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uscrx's review
3.0
Through this book, I was introduced to Lilias Trotter, pioneer missionary to Muslims in Algeria, and top notch artist. Her life provides so many lessons for those who would reach out to Muslims today; probably the greatest one being living a life of love impacts people so much more than reasoning skills. Fine missionary biography!
readordi3's review
5.0
Stellar read. I love how much compassion Trotter had for everybody and even in her death bed she was being such a strong leader. God used her in a very beautiful way.
meredith_mccaskey's review
4.0
5 stars for the subject matter, 3 stars for the writing.
I watched the documentary on Lilias's life ("Many Beautiful Things") about a year ago, and I feel like putting it together with this book helps make a more rounded view of this beautiful Christian soul. Much more than this book, the documentary emphasizes Lilias's artistic talent and all that she gave up in terms of worldly success in choosing to move to Algeria to be a missionary. The focus of this book is the over forty years she spent there.
The writing is rather dry– Ms. Rockness tends to offer tidy summaries instead of vivid details, so it's much more a feeling of being told events rather than shown them. Then again, she didn't have a wealth of source material to work with. I admire her for tackling this project and trying to shed light on the life of this mighty woman of God about whom so few know.
What has stuck most with me are some of Lilias's own words (this book quotes extensively from her diaries, which is one of its strengths.)
Other workers may come later; meanwhile we can be loving them and praying for them. I have been thinking lately what a work for God it is, just loving people. He says in Deut 22: 'If an ox or an ass has gone astray, thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee till thy brother seek after it.' I think He gives us sometimes a little service for souls– wandering souls that we cannot bring back to Him; sometimes all we can do is to keep them near us, and show the kindness of God to them, and hold them in faith and prayer till He comes to seek them.
The martens have been reading me a faith lesson. They come in flights this time of year– lovely things with blue throats & feathered claws– one slept in my room last night and another darted in at the open window before I was up, swept round & out again.
Their faith lesson is this– that their wings need the sense of an "empty void" below to give them a start– their leg muscles have no spring in them and when they perch by accident on a level place they are stuck fast– poor things we did not know that natural history fact in the past & when we have found them on our flat Alger roof with its parapet protection, we have though they had got hurt somehow, & more than once we have tried to feed them till they died, instead of doing the one thing that they needed- tossing them off into emptiness.
So we need not wonder if we are not allowed to stay long in level sheltered places– our faith wings are like the martens & mostly need the gulf of some emergency to give them their start on a new flight. We will not fear when we feel empty air under them."
I watched the documentary on Lilias's life ("Many Beautiful Things") about a year ago, and I feel like putting it together with this book helps make a more rounded view of this beautiful Christian soul. Much more than this book, the documentary emphasizes Lilias's artistic talent and all that she gave up in terms of worldly success in choosing to move to Algeria to be a missionary. The focus of this book is the over forty years she spent there.
The writing is rather dry– Ms. Rockness tends to offer tidy summaries instead of vivid details, so it's much more a feeling of being told events rather than shown them. Then again, she didn't have a wealth of source material to work with. I admire her for tackling this project and trying to shed light on the life of this mighty woman of God about whom so few know.
What has stuck most with me are some of Lilias's own words (this book quotes extensively from her diaries, which is one of its strengths.)
Other workers may come later; meanwhile we can be loving them and praying for them. I have been thinking lately what a work for God it is, just loving people. He says in Deut 22: 'If an ox or an ass has gone astray, thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee till thy brother seek after it.' I think He gives us sometimes a little service for souls– wandering souls that we cannot bring back to Him; sometimes all we can do is to keep them near us, and show the kindness of God to them, and hold them in faith and prayer till He comes to seek them.
The martens have been reading me a faith lesson. They come in flights this time of year– lovely things with blue throats & feathered claws– one slept in my room last night and another darted in at the open window before I was up, swept round & out again.
