Matthew 19:26 - With God all things are possible.
Gladys Aylward was a young British woman who served as a life long missionary to the Chinese during the first half of the twentieth century. Her story, told in the book "The Little Woman" is truly remarkable. One of the most amazing parts of her story is that no mission society would send her. When God began to deal with her about the mission field she attended a mission school for three months in order to learn about the possibility of serving overseas. At the end of that time she was told she was not qualified. Her education was not good enough and it was thought that she would never learn the Chinese language; it is considered one of the most complicated in the world for English speakers to master.
So what did Gladys do? She went anyway. She heard of a independent woman missionary in China who needed someone to carry on her work, as the woman was old and in bad health. Gladys worked as a parlor maid, saved her money, and bought a one way ticket to China. Shortly after her arrival, the older Mrs. Lawson died and left Gladys completely alone as the only European woman in that part of China. How as she going to survive? What would she do? The rest of the story is nothing short of miraculous.
Through divine providence Gladys was invited by the Mandarin (the local Chinese governor) to become the foot inspector for that region. The Chinese had passed a law that forbade the ancient practice of foot binding, a cruel practice which left the woman handicapped. As she was the only woman he knew without bound feet, he needed her to inspect the feet of little girls and make sure that there feet were allowed to grow properly. She accepted the job on the condition that she could also tell people about Jesus wherever she went. The governor agreed. For the next few years Gladys was paid to travel throughout every village in the region and enforce the new law. She had soldiers to accompany her for protection and to enforce what she said. She saw hundreds of people converted to Christianity and was able to help stamp out the cruel custom of foot binding. All this from the lady who was not eligible for service according to the mission societies.
And that that's not the best part .... Against all the dire predictions of the men who would not send Gladys, she learned to not only speak, but to read and write the Chinese language like a native. After a few years in China she dressed and spoke just like a native Chinese speaker. In fact, until she would tell them, most Chinese would not know she was not one of them. She always said that to her this was one of God's great mysteries.
The moral of the story is this: Do not let the nay sayers put limits on us. No doubt, these men meant well. They truly did not think Gladys had what it took to be a missionary and wanted to spare her a lot of trouble. But when God puts a call on someone's life and desire in someone's heart it is not for us to dissuade him. Do you have a dream you haven't seen fulfilled? You don't see how it could ever come to pass? Remember this. God's ability to work through us is not limited by what people think of us. It is often the least thought of who do the greatest exploits because then God gets the glory.
Are you discouraged? Thinking of giving up? Just remember Gladys, and tell yourself this: With God all things are possible!
Sincerely,
Sullivan Jones
Gladys Aylward was a young British woman who served as a life long missionary to the Chinese during the first half of the twentieth century. Her story, told in the book "The Little Woman" is truly remarkable. One of the most amazing parts of her story is that no mission society would send her. When God began to deal with her about the mission field she attended a mission school for three months in order to learn about the possibility of serving overseas. At the end of that time she was told she was not qualified. Her education was not good enough and it was thought that she would never learn the Chinese language; it is considered one of the most complicated in the world for English speakers to master.
So what did Gladys do? She went anyway. She heard of a independent woman missionary in China who needed someone to carry on her work, as the woman was old and in bad health. Gladys worked as a parlor maid, saved her money, and bought a one way ticket to China. Shortly after her arrival, the older Mrs. Lawson died and left Gladys completely alone as the only European woman in that part of China. How as she going to survive? What would she do? The rest of the story is nothing short of miraculous.
Through divine providence Gladys was invited by the Mandarin (the local Chinese governor) to become the foot inspector for that region. The Chinese had passed a law that forbade the ancient practice of foot binding, a cruel practice which left the woman handicapped. As she was the only woman he knew without bound feet, he needed her to inspect the feet of little girls and make sure that there feet were allowed to grow properly. She accepted the job on the condition that she could also tell people about Jesus wherever she went. The governor agreed. For the next few years Gladys was paid to travel throughout every village in the region and enforce the new law. She had soldiers to accompany her for protection and to enforce what she said. She saw hundreds of people converted to Christianity and was able to help stamp out the cruel custom of foot binding. All this from the lady who was not eligible for service according to the mission societies.
And that that's not the best part .... Against all the dire predictions of the men who would not send Gladys, she learned to not only speak, but to read and write the Chinese language like a native. After a few years in China she dressed and spoke just like a native Chinese speaker. In fact, until she would tell them, most Chinese would not know she was not one of them. She always said that to her this was one of God's great mysteries.
The moral of the story is this: Do not let the nay sayers put limits on us. No doubt, these men meant well. They truly did not think Gladys had what it took to be a missionary and wanted to spare her a lot of trouble. But when God puts a call on someone's life and desire in someone's heart it is not for us to dissuade him. Do you have a dream you haven't seen fulfilled? You don't see how it could ever come to pass? Remember this. God's ability to work through us is not limited by what people think of us. It is often the least thought of who do the greatest exploits because then God gets the glory.
Are you discouraged? Thinking of giving up? Just remember Gladys, and tell yourself this: With God all things are possible!
Sincerely,
Sullivan Jones