Monday 25 May 2020

The Bibliophile Sweater Tag


I stole this tag from Abigayle... a long time ago. XP Finally getting around to doing it!! 

Rules (more like guidelines...)
- Give the person who tagged you a never-ending supply of cookies (or just thank them - either works). || No one tagged me... but I’ll give Abi a thank you for sharing the tag. XP  
- Answer all the questions and use the blog graphic for this tag somewhere in your post. || Check!  
- Pass along the tag to at least five other people. || I’ll try!  
- Wear a sweater (okay, this is optional...but why wouldn't you want to??). || I hate sweaters... so no thanks. At the moment, though, I’m wearing a cardigan. Happy? 

OK! Let's start. ;)

1// Fuzzy sweater (a book that is the epitome of comfort).
Little Women. The Railway Children. The Little House books. Anne of Green Gables. How can I choose? These books are a part of my heart. I think I’ll go with Anne, though. It’s the one I’ve known and loved the longest. <33

// Striped sweater (book which you devoured every line of).
Little Women. I’ve read this book more times than I can count. At least once a year since I was 7... and I read an abridged copy before that.

// Ugly Christmas sweater (book with a weird cover).
My kindle copy of Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery. This cover is so un-Anneish and so not the book at all.

// Cashmere sweater (most expensive book you've bought).
I think the most expensive book I ever bought was $21 and I think that was Enemy Brothers. I’m not sure, though... but I never spent more than $25 on any book. But the most expensive ebook I ever bought was like $8.99. I'd already read this book and I loved it, so I bought the ebook and later it came on sale for $2.99. *eyeroll* 


// Hoodie (favourite classic book).
I’ve already said two of my favourites. Here’s a third. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. What a brilliant, witty, hilarious book.<3 

// Cardigan (book that you bought on impulse).
I seldom actually purchase books on impulse. I get free books on impulse but not ones I have to pay for. I’m trying to think if I ever got a thrift book on impulse... I always look inside and read the synopsis, and usually I’ve already heard of & wanted the book, or I’ve read the author before, or something like that. I really can’t think of a book I bought just like that. 

// Turtleneck sweater (book from your childhood).
Mr. Popper’s Penguins! I love that book but I haven’t read it in so long. Also Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher... and Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White... and I could name many more. <33 

// Homemade knitted sweater (book that is Indie-published).
Tattered Wings by Kassie Angle!!!! I love that book so much. Request it at alllll the libraries. <33 

// V-neck sweater (book that did not meet your expectations).
I don’t like talking of those books. Pieces of the Past by Carol Matas was the worst, I think. It was so disappointing. Dull, not long enough, a bit confusing, no really lovable characters... so not what I expected from a Dear Canada book. 

// Argyle sweater (book with a unique format).
The Anne of Green Gables Treasury of Days. It’s not a usual calendar! I love going through it so much. It made Green Gables feel so familiar when I actually went there! 

// Polka dot sweater (a book with well-rounded characters).
Enemy Brothers by Constance Savery. This woman nails her characters. Even the ones that never actually appear on-scene, or the ones that pop up for one instant... they’re real. She tells you so much about her characters in their surroundings & actions & the way others think of them. Really, that book is full of amazing writing lessons. 


~ / / ~

And I tag... whoever is wearing nail polish. Lol. 

The Don't Panic! Tag


Hey, guys! Today I have a fun quarantine tag for you. This was created by the sweet Ryana Lynn and when I saw it I just knew I had to do it, even if I already have a *coughs, coughs* tag for May. ;D


Rules:

1.) Thank the Blogger who advised you not to panic XD. // Thanks, Ryana Lynn. XD 

2.) Answer all the Questions. // ✔️ 

3.) Use the graphic if at all possible (I know Blogger is acting up right now). // ✔️ (so grateful for Google Chrome & my mother!) 


#1. Pray. Name a book that encouraged you in your spiritual life.

I just finished reading "God's Smuggler" by Brother Andrew. WOW. This book really impacted me. The biggest thing that stood out to me was the power of prayer... and how God will ALWAYS take care of everything, big or small. I was also really struck by how Christianity was attacked in different countries--in the places where persecution was severe, there were many Christians, but where the young people had been weaned away, or where the Christians had become indifferent & followed the easier path of "doing like everyone else"... Christianity was waning. This book was really convicting, encouraging, and a blessing. 


