Bitter Things

Be strong
We are not here to play, to dream, to drift
We have hard work to do and loads to lift
Shun not the struggle; face it
'Tis God's gift.

Phillips Brooks

I thank God for the bitter things;
They've been a friend to grace
They've driven me from the paths of ease
To storm the secret place.

Florence White Willets

William Wilberforce (1759-1833)

Let us not despair; it is a blessed cause, and success, ere long, will crown our exertions. Already we have gained one victory; we have obtained, for these poor creatures, the recognition of their human nature, which, for a while was most shamefully denied. This is the first fruits of our efforts; let us persevere and our triumph will be complete. Never, never will we desist till we have wiped away this scandal from the Christian name, released ourselves from the load of guilt, under which we at present labour, and extinguished every trace of this bloody traffic, of which our posterity, looking back to the history of these enlightened times, will scarce believe that it has been suffered to exist so long a disgrace and dishonour to this country.

William Wilberforce,speech before the House of Commons, 18 April 1791

Reviews that are worthy of a great review.

I love old books. I love Little Women, Jane Eyre and Anne of Green Gables. Such books are such a feast of word and thought that you can read again and again and you find such a balm in going back to them. The heroines inspire and amuse and wake up a well of creativety.

I don't know I have come accross a recent contemporary writer with a similar propensity with one notable exception. This writer is not well known and she has not written any published material in the normal sence of someone with such a gift.

Her name is Lanier Ivester and she is a housewife and lives in the state of Georgia. She has not published in the traditional sence but she blogs at http://www.laniersbooks.com/

Read here to find reviews that recommend, and teach just as much as they enthuse on the books themselves.

They are worthy of a review and the author should consider writing and publishing herself, as she has been told before!

Extracts from Psalm 73

Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart,

But as for me, my foot had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold,
For I envied the arrogant when I saw the
prosperity of the wicked
....

When my heart was grieved and
my spirit embittered,
I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you
....

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterwards you will take me into glory.
....

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion for ever.
....

Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you
....

But as for me it is good to be near God.
I have made the sovereign Lord my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.