Hidden away in the Amazon rainforest, a young woman named Elisabeth Elliot began a journey that would forever change the course of her life and the lives of countless others. Her tenacious faith, obedience to God, and commitment to sharing the gospel with those who had never heard would inspire generations to come as she dedicated her life to knowing Jesus and making Him known.
Born in 1926 in Belgium to Christian missionary parents, Elisabeth Elliot’s heart was stirred from a young age by the plight of those who had not yet heard the gospel. As she grew older, her desire to serve the Lord only intensified as she felt a deep calling to bring the message of salvation to the most remote and unreached corners of the world.
After completing her studies at Wheaton College, Elisabeth eventually set sail for Ecuador, where she would spend the next several years immersed in studying the culture and language of the people she came to serve. It was during this time that she, after years of waiting, finally married Jim Elliot, a former classmate and fellow missionary with a shared passion for reaching the lost.
In 1956, just two years and three months after Elisabeth and Jim got married, tragedy struck when Jim and four other missionaries were brutally killed by the Waodani tribe, a group they had been trying to reach. The news of their deaths sent shockwaves through the Christian community.
The tragic deaths of Jim Elliot and his fellow missionaries at the hands of the Waodani tribe in 1956 could have marked the end of their mission there. However, in a remarkable display of faith and forgiveness, Jim’s widow, Elisabeth Elliot, returned to the very tribe that had killed her husband, determined to continue their work. This may have surprised anyone who heard the story but not anyone who knew Elisabeth.
Driven by an unwavering commitment to God’s love and a desire to reach the Waodani, Elisabeth and others began learning the language and building relationships with the Waodani. Her decision to forgive rather than retaliate had a profound impact on the Waodani. In time, many of the very people who had killed the five men came to know God, their hearts softened by the witness of these courageous women.
Though the initial loss was devastating, the enduring legacy of these martyrs and those who went back as witnesses continues to inspire believers around the world to courageously follow Christ, no matter the cost.
As the years passed, Elisabeth’s influence and impact only grew. She became a renowned author, speaker, and teacher, sharing her experiences and insights with audiences around the world. Her books, such as “Through Gates of Splendor,” “Passion and Purity,” and “Shadow of the Almighty,” became beloved classics, helping countless readers to deepen their walk with God and consider the cost of discipleship.
Elisabeth’s journey was not an easy one, but her journey through suffering was not in vain. She spoke often about how death is the doorway to life, and the best display of that is the cross of Christ. In her later years, she wrote a book titled Suffering is Never for Nothing, and you see a flavor of that message in most of what she spoke and wrote about.
“The deepest things that I have learned in my own life have come from the deepest suffering. And out of the deepest waters and the hottest fires have come the deepest things that I know about God.” -Elisabeth Elliot
But Elisabeth’s legacy extended far beyond her written works. Her life was a testament to the transformative power of God’s love (1 John 4:10), and her unwavering commitment to the gospel has inspired countless others to follow in her footsteps. Whether it was ministering to the Waodani tribe, teaching at a Bible college, or mentoring young believers, Elisabeth’s heart was always focused on sharing the message that God is worthy of our full trust and obedience.
“He is always doing something–the very best thing, the thing we ourselves would certainly choose if we knew the end from the beginning. He is at work to bring us to our full glory.” -Elisabeth Elliot
