usually we turn all the lights off, lock up, and head to Grandma's or take part in our church's Fall Festival in place of being obligated to buy and give away candy to the trick-or-treaters.  However, one Halloween we actually stayed home, but candy wasn't the only treat the children got.

Why not make this otherwise pagan night into an opportunity to take the gospel into dozens of homes you will never have the chance to personally visit?  With every piece of candy you drop into their bag, include a gospel tract or two.  Who knows the impact your efforts will make in the life of a little kid, his friends, and parents?  Take advantage of the one night all year that children will come knocking at your door, asking for a treat.  Plus, the parents will think it's cool that they're getting something other than straight sugar.

I like to use eye-catching tracts like the "Ticket to Heaven," "Million Dollar Bill," and cartoon tracts.  Here are my favorite places online to get gospel tracts:

Living Waters

Chick Publications

Yes, it's an evil holiday and I don't personally celebrate it.  However, how neat would it be if someone came to Christ through a tract you gave out while kids were out trick-or-treating?

Psalm 103

I found a beautiful picture that illustrates Psalm 103:8-12 while getting ready to copy and paste the entire Psalm.  Try out the link for a picture, or if that doesn't work, just go to www.kingjamesbibleonline.org and search for Psalm 103... the picture is down near verse 15.


¹Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
 ²Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
 ³Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
 ⁴Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
 ⁵Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
 ⁶The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.
 ⁷He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.
 ⁸The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
 ⁹He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
 ¹⁰He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
 ¹¹For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
 ¹²As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
 ¹³Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
 ¹⁴For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
 ¹⁵As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.
 ¹⁶For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.
 ¹⁷But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;
 ¹⁸To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
 ¹⁹The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.
 ²⁰Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
 ²¹Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
 ²²Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.

Stay in the Castle

Ever felt like you're at a crossroads?  Stay in the Castle has made a major impact on my life, and the same is true for countless other young ladies.  This small book tells of one teenage girl's struggle to wait for the man God had created for her.  Because this story is true, it has become on of my favorite recommendations.  To read testimonies about how much of a blessing Stay in the Castle has been to readers, click here.

Even slow readers like me will only take 20 minutes to read the whole thing, and it's only $2.50.  No matter what your relationship status, this book will be an encouragement.  I can't fathom anyone not being blessed by it!  Whether you are courting, dating, thinking of getting in a relationship, or dreaming of suitors, get this book!!  It is a wonderful reminder to every young lady to wait on the Lord and Stay in the Castle.

Lady in Waiting

This was required reading for Ladies Class at Heartland Baptist Bible College, but I count it as one of my personal favorites!  Drawing principles from the life of Ruth, Lady in Waiting explains how to serve the Lord to the fullest while single.  Issues such as contentment, purity, and devotion are dealt with clearly and objectively in this helpful book.

A friend asked me if having a boyfriend made the book any less relevant for me, since it was written primarily for "dateless" ladies.  I honestly feel like every chapter can be applied to my life, regardless of my relationship status.  Any unmarried lady NEEDS to read this book!  It's so easy to look at married women with envy, while forgetting that the single woman has several advantages over a lady with a husband and children.

There's nothing more pitiful than a discontent single lady, floating through life while dreaming about the man who will someday come sweep her off her feet.  Lady in Waiting reveals how Ruth was far from this description, and how we need to become God's best while waiting for Mr. Right.

October Craziness

I was rushing to the library to print a paper, shivering under my hoodie.  Stephen, who was enjoying the cool morning, stood by the edge of the sidewalk and gave a cheerful, "Good morning!" to all who passed by.  When I passed him, he asked, "Are you enjoying the beautiful weather?"  I irritatedly replied,  "I'm cold!"  He happily suggested, "Oh, come on... look at the sunrise!"

I turned around to behold the beauty of the first few rays peeping over the horizon.  October had hit me with all its insanity -- mid-terms, Alumni Homecoming, and Dorm Day -- and it had become so easy to pass by something as simple as the sunrise.  Yes, I was in a hurry; yes, I was cold; but it was refreshing to soak in a piece of God's creation for a moment.

I know firsthand how crazy college life can be, but let me encourage everyone to never get so busy that you never enjoy a still, quiet moment like watching the sun rise.