#2. Breathe. Name a book that was a breath of fresh air.

I am currently making my way through the Elsie Dinsmore series by Martha Finley. The first book was a bit tough, but the other 7 (I've only gotten up to book 8 so far) were SO refreshing. They are just FULL of Christian life, doctrine, lovely characters, and so much wisdom & Godliness. It was so refreshing to read books where I agree 100% with almost everything. I highly, highly recommend this series! 


#3. Relax. Name a book that is a comfort read for you.

I've been reading "Heidi" for pretty much as long as I can remember. I read my mother's copy until it fell into pieces; I read the French versions we'd borrowed from the library; I read the other French copies that we bought later on; and I read several ebook versions in English. I loved this story so much as a little girl, and I think I love it even more now, being old enough to appreciate the beauty and humour and the theme. My favourite version is this free Amazon Classics one; out of all the versions I've read, this one is the most like the original German version. (This same version is also on Gutenberg.org)


#4. Hydrate. Name a book (outside of the Bible) that you read regularly to recharge/revive you or your passion.

Last year I read "A Modern Sacrifice" by Isabella Alden and was very much impacted by it. I just reread it last month, and I think I will try to reread it every year. It's a strong reminder that Christians are expected to be different than the rest of the world--to be "peculiar people." It convicts me every time. I also find "Mrs. Dunlap's Commentary" very convicting, and I think I'll try to reread that every year too. 


#5. Cookies. Name a book that is a fun read for you, sweet and easy.

I think I'll say "Exiles From the War" for this one. Out of all the Dear Canada books I've read, I'm pretty sure this is the lightest, most relaxing read. It's set in WWII, but it's almost solely focussed on the family life during this time. It's sweet and funny and just very enjoyable to read. 


#6. Organize. Name a book that you enjoyed that was more of an instructional type book.

Can I just say "Basic Principles of Speech"? ;D I guess I could also say "How to Read a Book." It was a deep read but I enjoyed it and learned a lot from it! Oh, wait, I think I'll say "Balanced & Barefoot," by Angela Hanscom. This is a fantastic book which I really enjoyed, which taught me a lot, and which I highly recommend! 


#7. Sing. Name a book that just makes you want to sing!

"Mr. Pipes & the British Hymn Makers" by Douglas Bond. This is one of my top favourite books and it contains some of my top favourite hymns. Of course I want to sing them after reading them again! :D


#8. Soup. Name a book that makes you feel warm inside.

Hmmm.... "Yellow Star" by Jennifer Roy. This is a Holocaust story, but it is absolutely heart-warming. It's just so sweet and beautiful, and so well written... highly recommended. <33


#9. Tissues. Name a book that never fails to make you cry.

No doubt about it. I've been reading "Little Women" pretty much all my life and it still makes me tear up--more than once. There's a very good reason why this is my second-favourite novel of all time. It is so real and beautiful and good. <33


#10. Fuzzy Socks. Name a book that was quick, sweet and snuggly.

I'm going to say "Right Number" by Perry Elisabeth Kirkpatrick. This is a Christmas short story that you can read for free here. It is quick but sweet and just adorable if you know Brent & Emily. ;) 


So there you are! I tag anyone who wants to do this (but really, who wouldn't want to? It's so fun!! :D). 



Thursday 21 May 2020

8 Favourite Spring Reads


So I started this series back in September 2019. Don't confuse it with my series of Favourite Books I Read This Season. That is a list of my favourite books from various categories that I read during a certain season. This is a list of book recommendations set in a certain season. I got myself confused here, so don't worry if you did. I think I need better titles for these... 

Anyways, here we go. 8 books I love which are set in Spring or make me think of Spring. And I'm going to try and make these all books that I read this year. XD

(and I know I'm late.... sorry. ;) ).

Yes, yes, that is a whole series. And not every book starts in spring. But most of them do, and I think this is a series that is perfect to read in Spring. Victoria Minks once said that every book has a feel of a certain season in it. The book season of Spring she defined as, "The main feeling throughout the book will be hopeful, new beginnings, light, fresh, tender, inspiring, and uplifting." I feel like this totally describes all of the Anne books. They are just full of growth, learning, beauty, hope, love, and inspiration. And you have to admit no one describes spring quite as delightfully as Montgomery! 

