What It Takes to be a Beautiful Missionary Woman

What a pretty face she* shows the world.

Make-up? Check. Whitened teeth? Check. Spray tan? Check. Hair styled? Check. Fan turned on so that hair blows in manufactured wind? Check. Coolest jewelry and outfit? Check. "Perfect Pink" nails and matching lipstick? Yes. Ready for her unrealistic podcast? Not quite. Let her get her cue cards propped up behind the computer. Now, she's ready.

Roll 'em. Action.

And, the Unrealistic Missionary Marvel is live. She's gorgeous. She's perfect. She's well spoken. She gleamingly smiles. Her audience is smitten … and deceived. They actually believe missionary life is glamorous. Just look at her! Miss Flawless tells us about her life.

Fakey. Fakey.

And, you know what's sad? That missionary woman will never make it on the mission field. Give her about five years, max. Why? Her values are wrong. Her presentation is slick and glamorous, but her heart is far from the gospel. She forgot her first love and turned it onto herself. She isn't about others. She's the Glam Woman, all about herself.

Flashy, smiley religious people are always thinking about themselves. They enjoy spending money—on themselves—and promoting their own glory.

Is it wrong for a missionary woman to be pretty? Of course not. At twenty-five, we're all pretty. Is it wrong to try to look nice? No, and the outside isn't what this post is about.

Missions is reaching the lost.

Training the saved.

Being persecuted, misunderstood, challenged, and hated—all the while keeping one's eyes on Jesus.

Sticking with a struggling church of new believers as they find their legs—and disappoint you and the Lord many times over.

Evangelizing people that couldn't care less about God—and might not even believe there is a God. Trying different methods in order to reach them.

Learning to love the not-so-pretty people, the druggies, the drunks, the disabled, and the needy. Finding out that the church fills up with saved druggies, former drunks, and needy people, and they still need help and prayer with their addictions and needs.

Missions is stinky. People are difficult.

Saved people will be transformed. They can be trained (if they're willing).

A right heart perspective makes a successful missionary.

Missions is about genuine godliness, not a show. Missions is about heart beauty and strength. Remember the Virtuous Woman? I kinda think she was a missionary. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates (Proverbs 31:20, 25-27, 30-31).

Think about our missionary hero ladies: Mary Slessor, Gladys Aylward, Isobel Kuhn, Amy Carmichael, Darlene Deibler Rose, Betty Stam, and Elisabeth Elliot. What did they say about the missionary woman's heart? Read some of their quotes and be inspired today.

"Lord, the task is impossible for me but not for Thee.

Lead the way and I will follow."  Mary Slessor

"Oh, God, here's my Bible. Here's my money.

Here's me. Use me, God."  Gladys Aylward

"Did you think the missionary path was all glory?

Then you have not read of God's greatest Messenger to earth,

who sat and wept over Jerusalem, crying out,

'I would … but ye would not.'"  Isobel Kuhn

"Strength of my heart, I need not fail,
Not mind to fear but to obey,
With such a Leader, who could quail?
Thou art as Thou wert yesterday.
Strength of my heart, I rest in Thee,
Fulfil Thy purposes through me."
Amy Carmichael

"Evidence not seen—that was what I put my trust in—

not in feelings or moments of ecstasy, 

but in the unchanging Person of Jesus Christ. 

Suddenly I realized I was singing."  Darlene Deibler Rose

"Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes,

all my own desires and hopes, and accept Thy will for my life.

I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee, to be Thine forever.

Fill me and seal me with They Holy Spirit.

Use me as Thou wilt. Send me where Thou wilt,

and work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, 

now and forever."  Betty Stam

"The fact that I'm a woman doesn't make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I'm a Christian does make me a different kind of woman." Elisabeth Elliot

May you be that "different kind of woman."

_______________

*In case you're wondering, my Glam Missionary is totally fictitious. I have never known anyone who remotely resembles her.

Kindling for a Fire

     When I think of the Book of James, some of the following are passages that come to mind: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally..." (1:5); "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." (1:8); "Every good and perfect gift is from above..." (1:17); "But be ye doers of the word and not hearers only..." (1:22)—and that is only part of chapter one. I could have continued on in chapter one, and then said just as much about the other chapters in this wisdom-packed little book, but you get the picture. However, one of the three things that I think about the most in this little book, is all the pointed things that God has to say about the tongue (the other two are— the relationship between faith and works and the brevity of life when it is described as a vapor).

