![]() ![]() We address happiness individually, conceive of it as an intensely personal project, each of us busy about our own bliss. What other country, she asks in The Art of a Wasted Day, is founded on happiness?Ĭrazy. But if you get down real close you can make out a single sentence: “Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life.”Īpart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life.A child of her age, born in 1946, Patricia Hampl did her share of protesting in the streets as a young adult, against war, for human rights, and, through it all, she was proud of her nation’s founding document the Declaration of Independence and its words: “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” His tombstone is bunched up among many others, and the writing on it so faint you can barely read it. The cemetery is so out of the way that if you don’t know what you are looking for, you’ll never find it. William Borden is buried in a small cemetery in Cairo. His was not a wasted life, but a worthy one. ![]() From the perspective of eternity, it wasn’t. He pulled out his Bible, turned to a blank page at the back, and wrote, “No regrets.”įrom the perspective of the world, Borden’s life was wasted. As the story goes, while on his deathbed, someone asked if he had any final words. The stories echoed the advice Borden’s friends and family had given him: What a waste of a life!īut Borden didn’t think so. He was 25 years old.īack in the United States headlines proclaimed the tragic news. One month after arriving, however, he contracted spinal meningitis and died. After graduating from the University of Yale and then Princeton Seminary, he climbed aboard a boat headed for China.īecause Borden intended to work with Muslims in China, he stopped in Egypt to spend time learning Arabic. ![]() You’re wasting your life!”īut Borden wouldn’t be dissuaded. Some of William’s Christian friends even told him, “You’re throwing everything away. His parents were furious, but William told them that he would divert any inheritance he received into the mission. William told his father that he didn’t want to take on the family business. Borden was a new believer, and he wanted to do something about it. He couldn’t get over the masses of people with no chance of hearing the gospel. Borden became overwhelmed by the world’s lostness. Something happened on that trip, however, that his parents were not anticipating. Upon graduation, his parents gave him a luxurious graduation gift-a trip across the globe. At the time, the Borden Milk Company was one of the most profitable businesses in the United States, which would have made young William one of the richest men in the country. He was the heir to the Borden family fortune. In 1904, William Borden graduated from high school. That’s why you have to keep your eyes fixed firmly on the One beside the throne, the One standing ready to receive you home.īecause his standing ovation outweighs their scorn. Some will act like in obeying him, you are betraying them. ![]() And because you threaten the status quo, you should be prepared to deal with opposition from places you never expected it. Many whom you love and trust will question your motives. If you live a life of radical obedience, not everyone is going to praise you. This is an excerpt from my upcoming book, What Are You Going to Do With Your Life?, which releases TODAY! Get your copy here ! ![]()
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