Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015)

I didn't think I knew who the author was (I say this because I know she's the reason some choose to read this book). But, I realized I did know the story behind the story, so to speak - I just had forgotten the names.

If you don't know - Elisabeth Elliot is a former missionary whose first husband was killed, brutally, by the members of the tribe he and his wife were trying to reach. Elisabeth and their infant child remains among them to finish the work her husband and others started.

Eventually she remarried and her second husband died a few years later of cancer. On the positive side, she loved and was loved by two great men. On the less-than, she knows is intimately familiar and experienced with tragedy, loss, and a life of sacrificial service.

Her book is chock-full of insight, Biblical perspectives, and pearls of wisdom. It's one of those books, I think, that if you committed to reading it once every 5 or 10 years, it'd still be useful and relevant, but different things would pop out with each reading.

We read as a church summer reading group and it was interesting to hear the takeaways that stood out to various ones of us in different life stages. It'd be a great book to read as a group, buddy read, or just dig into solo. It's meaty with plenty to think about, but also a relatively quick and accessible read--recommended!… (more)