55 Years Without Furlough
Amy Carmichael spent 55 years in India rescuing children from temple prostitution. She never took a furlough. She founded Dohnavur Fellowship, which became home to over 1,000 children.
20 Years Bedridden
In 1931, at age 63, Amy fell and broke her leg. Complications set in. She would spend the remaining 20 years of her life bedridden—largely confined to one room.
Many would see this as tragedy. Amy saw it as transformation.
"Before my fall, I was too busy doing God's work to know God deeply," she wrote. "In my bed, I learned to be still."
From that bed, Amy wrote 13 books. Her poetry reached millions. Her letters counseled missionaries worldwide. She ran Dohnavur Fellowship through handwritten notes.
Gold in the Fire
"The very pain that slowed me down was the fire that refined my faith," she reflected. "I wouldn't trade these bedridden years for anything."
Her most famous prayer came from that season of suffering:
"From prayer that asks that I may be sheltered from winds that beat on Thee, From fearing when I should aspire, from faltering when I should climb higher— From silken self, O Captain, free Thy soldier who would follow Thee."
Amy Carmichael learned that suffering, surrendered to God, becomes gold.
