Women who Inspire: The Sisterhood

Sister - (from dictionary.com) 
adjective:
12. being or considered a sister; related by or as if by sisterhood: sister ships. 
13. having a close relationship with another because of shared interests, problems, or the like. 

I have been undeniably blessed by precious women in my life. Some close family, some lived before my time, some have rubbed me hard smoothing away jagged edges, some young, some old, some who know my heart deeply and still love me, some I've never met. But all sharing a common relation, fellowship birthed from the blood of Jesus. Sweet family, a gift. These women have so energized my Christian walk I just had to introduce some of them to you. (I hope you will post a comment and tell me about the women who have blessed your life.)

Amy Carmichael

This week's sister:

I don't know how old I was when I first heard the story of Amy Carmichael but I do know the memory of it's power has never left me. I was astounded by a world so foreign, so dangerous; I was even more astounded by a woman who would willingly go alone to make a difference. Amy Carmichael was born in 1867 in Northern Ireland, the oldest of seven children. Her life pursuit of serving others began when she was just a teenager and continued until she died at the age of 83 in India. She spent 55 years in India pouring out her life in love for the most vulnerable. She dressed as an Indian and entered their world, moved by the plight of girls often victims of infanticide and temple prostitution.She suffered from poor health and physical weakness but her heart and actions were courageous. Dohnavur Fellowship, founded by Amy as a sanctuary for children, rescued hundreds from a life of suffering. She became their Amma, mother. In her 55 years of missionary work in India not once did she return home to Ireland, not once. Her passion was her life, the children her family.

Amy wrote many books and songs over the course of her life. Here is an excerpt from "Lotus Buds" in which she compares the children of India to lotus flowers, her passion is evident:

"All souls are His [God's], all flowers. An alien power has possessed them, counted them as his for so many generations, that we have almost acquiesced to the shameful confiscation. But neither souls nor flowers are his who did not make them. They were never truly his. They belong to the Lord of all the earth, the Creator, the Redeemer. The little Lotus buds are His - His and not another's. The children of the temples of South Indiaare His - His and not another's. So now we go forth with the Owner Himself to claim His own possession. There is hope in the thought, and confidence and the purest inspiration. And, stirred to the very depths, as we are and must be many a time when we see the tender Lotus buds gathered by a hand that has no right to them, and crushed underfoot; bewildered and sore troubled, as the heart cannot help being sometimes, when the mystery of apparent victory of evil over good is overwhelming; even so there will be always a hush, a rest, a repose of spirit, as we stand by the Lotus-pools of life and seek in His Name to gather His flowers."

As a child I knew I wanted to live a life of purpose, a life of love, inspired by compassion flowing from a heart so humble. Years after her work on this earth is done, Amy is still teaching, bright example moving others to love the vulnerable and unlovely. In a letter replying to a young woman who had asked what missionary life was like Amy wrote, "Missionary life is simply a chance to die." Ah, a heart like Jesus, I'm honored to count her as one of the sisters I have yet to meet. 

Testimonies like Amy's compel me to live in the moment, seek God for the now, die to fantasizing about the fulfillment of empty desires. How about you? Is there someone whose example compels you to dig deeper, love more richly, sacrifice more freely? I'd love to hear about them.