Ever since I had the privilege of traveling to Ecuador on a mission trip in 2019, I’ve been very interested in learning more about the missionary families that were killed while trying to share the gospel in the jungle. It was fascinating to me that the families of the men that were killed wanted to go back to the scene of the tragedy to live out the gospel calling that God had placed on their lives. As a result of their faithfulness, many of the Waundi people came to know the Lord. In 2019, the grandson of one of the men who killed the missionaries was one of our guides on our trip. Look what God did with the faithfulness of all of the Christ followers involved. He brought beauty from ashes and changed the course of eternity for that tribe!
In June of 2021, I read Becoming Elizabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn and really enjoyed learning more about Elisabeth Elliot. When I saw Lucy Austen’s new release Elisabeth Elliot: A Life, I knew I had to check it out! This book is definitely not a quick read, it reflects a massive undertaking of years and years of research about Elliot’s family of origin in Belgium, her growing up years, the early days on the mission field, her life after Jim’s death, a life with both her 2nd and 3rd husband, and then ultimately her death in 2015. Austen did a remarkable job piecing together journal entries, personal letters, stories from other people, and a lot of other research to put this work together.
“For Elisabeth Elliot, the foundation of life was trust in the love of God. Not trust that she would
live, as she told her family all those years ago as she set out for Tewæno, not trust that things
would go well, but trust in who God is. If the great hope of her faith is true, then in the end, the
rings spreading out across the surface of the pond, the air displaced by the stone as it flew, the
stone itself, are all held in the heart of God, where mercy and justice are never in contradiction,
and all things in heaven and earth will finally be made whole.”
Can I be honest? This book changed some things about how I feel about Elliot. It also caused me to realize that I hope that no one ever writes a book about my life…too many mistakes and mishaps along the way to be helpful to anyone! But this book was HELPFUL. It reminded me that everyone has a story. Everyone is dealing with things far beyond what we expect and what we can even imagine. The book offers a glimpse into Elliot’s perspective on faith and obedience, “The will of God is always a bigger thing than we bargain for, but we must believe that whatever it involves, it is good, acceptable, and perfect.” This sentiment resonates throughout Elliot’s life and leaves a powerful legacy.
I’m headed out with a team on mission in a few weeks and I was particularly encouraged by this thought from Elliot’s journal early in her days in Ecuador…”I know that God has much to teach me before I could even be usable on the mission fields. God forbid that I should rush out unprepared in spirit. May He make me pliable and broken at His feet. It is one thing to say that—but I have no idea how He may choose to accomplish it. Whatever it is, “Oh, give me grace to follow.” I know that I shall never get to the field except it be by His grace.”
By His grace…what a way to live. May we all do the same!