     James pens many things about the tongue, "If a man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain." (1:26); he also talks about how, in the same way that a horse can be turned with only a bit and a bridle in his mouth and a ship can be controlled by the rudder, so our lives can be controlled by our tongue (3:2-4); and he writes about how every animal can be tamed, but the tongue, "can no man tame, it is an unruly evil full of deadly poison." (3:7-8); and then the one that pictures the tongue so perfectly in my mind, is the picture of the tongue being a kindling for a great fire (3:5). 

     I am sure that many people have seen the devastating effects of a house fire or the far-reaching, absolutely disastrous results of a forest/bush fire. Scenes of the utter devastation of the California fires and those in the Pacific Northwest help us to see what an out-of-control fire can do to a landscape and anything in its path; then there are stories like that of the Black Saturday fires in Australia, in February of 2009, where 173 people were killed, 414 were injured, and over one million animals were killed. When taken in light of this passage, all of these stories can make you see the things that you say, in a more serious way.

     When I think of the tongue in light of this portion of Scripture, I cannot help but think of a few analogies between a fire and the tongue. Firstly, whether a fire is accidental or arson, the effects are basically the same. We may be unaware of what to say in a particular situation, but if we remember Paul's words in Colossians 4:6 "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."—then it will help us filter our words. Secondly, although a fire may be contained, containment is rarely an option when it comes to our speech. Once it is spoken, (and in today's society, maybe even recorded) there is no control over where it goes or how far it spreads. An apology should be given, but that may only splash water on an already raging inferno. Lastly, our online comments can be classified in the same way as other words we say, and I think the Psalmist gave us a good guide for those things when he wrote, "Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile" (34:13).

     As James closes that thought in Scripture, he brings out an interesting fact that is sometimes overlooked in this passage. We as Christians, use our mouths to tell people about our awesome God; and then we turn around, and with that same tongue, we curse mankind who is created in his image; he tells us "Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not to be" (3:10). Taking all these things into account, perhaps Paul ties it together well, when in his letter to the church at Ephesus he says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers" (4:29).

     

Missionary Quote - Judson

Her Story Silhouettes by Shari {#12 Emily Chubbuck Judson / Loving a Child}

Go to www.sharihouse.com to read more "Her Story Silhouettes" 

Hey there, I'm Shari. One of my favorite things to do is read about or study the lives of those who have gone before us or who are walking beside us in this endeavor of being a missionary lady.* 

Their stories challenge me, encourage me, and teach me. My hope is that these "silhouettes" or glimpses of their lives will do the same for you.  

Each silhouette contains a small synopsis of a lady’s missionary service, a particular story from her everyday life that resonated with my own, and a short Bible study about a truth that I learned from it. I hope that as you read these posts you might be challenged to find out more about these great ladies, that you might find something that speaks to your heart or helps you in your own ministry, and that ultimately you will be encouraged to remain faithful to your calling.

So grab a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy, and let me tell you about her story.

Silhouette:  

Emily Chubbuck was born in New York on August 22, 1817. She was the sixth child born into a very poor family, and before she turned 12, she found herself working in a wool mill to help support them. At a young age she was inspired to be a missionary when she read the memoir of Ann Judson, who was a missionary in Burma. Emily was quite clever and took every opportunity to advance her education, and by the age of 15 she was teaching at a local school. She used all her free time to write poems, Sunday school books, and children’s stories that were published by a Baptist publishing company. Her burden for the mission field only waned in the face of her deep desire to help her family, and she often stayed up long into the night writing. “I must write; I must write;” she said, “I must do what I can to aid my poor parents.” By the age of 19 she had made enough money from her writings that she was able to purchase a comfortable home for her parents. For seven years her fame as a teacher continued to take her from one school to a more important school. Eventually she found herself teaching at Utica Female Seminary. She started writing more secular style articles and stories under the penname, Fanny Forester, which drew the attention of popular entertainment magazines and she began to gain notoriety.

