Faith, Difficulties, and Hudson Taylor

Hudson Taylor seemed to treat every difficulty as an opportunity to test his faith and see what God would do. Like going for a two mile walk when only just recovering from a fever that nearly killed him. Most people would use their common sense and stay at home. Instead, like in this example and many others, "his weakness only provided another occasion to prove the efficacy of prayer" (p72). Insane. But awesome faith! Here are a few other quotes relating to faith and difficulties from the Biography of James Hudson Taylor. There's quite a lot here, but well worth reading:

"He knew that faith was the one power that could remove mountains, conquer every difficulty and accomplish the impossible ... He realised that the faith he longed for was a 'gift of God', and that it might 'grow exceedingly'. But for growth, exercise was needed, and exercise of faith was obviously impossible apart from trial. Then welcome trial, welcome anything that would increase and strengthen this precious gift, proving to his own heart at any rate that he had faith of the sort that would really stand and grow."
p48-9

"If we are faithful to God in little things, we shall gain experience and strength that will be helpful to us in the more serious trails of life."
p53

"Last autumn I was fretting and stewing, reckoning and puzzling about how to manage this and that –  like a person in water who cannot swim, or a fish out of it. But it all came to nothing. Now, when the Lord opens the way, though everything seems adverse, He first removes one difficulty and then another, plainly saying 'Be still and know that I am God"
p62

"So difficulties were permitted to gather about him, especially at first when every impression was vivid and lasting, difficulties attended by many a deliverance to encourage him".
p114

"But the way of faith was clearer, and he had learned to leave the future in the hands of God. One who knew the end from the beginning was guiding and would guide"
p166

"Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. The Lord will provide."
p206

"Than the greatness of the need, one thing is only greater –  the fact of God: His resources, purposes, faithfulness, His commands and promises ... That is enough; that alone could be enough."
p247

"God owns all the gold and silver in the world, and the cattle on a thousand hills. We need not be vegetarians."
p248

"We can afford to have as little as the Lord chooses to give, but we cannot afford to have unconsecrated money, or to have money placed in the wrong position. Far better have no money at all, even to buy food with; for there are plenty of ravens in China, and the Lord could send them again with bread and flesh."
p248

"Let us see that we keep God before our eyes; that we walk in His ways and seek to please and glorify Him in everything, great and small. Depend upon it, God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supplies."
p249