Thoughts From Amy Carmichael

Dear Friends,

Today I thought I would offer you some “thoughts” from Amy Carmichael (1867-1951). Amy was an Irish-born missionary to India, where she served from 1893-1951. Initially she landed at Bangalore, but the lifestyles and priorities of the English missionaries there lead her to leave Bangalore with one other missionary family (the Walkers and their children) to go to the southern tip of India. There she started a ministry to young girls (and later young boys) who served as temple prostitutes. She would spend the rest of her life there ministering to the children she rescued.

Amy dressed herself in Indian clothing and dyed her skin with dark coffee, so as to blend in more with the local people. Also, with one of her heroes of the faith being George Mueller, she never asked for any funding, but simply brought her needs before God in prayer and left them there. She wrote nearly 40 books (the profits from which she funded the work with the children). Her life is truly an inspiration. Iain Murray’s book, “Amy Carmichael – Beauty for Ashes,” or Elisabeth Elliot’s book, “A Chance to Die” are well worth the read if you want to be inspired and challenged. Enjoy.

“Let nothing be said about anyone unless it passes through the three sieves: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?”

“One can give without loving, but one cannot love without giving.”

“A cup brimful of sweetness cannot spill even one drop of bitter water, no matter how suddenly jarred.”

“All along, let us remember we are not asked to understand, but simply to obey...”

“Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace. If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you will know what His will is.”

“Let us not be surprised when we have to face difficulties. When the wind blows hard on a tree, the roots stretch and grow the stronger. Let it be so with us. Let us not be weaklings, yielding to every wind that blows, but strong in spirit to resist.”

“We profess to be strangers and pilgrims, seeking after a country of our own. Yet we settle down in the most un-stranger-like fashion, exactly as if we were quite at home and meant to stay as long as we could. I don't wonder apostolic miracles have died. Apostolic living certainly has.”

“Satan is so much more in earnest than we are. He buys up the opportunity while we are wondering how much it will cost.”

“The word comfort is from two Latin words meaning ‘with’ and ‘strong.’ He is with us to make us strong. Comfort is not soft, weakening commiseration; it is true, strengthening love.”

“There have been times of late when I have had to hold on to one text with all my might: "It is required in stewards that a man may be found faithful." Praise God, it does not say "successful."

“When I consider the cross of Christ, how can anything that I do be called sacrifice?”

“God Hold us to that which drew us first, when the Cross was the attraction, and we wanted nothing else.”

“If you have never been hurt by a word from God, it is probably that you have never heard God speak.”

Oh, That More Might Give Up All for the One Who Gave All for Us, Pastor Jeff