This book is set in late winter, and most of it takes place in spring. My favourite chapter is all about Spring. <33 If you've managed to be around me for a month and not hear about this book, congratulations and please tell me how you managed it. I admit I talk of this book day in and day out but that is because it totally deserves it. I am a girl that loves many, many books and many, many characters, because loving things is easy to me, especially loving people. So when I say a book is in my top favourites, it means that the book was a gem. And for this book to make it to my top favourite novel, after 18 years of reading amazing, beautiful books that I love to death... you’d better believe there’s something special about this book. I am not the only one who says so. Everyone I know who has ever read Enemy Brothers loves it. Many of them love it almost as much as I do. It is well written—you learn a lot about how to portray male characters, how to give backstory without info-dumping, how to describe a character only through a sentence & his dialogue, how to make someone love a character who never even appeared on scene... there are many writing lessons in this book. It also has a beautiful plot—slow-paced enough to be relaxing, but gripping enough to make it hard to put down. It has a beautiful message—the message of true love & what it costs. It has lovely but short descriptions. It portrays England & Germany very accurately. It is set in the author’s contemporary—the middle of WWII, just when she was writing it. But I think the crowing glory of Enemy Brothers is the characters—the great cast of major & minor characters who live & breathe. No other book has made me actually miss characters like this book does. I have read this book 4 times in 2 years, not counting the multiple rereading of my favourite parts, and it is still just as beautiful & exciting & heart-tugging to me as ever. I have dug deep into this book & discovered so much richness hidden in it. No other book (besides the Bible) has ever been so rewarding to delve in to. So this is my Favourite Novel, & I hope that someday you will give it a try too, because I am sure that it would be a blessing to you. 

As with the Anne books, not all of these are set in Spring, but most of them deal with Spring and they also are the perfect spring reads. If you have not yet read the original Pooh books, go. read. them. Now. They are timeless and absolutely wonderful for all ages. <33 I’ve known the Pooh books all my life. I remember reading “Winnie-the-Pooh” & “The House at Pooh Corner” many times as a child, laughing at the humour, enjoying reading it aloud to my siblings. We also had “When We Were Very Young” & “Now We Are Six,” and we read & loved those just as much. When I was in my late teens my mother got the audio versions of the Pooh books (Peter Dennis’ version) and my buddy-sister adored them. We listened to them day in and day out. I am able to repeat parts of the books from memory, which makes me so happy, because Milne is such an awesome writer to quote! But as I listened to the books, with grown-up ears, I understood & appreciated the wit & beauty & truth hidden in these books. Truly, they are for all ages. Eeyore’s advice to Rabbit about conversations, for example—so much sarcasm, & yet so much truth! My very favourite quote will forever be this one: 
“I don’t see much sense in that,” said Rabbit. 
No, said Pooh humbly, there isn’t. But there was going to be when I began it. It’s just that something happened to it on the way.”

This book is set in Spring, just when the storks return to Holland. It is such a sweet, cute, funny read! I deeply enjoyed it and I think anyone would enjoy it just as much. It's a different Spring than we have... but I think it still fits. ;) 
{ My review }

This book. Oh my word. This one is set in spring, and I think that the next three books begin in Spring as well. Rosemary Sutcliff is amazing at describing Spring! This book is fast-paced and gripping, but it also has sweet, beautiful, restful parts and a kind, witty humour. The characters are absolutely fantastic and the themes are just so good. There is some content, so please read my review before reading this! 

The Elsie books, again, are not all set in Spring, but several of them are. I have not read them all (just 8 so far) but they have all been so sweet, refreshing, pure, and lovely. They're just like a breath of fresh air, although I do not agree with everything, and the first book is a bit hard to get through. But they're such an amazing series!! I highly recommend them. The link above leads to a Wikipedia page; scroll down for a list of all the books & their accessibility. 

This book was such a pleasant surprise! I was expecting an epic battle between rats and mice, and instead it was such a sweet story of help and kindness and growth. It is set in Spring, which ticks the internal clock along... ;) It is just a delightful story and I enjoyed every minute of it.


