AMY CARMICHAEL
A Life Well Placed
By Joanna E. Williamson
Authentic Media. 160 pages. £7.99
ISBN 978 1 780 780 627
This book is part of the ‘Lessons from Remarkable Lives’ series which is a number of biographies of different missionary leaders.
At the end of each chapter there is a summary with key points that aims to show us in the 21st century what we can learn from those who have gone before us. Throughout this book Joanna weaves together the narrative of Amy Carmichael’s life with excerpts from her writing to tell the story of how God used her to establish and set up the Dohnavur Fellowship in India. The book tells how hundreds of children were rescued from being sold into temple prostitution and were given a home at Dohnavur. Here they were also given a family, health care and an education, and were brought up to know the true and living God.
Total dependence
Amy’s wholehearted love for the Lord and her sacrificial love for the people she served throughout her life comes through throughout the book. I found her total dependence on the Lord and her recognition of how central prayer needed to be in everything she did and every decision she made both striking and challenging. It was helpful to read how Amy was very open about the struggles, opposition and pain she felt as well as all the blessings and joy, and to see how the Lord worked in her life through these tough times. I was spurred on by Amy’s enduring confidence in the goodness, grace and power of God who equipped her, enabled her and provided all that was needed, in every sense, each day.
This book is well written, easy to read and contains some really helpful and challenging discipleship lessons.
