A Chance to Die

I just finished reading Elisabeth Elliot's biography of Amy Carmichael, A Chance to Die. Amy Carmichael was a missionary to India in the late 1800's through the early 1900's. She founded the Dohnavur Fellowship, an orphanage to rescue children who were doomed to be temple prostitutes. She served fifty-three years in India without a single furlough. Here are some quotes I really liked:

"Our prayers for the evangelization of the world are but a bitter irony so long as we only give of our superfluity and draw back before the sacrifice of ourselves."

"If by doing some work which the undiscerning consider 'not spiritual work' I can best help others, and I inwardly rebel, thinking it is the spiritual for which I crave, when in truth it is the interesting and exciting, then I know nothing of Calvary love."

"'Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.' How often I think of that ought. No sugary sentiment there. Just the stern, glorious trumpet call, OUGHT. But can words tell of the joy buried deep withing? Mine cannot. It laughs at words."

" ' Dead to self, alive to God -' dead to all one's natural earthly plans and hopes, dead to all voices, however dear, which would deafen our ear to His."

"Be the first wherever there is a sacrifice to be made, a self-denial to be practiced, or an impetus to be given."

"O my children, if only you would make up your minds never to doubt the love of another sister or brother in Christ, but always to think the best and never admit an unkind thought in your heart, how happy, how heavenly, life would be... If this were the last time I could speak to you I should say just these words, Beloved, let us love, O let us love. We perish if we do not love. Let us love."

"Not relief from pain, not relief from weariness that follows, not anything of that sort at all, is my chief need. Thou, O Lord my God, art my need - Thy courage, Thy patience, Thy fortitude. And very much I need a quickened gratitude for the countless helps given every day."

"Soldiers don't ask for ease or expect it."

"Lord, do Thou turn me all into love, and all my love into obedience, and let my obedience be without interruption." (a quote Amy Carmichael liked from Jeremy Taylor)

"Nothing too precious for Jesus."