About Overweights

Hello, kind readers.

I wanted to take a moment or two to explain the reason for the name of my blog: Overweights of Joy. Just in case any of you might be wondering.

Amy Carmichael, Irish-born missionary to India, is my absolute favorite author. I have every single book she wrote that is still in print and a great many that are out-of-print, as I have been collecting them for many years now.

Her first book about missionary work in India, Things As They Are, was written in 1901 and was not received very well because she was so very honest about the ugliness she encountered in Hinduism and in the caste system. Many did not want such a candid report, they wanted to hear good news about increasing numbers of converts. But Amy's conscience would not allow her to be dishonest. She wrote about things just as they were (hence the title).

Her second book, however, was written to show the good side, to demonstrate that while evil was a very present reality in India (and indeed, the world) God was still at work. There were overweights of joy in the work.

I suppose, for me, that kind of sums up my philosophy on life. While there is ugly that can not (and should not) be ignored in this world, there is still joy for the journey. God is always in the every day. In the most seemingly bleak moments, God bursts forth.

I try to address real, honest issues that I battle out in my heart. And yet I recognize the ever present God who brings beauty from ashes, strength from fear, gladness from mourning....

Overweights Of Joy from Things As They Are.

In JESUS,

~amy danielle