Conversation with "A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael"

Well, it would be nice if someone I knew were simultaneously reading the same book, so I could have an actual conversation(s) about some of the topics in the book, but, hey, ... anyway...

Okay so for now I want to talk about the idea of the 'romance' or sensationalistic element of missions or helping those in need. I will begin with a couple of quotes from the book -

Were the Scraps accomplishing anything? Amy wondered. 'Do not say, 'Oh, they interest us.' I do not care about 'interesting' you.
(p.164)

Because missionary reports generally included more about successes than about failures, Amy tried to shift the weight to the other side. 'It is more important that you should know about the reverses than about the successes of the war. We shall have all eternity to celebrate the victories, but we have only the few hours before sunset in which to win them. We are not winning them as we should, because the fact of the reverses is so little realized, and the needed reinforcements are not forthcoming, as they would be if the position were thoroughly understood. . . . So we have tried to tell you the truth - the uninteresting, unromantic truth.'
(p.161-162)

From the book, though, I do get the sense that Amy did long for adventure and thrill in the missionary life, where she could see God work. I think that's cool that Amy wanted to focus more on the truth of what actually happens, rather than romanticizing her work.

I wonder if for me part of my interest in missions (even if it is a somewhat distant interest) and helping those in need is sensationalistic. I'm attracted to photography and videos and ministry fairs and learning about the stories and plight of those in need. But then...I think even when I was a child I was attracted to missions, so, probably the seed of interest was planted by God. Yet still I wonder if part of my interest is fueled in part by external factors...

Excerpts from "A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael"

"The girl from the Irish village on the North Sea, standing in the pouring rain beside her pile of luggage on the shore of Japan, laughing. 'All this was part of the going forth unto a land I knew not, and everything was just right, and if things went wrong it was so much the more fun. I knew they would come right in the end. And they always did.' So with the charming lightheartedness of faith she only wondered, What next?" (p. 68)

"During the few days' wait for the lady who was to meet her Amy walked one day along the seashore, talking with one of the Shimonoseki missionaries. A casual remark was dropped which elicited an astonished question from Amy. 'You don't mean to say,' the missionary replied, 'you think all missionaries love one another?' Precisely what she had thought. How coiuld it be otherwise? 'No faintest foreshadowing of the purposes of God was mine that morning,' she wrote, 'but I remember the thoughts that rushed through me then. What of 'See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently'? Was such a life of love lived nowhere?' It was a gray day, with a gray sea, a gray drizzle, and gray thoughts. But it spurred her to prayer, to an earnest beseeching that the Lord would enable her to love as He commanded us to love." (p.68-69)

Life Reminder #18

18. Expect the worst, hope for the best.

Life Reminders #14-17

14. "We don't know what the future holds, but we know who holds the future."
15. We don't always know when people have busy minds.
16. "Stress is overrated."
17. Trials can act as opportunities for faith tests.

Couple of quotes

Recent quote finds:

"It's not about 'us' going and saving 'them,' but it is very much neighbors extending hands to neighbors, helping to bear one another's burdens." ~ Darrah (an Invisible Children 'roadie')

"Be of good cheer, brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flame, or else strengthen us to abide it." ~ Ridley's (I think a martyr) last words

Life Reminders #1-13

1. Step by step. Start small.
2. Work on it for 30 minutes.
3. Blossom where you're planted.
4. Don't marry someone you can live with - marry someone you can't live without.
5. Life is short.
6. Everyone has their own little world. Maybe their mom just died. Life doesn't revolve around you.
7. Here lived a street sweeper who did his job well.
8. In whatso'ever estate, there are relationships to cultivate.
9. Character is who you are when no one but God is watching.
10. Love your enemy.
11. Not teacher-centered or student-centered, but subject-centered.
12. Ecclesiastes is excellent.
13. Care about those who are caring for others. (Practical translation --> in a ministry, care about the leaders' spiritual being/fellowship as well as those being reached out to.)

Teaching Perk

Today I met with a student outside class, and I feel like she is in an 'aha' period of her writing skill development. I think she used a couple of handouts (not created by me) to influence her latest writing. ******Anyway*yay*******

Repentance & Temptation

Piper refers to repentance as being an internal change of mind and heart. Can this internal change be the acknowledgement of one's sin, and realization that Jesus needs to be the one to do the changing? How does one change internally and undergo true repentance if s/he is still attached to the sin? Prayer? Change eternally first? Simply look to God? A mixture of some of that? Maybe a change of desire could be one method to encouraging/leading to heart change. James 1:14 says, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." So if those desires are transformed, perhaps the temptations will decrease as well. On another note, I wonder what exactly 'temptation' is...can it be possible to be tempted without any evil desire? Hebrews 4:15 talks about Jesus being "one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." So he was tempted...and even suffered. Hebrews 2:18 says, "he himself has suffered when tempted"... but does that word have a different meaning than it does in James 1:13, when it says, "...God cannot be tempted with evil..."? Maybe in the latter case it means there is no way God would give into the temptation...or maybe it means that He is finished with personally experiencing temptation?

Love never fails

Basically, I guess love should override things such as perceived narrow mindedness. Like, today, I think an enthusiastic reaction popped out of me when I found out that someone was involved with something. While that 'something' might be interesting for me to watch, and it's interesting that she's involved with it, I don't think I'd like to get too involved for religious reasons. She invited me to come on Thurs. or Fri. Even if I was free (doesn't look like I will be, but I didn't tell her it doesn't look like I'll be free), I guess it's possible I might not have to directly get involved. But if I was invited to participate, I don't think I'd feel comfortable. Basically I think it's a Japanese dance - maybe a practice - at a Buddhist church or something. While I find going to temples and watching cultural performances interesting, I don't think I'd feel comfortable participating in a dance that may have religious roots. That being said, I think there are customs here in America that may be rooted in pagan or other non-Christian beliefs that I may not feel uncomfortable with.

In general (not only in reference to this situation), perhaps I should not feel the need to have to have certain reactions or mask certain beliefs. That doesn't mean I necessarily need to proclaim all my beliefs and feelings, though. But I guess if there's ever a time when I share an opinion that differs from the mainstream, I should feel that even if I'm perceived to be narrow minded, if my comments or reactions are respectful, loving, or not cold or disrespectful, then things should be okay...

To have the faith of Abraham

Something I wrote last month (on 6/21) ~

"So, this time my thought is about something I read last night in Romans 4, when Abraham "did not weaken in faith" when he thought about his old body or "the barrennness of Sarah's womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promiseof God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was 'counted to him as righteousness.'"

His circumstances could have easily made him waver in his trust. But, despite them, he GREW, gave GLORY to God, and TRUSTED. Ideally, we too, in spite of unstable-appearing circumstances, will hopefully GROW, give GLORY, and TRUST."