This book is one of my very top favourites. It starts in Spring and it feels Spring-ish to me... hopeful, full of new beginnings, gentle, restful, loving... Each chapter is pretty short, and it's a great book to read when you've only got minutes scattered throughout your day. I have read this book back to back many times, and it has never lost its old-fashioned charm. <33 


So there you are. I hope you enjoy these books, if you pick them up. Let me know if you have read any of them, and what your favourite Spring reads are! 



Monday 18 May 2020

10 Books That Made Me Tear Up // Part One


Today I am starting a new blog series, inspired by Abigayle Claire. Every once in a while I will share about some books that particularly moved me or touched me in a certain way--made me laugh, thrill, think, etc. For some reason I decided to start with 'cry,' sooo... here we are. ;) And since  I actually came up with ten more books that made me tear up, part two will be coming next month. xP

I tear up easily in books. In movies, I try hard to be stoic, even though it's much more difficult. But I often feel cheated if a book doesn't make me cry, especially if it did the first time I read it. xP All that to say, these may not make everybody cry. But they made me cry. ;)

1. Hana's Suitcase by Karen Levine.
I don't tear up in Holocaust books as a rule. But this one made me tear up. it was so poignant and tragic and beautiful and real. One of the best children's books I've ever read.


2. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
What a surprise. ;) I love this book to bits and everyone knows it. I've read it probably fifty times or more... and I still tear up several times. The scene where Jo & Beth talk on the seashore. The whole chapter 'The Valley of the Shadow.' I think perhaps in other places too. I can't help it. It's so beautiful and sad and hopeful and everything. <33


3. O to be Like Thee by Kassie Angle.
Ah, yes. This book is a heart-tugger. It doesn't rip your heart into pieces... it just tugs at it. It made me cry quietly and steadily. It was so good. Though Tattered Wings is still better, in my opinion. I can't remember if I cried while reading that one or not... 


4. Anne of Green Gables by L.M.Montgomery.
Every single time I read this book (and I've read it dozens of times) I cry when Matthew's death rolls around. Can't help it. It's such a bittersweet chapter. Such a good book, this is. And the last chapter of Anne of Ingleside makes me tear up too. The last chapter of Rainbow Valley doesn't make me cry but oh, it tears my heart. </3


Ah, yeah. This book. I cried several times when I read it for the first time, and I still tear up or at least choke up. The one death scene is sooo hard. </3 This book is so real.


6. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. 
ACK. This book is a masterpiece. Don't you dare tell me you read it and weren't touched by Sydney Carton. I just kept tearing up when I finished it. I was so happy and at peace. <33


Wow, I'm impressed by how balanced this is. Old-new-old-new. Didn't plan that. Just happened. But now I see a snag in my lovely pattern with the next book on my list, so I'll be rearranging it. xD 

Anyhow. This book made me tear up several times. <33 Especially over Rebekah's prayer chains. 


8. Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter. 
Mhm. The chapter where Pollyanna is so pathetically glad. You know what I'm talking of if you read the book. That was so bittersweet. <3 This book is amazing. 


Oh my heart. This book made me cry harder than any book ever did. I cried over Alcott and Warner and Montgomery. But I sobbed over this one. It totally and completely wrecked my heart. It's such a good book. It's the first of the series, but it's the best. And A Question of Courage made me tear up too. But A Question of Loyalty hit me too hard for tears. Maybe next time I'll cry. xP


10. From Anna by Jean Little. 
This book always makes me tear up. I relate to Anna in some ways. And the message of the book is amazing. <3 


~ // ~

So, can you name any books that made you tear up?

Thursday 7 May 2020

Every Day is a Second Chance


Every day is a second chance. 

Every day is a second chance to...
                                                        forgive someone.

                                                        sing God's praises. 

                                                        show someone you love them.

                                                        enjoy the little things.

                                                        lead someone to God.

                                                        spend time with someone.

                                                        smile. 
                                                        
                                                        finish a project you love.
                                                      
                                                        learn more about the Lord.

                                                        enjoy the sunshine. 

                                                        change your life around.
                                                        
                                                        see how God takes care of you. 

                                                        laugh. 

                                                        serve Jesus. 

                                                        encourage someone. 
                                                      
                                                        prove that God keeps His promises.

                                                        pray for someone. 

                                                        learn something new. 
                                                      
                                                        rejoice in your salvation. 
                                                
                                                        achieve something you've always wanted to do. 

