Patricia St. John Tells Her Own StoryAnyone who has read Patricia St. John's books already knows how her stories come alive, and this account of her own life is no exception. Her powers of description make the story leap from the page and the reader is transported to far off places and times; and the people and the things she describes can almost be touched, smelled and seen.Patricia was not just a gifted story-teller, though; she was also a deeply committed follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose spiritual journey began when she was only six years old. 'My name is Patricia, ' she prayed, 'and if You are really calling me I want to come and be Yours. ' Out of that small beginning there issued a river of life and light and blessing that went on increasing right up to the end of her life. Although she always thought of herself as 'an ordinary sort of girl' , her life was extraordinary because of her supreme love for Jesus Christ.The life portrayed here is not that of the self-conscious saint, concerned only with her own saintliness. On the contrary these pages offer us an inside view of someone utterly human, prone to mistakes and failures like the rest of us, yet suffused with the love of God and a contagious joy and peace that was like the bubbling up of a perpetual fountain. |
What people are saying - Write a review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - daisy_may - LibraryThingPatricia St. John writes about her childhood, her years working as a nurse during WWII, as a teacher and matron at a girls' boarding school, and as a missionary nurse in Morocco, as well as how she ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - sparkleandchico - LibraryThingThe author lived an incredible life. I knew of her only through her children's books "Treasures of the snow" and "Secret Garden." But she was also a missionary primarily in Morocco where she ... Read full review
Contents
List of Illustrations | 7 |
Publishers Preface | 9 |
Foreword by Janet St John | 11 |
Introduction by Simon BarringtonWard | 13 |
Family Background | 19 |
Early Years at Malvern | 29 |
Swiss Interlude | 37 |
School Days | 45 |
Endings and Beginnings | 131 |
The Hospital at Tangier | 139 |
My Life at the Hospital | 155 |
Nephews and Nieces | 161 |
Questions People Ask | 169 |
A Tribute to My Father | 177 |
Rwanda | 189 |
In the Steps of St Paul | 201 |
War Time Experiences | 55 |
Arrival in Tangier | 73 |
Family Joys and Sorrows | 81 |
Up to the Mountains | 89 |
First Contacts | 97 |
Fatima and Her Friends | 103 |
The Children Come | 113 |
Out to the Villages | 123 |
The Grannies | 215 |
Lebanon | 223 |
Settling Down in England | 231 |
The Refugee Camp | 239 |
Global Care | 249 |
Home on the Estate | 257 |
Epilogue | 269 |
Common terms and phrases
arrived asked baby beautiful became become Bible brought called camp child Christ Christian church close coming dark died door early England eyes face faith Farnham father Fatima felt five followed four friends gave girls give Granny hands happened happy Hazel head heard heart hills hospital Jesus John kind knew later learned leave letters light live look Lord meeting missionaries morning mother mountains needed never night nurse once parents prayed prayer remember returned road round seemed sense sitting sometimes started stay stop story strong suddenly Sunday talk teaching tell things thought told took town travelled turned village waiting walked wanted week whole women wonderful write wrote young