Their faith lesson is this– that their wings need the sense of an "empty void" below to give them a start– their leg muscles have no spring in them and when they perch by accident on a level place they are stuck fast– poor things we did not know that natural history fact in the past & when we have found them on our flat Alger roof with its parapet protection, we have though they had got hurt somehow, & more than once we have tried to feed them till they died, instead of doing the one thing that they needed- tossing them off into emptiness.
So we need not wonder if we are not allowed to stay long in level sheltered places– our faith wings are like the martens & mostly need the gulf of some emergency to give them their start on a new flight. We will not fear when we feel empty air under them."
lifeinoz's review
3.0
A decent read but very difficult to get through. She was a fascinating lady but the writing is laborious!
turning_every_paige's review
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
This lovingly written biography of a lesser-known missionary was so moving and inspiring. Lillias Trotter was quite a woman, who had quite a relationship with her Lord. Her love for people, her passion for the impossible, her drive to serve the Lord, and her ability to pull spiritual lessons from the scenes of nature that she loved so well are all incredibly thought-provoking and challenging. What a life!
Some quotes from the book and from Lillias herself:
-“It is loss to keep when God says ‘give’.”— L.T.
-“The only valid question, she believed, was how anyone who had experienced the light of eternity ‘in the face of Jesus Christ’ could withhold that light and life and love from those who had not. …’All that is of dimness and dreariness and hopeless heart-emptiness is wrapped up in those two words— without Christ’.” -M.H.R.
-“I am full of hope that when God delays in fulfilling our little thoughts, it is to have Himself room to work out His great ones.” —L.T.
-“And yet let us write evermore write over all our miseries, big, and for the most part very little, these transforming words ‘With Jesus’.” —L.T.
-“…you cannot get beyond that blessed climax of impossibility. Let faith swing out on Him. He is the God of the impossible.” —L.T.
5 ⭐️
Some quotes from the book and from Lillias herself:
-“It is loss to keep when God says ‘give’.”— L.T.
-“The only valid question, she believed, was how anyone who had experienced the light of eternity ‘in the face of Jesus Christ’ could withhold that light and life and love from those who had not. …’All that is of dimness and dreariness and hopeless heart-emptiness is wrapped up in those two words— without Christ’.” -M.H.R.
-“I am full of hope that when God delays in fulfilling our little thoughts, it is to have Himself room to work out His great ones.” —L.T.
-“And yet let us write evermore write over all our miseries, big, and for the most part very little, these transforming words ‘With Jesus’.” —L.T.
-“…you cannot get beyond that blessed climax of impossibility. Let faith swing out on Him. He is the God of the impossible.” —L.T.
5 ⭐️
maigahannatu's review
3.0
Lilias Trotter was born into a wealthy family. As wealthy women did back then, living lives of leisure, they often contributed in some way to a social need. However, Lilias didn't do this to be socially acceptable. More and more she felt God's call on her life to work with women and young ladies who were cast off by society or who had no place to go. In addition to that, a famous artist of the day discovered her artistic talents and gave her lessons. She could have continued under his tutelage and herself become a famous artist. Instead, she realized God had laid the country of Algeria on her heart. She spent the rest of her life as a missionary there in spite of frail health. Her methods of reaching out to Muslims and discipling new believers were far ahead of her time.
Lilias' story is inspiring, but I only gave this book three stars because the writing style was not my favorite. I can't say it wasn't well written, because it was very well-written. It was just kind of heavy and slow, I guess would be how I would describe it.
Lilias' story is inspiring, but I only gave this book three stars because the writing style was not my favorite. I can't say it wasn't well written, because it was very well-written. It was just kind of heavy and slow, I guess would be how I would describe it.
sarahjoko's review
5.0
I’m so glad I forced myself to read this book. I found it a bit difficult to get through, but it was rewarding. I love Lilias Trotter— her two Parable books have been influential in my life —and I enjoyed learning more of her story. I will now read those books with the context of her life and they are much richer for it.
marysee's review
3.0
It took me a while to get through the book. It is not an easy read. I would recommend to read the appendices first. I love Lilias Trotter's writings, her artwork and her complete devotion to Jesus and His call upon her life. The last chapters and her writings were wonderful. I will be reading the books that she has written that I can find.
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