                                                        do something that makes you happy.

                                                        make a difference. 


Every day is a miracle. 

Every day is special.

Every day is another twenty-four hours brimming over with beauty & wonder. 

Every day is a blessing. 

Every day is unique. 

Every day is a second chance to live. 

Use it wisely. 

Be thankful for it.

Choose to smile & rest in Christ. 

Every day is a second chance. 

Every day 

is 

second chance. 

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24).
"[B]ehold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.(2 Corinthians 6:2).
"Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that." (James 4:14-16). 
"[W]eeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." (Psalm 30:5).
"My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up." (Psalm 5:3). 
"But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble." (Psalm 59:16). 
"I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me." (Psalm 3:5). 
 

Monday 4 May 2020

You Are Not Allowed to Hate // A Protest Against Prejudice


I want to say this before I start. I do not want to offend anyone. I want to prevent offence to people. Please keep this in mind as you read this, and don’t take it personally. I say this with passionate care, not with anger or hatred. 

I have been observing this lately, and it has alarmed me. We all know that in this world, there is a lot of intolerance and hatred. One nation hates another; one culture is intolerant of another. It has been a part of this fallen world since the curse. 

But what alarms me is that Christians allow themselves to hold this. I believe it is wrong for us to hate or be intolerant of a country, culture, race, or nation. We disagree with the sin; we are allowed to disagree with choices; but we are not allowed to hate a whole nation or culture or race. 

Take this, for example. Suppose you are Chinese and you hate the Japanese for what they did to your country in WWII. Was Japan right in what it did? No. Absolutely not. Does that mean that I, a Chinese person, can hate my Japanese coworker? No. My Japanese coworker had nothing to do with the Japanese army in 1944. My Japanese coworker may not even be related to those people! My Japanese coworker is 100% innocent. I am not allowed to dislike him for his nationality. This is 100% against Scripture. The Bible tells us to love one another. God loves the Japanese and died to save them. Hating a person is equal to murdering them. I hope you’ll agree with me that you won’t go murder the person from a nation you dislike! But hating him or disliking him for his nationality is the same thing. 

Another thing. I find a certain culture noisy, bragging, & bold. I’m allowed to think that. It’s my opinion, and I’m allowed to hold it. My culture is much more quiet; that’s why I think that. But I am not allowed to say my culture is better. I’m not allowed to hate people of that culture because I dislike some of their culture. I am not allowed to judge their culture. It is not mine. It is theirs & there is nothing wrong with it. (I’m talking personality here, not stuff like using a lot of blasphemy or anything immoral like that.) I mean that you cannot hate a culture because you think it is too cold, or too bubbly, or too impetuous. You can say you don’t particularly like it, you can say you don’t understand it—but you cannot hate it or intensely dislike it. I will admit, this year I had some difficult experience with people of a certain nation. For a time I struggled a lot with hating their culture. I was quick to get offended or annoyed. I was dismayed by this and I worked on changing my attitude. Now, I have a healthier attitude towards that country. I love my friends from that country, I agree to disagree with them, I’ve learned to hold my tongue & not begin useless debates. And I choose to not hate that culture, despite what I think they are or are not.

You are allowed your tastes & opinion. You are not allowed to shove it onto someone else, or judge them by your tastes. 

One more example. I have found that Christian people of one nation strongly dislike another nation. They’re ready to believe every bad thing of them. They’re ready to twist everything they hear about that nation to a negative sense. They say they don’t hate that nation, but they act as if they strongly dislike them. I submit that this is a wrong attitude. You cannot allow the past to make you dislike people in the present. Hey, if I wanted to, I could hate America for the stuff Americans did to Canada those times that they invaded us. I could hate Britain for how she treated Québec (and France). I could hate France for how she treated my First Nation ancestors. I could hate England for how she treated my Irish ancestors. But I refuse to hate. I refuse to dislike. I want to judge every individual by themselves. Not their family, not their race, not their colour, not their nation, not their former religion. I want to judge them for who they are, themselves. I want to love them as Christ loves them. 

I can’t tell you how unhappy it makes me when I hear people lambasting another nation because of things that happened hundreds of years ago. It breaks my heart. It’s so unfair. Unfairness is so wrong. God is 100% just and we need to be just too. We cannot—we must not—be unjust. 

