Possibly the Best Missionary Biography You Have Never Heard Of: The Life of Lilias Trotter

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Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Readability

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Original Sources

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Devotional Quality

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Avoids Hagiography

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

Biblical Clarity

FieldAlgeria
MissionaryLilias Trotter
AuthorMiriam Huffman Rockness
Era1850s–1920s

Overview

Have you heard of Lilias Trotter? I hadn’t. After I published my first missions devotional, an interested potential reader asked if I had included missionary Lilias Trotter. “Who?” I asked. They then recommended A Passion for the Impossible: The Life of Lilias Trotter by Miriam Huffman Rockness. What a read!

Trotter, a wealthy young woman from an aristocratic British family, turned her back on a promising artistic career to become a missionary to Muslim women in the north African nation of Algeria. Despite a heart condition that caused mission boards to reject her candidacy, she labored self-supported in this difficult field for four decades. Her writings encouraged others to join her in this work and even inspired the hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.”

Rockness’ biography includes many quotes from Trotter’s journals giving the reader a glimpse into the missionary’s walk with God. In some places, Trotter seems a bit mystical. Yet, her passion for God, dedication to the Great Commission, and audacious intrepidity with the gospel stand out as an inspiring example for believers today.

Highlights

  • How God led Trotter to serve Him, despite artistic talent that famous critic John Ruskin predicted could lead to Trotter becoming a renown artist.
  • How practical service to God in England with evangelistic campaigns and the YWCA led to overseas ministry.
  • How God worked through weakness in a very difficult land.

Quotes

  • “The things that are impossible with men are possible with God. May it not be that the human impossibility is just the very thing that sets His Hand Free?” (p. 156).
  • “There are times when . . . human hope and courage flag—and only the . . . ‘faith of the Son of God’ can overleap [sic] the difficulties and discouragements and land down with both feet on the promises of God” (p. 147).
  • “Turn full your soul’s vision to Jesus, and look at Him, and a strange dimness will come over all that is apart from Him” (p. 308).
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