Adoniram Judson, First Missionary from the United States : "Adoniram and Ann Judson went through many hard times in Burma. The poor food, unbearable heat, and widespread diseases made life difficult. Two of their babies died... and both Ann and Adoniram were imprisoned during the war with Britain. But when Adoniram died in 1850, there were 7,000 baptized believers, 63 Christian congregations and 163 missionaries in Burma. To this day, over 150 years later, his Burmese Bible translation is still in use." See His strength in my weakness
Gladys Aylward's Long Road to China: "'Get off the train!' the Russian conductor shouted in words 30-year-old Gladys did not understand. But she could tell from his angry face that he wanted her to get up. ... She did not know everyone else was getting off the train because there was a fierce war going on up ahead. The train soon would be filled with only loud mouthed, bad-tempered soldiers. It was not a safe place for a woman traveling alone.... Gladys knew God wanted her to go tell the Chinese about Jesus, but why was it so hard for her to get there? Could it be God was getting her ready for even harder times? "Gladys grew up in London, England, in the early 1900s. As a teenager, she read a story about the Chinese that changed her life. She knew she must go tell them about God’s love. Gladys failed missionary training school. The director told her she wasn’t smart enough to learn Chinese, and they would not accept her. But Gladys was determined. If the mission board would not send her to China, she would find her own way there.... " When Gladys finally did arrive in China, she could not find the elderly missionary woman. Gladys was told she had moved to another village, a two-day mule ride into the mountains. So, Gladys hired a mule driver to take her there." John Newton--God's Amazing Grace: "Eleven-year-old John Newton struggled under the weight of the coiled rope as he helped get the ship ready for departure. 'Aren't you too little for such a big job?' the deck hand asked as he began to ready the sails. 'No sir, I'm strong for my age,' John replied as he continued his task. 'But don't your mom and dad mind you being out at sea?' continued the curious deck hand. 'No,' John answered again. 'My mother is dead and my father is the captain of the ship!'" See also Amazing grace! Corrie ten Boom - A Risk Worth Taking: "What would you do if your friends were being killed because of their faith in God or the color of their skin? ... Would you be willing to risk your own life to save theirs? That is exactly what Corrie ten Boom's family did in Holland in 1943... Here is Corrie's story.... " I was awakened by screams and the sound of feet rushing toward my room. At first I thought it was one of the many drills we had practiced to hide the Jews who now lived with my family. But this time it was not a drill. German soldiers were raiding our home, looking for the Jewish people that they had heard we were hiding. Instantly, I leaped from my bed to help our guests hurry into the secret space that had been built inside a wall in my room. Once they were inside, I quickly closed the hidden door to the safe place and slipped back into bed..... " Blood trickled down our swollen faces, but we were willing to die rather than tell where they were. The Nazi soldiers punched holes in the walls looking for the hiding place, but they couldn’t find it. My family, including my 84-year-old father, was handcuffed and forced to march into the dark night...." 2 Cor 4:7
Eric Liddell - Greater than Gold: "Eric Liddell was Scotland's fastest sprinter.... His quick speed earned him a spot on the 100-meter British Olympic team. However, Eric had announced to his country that he could not run in the Olympic 100-meter race because the finals were scheduled on a Sunday. Sunday was a day of worship and rest for Eric.... This made the Scottish people very upset with Eric. They wrote bad things about him in the newspaper.... But Eric stood firm.... "With very little time remaining before the Olympics began, Eric trained and qualified for another race that was not scheduled on a Sunday. Eric knew his chance of winning the 400-meter race was slim... But a note in his pocket encouraged him.... 'He who honors Him, He (God) will honor.'... "Eric crossed the finish line first, winning the gold medal! ... The newspapers now tried to outdo each other praising him. But Eric knew their praise would not last long. He would soon announce his plan to stop running and go to China to tell people about Jesus." Loving God Jim Elliot: The Gospel to Every Creature: "January 2, 1956, was the day that 29-year-old Jim Elliot had waited for most of his life. He jumped out of bed, dressed as quickly as he could, and got ready for the short flight over the thick Ecuador jungle. Almost three years of jungle ministry and many hours of planning and praying had led Jim to this day. Within hours, he and four other missionaries would be setting up camp in the territory of a dangerous and uncivilized Indian tribe known then as the Aucas.... Even though it was dangerous, Jim Elliot had no doubt God wanted him to tell the Aucas about Jesus." Philippians 1:20-21 Amy Carmichael: A Helper to the Helpless: "The little girl had just escaped from a Hindu temple in the middle of the night while her guardians were sleeping. She tiptoed quietly through an unlocked door and pushed open the heavy gate running as fast as she could. Preena's mother had given her to the temple priests in hopes of winning the favor of the gods. Amy did not know what was going on, but she knew this little frightened girl needed her love and protection." Fanny Crosby - The Blind Song Writer: "Mother had to go to work as a housekeeper for a rich family. I stayed home with Grandma Eunice. Grandma taught me all about flowers, trees, sunsets, and birds--she showed me how to handle things and remember them by the way they felt. In the autumn we took walks through the meadow and gathered leaves until we made a large pile. After I'd jumped in them, Grandma always handed me a leaf and asked me to tell her which tree it came from. It didn't take long until I knew the names and descriptions of all the trees, flowers and birds among the hills outside." Philippians 4:13
Gladys Aylward's long road
to China: "Gladys
grew up in London, England, in the early 1900s. As a teenager, she read
a story about the Chinese that changed her life. She knew she must go
tell them about God’s love.... |
