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 BILL BORDEN

was born on Nov, 1887.  He grew up in a wealthy family.  He graduated at age 16 and was given a trip around the world as his high school graduation gift.  As he traveled the world he became burdened for hurting people.  He wrote home and told his parents “I’m going to give my life to prepare for the mission field”.

While a freshman at Yale University, Borden started a weekly meeting for prayer and Bible study.  It started with him and one other guy.  By the end of the year 150 met weekly; during his senior year 1000 of Yale’s 1300 students belonged to a Bible Study group. A journal entry defined Borden’s resolve: “say no to self and yes to Jesus every time.”

One of Borden’s friends said he was wasting his life by going to the mission field.  In response Borden wrote in his Bible “NO RESERVE”.  He would hold nothing back from God no matter what others thought he should do with his life.

Bill Borden was a millionaire as his family had made a fortune in real estate and silver mining.  Borden inherited a vast sum of money when his dad died while Borden was at Yale.  Borden was offered many prestigious jobs after he graduated from Princeton Seminary with a Master’s degree.  He declined the lucrative careers and gave away his money to Christian organizations.  (Remember $1 mil in 1907 would be equivalent to roughly $30 mil in today’s economy.)  In his Bible he wrote “NO RETREAT”. 

Borden felt the call to reach Muslims in China.  He went to Egypt to study Arabic.  He contracted meningitis in Egypt and died a month later.  He was buried in Cairo.  In his Bible he had written “NO REGRETS”.   He was 25 years old when he died.

Why would a 25 year old give all his money away?  I like what Rex Keener said about Borden:

• People were more important than things
• Eternity was more important than time
• Christ was more important than selfish desires.

NO RESERVE.  NO RETREAT.  NO REGRET.

How many of us live our lives with that kind of commitment?

Please share your comments and thoughts so we can help each other be sold out for Christ.

-CoachT