Emily Joy: Learning from Lilias Trotter

Lilias Trotter has been brought to my attention on multiple occasions, but I have never really read her words or her story until this summer. A couple years ago the McAlvey's gave me a christmas gift, a book titled, Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God, written by Noel Piper. As I have been packing up my books, I find myself pulling out ones that I want to read before I leave them all behind.

This was one of the books I pulled and stacked in a pile with 20 or so others.

As I read through each of these women's' stories,

God stirs my heart

and invites me to live in more faith in His faithfulness towards me.

Lilias Trotter served the Lord in Algeria for the majority of her life. She was 34 when she received her calling to North Africa and applied to North African Mission. They did not accept her because of her fragile health. She was determined though. She went independently with two other women. There they began to learn Arabic and persistently tried to gain inroads into the Arab culture. There is much to learn from her life, and there is also much to learn from her writings.

When Lilias would go back to England, to rest, she would often have to stay longer than her companions because of her poor health. During these extended rest periods, Lilias would write about all that the Lord had been teaching her.

Lilias Trotter had two passions- art and our Lord. She writes, "it is possible that one of the passions could become servant to the other." And isn't that true. Don't all of our passions become servant to our passion for Jesus Christ? When we take His yoke, which is easy and light, we say 'yes' to Him being our King, our Lord, our Master. We say 'no' to a whole slew of things in order that our 'yes' would be as true. In order that our 'yes' to the Lord would thunder- vibrating throughout the rest of our lives.

"Turn your soul's vision to Jesus,

and look to Him,

and a strange dimness will come over all that is apart from Him."

"And yet let us evermore write over all our miseries, big, and for the most part very little,

these transforming words "With Jesus."

And then the very breath of Heaven

will breathe upon our whole being and

we shall be glad."

-Ms. Lilias Trotter

The words, "with Jesus" have been stuck in my head since I read them. What a beautiful truth to remember. About six months ago, a friend was talking about her mom and she said that her mom walked in the truth that she was never alone. When I heard her say those words, I let me heart imagine a life that was totally free from the lie that I am alone. I dared to believe that it was possible that I would walk in the freedom of being with my Lord. May I continue to offer up my unbelief and may I continue to be made new. Let all my days, and all my moments, knowingly be imprinted with the words, "With Jesus." And may that bring countless amounts of joy and praise.

I will for sure be doing more reading on Lilias Trotter.