The Little Woman

by Gladys Aylward

Years ago, my girls and I read Christian Heroes Then and Now Gladys Aylward and to this day, it remains one of our very favorite missionary biographies.  

I LOVE Christian Heroes Then and Now.  

They are THE best Christian and historical biographies, suited for reading aloud or reading to self.  When I have had the chance to read an original - firsthand account - like with this book (The Little Woman), I have always found Christian Heroes Then and Now to be completely accurate, no liberties taken.

When I looked to find a book that met two challenges for Brighter Winter (a book about a woman you admire and a book checked out from your library to complete a challenge), I was SO excited to find this book.  I've wanted to read The Little Woman for years.  

It was fascinating to read "I" and "my" when reading about Gladys, knowing she wrote / told her story and it was scribed for her.  I enjoyed this book, but honestly I loved Christian Heroes Then and Now more.  I would read both again, but if you had to choose one, I would recommend the Christian Heroes book. 

PS in case you wonder if I have found that always to be true, I have also read George Mueller and Corrie Ten Boom this way.  I would actually say read The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom instead if you are pressed for one, and I would choose Christian Heroes Then and Now for George Mueller, again if you have to choose just one.  But if you have time - I would read both for all three; the book written in their own hand or scribed for them and the Christian Heroes Then and Now version.

Trusting God by Jerry Bridges

This is perhaps the best book I have ever read on this subject.  It tackles the crux of the battle of our walk with God - can we truly trust (I love Webster's 1828 dictionary definition for the word trust - a confidence, a reliance or resting of the mind on the integrity, veracity (invariable expression of the truth), or justice... emphasis mine) but can we truly trust God - ESPECIALLY when we don't see or feel or sense Him in any way, shape, or form in our misery, suffering, and/or pain?    

The short answer is resoundingly yes.  The answer we arrive at in the middle of hellish circumstances is often harder to arrive at, but it is always YES, God is the Person in whom we can rest our minds.  

I LOVE LOVE LOVE how Mr. Bridges tackles the hard points - he addresses the fact that there will be pain and suffering and misery and we won't understand.  

But understanding is not the point.  

I think often times I miss the truth of Proverbs 3: 5 - Trust in the LORD with all of your heart (that means don't hold a single thing back) and lean NOT on your own understanding (emphasis mine).  I tend to try to lean into the understanding so that I can trust, and God is saying - NO, trust me - rest in Me, lean in to Me, NOT your own understanding.

Ironically as I read through this book, I took a slight detour from the plan printed in our Bible reading plan workbook and followed the chronological plan I read last year.  The plan that I used last year places the book of Job right after Genesis 11.  So, while I am reading this book I am also reading the book of Job.  And again I am struck by the fact that God never answered Job's why - He answered with Who.  

We don't need to know the why as long as we know the Who.  

In my life - I cannot tell you how many tears I have shed and how much anxiety has swirled around the "why" of circumstances.  Why do my girls struggle with chronic health issues?  Why are simple things so hard?  Why are we so different?  Why can't we just do A, B, or C like so and so can? Why, why, why...(often coupled with lots of "what-ifs").  Those questions, while normal and natural to ask when something first happens are NEVER where you want to dig down and try to build trust from.  Those are the sand questions.  

Instead, try this.  Try digging down into the solid Rock of 'Who' - Who is God?  What is His character revealed through His Word?  Build your trust from this point.  

And ask God to show you.  Ask Him to enable your heart and mind to see what He is teaching you about Himself through this experience (this idea is addressed on pg. 133 of the kindle version)

My review does not do this book justice.  There is simply no way to cover the full impact this book will have on your walk with God except to read it.  

*He does caution at the beginning - that if you are in the middle of painful circumstances right now, maybe consider waiting until things calm down before tackling this book.  

Also read The Diary of Anne Frank and At Home in Mitford, but will cover those in my Brighter Winter review.  Trusting God fulfilled two challenges - first one - read two books by the same author for BW,  and it fulfills G3 - read a book about faith.

