During the High School ministry trip I was on at the beginning of the month, Jayme Lykon gave a devotional study for the girls in which she read this quote about the Ann Judson, the first wife of Adoniram Judson. The Judson’s were American missionaries to Burma in the 1800’s. The quote describes Ann at the age of 17, before she was married or knew she would do missionary work. As we often discuss how to prepare for Gods plan for our lives, this presents an interesting, challenging portrait of a young woman God was preparing for His use…
She thirsted for the knowledge of gospel truth in all its relations and dependencies. Besides the daily study of the scripture with Guise, Orton, and Scott before her, she perused with deep interest the works of Edwards on Redemption. She was instructed, quickened, strengthened. Well do I remember the elevated smile that beamed on her countenance when she first spoke to me of its precious contents. When reading scripture, sermons, or other works, if she met with anything dark or intricate, she would mark the passage, and beg the first clergyman who called at her father’s to elucidate and explain it.
How evidently to us, though unconsciously to herself, was her Heavenly Father thus fitting her for the work he was preparing for her. Had she known that she was to spend her days in instructing…idolaters in religious knowledge, she could not have trained herself for the task more wisely than she was thus led to do.
–From The Lives of the Three Mrs. Judsons by Arabelle Stuart, page 21