Elisabeth Elliot

By |Published On: January 13, 2015|Categories: News|

Elisabeth ElliotElisabeth Elliot has influenced countless Christian women, me included. But since the onset of dementia about a decade ago, she and her husband Lars have stepped out of the public eye. Her first husband, Jim Elliot, died in the late 50s after Auca Indians speared him and four other missionaries to death. She remained in Ecuador for seven years, working with the Auca and Quichua Indians, and then returned to the United States in 1963. Over the next 50 years, Elisabeth wrote 28 books, including her famous Through Gates of Splendor. I enjoyed the pleasure of speaking at various conferences with Elisabeth Elliot. I admired her for never ‘pushing herself’ into the limelight. One time, someone asked her “Who’s the real Elisabeth Elliot?” She replied, “I don’t know, and may God keep me from ever finding out.” And when people asked her advice, she would reply, “What does the Bible say? Do what the Bible says.”

Elisabeth Elliot stopped giving speeches in 2004 as her health worsened. When she realized she was losing her memory, she put into practice what she had long preached: “From acceptance comes peace.” Her husband said she turned to the Bible for comfort, especially Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” Elisabeth is still inspiring us on how to walk difficult roads – if you have not read Through Gates of Splendor, I encourage you to find it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

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