Ellen Vaughn painstakingly culls through a myriad of resources, journals, personal letters and interviews to reveal the persona of ELISABETH ELLIOT. Ms. Vaughn, through beautiful and honest writing, captures the essence of Elisabeth Elliot in this captivating biography. Well researched and well documented, including extensive references, Ms. Vaughn should be lauded for the magnitude - and resounding success- of this endeavor. My only disappointment: having to wait for the next installment in Volume II !

I have read a number of EE books and listened to her podcasts; I have always been humbled and amazed at her relentless faith and obedience to God. However, Ms. Vaughn has allowed me to grasp more insights into this amazing woman. This book is a remarkable biography of a remarkable woman. Regardless of what you may know of the Auca mission and the dramatic deaths of the five missionaries in the 1950’s, you will glean so much more spiritual insight by reading this biography. While I have always respected EE’s life and speeches, I have come away enriched beyond what I would have imagined. Indeed, Ms. Vaughn has captured the essence of EE, the proverbial ‘good, bad, and ugly’ - and that honest portrayal of Elisabeth Elliot endears her to us all the more. She is not depicted as godly saint on a pedestal; instead she is portrayed as a mere mortal (like the rest of us) who suffered failures, anguish, inward disappointments, outward ridicule and disrespect.... yet remained faithful to God and His love for her. This is one of THE BEST biographies I have ever read!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy

It's been decades since I read "Through Gates of Splendor", so it was interesting to do a deep dive into Elisabeth Elliot's life before meeting and marrying Jim Elliot, and then in the aftermath of his murder. Through the use of Elisabeth Elliot's diaries and letters, the author gives us a new and interesting understanding of Elliot's laser-focus on God and His will in her life as well as her views on reaching people for Christ, no matter the sacrifice. Ellen Vaughn's biography humanizes Elliot by showing her stubborn will and her "aloofness", but also her capacity for forgiveness.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

“Yes, Lord”; the words Elisabeth framed her life around. What an amazing, resilient, strong woman! Ellen Vaughn’s poignant biography of Elisabeth Elliot is an intimate look into the life of a woman who only wanted to live for Christ. Her mentors, such as missionary Betty Scott Stam, Mrs. Dubose, Amy Carmichael all helped shape her into the woman she became. Not all is a rosy picture, she tells of her life with husband Jim and the struggles of their relationship, his horrific death, and her desire to continue his work. I found myself highlighting passage after passage in this book as it is extraordinarily inspiring.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

A poignant tale, spun with sturdy literary threads and a dash of expertise, resulting in one of the greatest Christian memoirs of all time. A definite read for those considering missionary work, and are unsure how to face the challenges that come along with it. A heart-breaking and an uplifting work of literature. A treasure.

All I can say about this book is wow!! I've long been a fan of Elisabeth Elliot and her story.

Ellen Vaughn has written a stunning biography of this Godly woman and her care of this woman's life shows.

We start at the beginning of her life and learn much about how Elisabeth was raised and her life as a child. She was raised in a very spiritual home and her faith was a constant from her parents. Following along with her life and the direction she chooses.

Most know the story of her and her husband Jim who were missionaries in the Amazon. Jim Elliot and four of his coworkers were murdered by the very tribe they were ministering to. After his death Elisabeth and her young daughter return and live with this very tribe. They become wonderful friends and she lived with them for several years.

I admire this woman so much and especially her commitment to God. She never waivers even when her life has been devastated. Elisabeth does not compromise her faith ever!

I highly recommend any book written by Elisabeth Elliot.

Thanks to #NetGalley for a copy of this book

A good book stays with you for some time after you have read it. This morning I found myself sharing an anecdote with a friend about this book, so I know that I will be recommending it to others. I was familiar with Elisabeth Elliot's life, having read a number of her books some years ago. This book has made me want to return to some of her writings and read some of her books that are lesser well known too. Ellen Vaughn includes details I had not known and paints a clear picture of a woman incredibly devoted to Christ and yet who grieved deeply the loss of her husband even if she did not always show that outwardly. I appreciated her comment that perhaps even Elisabeth Elliot herself had forgotten what she had written in her earliest journals when she penned some of her own books. Sometimes we forget our earliest struggles when we are giving advice to someone else who finds themselves in a similar situation.

I found her relationship with her co-worker particularly interesting and this was a part of Elisabeth's life that I had not realised; that she had left Equador due to an untenable working relationship with a co-worker. I can understand why Elisabeth did not write about this in her books and yet I appreciate hearing the gritty honesty of her struggle to work alongside someone so different to her in vision and personality.

There were moments when I found the writing style a bit difficult and I am not sure how to reflect on Ellen Vaughn's own reflections of her life, particularly towards the end of the book. Having said that, I would recommend the book and buy it for others.

In Becoming Elisabeth Elliot, Ellen Vaughn wades into the complicated backstory of a woman described by Joni Erickson Tada as “a captain–not a private–in the army of God.” (73) Newcomers to Elliot’s life will receive a crash course in the content from her first five or six books. Those already familiar with the stories about an agonizing and prolonged courtship, fiery young visionaries contacting a dangerous and unreached tribe, five missionaries speared to death, and a widow with a toddler learning the language of her husband’s killers will have the delightful experience of hearing those stories in a different voice.