Anne Frank was 'read a book you hated as a child'

Mitford fulfills the 'read a book about neighbors'

Lady Hardcastle Mysteries

by T.E. Kinsey

# 3 Dead Around the Bend - Lady Hardcastle and her lady's maid Florence Armstrong join a group of friends at Lord Riddlethorpe's country manor to enjoy a week ensconced in the world of motor racing.  The problems begin when one of the group dies in an accident.  When further close scrapes unfold, Lady Hardcastle and Flo buckle down to unmask the killer(s).

# 4 A Picture of Murder - While I found the mystery intriguing, I LOVED hearing the story behind how Lady Hardcastle and Florence Armstrong met and joined forces.  This is actually my favorite book in the series so far.  

So far...

I am not too impressed with 2025.  

On New Year's Day I had THE worst headache.  

On the second day of the New Year we had to take our chihuahua unexpectedly to the vet.  I cried all day.  He is ok, but he is getting older and the reality is sinking in that he won't always be here.

On the third day of the New Year (today!) I realized I started my Bible reading plan on the wrong day - I should have started on Sunday December 29th, so I am already behind.

In my reading this morning I noticed something I have never noticed before (in Genesis 4).  I looked at Matthew Henry's commentary for Genesis 4:7 because I am always struck by God's response to Cain's sin.  He tells him - if you will just do what is right, it will go well with you - and I always wonder at that.  Like why didn't Cain just do what was right?  Why didn't he just humble himself, say he was wrong, and ask God to show him how to do it the right way.  And inevitably, I start to wonder - WHY don't I just do that?  

Anyway - when I read Matthew Henry's commentary he drew attention to this - God tells Cain that sin is crouching at his door.  But then Matthew Henry points to this:  Jesus is our sin-sacrifice - our sin-offering and Revelation 3:20 tells us that He stands at the door and knocks.  Immediately I realized to do what is right - it isn't a check-off sheet, it isn't a new resolve to get my act together - it is simply this - CLING to Jesus and forsake my sin.  Go to the door - not to get clobbered by the sin, but to let in my Redeemer.  So that He can conquer my sin, my punishment, and clean up my heart.  

G3 Reading Challenge, Tea & Ink Society's Read Through the Classics, and Brighter Winter 2025 Challenges

My Reading Challenge Trackers (all except for the 52 Weeks - which is here).

What I read by title for:

 Brighter Winter 2025:

January: Trusting God by Jerry Bridges, The Diary of Anne Frank, At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon, The Little Woman by Gladys Aylward, 

February:

G3 Reading Challenge 2025:

A Book about Faith: Trusting God by Jerry Bridges

A Biography:

A Book about Apologetics:

A Book about the Middle Ages:

An Epic Poem:

A Book by Charles or Susannah Spurgeon:

A Book about Health or Nutrition:

A Shakespeare Play:

A Book about Quiet:

A Novel:

A Book from Living Heritage High School Curriculum:

A Book you own but haven't read:

Tea & Ink Society Classics Reading Challenge:

January: A classic you discover in a used bookstore:

February:  A Russian novel or short story collection:

March:  A classic about immigrants or pioneers:

April:  A classic set on your own turf:

May:  A book you were supposed to read in school:

June:  Nonfiction nature writing:

July:  A science fiction novel or short story collection:

August:  A classic by an author you've only read once:

September:  A classic World War I or World War II novel:

October:  A Jane Austen novel:

November:  A poetry collection by one of the Romantic poets:

December:  A Medieval or Renaissance classic:

Merry Christmas

For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given.  Isaiah 9:6

Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks

As I wait for the rest of the house to wake, I decided to go ahead and set up this post.  It is Christmas morning & I DEARLY love Christmas.  Wishing you and yours a beautiful Christmas Day today, replete with the joy and peace Christ brings.  Merry Christmas!!

I am so excited to join this challenge again this year.  Hopefully I will do a better job of keeping up with recording the books I read this year (last year, several weeks went by before I remembered to log them on the original post...and so I just gave up).  Click over to Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks to get all of the details!

1) Lady Hardcastle books # 3 & # 4 (Death Around the Bend and A Picture of Murder) by T.E. Kinsey

2) Trusting God by Jerry Bridges, The Diary of Anne Frank, At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon (read over two weeks)

3) The Little Woman by Gladys Aylward, Summary of Trim, Healthy Mama

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