I Have a Historic "Crush"

I'm in a Women in Missions class this semester which so far has been wonderful. Wildly wonderful! I'm inspired every time we have class because it always includes a look at women from the Bible, women in missions (past or present), and really good conversations about what it means to be in a women in cross-cultural ministry. Get the point? I love this class.

So we are reading Faithful Women and their Extraordinary God by Noel Piper which is a really good book that bios a few...well, faithful women in history.

First up: Sarah Edwards. To be totally honest, I did not even know who she was, much less that she was important. Jonathan Edwards' wife...yeah, the "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Jonathan Edwards. He was married? Oh yeah he was married AND he had eleven children with his wife Sarah! Turns out Sarah is an absolute tender-heart. I was blown away by the way Jonathan described her...the way she softened him. She was the epitome of a good hostess and she loved Jesus devotedly. And... you just need to learn everything about her!

I guess I can't offer you that, but I can offer you an excerpt from the book. This is the description I was talking about; Jonathan's description of Sarah from before they were even dating:

"They say there is a young lady in [New Haven] who is loved of that Great Being, who made and rules the world, and that there are certain seasons in which this Great Being, in some way or other invisible, comes to her and fills her mind with exceeding sweet delight; and that she hardly cares for anything, except to meditate on Him...[Y]ou could not persuade her to do anything wrong or sinful, if you would give her all the world, lest she should offend this Great Being. She is of a wonderful sweetness, calmness, and universal benevolence of mind; especially after this Great God has manifested himself to her mind. She will sometimes go about from place to place, singing sweetly; and seems to be always full of joy and pleasure...She loves to be alone, walking in the fields and groves, and seems to have some one invisible always conversing with her."

So there you have her, friends! I love her so much I've devoted my facebook status to her twice this week. But seriously, I'm thanking God and searching my heart, with the above description as a guide. Just think: our King loves us even more tenderly than Jonathan loved his wife! Wow and hallelujah.