Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015)

This is the first work I’ve read about Amy Carmichael, and she was a really interesting personality to read about. (Her attitude and personality reminded me a lot of Jim Elliott’s, the author’s first husband. Makes me think she was attracted to a particular type of person.) I don’t know that I would have enjoyed knowing Amy Carmichael in real life, but she certainly was used by God, and there are many aspects of her faith that are encouraging and challenging.

That said, she was a human and had plenty of faults. It’s tempting to judge her for these, but I’d hate to see what would be written in my biography and have people judging me for all of my mistakes. At the end of the day, God is gracious and merciful, and Amy loved Him and served Him as best as she could.

The first quarter to a third or so of the book was too long, in my opinion; I was frustrated that the ad-copy emphasized her time in India and yet a third of the way into the story, she still hadn’t arrived there!

But God knows when to have me read the books I do, and this one was no exception. I could relate to so many things here, especially the frustration with nominal Christians, and the sometimes-lonely call to serving as a single.

The devil does not care how many hospitals we build, any more than he cares how many schools and colleges we put up, if only he can pull our ideals down, and sidetrack us on to anything of any sort except the living of holy, loving, humble lives, and the bringing of men, women, and children to know our Lord Jesus Christ not only as Savior but as Sovereign Lord.

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