Friends, I don’t even know what to say to end this. Please, just think about this. Pray about it. Look at your prejudices and see what is at the root. Ask God to help you see if you are being unjust or unChristlike. 

Again, I beg you not to be offended. Nothing is further from my intentions. I am simply pouring out my heart about a subject that I am passionate about. I pray it can be used to God’s glory.

Saturday 2 May 2020

Praying for Other Christians // A Devotional


Reading my devotions lately I came across these two prayers that Paul prayed for different churches that he had ministered in. I also noticed that Paul often says he prays every day for these people--probably by name. It struck me that with all this free time many of us have, we should definitely be spending it in prayer. We should be battling daily in prayer anyways, but now we have more time to pray and we should totally make time—set aside time—to pray every day for each other. The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much—pray for each other! 

So I have a challenge for all of you. I am drawing up a list of the Christians I know, and I am pledging myself to spend half an hour every day praying for them specifically--aside from the praying I do at my devotions. I'm calling it the #ChoosingPrayerWarrior Challenge. And I would love to have others joining in. Let me know if you decide to join in.   


I also decided to look at these prayers that Paul prays in depth. I wanted to know--what sort of things should I be praying for other Christians? 


The first prayer I studied is Colossians 1:9-12. 


For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:”


1. That they be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

  • Filled: “Made full; supplied with abundance.”
  • Knowledge: “A clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact; the perception of the connection and agreement, or disagreement and repugnancy of our ideas. 
  • Will: “Command; direction…. Divine determination; moral purpose or counsel.
  • Wisdom: “The right use or exercise of knowledge; the choice of laudable ends, and of the best means to accomplish them. This is wisdom in act, effect, or practice. If wisdom is to be considered as a faculty of the mind, it is the faculty of discerning or judging what is most just, proper and useful, and if it is to be considered as an acquirement, it is the knowledge and use of what is best, most just, most proper, most conducive to prosperity or happiness. Wisdom in the first sense, or practical wisdom is nearly synonymous with discretion. It differs somewhat from prudence, in this respect; prudence is the exercise of sound judgment in avoiding evils; wisdom is the exercise of sound judgment either in avoiding evils or attempting good. Prudence then is a species, of which wisdom is the genus…. In Scripture theology, wisdom is true religion; godliness; piety; the knowledge and fear of God, and sincere and uniform obedience to his commands. This is the wisdom which is from above.”
  • Spiritual: “Pertaining to divine things.
  • Understanding: “Knowledge; exact comprehension.” 

I pray that they are full (abundantly) of a clear, certain knowledge of what God wants them to do, in all wisdom (a right use of knowledge) of divine things. E.G., in the knowledge of what God has said and what He asks of us. One must know this, in order to be sure to carry out His will (His directions).


2. That they might walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing.

  • Walk: “In Scripture, to live and act or behave; to pursue a particular course of life.
  • Worthy: “Deserving; such as merits; having worth or excellence; equivalent; with of, before the thing deserved…. Suitable; having qualities suited to; either in a good or bad sense; equal in value; as flowers worthy of paradise. 
  • Pleasing: “Giving pleasure or satisfaction; agreeable to the senses or to the mind; as a pleasing prospect; a pleasing reflection; pleasing manners.

I pray that they would live and behave like Christ, and in a way that pleases everyone (has their approbation and gives them pleasure).


3. Being fruitful in every good work.

  • Fruitful: “Very productive; producing fruit in abundance; as fruitful soil; a fruitful tree; a fruitful season. Prolific; bearing children; not barren. Plenteous; abounding in any thing. Productive of any thing; fertile; as fruitful in expedients. Producing in abundance; generating; as fruitful in crimes.
  • Work: “To act; to carry on operations.”
  • Good: “Conformable to the moral law; virtuous; applied to actions.

I pray that they would produce fruit (bring people to Christ) in abundance in every good action that God would have them do. 


4. Increasing in the knowledge of God.

  • Increasing: “Growing; becoming larger; advancing in any quality, good or bad.
  • Knowledge: “A clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact; the perception of the connection and agreement, or disagreement and repugnancy of our ideas.

I pray that their knowledge of God, and their relationship with Him, grows and becomes larger. 