It’s clear from the outset that Elisabeth Howard Elliot was born into a family designed to prepare her for a rigorous obedience to God. Trained in discipleship and clear thinking, “the Howard family didn’t talk about emotions; they exhorted one another for the glory of God.” (720) However, Vaughn’s access to Elisabeth’s journals and correspondence offer readers the gift of insight into some of Elisabeth’s wrestling, the continual recalibration of her will to God’s will. In order to say with integrity, “Suffering is never for nothing,” to write books describing discipline as a “glad surrender” and God’s guidance as “a slow and certain light,” one has to subscribe to the path of daily self-death.

In a life marked by huge upheavals and opportunities for both glory and sorrow, it was evident that Elisabeth Elliot became her awe-inspiring self, not in the dramatic chapters of her life documented by Life Magazine, but rather in her commitment to daily faithfulness in the unseen places. A faith both brutally practical and unmistakably mystical carried her into a life of bold truth-telling, forged in a crucible of loneliness and puzzlement over the ways of God. Leaning hard into her questions, she found God to be faithful and embraced him as “both journey and destination.” (3946)

In her thoroughly researched and compelling presentation of Elisabeth Elliot’s life, author Ellen Vaughn concluded that Elisabeth’s story served to strengthen her own story, and that has been my own experience as well. The truth that sustained Elisabeth through the roaring storms and the dismal silences is the same truth that will sustain me. The bracing lessons that emerged from her missionary career resonate today for all of us who embrace a faithful following: “God will not fail to do His part, which is ultimately the only part that matters.”

Living this reality, Elisabeth Elliot gained what she could not lose.

Many thanks to NetGalley and to B&H Publishing for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which, of course, is offered freely and with honesty.

I grew up with the story of the missionaries to the Aucas, so thought I knew Elisabeth Elliott already. Having begun reading this book...there is so much more! (For one thing : looking back after so many years, I hadn’t realised how young they all were – or how short a time married.) And I hadn’t really considered she had a life beforehand... This has been an immensely challenging book to read, & not just for the depth of detail but also for the personal challenge to how our own life would read. Can we even begin to imagine how different our world would be, if we were all as totally committed as these missionaries?! And it was right from the start of their Christian lives, not just later on once they had accumulated experience : for so many of them, there was not to be time for that. Probably a book we should re-read on a regular basis, so its message does not fade. The final word must rest with Elisabeth herself : “I suppose the general opinion of missionary work says that it is intended to bring [people] to Christ. Only God knows if anything in my ‘missionary career’ has contributed anything at all to this end. But much in that ‘career’ has brought ME to Christ.” The sequel will be worth watching out for.

I am delighted in the thought that the Lord saw fit in His timing to pick this season for this book to release. During COVID-19 we are all faced with many challenges that make us ask "How long Lord?" But if reading this book has taught me anything, it's to look at Jesus like Elizabeth Elliot's did all her life. To commit her life to the Lord and know that he alone would sustain her.

To be honest, I am always nervous to read biographies because I want the person the book is about to have their story told in the manner in which they wish; especially when their utmost personal journals are shared. In this authorized biography, Ellen Vaughn has weaved Elizabeth Elliot's story together with such humility and beauty; sharing the intimate details of her life with love makes this book a grace. I've been a Christian for several years now and knew a little of Elizabeth Elliot but had not yet become a student of her testimony.

This book begins with a beautiful foreword by Joni Eareckson Tada sharing about her relationship with Elizabeth Elliot. Broken up into 3 parts-Beginning, Becoming and Being. Each section breaks down the different seasons of Elizabeth Elliot's life. I always love a very organized and detailed biography, to have her story told from the start of her life before she was a missionary gave me a better understanding of her character and discipline.

Very well researched. Very well written. Really enjoyed finding out more about Elisabeth Eliot. I know the story but loved finding out more details about her.

Thanks for the advance Net Galley

This is one of those times you need more stars

Not just because of the writing, though it is good, but just the subject; the woman you will know as Betty Howard Elliot.

Do you want to know what faith truly looks like and what a life truly lived is? Then take this humbling look into the life of Betty Howard Elliot.

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot tells the life story of Elisabeth Elliot from birth to her decision to leave Ecuador as a missionary. Ellen Vaughn shares portions of Elisabeth’s journals and letters and this gives the reader into glimpse of Elisabeth’s life that we have not seen before now. Elisabeth seems more human than ever when we read of her struggles of doubts of her role as missionary, her loneliness and her unresolved conflicts with fellow missionary Rachel Saint. Her many devastating disappointments from losing a year of translation work to her husband’s murder show her faithfulness when she wonders why God would allow the situation to happen. A glimpse of her living life with the very people who killed her husband teaches there is no forgiveness too hard.
I plan on purchasing this book for others, especially younger women, so Elisabeth’s life is not forgotten.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Net Galley, but all opinions are my own.