At the age of 28, she met Adoniram Judson for the first time. He was a famous missionary to Burma and had been one of her personal heroes since her early teen years.  He had recently made the voyage home for the first time since leaving America 34 years prior in the hope of helping his wife’s failing health, but Sarah passed away while they were still at sea. He arrived in America in October of 1846, and a few months after that took a trip with his friend, Dr. Gillette, from Boston to Philadelphia for a meeting. With the hopes of passing the time and lifting Adoniram’s spirits, his friend read him a book penned by a Miss Fanny Forester. Adoniram was impressed with her writing skills but not her subject matter, and he felt her writing could be of much more value if it were centered on more important matters. He decided right then and there that he wanted to meet her and secure her services to write his wife’s biography.  The two met for the first time on Christmas Day and spent many hours together over the next couple of weeks. Nothing more can be said but that they fell instantly in love. Within a few weeks they were engaged. Their whirlwind romance was met by opposition on both sides. He was 30 years her senior and his colleagues felt the worldly author was completely unsuited to be the wife of such an esteemed missionary. Adoniram on the other hand could see past the exterior sheen that comes with earthly renown and connected with her heart that still held true to an abiding faith.  Emily’s friends in the literary circles felt it was nothing short of piracy for Adoniram to whisk her away to heathen lands where her fame and talent would surely be wasted. Neither Adoniram or Emily cared what others thought as they loved each other dearly. They were married six months later and set sail to return to the mission work in Burma.

Emily adjusted to the work of a missionary quite easily and set out to learn the language as soon as she arrived. In no short amount of time, she was holding Bible studies for the ladies, counselling, and translating Sunday school lessons, hymns, and other various religious materials. Adjusting to the life of a missionary in Burma on the other hand was more difficult, but she handled it with courage and grace.  It is said that the house they lived in at Rangoon had hundreds of bats roosting in the rafters. These pests robbed them of much needed sleep in the night, and there was a constant mess on the floor every morning. The house was also plagued with hordes of “cockroaches, beetles, spiders, lizards, rats, ants, mosquitoes, and bedbugs.” Besides these horrible creatures, from their house they could hear the inhumane actions of the local government official who particularly hated Christians. At this time most of their missionary work had to be done in secret. Eventually guards were posted outside their house in the hopes of catching anyone going in or out that didn’t work there. Added to these problems was the stress of their support waning from the churches back home and both of them being so sick they could barely leave the house. In all of this though, they never wavered from their purpose of reaching as many for Christ as possible.

On December 24, 1847, their first daughter, Emily Frances, was born. By April of 1850 her husband had become gravely ill and was sent back to America in hopes of recovering. Emily was unable to go with him as it was nearing the end of her pregnancy with their second child. A few weeks later her son, Charles, was born and died on the same day. Her husband also passed away just a few weeks into his voyage, but Emily did not find out until the month of August.

In 1851, less than five years after she arrived in Burma, Emily found herself ordered home to America by her doctor because of her failing health. Once she returned to America she set herself to compiling materials for her husband’s biography and started writing again to supplement her income. She was able to author three more books before she succumbed to tuberculosis and died on June 1, 1854, at the age of 36. In her own words, “It is not the pearly gates and golden streets of heaven that attract me; it is its perfect rest in the presence of my Savior. It will be so sweet after a life of toil and care like mine, though a very pleasant one it has been.” She lived a short but full life and is remembered not only for her literary works, but also for the faithful companionship and help she was to her husband in the closing days of his missions service here on earth. She was truly a woman of whom it could be said, “She hath done what she could.”

Her Story/My Story: 

Upon Emily’s marriage to Adoniram, she became the mother of his five living children, Abby Ann, Elnathan, and Adoniram, who were attending school in the States, and the two youngest sons, Henry and Edward, who were yet in Burma awaiting their father’s return. In a letter to a friend, Emily writes, “I do love the dear children that a saint in heaven has left me. I love them for their own sakes; for sweeter, more lovely little creatures never breathed; brighter, more beautiful blossoms never expanded in the cold atmosphere of this world. I love them for the sake of one still dearer, who had the power to break all the ties which were twined within tenfold strength about my heart; and I love them because they are immortal beings, because for them a Savior died, even as for me. I love them; I pray to God to help me train them up in His fear and love.” Once her husband passed away and she was forced to return to America, the only thing that kept her from being crushed by her excessive grief of losing her beloved was the reuniting of Adoniram’s children under one roof and being a mother to them. These children who had suffered many hardships on the mission field as well as long periods of separation from their parents and then ultimately their parents’ deaths, found in Emily a woman willing to show them a mother’s love.

As for me, the Lord did not grant me the opportunity to bear a child of my own, but He has given me many opportunities to show a mother’s love to His precious children. There have been bus kids that needed a friendly smile, teens that needed a listening ear, and babies that needed a calming touch. God reminds me often of the verse Psalms 113:9,   “He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.” 

