~A Lilias Trotter Giveaway~

One of the most precious gifts that my Mom gave to me growing up was a love and a nurturing of my love for missionary and Christian biographies. Next to the Word of God, the Lord has used His stories of men and women who gave up their "earthly all" to take up their cross and to follow Him in a tremendous way in my life. Filling my mind with accounts of the lives of Oswald Chambers, John Paton, Amy Carmichael, Adoniram Judson, James Fraser, William Tyndale, and many others has fostered in me a yearning to imitate these men and women in a very small way. I am so grateful for the gift of their lives and testimonies! I (truthfully) could never "get into" theological tomes--although I tried to read them! But missionary stories and stories of Christians who walked closely with the Lord--I ate them up and the Lord gave me an insatiable hunger to read about His servants. I'm thankful for this because it taught me by example that one really could follow the Lord wholeheartedly--that through the power of the Holy Spirit, this kind of life of surrender is possible. No one does it perfectly--but each one has the capacity through His power working in and through us to pursue an obedient, surrendered life and to make the most of the time that is given to us. Praise God that He does the work through us as we surrender to Him . . . nothing is impossible for Him. 

Many of you know about my love for the missionary Lilias Trotter and her writings and art. I have wanted to run this giveaway for a while now, in the hopes that it might introduce more of you to this wonderful servant of our Lord and Savior! My prayer is that more people will read her writings and in turn, recommend them to others; may the Lord be glorified through her precious example of faith and obedience. 

Included in this giveaway are:

 ~Lilias Trotter's biography, written by Miriam Huffman Rockness. This wonderful biography details Lilias's life and ministry in a detailed and engaging way. It really challenged and encouraged me. 

The recent documentary made about Lilias Trotter's life entitled Many Beautiful Things. I enjoyed this documentary very much--although it doesn't go into as much detail as the biography, it whets one's appetite to learn more about this obedient servant of God.

~Two beautiful bookmarks made by my precious friend Stephanie. Stephanie blogs over at The Enchanting Rose and if you have never visited her blog, you are missing out on a real treat for the soul! She shares recipes, book reviews, sewing projects, hymn spotlights, as well as other lovely and encouraging topics. I was so blessed by Stephanie's offering these bookmarks for the giveaway; I love the way that she beautifully designed them with flowers and delicate lace. They are so pretty and feminine and perfect for using in the biography of Lilias Trotter or any other book that you are reading! Stephanie also has a wonderful Etsy shop, Rose Petal Blessings, that she continually adds beautiful items to--and she offers free shipping as well! If you have never visited her store, I would encourage you to; you will love it! 

Please enter the giveaway below and share about it with friends! I know that Lilias' Trotter's testimony will bless your life richly. 

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Lilias Trotter~A Life Lived for the Father's Glory and Documentary Thoughts

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Many of you who know me know how deeply I have been touched by the life of Lilias Trotter. Her story has spoken to me in ways that few stories have and her influence will be etched in my heart forever. I am indebted to Elisabeth Elliot and Miriam Huffman Rockness and especially to our Lord and Savior for introducing me to her writings and bringing her story across my path. There are people that the Lord uses in each person's life to influence them and to challenge them--Lilias's story has strongly been used of the Lord in mine. 

Take the very hardest thing in your life – the place of difficulty, outward or inward, and expect God to triumph gloriously in that very spot.  Just there He can bring your soul into blossom. ~Lilias Trotter

Lilias's life was one that showed forth the sufficiency of Jesus Christ--and also illuminated the joy for me, of surrender. I understood through her life and example, both as a missionary to the Muslims in Algeria as well as her daily walk with the Lord, that the only life really worth living is the life lived out in surrender to the Father's will for one's life. Surrender is the pathway to joy. It may be a very painful, difficult road, but the only way to life and true, lasting peace. 

I thank God for her writings, her example of obedience, and her great love for her "Father's world," and for her Great Father through her art and writings.

I was finally able to watch the recently-released documentary, Many Beautiful Things, about Lilias Trotter's life--and I happily and wholeheartedly recommend it. I liked Many Beautiful Things because I think that it whets one's appetite to read more about Lilias Trotter as well as read her writings. It is definitely by far not a complete glimpse into her life, but provides enough detail to be satisfying, edifying, and encouraging. A lot of the focus in the documentary is given to her struggle to release Art as her main passion--to me, it is more of an artistic interpretation of her life rather than a heavily-detailed fact by fact analysis. Which is why I would encourage people to watch the documentary as well as read the book, A Passion for the Impossible, by Miriam Huffman Rockness for a more in-depth account of Lilias's life. Both are tremendously spiritually encouraging and uplifting. I also loved the little coffee table book, A Blossom in the Desert: Reflections of Faith in the Art and Writings of Lilias Trotter. It is a beautifully illustrated book containing her artwork and quotations. 

