A few months ago, while looking at some inspiration for some new painting ideas, I just 'happened' across an incredible story of an artist who, at the cross roads crisis, chose to follow the words of Jesus, to "Seek first the Kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33). I found myself on an incredible adventure as I read an inspiring account of lady who lived out her faith in Christ by loving obedience. This lady was called Lilias Trotter.
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| from AZ Quotes |
Born in a privileged house, and raised in Victorian London, Lilias wanted for nothing, and her artistic talent soon blossomed and she was given opportunity to develop her skills when her art came to the attention of art critic John Ruskin. Now, although she was very talented in drawing and painting, this wasn't the only thing she was interested in. Fully aware of the poverty around her, and with the desire to bring Christ to the hopeless, she was heavily involved in all kinds of social work (which was not so unusual for ladies from a wealthy background at that time).
Anyway, crisis point.....John Ruskin saw incredible potential in Lilias, and said to her, that if she devoted herself whole heartedly to art, then "she would be the greatest living painter and do things which would be immortal." By this time, Jesus had beat Ruskin to it, and after some consideration and prayer, Lilias knew that her heart and devotion had already been given gladly to another, and could not be shared. She turned Ruskin's offer down and continued to spend the next ten years ministering selflessly to the many women of London who had found themselves in a life of prostitution, much to Ruskin's dismay.
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| Lilias watercolour |
So what plan did The Lord have for Lilias? She though that she would spend her life in London working for the YWCA, amongst the girls she loved and cared for, but to her surprise, The Lord was to change her direction as her path was crossed by two ladies with a burden for 'the unreached in foreign lands.' She says this.....
"I quite expected to spend my life in the Y.W.C.A. and was not interested in missionary work, but I was thrown a good deal with Adeline Braithwaite and Lelie Duff, and I felt that both of them had taken to heart the outer darkness in a way I had not. I do not remember that they said anything to me personally about it, but one felt it right through them. They were all aglow. I saw that they had a fellowship with Jesus that I knew nothing about. So I began to pray, “Lord, give me the fellowship with Thee over the heathen that Thou hast given to these two!”
It was not many weeks before it began to come—a strange, yearning love over those who were “in the land of the shadow of death”—a feeling that Jesus could speak to me about them, and that I could speak to Him—that a great barrier between Him and me had been broken right down and swept away.
I had no thought of leaving England then, no thought even at first of trying to stir others at home. But, straight as a line, God made my way out into the darkness before eighteen months were over. And through eternity I shall thank Him for the silent flame in the hearts of those two friends, and what it did for me. Neither of them has ever had her path opened into foreign work, but the light of the Day that is coming will show what He has let them do in kindling other souls.”
They Knew Their God Volume 1
Which leads to this............Part two of Lilias adventures, far from London this time.....
LILIAS TROTTER 1854-1928
On this day in 1888, Isabella Lilias Trotter of London left the homeland she had faithfully served in, and boarded a steam ship with two other sisters in faith, and sailed to pioneer a new mission work in the Algiers.
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| Taken from public Domain |
After years of ministry in England, she became aware of a calling from God as 'North Africa' was consistently whispered into her soul. She could not deny it, and when a visiting missionary from there held a meeting, asking if anyone was being called to go, without hesitation she said "He is calling me."
Her weak heart caused her to fail the health requirements held by the North African Mission, but undeterred, she made arrangements to travel to Africa with two like minded trusted sisters in faith, and to work self funded thanks to her wealth and contacts.
After four days at sea, the trio sailed into the North African Harbour, singing 'Crown Him Lord of all!' Lilias was aged 34, with no experience of foreign missions, but had every confidence and reliance on the One who was sending her.
"Three of us stood there, looking at our battle field, non of us fit to pass a doctor for any society, not knowing a soul in the place, or a sentence of Arabic, or a clue for beginning work on untouched ground: we only knew we had to come. Truly if God needed weakness, He had it!"
Leaving behind all that was familiar, and the many good works that she had laboured over, Lilias went on to unknown territory with the love of the Lord in her heart, and the Gospel on her lips.
As a gifted artist, she combined both painting with literature to illustrate lessons to help others grow in their walk with God.
She used this beautiful combination to encourage the saints back home through monthly YWCA articles, where she had served as secretary for some time, and also to create gospel booklets and literature in the Arabic native language. She also produced a wordless picture book explaining the gospel of Christ, as One who came to seek and save that which was lost, which was used in countless villages and towns to reach those who had never before heard the name of Christ.
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| Watercolour by Lilias of the land and people who captivated her heart |
Well trained in Bible study leadership and writing, she wrote this article just one month before she was called by The Lord to mission work. She pictured in a particular article, an eaglet balancing on a stick hanging from the safety of the nest..........
"The face of the cliff goes sheer down-how can it venture into that great gulf, with untried wings? But it gathers up its courage at last, and dashes out. There is the giddy depth below, its strength is failing already; one or two feeble flaps, and it drops down-down-a moment more, and, all unseen, it knows not whence, strong warm wings are beneath, and it is being borne along up into a place of safety. The mother bird has swooped underneath it. There was no risk after all! Now see our Father's explanation, written as it were, below the picture. "As an eagle stirs up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; so The Lord alone did lead him." Deuteronomy 32:11-12"
This understanding of the utter reliablility of The Lord God, was to see her through forty years of ministry in this desert land. She truly loved the people, and the love of the Lord flowed out of her as she delighted to bring news of salvation to a people who had sat in darkness for so long. The story of the cross was the most precious gift she travelled with, saying later, "It is so beautiful to be able to tell it for the first time." "Oh, it is wonderful to be allowed to break the silence in which God has been loving them all the time. We believe there will be a real work of the Spirit among these mountains." She often worked tirelessly enduring months of travel across the desert to reach more villages, sowing where non had sown before, with villagers longing for her and her company to stay with them. Though she was well able as an organiser and leader, she knew that apart from the leading of the Holy Spirit, the work would be to no avail. She wrote in her diary in 1895,
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| Lilias mountain art, "Prepared as a Bride" |
"One learns slowly that one can do nothing mechanically in this itinerating work,
that one cannot choose a place,
or settle to stay long in it,
or push into many houses,
simply because it is large and important.
We want to learn
'Wheresoever the Spirit was to go they went, there was their spirit to go.'
Ezekiel 1:20
that one cannot choose a place,
or settle to stay long in it,
or push into many houses,
simply because it is large and important.
We want to learn
'Wheresoever the Spirit was to go they went, there was their spirit to go.'
Ezekiel 1:20
By 1907, this small missionary team was named the "Algiers Mission Band," and by 1920 there were thirty full time workers with fifteen mission stations across Algeria. with Lilias continuing to lead the organisation through prayer and vision. In 1964, this Band merged with the North African Mission, and is known today as Arab World Ministries.
For forty years she kept a page a day journal in which she wrote and painted her daily actions, thoughts and learnings from her time with The Lord in Algeria. Here's a snippet....
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| By Lilias Trotter, from the book Parables of The Cross |
This dandelion has long ago surrendered its golden petals, and has reached its crowning stage of dying; the delicate seed-globe must break up now, it gives and gives until it has nothing left......There is no sense of wrenching: it stands ready, holding up its little life, not knowing when or where or how the wind that bloweth where it listeth may carry it away. It holds itself no longer for its own keeping, only as something to be given: a breath does the rest, turning the 'readiness to will' into the 'performance' (2 Corinthians 8:11).
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