5. Strengthened with all might unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.

  • Strengthened: “Made strong or stronger; confirmed.
  • Might: “Strength; force; power.”
  • Patience: “The suffering of afflictions, pain, toil, calamity, provocation or other evil, with a calm, unruffled temper; endurance without murmuring or fretfulness. Patience may spring from constitutional fortitude, from a kind of heroic pride, or from christian submission  to the divine will. A calm temper which bears evils without murmuring or discontent. The act or quality of waiting long for justice or expected good without discontent. Perseverance; constancy in labor or exertion. The quality of bearing offenses and injuries without anger or revenge.
  • Submission: “The act of submitting; the act of yielding to power or authority; surrender of the person and power to the control or government of another…. Obedience; compliance with the commands or laws of a superior.… Resignation; a yielding of one’s will to the will or appointment of a superior without murmuring. Entire and cheerful submission to the will of God is a christian duty of prime excellence.
  • Longsuffering: “Bearing injuries or provocation for a long time; patient; not easily provoked.”
  • Joyfulness: “Great gladness; joy.”

I pray that they would be made stronger with all God’s power to have all patience (submission, endurance, waiting, perseverance) 

and long-suffering (patience, calmness), and that they do this with joy  (“a delight of the mind, from the consideration of the present or assured approaching possession of a good.”) There’s a lot in this! Look up these words for yourself and see what endurance and perseverance is. 


6. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.

  • Thanks: “Expression of gratitude; an acknowledgment made to express a sense of favor or kindness received. Gratitude is the feeling or sentiment excited by kindness; thanks are the expression of that sentiment.”

I pray that they would be grateful and thank God for all He has done for them, and for the reward and hope they have in heaven. 


So let’s reread that prayer now. 


For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:”


I pray that they are full of a clear, certain knowledge of what God wants them to do, in all wisdom of divine things (what God has said and what He asks of us); that they would live and behave like Christ, and in a way that has the approbation of everyone & gives pleasure to everyone; that they would bring people to Christ in abundance in every good action that God would have them do; that their knowledge of God, and their relationship with Him, grows and becomes larger; that they would be made stronger with all God’s power to have all patience and long-suffering, and that they do this with joy; and that they would be grateful and thank God for all He has done for them, and for the reward and hope they have in heaven.


This prayer doesn’t only apply to others. I challenge you to pray it for yourself, sincerely and humbly. What a difference this world would be if every Christian lived like this passage says.


Are you willing to make a change? 

Are you willing to live out the Bible? 

Are you willing to live your life the way God wants you to? 


The second prayer I looked at is from Ephesians 1:14-19.


For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, … That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.


1. That God would grant them to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.

  • Grant: “To give; to bestow or confer on without compensation, particularly in answer to prayer or request.
  • Strengthen: “To make strong or stronger; to add strength to, either physical, legal or moral; as, to strengthen a limb; to strengthen an obligation…. To cause to increase in power or security.
  • Might: “Strength; force; power.”
  • Inner: “Interior; internal; not outward; as the inner man.”
  • Man: “Mankind; the human race; the whole species of human beings; beings distinguished from all other animals by the powers of reason and speech, as well as by their shape and dignified aspect. 

I pray that God would strengthen them with His power by His spirit within them.


2. That Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith.

  • Dwell: “To abide as a permanent resident, or to inhabit for a time; to live in a place; to have a habitation for some time or permanence…. To be in any state or condition; to continue.
  • Heart: “The seat of the affections and passions, as of love, joy, grief, enmity, courage, pleasure etc…. The seat of the will; hence, secret purposes, intentions or designs.
  • Faith: “Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting on his authority and veracity, without other evidence; the judgment that what another states or testifies is the truth. Faith is a firm, cordial belief in the veracity of God, in all the declarations of his word; or a full and affectionate confidence in the certainty of those things which God has declared, and because he has declared them. Evangelical, justifying, or saving faith is the assent of the mind to the truth of divine revelation, on the authority of God’s testimony, accompanied with a cordial assent of the will or approbation of the heart; an entire confidence or trust in God’s character and declarations, and in the character and doctrines of Christ, with an unreserved surrender of the will to his guidance, and dependence on his merits for salvation. In other words, that firm belief of God’s testimony, and of the truth of the gospel, which influences the will, and leads to an entire reliance on Christ for salvation.

