I had heard the legends about Lillian Torkelson long before I met
her: her dream of a Christian school, her gift as a teacher, her
devotion to the welfare of her students, her sternness regarding
schoolwork, her intensity - that earned her the nickname, TIGER
LIL.
Very soon after I joined the Staff of Western Christian College, she
became my mentor. I came to admire her greatly and looked to her
for both wisdom and inspiration. To me, she came to personify
everything good about Western.
For a number of years she encouraged me write a book; my
response was always that I didn't have anything to say that
somebody else hadn't already put into words. That was until one
day two years ago, as I sat and visited with her and marvelled again
at the life she has led and the lives she has touched and inspired.
While she wanted me to write, she was very reluctant to be the
subject, until I told her I wanted her life story to serve as an
inspiration to young women with a dream.
As I have gotten to know her in a much more personal way over the
past two years, she has made a profound impact on me, increasing
my faith and causing me to love her very much. I hope that
through these pages, she will do the same for you.
Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)
