Against the Odds: Mary Slessor in Africa

Her father was a drunk who couldn't keep a job.

They lived in a slum.

Her brothers died young.

Eleven-year-old Mary Slessor was forced to work alongside her mother at the local mill in order to put food on the table. Mary's happiest moments were spent at church, and she often dreamed of being a missionary. 

When Mary's younger sister started earning a wage to help pay the family bills, Mrs. Slessor encouraged Mary to apply to a mission board. 

So in 1876, 28-year-old Mary, a self-educated mill worker, headed for Africa. At that time in history, Africa was known as "the white man's grave" because it was an extremely difficult place to live. It seemed unlikely that this small, red-haired, fair-skinned Scottish woman would survive. 

But Mary's early life had prepared her for the disease, danger, and difficulty of ministry in Africa. For 39 years she thrived in conditions too difficult for other missionaries and effectively shared Christ with thousands of Africans.

Sometimes we think a difficult childhood ruins a life, but God is in the business of using bad for good (Romans 8:28). 

God can use the difficult parts of your life too. Will you let Him? 
💙💙💙💙💙
Let your Spanish-speaking friends know that they can read this and other Bible Love Notes in Spanish: Contra todo pronóstico: Mary Slessor en África. 

For more Romans 8:28 stories: 

 

Learning a Hard But Important Lesson: It's not as dramatic as Mary Slessor's story, but God taught me some things when I fell off my scooter a few years ago.

 

 

Do You Believe It? We often quote Romans 8:28, but do we believe it? This 1-minute devotion encourages us to believe. 

Source: Mary Slessor, Forward into Calabar, Janet and Geoff Benge, YWAM publishing 

While I recommend this book in the series, I do not recommend the book in the series called "Lottie Moon, Giving Her All for China." Lottie Moon's family had a large plantation and they were slave owners, but the book presents them as victims of the Civil War. I wrote YWAM about my concerns, and they made it clear that they were comfortable with the book.

I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for

 Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word. To find out more see 10 Reasons Why You'll Love Wisdom for Life. I also encourage you to sign up for a free subscription to Bible Love Notes and get a free e-booklet offering quiet time encouragement. Find out more HERE.

 

Bible Love Notes