Happy 110th birthday to my childhood heroine, Gladys Aylward!!
I have always admired her trust in the LORD, her willingness to serve Him in spite of obstacles and everyone she knew saying 'You can't do that!', and not knowing what she was walking into when she bought her ticket for China.
Miss Aylward is also a testament that a little cleaning girl can do seemingly impossible things when she trusts God and submits herself wholly to Him. That is pretty inspiring to this cleaning girl over 100 years later.
The name 'Gladys' means 'lame or disabled' - this certainly was how many persons viewed Gladys in regards to being a missionary. They always told her she was unfit for the work she believed God had called her to do. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak [and lame] things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. (1 Cor. 1:27)
Thank You, Jesus, for Gladys Aylward and her obedience and submission to You.
~ Johanna
Miss Aylward is also a testament that a little cleaning girl can do seemingly impossible things when she trusts God and submits herself wholly to Him. That is pretty inspiring to this cleaning girl over 100 years later.
The name 'Gladys' means 'lame or disabled' - this certainly was how many persons viewed Gladys in regards to being a missionary. They always told her she was unfit for the work she believed God had called her to do. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak [and lame] things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty. (1 Cor. 1:27)
Thank You, Jesus, for Gladys Aylward and her obedience and submission to You.
~ Johanna
I don't know that I've heard of her before. Is there a book you recommend on her?
ReplyDeleteHello Reese,
ReplyDeleteI think the first book I read about Miss Aylward was a Dave and Nita Jackson book called 'Flight of the Fugitives' which is a fictionalised account of her life. There is a series called Heroes of the Faith that is more factual, that book is just called Gladys Aylward. Or there is one called G A: The Courageous Missionary Whose Life Defied All Expectations.
She is really quite an inspiration!
~ J
P. S. The film 'Inn of the Sixth Happiness' was very loosely based on Miss Aylward's life.
I'll add her to my list :-)
ReplyDelete