Mourning the Death of Elisabeth Elliot
The world lost an amazing woman on June 15, 2015, Elisabeth Elliot (1926-2015). She was a missionary, a speaker, an author, a wife, a mother, but above all a child of God who faced danger, sadness, and grief but still lived her life honoring God.
Remembering Her Life
After her husband Jim Elliot was brutally killed trying to spread the gospel of Jesus, Elisabeth graciously stayed in Ecuador and became a missionary to the same tribe who killed her husband. I couldn't imagine facing the very people who murdered my husband and telling them about God. It took courage, faith, and trust in God. She was a woman of honor who took Matthew 28:19 to heart.
“Go ye therefor and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” KJV
When she later returned to the United States she became a speaker and author, writing over 20 books. She was also part of a daily Bible radio program. She dedicated her life to sharing the gospel with those near and far, and her love for God was obvious in her speaking and her writings.
Elisabeth Elliot was a woman of faith and knowledge who tried to help everyone live a better life – a life for God. Her writings were full of truths that struck a cord with many. She spoke on many topics, but always focused on Biblical principles and living a godly life. One quote of hers that really resonates with me is,
“If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to him and ask him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy.”
So often we complain that we are too busy to do things, but she makes a great point! There is always time to do God's will.
Treasuring Her Legacy
Both Elisabeth Elliot and her first husband Jim Elliot lived their life for God. Their stories are inspiring, and are great to share with our children. Here are some resources geared for kids.
- Christian Heroes Then and Now has books on both Elisabeth Elliot and Jim Elliot. There is also a unit study available on Jim Elliot which will take each book to the next level. Due to some of the mature content the books are recommended for ages 10 and up.
- If your kids are not ready for the details in the Christian Heroes Then and Now series, then they may be ready for Heroes for Young Readers. Their book on Jim Elliot is recommended for kids 5 to 10. While they don't have one specifically for Elisabeth Elliot, this book will help your kids to learn a little bit about their life as missionaries.
- If you are looking for a video to introduce your children to Jim Elliot, The Jim Elliot Story is great. It is an animated video that is part of the TorchLighters series. It is for kids 8 to 12 and includes actual documentary footage at the end.
There is also a video documentary, Beyond the Gates of Splendor, about the five families (including the Jim and Elisabeth Elliot) who went to Ecuador to share the gospel. It is rated PG13 because of violence and some nudity (some of the tribal women are topless) so as always use your discretion.
As I mentioned above, Elisabeth Elliot was a well known author. Here are a few of her books that you may enjoy.
- Through Gates of Splendor – is Elisabeth's story about the death of her husband.
- Shadow of the Almighty The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot – Using diary entries from her husband, Elisabeth tells the story of faith, obedience, and martyrdom.
- Passion and Purity Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ's Control – Elisabeth talks about numerous topics of purity while using real life examples.
- Quest for Love – This book was written to answer readers questions after reading Passion and Purity Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ's Control. It is full of true stories of how men and women find each other.
- The Shaping of a Christian Family How My Parents Nurtured My Faith – In this book Elisabeth shares stories of growing up in a Christian home and give advice on different parenting topics.
Elisabeth Elliot was a wonderful woman of God! She will be missed but her legacy will live on.
Trena says
Love the YWAM books. Jim and Elizabeth Elliot were amazing. Add Nate Saint and Rachel Saint and further expand the story.