Learning from History - Part IV

This spring Elsa and I enjoyed a second listen through "The Sisters of Sinai - How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels" by Janet Soskice. 

Have you ever noticed biblical text footnotes referencing the Syriac translations of the New Testament? Those little notes come to life when you know who discovered the ancient manuscripts and can picture how arduous and bold were their journeys and adventures. Even more interesting are the discoverers themselves... middle-aged, Scotch, widowed, twin sisters who from childhood had always learned a new language before they traveled to a new country.

Agnes and Margaret traveled 6 times to the remote monastery of St. Catharine's in Sinai, beginning in the late 1800s when women were "not supposed to" travel alone. This was no easy feat with 8 days on camels crossing the desert each way - with sometimes unscrupulous local guides. Then they had to deal with jealous Cambridge scholars trying to steal the credit of Agnes's important find of an ancient Syriac manuscript of the Gospels.

Even though Agnes and Margaret eventually became famous in the antiquarian/literary/biblical-scholarship/academic world of their day, being awarded multiple honorary doctorates, and even traveling the USA on a lecture tour - what we love was their relentless focus on doing all this to help demonstrate the reliability and historicity of the Scriptures. Their personal lives are also examples of trust in God's providence and seeing all of life through the lens of His word.

Continuing on the topic of history: another way I love to learn from history is through first-hand accounts such as journals. The above book inspired me to begin reading the sisters' own writings - including Margaret's book "How the Codex Was Found," filled with Agnes's journal entries. In fact, I am currently recording this as a free, LibriVox audiobook which will hopefully be released by the end of summer.

But I also highly recommend the in-depth biography by Janet Soskice, which pulls together information from all of the sisters' writings plus a wide variety of historical threads and contemporary characters to make it so interesting.

[photos are public domain or licensed for creative commons non-commercial use]

His Father said...

Here's an encouraging bit of Amy Carmichael in the little book from Dohnavur Fellowship called His Thoughts said... His Father said...

"His thoughts said, The way is rough.
     His Father said, But every step
     bringeth thee nearer to thy Home.

"His thoughts said, The fight is fierce.
     His Father said, He who is near to
     his Captain is sure to be a target
     for the archers.

"His thoughts said, The night is long.
     His Father said, But joy cometh
     in the morning."

     • Amy Carmichael

Read more excerpts in this earlier post.

The Way of All Wisdom

 

Two quotes for today from the book I just finished reading:

"[Letty] read her New Testament; and if she understood it only in a childish fashion, she obeyed it in a child-like one, whence the way of all wisdom lay open before her."

~ · ~

"Mary made no reply. She did not care to have the last word; nor did she fancy her cause lost when she had not at hand the answer that befitted folly."

"Mary Marston"

by George MacDonald

~ · ~

Find the free audiobook on Librivox.org and free e-book on Gutenberg.org

Learning from History - Part III

A great way to learn from history is to sit down with someone who lived through it and hear their story. Thanks to author Bill O'Byrne, we can do just that.

Have you ever heard of the "900-Day Seige" of Leningrad? This difficult time is well worth experiencing through the eyes of young Marina and her family.



From back of book:

"God was not absent or silent during the '900-Day Siege' or Blockade of Leningrad... The compelling story of little Marina Sergeyevna and her parents demonstrates the significant role that one family of Christians played in surviving the Blockade, and how [they] helped other people survive it with dignity and faith in God. ...Faith in God was the the secret of strength in weakness."

Learning from History - Part II

As we near American Independence Day, do you wish you knew more of the true stories from our past? Are you looking for some history that has not been re-written? For books that exemplify what I quoted in my Memorial Day post?




Then start here!



The Light and the Glory and From Sea to Shining Sea by Peter Marshall and David Manuel address America's history from 1492-1789 and 1787-1837.

Waiting Room Hymns

 

On my first visit to Dr. V. (see previous post) seven years ago, I was blessed to hear a hymn playing in the waiting room: "Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus." Not that they were playing Christian music. Somehow, this one just ended up on the mixed album they were playing that day. Actually, I know how... a loving God was taking care of His hurting, scared child in the way He knew would touch her best.

For years I had forgotten that special moment until I was just now recalling another special gift from just this week. At my final appointment with this amazing doctor (the day before she retired) I was brought to tears by once again hearing a hymn among the variety of modern and classical "background music." It was the perfect hymn for this day of saying goodbye to the doctor who was able to diagnose Elsa and me and help our bodies begin to dig out of a decade of damage, as well as who found my thyroid cancer when it was only stage one. As we moved into a future of more unknowns, I heard notes and harmonies that told me:

"Be still, my soul! the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;"

And then the lines that really got me...

"Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.

"Be still, my soul! thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
Thro' thorny ways leads to a joyful end."

My doctor called me for a blood draw just then, so I had to explain the tears. As she entered her own season of changes and unknowns, she had to try to keep back the tears too.

P.S. - As a bonus, this last appointment also contained a second hymn: "Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross"

[Pictures from camping near our clinic this week.]

Seven Years our Doctor

 

Seven years ago, God used a cookbook from the library to lead Elsa and me to a doctor who could finally diagnose and help our bodies begin to heal and fight back after a decade of decline.

We are so thankful for Dr. V (whom I decided not to show in the photo without permission.) As Elsa says, she has been like "six doctors in one." So it took a bit to adjust to the news that she needed to retire.

Yesterday was our last appointment. God has brought us so far from the years when we could hardly sit up through the hour or two of in-depth consultation and would then be completely wiped out for days.

But as we are still far from healed, God has given peace that He will once again lead us to the next, right doctor for us.

~ ▪︎ ~

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5-6

 

Meanwhile, we enjoyed many gifts on this short medical trip, including:

• Camping in a new-to-us state park with beautiful river, amazing plants, friendly butterflies, and swarms of glittering fireflies
• Offline days with zero cell-phone reception among the bluffs
• A rare treat while stocking up on special-diet groceries at our nearest Whole Foods and Trader Joe's [4 hrs from home]
• Coming safely home again to Mom, roses, and cats