Another Challenge from One Who Went Before Me

Do you ever feel yourself being challenged in big ways when you read quotes from D.L. Moody, George Mueller, A.W. Tozer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and so on? 

I often write down phrases that convict me, so that I can return to them later (and find them all in one notebook, so I don't have the excuse of wondering where I read something...) and pray about the things that I copied down.

Last week I read this quote from E.M. Bounds ~

     "More time and early hours for prayer would act like magic to revive and invigorate many a decayed spiritual life. - We live shabbily because we pray meanly. - Tarrying in the closet instructs...We are taught by it, and the greatest victories are after the results of great waiting. - Who prays as Jacob prayed, til he's crowned as a prevailing, princely intercessor?"


Am I the only one who is challenged by such words? Wow! What awesome benefits there are to be gained simply by reading the words of previous generations who loved and served the living God! 

Now, I have to say that I in no way suggest or condone reading Bounds or Spurgeon or anyone else in place of the Bible. Get in the Word, daily, or you will never know if the words others have written are in accordance with what the Lord says in the Bible. But if you are looking to be challenged in new ways, in addition to your daily Bible reading and personal prayer time, then why not consider reading some material written by those I've mentioned here? 

Be blessed as you seek hard after the Lord!

Day 3 done :)

Jan L. Burt
author of The Homeschooling Mothers Bible Study 

Attempting to Learn...

I have a hard head, or I am Irish, or maybe just stubborn, or slow of learning. Yea, pretty much all of those. So learning from strong Christians who have gone before me can be a long, slow process. But I am attempting to learn.

Currently I have been studying Andrew Murray, D.L. Moody, and E.M. Bounds. Those men were truly giants in the faith. I doubt I retain and apply much of what I study, but I keep after it nonetheless.

Something that E.M. Bounds wrote stuck me today, so I am going to share it here.


     "Prayer in the time of trouble tends to bring the spirit into perfect subjection to the will of God, to cause the will to be conformed to God's will, and saves from all murmurings over our lot, and delivers from everything like a rebellious heart...Prayer sanctifies trouble to our highest good."


Wow! That flies in the face of self-help books and DIY society, doesn't it?  Sort of embracing the trouble and difficulty as a means to be conformed to God's will by praying over said trouble rather than bemoaning it? Again, wow. I read it, I grasp it, I pray I can live it out in the flesh.

I hope to share more from my studies of these 3 great men in my next several posts. If you have some bold, faith-challenging quotes you would like to share, leave a comment. I'd love to hear them!

Be blessed today as you focus on prayer in the midst of your trouble, and trust Him to conform you to His will as He give you His highest good.

Day 2 done :)

Jan L. Burt
author of The Homeschooling Mothers Bible Study

Why I Am Starting a Second Blog

I'm a busy lady.

Wife to one. Mom to five. Owner of three Pugs and one rabbit. Youth leader. Homeschooler. And so on.

And most of the time I don't feel as if I have the time or energy to do any or all of those "jobs" very well.

So why would I create a second blog? Especially when I don't exactly keep up with my first one?

Because my blog ~ Encouraging Moms Who Homeschool ~ (www.MomsWhoHomeschool.blogspot.com) has a single purpose of encouraging women who home educate their children. And it doesn't have any wiggle room for ministry and encouragement for women who don't homeschool. As my kids have gotten older (2 in college, 3 in high school this fall) the "reach" I have has changed and I find myself talking to, and attempting to Biblically encourage, a much wider swath of women.

So this new blog is sort of like opening a whole new can of worms...hence the really ridiculous name.

The phrase implies that a simple attempt to help better something may well create a far greater mess sums up the way I feel about this second blog. I'm not sure what will happen, what type of posts will wind up here, who I may anger with my (at times) very strong opinions. Nevertheless, I am moving forward and I will let the Lord determine what I blog about. He's far better at handling the messy details of my life anyway!

Thanks for reading my first post on my second blog!

Day 1 done :)

Jan L. Burt
author of The Homeschooling Mothers Bible Study