Amy Carmichael: A Life Abandoned to God by Sam Wellman
I just love this Heroes of the Faith series.
Amy Carmichael was an
ordinary woman with extraordinary love for people. She grew up where her
parents were deeply devoted to Christ and raised their children to love and
serve God. She learned early on the discipline of reading and the importance of
a total, unswerving commitment to Christ.
Despite her beauty, Amy
was not pleased with her appearance. She had brown eyes, which she found very
unattractive (Oh why?). When she was young, she remembered her mother’s
teaching that if she asked God anything, He would surely grant her request. So,
having a simple faith at a young age, Amy proceeded to ask God to change her
eye colour, not realizing that sometimes His answer is no. Much to her
disappointment, they remained brown. But as the years unfolded, Amy came to
realize the wisdom of God’s denial of her request. While serving the Lord in
India, those brown eyes served her well and made her fit for service where God
had put her. Her brown eyes allowed her to gain acceptance from the people and
once she disguised as temple prostitute to save children but nobody noticed of
her.
During her formative
years, Amy became a very determined and well-disciplined girl. She was tough,
able to deal with stress and endurance faith that equipped her for the mission
field. As she grew into adulthood, Amy felt called to missions. First she went
to Japan as missionary, then to China and next to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and
finally end up at Dohnavur, India where she served 65 years until she died.
While living in Dohnavur, India, with a group of women that had been converted
to Christ, Amy founded the Dohnavur
Fellowship which became a haven for homeless children, especially those
girls who had escaped from temple prostitution. While it began mainly as a
haven for girls, later a home for boys was also built. There are many amazing
stories – if you have little faith, you won’t believe that these stories really
happened, only for those who believe in the supernatural God – of suffering and
deliverances, challenges and miracles, the evil spirits and Christ the King.
You got to read her story for yourself!
She wrote more than 35
books detailing her life in India that have been widely read in Christian
circles and have inspired many to follow their call to the mission field (these
people include Jim and Elisabeth Elliot). “Give me the Love that leads the way, The
Faith that nothing can dismay,” writes Amy Carmichael, “The
Hope no disappointments tire, The Passion that'll burn like fire; Let me not
sink to be a clod; Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.” Wow!
Oh, how I long for young
people to read biographies of men and women of God. As I read Amy’s biography,
I often think of what King Solomon wrote: “He
who walks with wise men (and women) will be wise” (Proverbs 13:20, bracket
mine). Walk with Amy and you’ll be a little wiser than before.
THINK BIG.
START SMALL. GO DEEP.
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