The example of Elizabeth Prentiss

Felicity Manning is a young woman at my church. I have had the pleasure of seeing Felicity grow in godliness over the past few years. She shares some encouraging words about seeking out the wisdom of those who have gone before us.

When Sherrin asked me to write a guest post about wise women I was honoured but unsure who and what to write about. However, as I thought about all the Godly wise women who had crossed my paths I was drawn to one women who I have never met. At the beginning of last year, the girls over at Girltalk started reading , Elizabeth Prentiss: 'More Love to Thee' in their bookclub. I purchased this book and started reading this biography of Elizabeth Prentiss. It is a fantastic book that I would recommend to any women to read.

Through reading the about Elizabeth Prentiss' life I was able to see a Christian women who although lived in a different century and country to me, was an example of trusting God through all lives circumstances. The back cover of the book describes it best.

“Do you sometimes feel that you would be able to grow in love for God and others—if only your circumstances were different? Maybe you find that the sheer demands of everyday life squeeze out time for God? Perhaps a terrible tragedy has made you doubt the goodness of God?”
“Read this true story to find out how one woman discovered that:

-The most difficult circumstances are ‘God’s school’ to teach us more about his grace.
-The very busy times are precisely those times when we need—and can find—God’s strength.
-The worst of tragedies can draw us closer to God.”

Through reading this biography I was able to see the whole life of a Christian woman, a woman who experienced sorrow, suffering, joy and victories, and yet what marked her most was her deep dependence and faith in God. She was an example to me that God is greater than our circumstances and that it is when we don't feel strong enough he gives us the strength to continue and draws us closer to him.

"As Cotton Mather, the well-known American Puritan once wrote: “examples do strangely charm us into imitation.” That’s why we tend to talk, dress, and behave a lot like the people we live and mingle with—even after only two weeks. Or, as Proverbs 13:20 observes: “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” By reading biographies, we can “walk” with wise men and women from history and become wise ourselves through their trials, obstacles, doubts, victories, and strengths. And because they have already finished their journey, we can discover what it means to live and end well." ~ Girltalk blog

I pray we can look for and follow the examples of the wise women around us.