Recently I found myself sitting next to one of a pair of identical twins I somewhat affectionately/somewhat seriously call my Tasmanian Devils. I couldn’t help but remember the first day they visited our church with their grandmother just over a year ago. She brought them upstairs to the nursery, told me their names, handed me a switch, and gave me her permission to use it. My first thought was, “Umm, this is going to be interesting.” My next thought was, “They are so adorable, how could you possibly need to switch them.” With a little love and direction, the girls settled in and played quite nicely with the other children. I was beginning to think that maybe the grandma was the problem, and then it came…the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde moment. It was time to go home and the kids were starting to clean up the toys and the girls just went crazy. I’ve worked with children a long time and have never seen anything like it. They were running around in circles, grabbing and throwing toys from one side of the room to the other, and laughing in quite an evil sinister laugh. I was just dumbfounded. Every time at the end of each service, when they could hear the parents coming up the stairs to collect their children, they became completely uncontrollable. They were not afraid to go with their grandma, but it was as if they didn’t want her to know they could sit calmly and play for 45 minutes without being totally out of control. It didn’t take long for the girls to learn that I wouldn’t put up with such nonsense.  

The past year has afforded me many opportunities to get to know these girls better, to choose to show them love instead of anger, and to show them patience instead of frustration. I wish I could say I responded correctly each time the occasion arose, but a bond has formed, and now they run up and hug me each time they see me because they know I love them. Since the girls have turned five recently we’ve had many more “teaching” opportunities with them sitting in Junior Church and the main services, but they are getting better. This particular church service when one of the twins was sitting next to me trying not to wiggle, I laid my hand on my lap facing upward and she quickly grasped it with her little hand. It seemed to have a calming effect on her, and we sat like that for the duration of the service. As I looked down at her little hand in mine, I was amazed again at the opportunity the Lord gives us to touch the lives of the ones He loves so much, and when I got home, I wrote this little poem.

Study:   Loving a Child

I’m not sure when it starts…this inborn desire to nurture, protect, and care for another human being…but I know it is God-given. I mean, honestly, why else would we be willing to change a baby’s diaper, wake from a deep sleep to wipe a fevered brow, or help someone with their 6th grade Science project. When we carry this thought over to the realm of ministry, this nurturing characteristic manifests itself in ways like being willing to inconvenience ourselves to bring a child to church, sitting a child on our lap that hasn’t bathed for days, or hugging a little one who has a head full of nits.

Motherhood comes in so many different shapes and sizes. Sometimes the child is born from your very womb and other times they are born from your heart. Sometimes a child is thrust upon you, and others you seek out. No matter how it comes to be that you find yourself with an opportunity to love a child, take it. It is our greatest privilege to be the earthly vessel sent to them to show them their Heavenly Father.

Here are some ways to love the children in your life:

1. Accept them where they are and love them without reservation.

• 1 Peter 4:8 "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

• Jeremiah 31:3 "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."

2. Teach them and be kind to them.

• Proverbs 31:26 "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." 

• I Corinthians 13:4 "Charity suffereth long, and is kind..."

• Mark 6:34 "And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things."

• Psalms 36:7 "How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings."

3. Make time for them and be willing to sacrifice for them.

• Luke 18:15 & 16 "And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God."

• Ephesians 5:2 "And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour."

4. Lead them by example and be patient with them. 

• Titus 2:7 “In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works…”

• Proverbs 14:29 "He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly." 

• 2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

If you'd like to learn about other ladies who were used of God or if you'd like to find out more about my story you can click on this site's "Contributors" tab or visit my website at www.sharihouse.com

I'd love to hear about your story, too. Feel free to leave a comment, or friend me on Facebook, or visit me in Thailand.  I have a great guest room.  :)

______________________________________________

*Disclaimer:

I have chosen to highlight the life of these ladies because of what they have accomplished for the Lord not because I agree with their doctrinal beliefs.  As with all study of man, our focus should be on the character traits they bestowed in their lives that allowed the Lord to use them, how the Lord used them, the methods of ministry they incorporated that allowed them to be effective, etc.  We do not study man to get our doctrine.  Our doctrinal beliefs should only come from the Bible.  To that end you may find you don’t agree with the doctrine of a particular person that I write about, but I believe there is still much wisdom we can gain from studying their lives. 

Hash Browns - With Video

Hash browns

Who likes hash browns for breakfast? I sure do! 

Warm, crispy, flavorful hash browns with some eggs, maybe some hot sauce. That is my kind of breakfast! 

This recipe is so easy, and simple. You can make it with potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams,  taro root, tapioca root, even squash or pumpkin! 

