Becoming Elisabeth Elliot

by Ellen Vaughn

[No spoilers in this review.]

There are some biographies so full of facts that they are boring. There, I’ve said it! Becoming Elisabeth Elliot, thankfully, is not that kind of biography. Many readers may be familiar with the basic story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, missionaries to Ecuador to try to reach the Waodanis. This tribe had only experienced violent conflict with the outside world. Jim and Elisabeth (a.k.a. Betty) were determined to decipher the Waodani language so they could translate portions of the Bible to the native language as well as make friends with the people and introduce them to Jesus.

The basic story of their experiences are recorded in Elisabeth Elliot’s book Through Gates of Splendor. That same information  appears in this authorized biography Becoming Elisabeth Elliot, but this book focuses on the first third of Elisabeth’s life and her preparation for whatever God called her to do. The author was given access to Elisabeth’s many private journals and interviewed people who were a part of her life in various ways. We are able to delve into Elisabeth’s thoughts as she poured out her soul in her journal disclosing her primary goal, to be obedient to God. We learn of her pain and suffering before, during, and after a major crushing event in her life. Her early years and education are discussed from the viewpoint of how they impacted her relationships with God, family, and friends. Then we learn how she matures in her faith, never seeking weak Christian platitudes but struggling to understand God and His plan. She has a lot of difficult seasons of waiting as she seeks God’s will and learns first hand that the question of why something happens may never be answered on Earth. The important question is not “why,”  but “what”—what does God want me to do? What is the next step?

Well researched and well written, Becoming Elisabeth Elliot is a masterful biography and a page turner. It can be read as a historical document showcasing a woman who achieved fame as a missionary, prolific author, speaker, translator, professor, and radio broadcaster. It can also be read and studied by those who want to learn from Elliot’s experiences and spiritual insights to further their own personal journeys in drawing closer to God and obeying Him in following in the footsteps of Jesus.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Biography, Nonfiction, Christian

Notes: 1. Each chapter begins with a quote by various authors. They are always apropos to the chapter and worthy of pondering.

    2. The book includes a Foreword by Joni Eareckson Tada, an Epilogue, and Footnotes.

      3. The author has written the second in a series of three planned books to provide a complete telling of Elisabeth’s life. Being Elisabeth Elliot, which covers Elisabeth’s later years, will be published on September 12, 2023.

Publication:  2020—B&H Publishing Group

Memorable Lines:

And Eugenia had nearly vomited when Betty gave her some vegetable soup; she had absolutely recoiled at the taste of fudge. Well, Betty thought, it was just another vivid reminder that one could not assume that everyone thought and felt just like North Americans.

To opine about what God is up to in terms of results, can stray into the realm of hubris, or faithlessness. If we must see that there are worthy results in order to come to peace about what God has done or allowed, then we have no faith.

And suffering is one of God’s sanctifying tools. God is not a cosmic plumber who shows up to make things run smoothly for us. When He doesn’t fix broken situations in our lives, it’s usually because He is fixing us through them.