We pray that Christ would live permanently in their hearts by faith. (I absolutely love that text on faith.) 


3. That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.

  • Rooted: “Having its roots planted or fixed in the earth; hence, fixed; deep; radical; as rooted sorrow; rooted aversion; rooted prejudices.
  • Grounded: “To found; to fix or set, as on a foundation, cause, reason or principle; as arguments grounded on reason; faith grounded on scriptural evidence…. To settle in first principles; to fix firmly.
  • Love: “To have benevolence or good will for.” 
  • Benevolence: “The disposition to do good; good will; kindness; charitableness; the love, of mankind, accompanied with a desire to promote their happiness.”
  • Kindness: “Good will; benevolence; that temper or disposition which delights in contributing to the happiness of others, which is exercised cheerfully in gratifying their wishes, supplying their wants or alleviating their distresses; benignity of nature. Kindness ever accompanies love. 
  • Comprehend: “To understand; to conceive; that is, to take, hold or contain in the mind; to possess or to have in idea; according to the popular phrase, I take your meaning.” 
  • Saints: “A person sanctified; a holy or godly person; one eminent for piety and virtue. 
  • Sanctified: “Made holy; consecrated; set apart for sacred services.”
  • Breadth: “The measure or extent of any plain surface from side to side; a geometrical dimension, which, multiplied into the length, constitutes a surface; as, the length of a table is five feet, and the breadth three; 5x3=15 feet, the whole surface.
  • Length: “Extent; extension.
  • Depth: “Deepness; the distance or measure of a thing from the surface to the bottom, or to the extreme part downwards or inwards. The depth of a river may be ten feet. The depth of the ocean is unfathomable. The depth of a wound may be an inch. In a vertical direction, depth is opposed to height.”
  • Height: “The distance to which anything rises above its foot, above that on which in stands, above the earth, or above the level of the sea; altitude; the measure upward from a surface, as the floor or the ground, of an animal, especially of a man; stature.”
  • Know: “To perceive with certainty; to understand clearly; to have a clear and certain perception of truth, fact, or any thing that actually exists. To know a thing precludes all doubt or uncertainty of its existence. We know what we see with our eyes, or perceive by other senses. We know that fire and water are different substances. We know that truth and falsehood express ideas incompatible with each other. We know that a circle is not a square. We do not know the truth of reports, nor can we always know what to believe.”
  • Passeth: “To surpass; to excel; to exceed.
  • Knowledge: “A clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact; the perception of the connection and agreement, or disagreement and repugnancy of our ideas.

I pray that they would be fixed firmly, deeply, and completely in love (caring for others, wanting the best for them, doing what they can for them to make them happier), and that it would be their foundation. I pray that they, with the other Christians, would understand how great God’s love is—how wide, how long, how deep, how high—that they would really completely know and understand it, and how overpowering and mind-blowing it is.


4. That they might be filled with all the fulness of God.

  • Filled: “Made full; supplied with abundance.”
  • Fullness: “The state of being filled, so as to leave no part vacant. The state of abounding or being in great plenty; abundance. Completeness; the state of a thing in which nothing is wanted; perfection.

I pray that they would be full God’s Spirit. 


Again, reread the prayer.


For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, … That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.


So we pray that God would strengthen them with His power by His spirit within them; that Christ would live permanently in their hearts by faith; that they would be fixed firmly, deeply, and completely in love (caring for others, wanting the best for them, doing what they can for them to make them happier), and that it would be their foundation; that they, with the other Christians, would understand how great God’s love is—how wide, how long, how deep, how high—that they would really completely know and understand it, and how overpowering and mind-blowing it is; and that they would be full of the perfection of God.


What a powerful prayer. If Christians are strengthened in God, if they have Christ living fully in their hearts, if they are full of faith, if they are abounding in love, if they know how amazing God’s love for you is, if they are full of the Lord’s Spirit… how different their lives would be. What a change that would make.


Once more, I challenge you to pray this prayer for yourself, honestly and humbly, sentence by sentence. More than just once. We can’t pray that all the Christians we know become perfect and refuse to change ourselves. Are you willing to live a radical, Christlike life? Are you willing to live the way God wants you to? 


God help us all to strive earnestly for perfection. 


~ / / ~

What did God teach you this week?