I normally make three batches of this recipe for my family of six. The nice thing about these hash browns, is that most every visitor that has had these hash browns has liked them! So if you have some picky eaters visiting, try this breakfast on them! 

What You’ll Need:

Two cups of shredded potatoes (or whatever tuber/squash you choose to use) 

One egg

One tablespoon of corn starch (you can use flour, but I like the texture more with corn starch)

                                                                   Salt to taste    

 Oil

Cover the bottom of your cast iron pan, or whatever pan you usually fry in, with about an inch of oil. Turn on heat to med-high. 

Mix the potatoes, egg, and corn starch. 

Measure out your hash browns with a quarter cup. Place mixture in oil and smash down slightly. 

Once the underside has started to turn brown, flip. Once that side is brown, remove from oil and strain, 

Sprinkle generously with salt, season salt, Cajun seasoning, or even taco seasoning! 

Sometimes, if we have left over hash browns, we like to make open face grilled cheese sandwiches with them! Just place the left over hash browns on a cookie sheet, and put slices of cheese on the top. Place the pan under the broiler in your oven. Remove once the cheese is melted, bubbly, and just starting to brown. 

I hope your family enjoys these hash browns as much as my family does! 

If you like this recipe, please comment below. If you have any questions, or comments, feel free to comment! I’d love to get feedback! 

Amber Wells 

Papua New Guinea 🇵🇬 

Saying Goodbyes

We said goodbyes to our friends and family when we left one year ago to attend language school in Costa Rica.  Our first year away from family, friends, and our church.  All new beginnings.  I shed a few tears here and there.  The night before we left, however, I cried when I hugged my family for the last time....hard.  Then, I walked into Steak n' Shake to meet some lifelong friends before leaving.  One of them looked at me and said, "Get in that bathroom and dry it up.  We are not crying like that in here."  So, I did.  I had a few moments of fun and laughter with those women.  Then, I got in my car and drove away.  And, I cried again....hard.  I didn't think I could cry anymore after that night.  And, I didn't.  We made it to the airport with both my parents and my husbands' parents to see us off.  No tears were shed (that day, anyway).  I was truly looking forward to what our year in language school would hold.

We arrived in Costa Rica never having lived abroad or knowing what we were getting ourselves into.  I had heard "goodbyes" were the hardest.  I told my 10-year-old son at the time to embrace every person God brings into our lives.  Love hard.  Hold onto them.  Even though we know it may only be temporary.  And, I'm so glad we did.

Our time in language school was amazing.  Yes, there were hard days; but I'm so thankful God allowed me to hold on fast and hard to the people He brought into my life during that year, knowing I may never see them again this side of Heaven (except for Facebook.  Yay for technology!)  God has given us a bond that is unlike any other.   We have laughed with them, cried with them, explored countries with them, played a ton of games with them (much to my husband's dismay at times), and just shared life with them.  I knew the goodbyes were coming, but I didn't realize they would be just as hard as the ones were when we left for language school.

Our Graduating Class

We have grown to love our fellow students, neighbors, and church members. We had grown to love Costa Rica.  We had grown to love the life we lived there--tranquilo!  So, that last week of school, I held it in.  I held back the tears, even during graduation when they played our memory video.  During our graduation get-together that night, I was doing okay.  Do you want to know what brought on the tears?  A game I played with some of the women at the party.  I started tearing up as I watched my children playing with their friends, knowing the goodbyes were coming.  And, then it hit.  I hugged the last person, and the floodgates opened.  I cried all the way home....hard.  I cried over the life I would leave behind....again.  Dropping in to someone's house unannounced and hanging out--and having people drop by mine.  Playing games.  Drinking coffee.  A simple life. A wonderful community.  A common bond. 

Our return to the United States for a quick update to our churches and visits with family, supporters, and friends was a rough landing for me.  Re-entry was not what I had expected....at all.  And, honestly, I didn't handle it well.  But, when my children saw their "pop pop" waiting to pick us up with Krispy Kreme donuts in hand, I knew all would be well. 

It has been a crazy first week back, and it will be a packed seven weeks total.  The "goodbyes" were so hard, but how the "hellos" have been so good.  We are thankful for both.  "Hellos" and "Goodbyes" mean God is bringing people along our path to walk beside us on this journey, some for a moment and others for a lifetime.  I pray I continue to "love hard" on every single person and thank God for how He uses each of them in my life for however long He allows them to be in it.

Missionary Quotes - Livingstone