Prophecy Today recently published a review of a new translation of the autobiography of Basilea Schlink – the pioneering German founder of the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary – one of the most outstanding and impactful life stories this reviewer has ever read.

Klara Schlink, to give her birth-name, wrote dozens of books during the course of her life – mainly short studies devoted to particular topics; overcoming sin, repentance, joy, persecution, Israel and so on.

God at work

Among them stands the unassuming title, ‘Realities of Faith’, first published in English in 1966 and reprinted a number of times in the years since. The book is a collection of true accounts telling, as the subtitle informs us, ‘The amazing story of God at work in a group of dedicated Christian women’, namely the Sisterhood of Mary.

The book is similar in format to other prayer-testimony books; George Muller’s ‘Answers to Prayer’, Will Harney’s ‘Praying Clearly Through’, Rosalind Goforth’s ‘How I know God Answers Prayer’, etc. But there’s something about this little tome that makes it stand out among the rest, at least in this reviewer’s estimation.

According to Basilea in her foreword, ‘Realities’ tells how “He led us through the deep waters; how He saved and protected us; how He intervened in impossible situations; how He changed human decisions and altered situations and relationships in answer to prayer … (It tells of) God’s wonderful intervention in times of crisis and all but overwhelming distress …of miracles in our business affairs, which would baffle any normal system of accounting…”

Twelve baskets full

Forty varied and poignant testimonies are shared, out of the many hundreds experienced by the Sisters in Darmstadt in the latter half of the twentieth century. It’s difficult to choose between them, for every one is deeply inspiring and encouraging.

But there’s something about this little tome that makes it stand out among the rest, at least in this reviewer’s estimation.

I loved the story of Sisters seeking to build a chapel, but they had no money to buy bricks. While deep in prayer, Basilea “in the Spirit sensed that He had blessed us by beginning to supply us with bricks”, and that “there would surely be basketfuls of stone left over, too”. Sure enough, days later, out of the blue, a military barracks was being torn down and an ample supply of bricks was offered to the Sisterhood – and with the ‘left-overs’ they were able to cover the floors of all their cellars.

Canaan creation

The most remarkable story, however, is kept till last. This is the story of ‘Canaan’ – the “commission” that Basilea sensed from God to purchase a wide strip of beautiful country land near to the Sisterhood base, which would become “a land of His promises and miracles; a foretaste of the kingdom of God as a kingdom of love, evident right here on earth.”

It was an impossible mission – for, unknown to them at the time, much of the land was divided into over twenty small plots, many of the owners of which flatly refused to sell. If that wasn’t obstacle enough, the local authorities owned a large part of the land – they, too, point-blank refused to sell, because the land was already assigned for property development and to build a city by-pass.

Quite literally, this is one of the most remarkable accounts of an answers to prayer that I have ever heard.

Yet, miracle of miracles, through years of perseverance against all odds, years of public humiliation and repeated mammoth setbacks – through faith in God alone, and dogged determination – there came the day of victory, when the Sisterhood of Mary was able to purchase the entire strip of land that God had laid on their hearts.

On this ‘Promised Land’, over a lengthy period of time, they were able to build a beautiful development with multiple buildings, gardens, and a fountain and lake; a delightful haven which annually attracts hundreds of pilgrims eager to experience a touch of heaven on earth.

Quite literally, this is one of the most remarkable accounts of an answers to prayer that I have ever heard.

Inheriting all things

These stories are told to encourage and to bless – and to challenge the reader to press in to greater depths with God. Basilea states her certainty that, “he who trusts God is independent of the shifting tides of politics or economics, or a coming catastrophe. His future depends upon God alone, in whose hands are all things”.

In times of need you will experience the lack of no good thing. You are a child, utterly dependent upon your Father, utterly trusting Him – and everything is indeed added unto you”.

In short, in the authoritative words of Ms Schlink herself, these stories tell us that “he who wagers everything on God, fully trusting in His love and power, will inherit all things … In times of need you will experience the lack of no good thing. You are a child, utterly dependent upon your Father, utterly trusting Him – and everything is indeed added unto you”.

A truly faith-building tome, and a very worthy companion to Basilea’s autobiographic, ‘I Found the Key to the Heart of God’.

‘Realities of Faith’ (141 pp) is published by the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary and is available from Vineyard Worship for just £5.49 (plus p&p).