William Borden

William Borden was an heir to the Borden dairy fortune. However, he chose to give up the pleasures of his position in order to go into full time Christian service. Upon graduation from high school in the early 1900s, William wrote two words in his Bible—“No reserves.”

Borden later decided that he wanted to reach Muslim people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. After he graduated from Yale University, Borden left family and fortune behind and set sail across the Atlantic. On the way he wrote two more words in his Bible—“No retreats.”

He reached Cairo, Egypt and zealously immersed himself in the task at hand. However, he soon contracted spinal meningitis. A short time later, William Borden died at the age of 25. During the last days of his life, he managed to write two more words in his Bible—“No regrets.”

William Borden’s short but meaningful life can be summed up with those 6 key words: no reserves, no retreats, no regrets.

May we all have such a dedication to spreading the good news about salvation through Jesus!

“He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.”—Colossians 1:28-29.