Surrender--stillness--a ready welcoming of all stripping, all loss, all that brings us low, low into the Lord's path of humility--a cherishing of every whisper of the Spirit's voice, every touch of the prompting that comes to quicken the hidden life within: that is the way God's human seed-vessels ripen, and Christ becomes "magnified" even through the things that seem against us. ~Lilias Trotter

And as a side note, I would also encourage this beautifully-illustrated and written children's book about Lilias Trotter--my little daughter loves it! This short book depicts Lilias's life for young children and gives them a curiosity about who she was and how she served the Lord in the slums of London as well as in North Africa. It is definitely worth adding to your library. 

If you have never read the writings of Lilias Trotter, they are the best way to get to 'know" her on a deeper, more profound level. Her Parables of the Cross is a beautiful, rich book about walking closely with the Savior through surrender. 


I hope that learning about this beautiful servant of God will encourage you toward a closer walk with our Lord and Savior; I know that her life has touched mine deeply. 

You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Mom's Morning Coffee, Raising Homemakers, Classical Homemaking, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage,  Graced Simplicity, Imparting Grace, Thought Provoking Thursday, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Counting My Blessings, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, TGI Saturdays Blog Hop, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, Living Proverbs 31, Sharing His Beauty Blog Linkup, Coffee For Your Heart Weekly LinkUp, You're the Star Blog Hop, Homesteader Hop, Fresh Market Friday, Heart Encouragement Thursday , Sitting Among Friends Blog Party, Fabulous Warm Heart Party, Oh My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday Linkup

Monthly Book Giveaway--A Passion for the Impossible: The Life of Lilias Trotter

*For more information about Monthly Book Giveaways click here .

I am delighted to begin these Monthly Book Giveaways with one of my most favorite books, a book about a woman who lived a beautiful surrendered life, through the grace and power of Jesus Christ.

Lilias Trotter was an artist turned missionary -- From the wealthy class in England, she gave up a comfortable life, trusted her fragile health into the hands of her Mighty God, and turned her back upon a promising career as an artist to serve the Lord Jesus as a foreign missionary. This book is wonderfully written; Miriam Huffman Rockness does a magnificent job as the biographer of Lilias Trotter. I pray that this book will encourage you as it has encouraged me.  

From the back cover:

This is the story of the woman whose life of faith and devotion inspired the hymn "Turn your Eyes Upon Jesus". Although art critic John Ruskin enthusiastically proclaimed Lilas Trotter's potential as one of the best artists of the nineteenth century, her devotion to Christ compelled her to abandon the life of art, privilege and leisure she could have enjoyed.

Without knowing the language and without the sponsorship of any organization, Lilias left her London home of comfort for a modest dwelling in Algeria, where her love of literature and art became dynamic tools for evangelism, and where her compassionate heart captured the hearts of the people. For forty years, despite frail health and many obstacles, Lilias devoted herself to missionary service among the people of Algeria through her lifestyle of love and encouragement.

"(Christians') works do follow them." wrote Lilias. In writing of this truth, she prophetically supplied a perspective of her own legacy--and the legacy of all who invest in the kingdom of God.

"I am astounded by...the beautiful expression of who Lilias was and what her legacy teaches us. I couldn't put (the book) down, as they say, and I read it--devoured it--carefully, gladly, and with great blessing...a "drop everything book"!    --Elisabeth Elliot, author and speaker.

"Miriam Rockness (has done) a painstakingly superb job of researching original documents. Her book is (filled) with quotes that will challenge the reader's faith and obedience to God...a fresh look at another one of England's distinguished missionary pioneers..."   --Jim Reapsome, review for Evangelical Missions Quarterly

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY! :-)

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You might find me on these link-ups:

Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Yes They Are All Ours, Missional Call, A Mama's Story, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Time Warp Wife, Cornerstone Confessions, Mom's Morning Coffee, So Much at Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries, Whole-Hearted Home, A Soft Gentle Voice, My Daily Walk in His Grace, Messy Marriage, My Teacher's Name is Mama, The Charm of Home, Graced Simplicity, Children Are A Blessing, Mittenstate Sheep and Wool, Imparting Grace, Preparedness Mama, A Look at the Book, Essential Thing Devotions, Count My Blessings, Beauty Observed, Christian Mommy Blogger, Renewed Daily, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Saturday Soiree Blog Party, Tell It To Me Tuesdays