So you want to date my daughter?

Jared Wilson's 12 points to any potential suitors for the affections of his daughter:

So you want to date my daughter?


(Just keeping it on file for a few years down the line!).
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John Harper and the Titanic

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100 years ago today the Titanic struck an iceberg on her maiden voyage which would lead to the ship sinking within 3 hours. There have been lots of documentaries and news items recently marking the centenary, none more interesting than this. It tells the story of John Harper, former pastor of Paisley Road Baptist Church (now called Harper Memorial) in my home city of Glasgow.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-17706311

Edit: Here's the video for those unable to view it on the BBC's site:



More on John Harper from Harper Memorial's site here: http://01d4e46.netsolhost.com/blog/?page_id=192
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And what are my troubles?

.The following is an excerpt from the diary of James Smith:

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all!” 2 Corinthians 4:17

And what are my troubles? 

A furnace to purge my dross,
a rod to correct my folly,
a burden to roll on my Lord,
a whip to drive me from man,
a medicine to cure me of sin,
a bridle to check my pride,
a knife to probe my wounds, and
a mirror to give me a faint view of my deserts.

But I want to be sweetly submissive to my lot. I want to acknowledge the love, justice, and compassion of my God in these things. I want . . .
to take honey out of the carcass of this lion,
to suck honey from the end of this rod, and
to find oil flowing out of this apparently flinty rock!

But, alas! I often rebel, murmur, and repine at the rebukes of the Lord. I too often look at man working, instead of looking to the Lord over-ruling. I am apt . . .
to quarrel with the human instrument–and forget the divine agent; 
to bite the stone–instead of looking for the hand which threw it!"

(James Smith’s autobiography, “Marvelous Mercy!” 1862)

HT: Ocean of Grace Blog