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot
By Ellen Vaughn

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot demonstrates the courage it takes to follow those subtle but unyielding cries to go forth unknowing to make a difference in this world. Without meandering purposelessly through documented life events, Ellen Vaughn uses journal entries, interview data, and historical accounts to paint a vibrant portrait of a woman who did just that—and changed the world through her tenacious obedience to her life’s calling.

Unlike modern missionary movements and people, Elisabeth Elliot, her husband, and colleagues immersed themselves in another culture, both violently different and linguistically foreign from the one from which they came. After her husband was killed, she and her daughter, Val, relocated into the lives and community of these remote people, the same people who took her husband’s life. She did not force her beliefs on them, but rather, lived among them as they grew to know both her faith and her life—a combination that both startled and impressed her onlookers.

What fascinated me most about this biography are the very personal notes shared amid a much bigger public life story. Moments of fear, desire, frustration, loneliness, and anger pop up throughout the accounting, making Elisabeth Elliot a figure with whom we can relate. That is the power in this book—that readers can see themselves in her shoes, and by seeing it, move closer to living a similar life of impact.

Most profound to me was the account of Elisabeth’s friendship with the man who murdered her husband. He called her “sister,” and she accepted his claim. Although struggles with fellow missionaries, political and academic division, and the physical trials of living in remote Ecuadorian land could have derailed her mission, she pushed on to overcome the greatest divide of all: the hatred that leads to revenge. Through the detailed reporting and retelling of Ellen Vaughn, we hear of a woman who closed the gap on this vengeance, paving a way for progress, understanding, and faith. Of all the people who could have gone to the Waodani, Elisabeth was the most unlikely. In that strange and other-worldly decision is where truly amazing change occurred—both in herself and her hearers.

I recommend this book to anyone searching for greatness, and I thank Ellen Vaughn for her painstaking work to document Elisabeth Elliot’s extraordinary life in an objective, entertaining, and inspiring read.

#Becoming Elizabeth Elliot# by Ellen Vaughn is a Christian biography. Ellen Vaughn is a former vice president of executive communications at Prison Fellowship. She speaks at conferences and interviews people in the most hostile parts of the world. She is currently on the board of directors for ICM, the global church developer. She is respected in the Christian world. Elizabeth Elliot has written lots of well known books. She was a missionary. She went to Wheaton College. She looked up to Amy Carmichael. Her daily focus was to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. She was raised learning about missionaries. She and her husband sacrificed their lives working with the unreached people group the Waodani people in Ecuador. They translated the Bible in their language. This people group is known for not wanting outsiders in their area and killing intruders. This book is personable and very inspiring. The author has included segments from Elizabeth Elliot's books. I highly recommend this book. Any Christian can learn from her life example. Thank you to the author, netgalley, the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. The opinions about this book are my own.

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot describes in expansive detail the life of Elizabeth “Betty” Elliot. The author, though still an author in all regards, frequently functions as an editor as Becoming makes extensive use of the journals of Jim Elliot, Elisabeth Elliot, and others whew knew them.

The reader encounters nothing close to a hagiography. Instead, we see an honest Elisabeth Elliot as a follower of Christ and all the challenges that come with it in this life. With Elisabeth, the reader will experience sadness, joy, heartache, longing, grief, and peace. Elisabeth Elliot was not perfect, but many comfortable Christians, myself included, would do well reflect on the radical self-denial depicted in this book.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley for review purposes. My comments are independent and my own.

Having long admired Elisabeth Elliot, I was very interested in learning about the earlier years of Elliot's life. Author Ellen Vaughn did a marvelous job filling in details on the early influences, feelings and thoughts brought so vividly to life through Elliot's own journals. Seeing her growing up years as the normal time of exploration and curiosity of where God might lead her was quite refreshing to read. We know how mightily God used her in her adult years; I found particular comfort in seeing some of the struggles she grappled with before she became a public figure.

There are personal glimpses of her budding relationship with Jim and the ways that God uniquely wove them together to be a team. I think this book would provide young people a wonderful example of being wholly dedicated to the Lord and placing one's own desires at the altar of God's will.

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot is a beautiful glimpse at the formation of a truly remarkable woman sold out completely to her Savior. I cannot think of a better role model for any young woman who seeks to follow the Lord. I highly recommend this first installment offering a fresh glimpse at Elisabeth Elliot and will eagerly await Vaughn's planned sequel to it.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Becoming Elisabeth Elliot from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

FASCINATING & INFORMATIVE!

“Do it immediately, do it with prayer, do it reliantly, casting all care. Do it with reverence, tracing His hand who placed it before thee with earnest command. Stayed on omnipotence, safe ’neath His wing, leave all resultings, do the next thing.” Old Saxon Poem

This poem was a favorite of Elisabeth Elliot’s and one she often quoted. She took to heart the advice “do the next thing” and she did so throughout her adult life regardless of her feelings or circumstances. I was first introduced to the writings of Elisabeth Elliot in 1984. That opened the door for me to start my collection which now includes every book as well as every pamphlet Elisabeth Elliot wrote. I had the opportunity to meet Elisabeth Elliot in person, share a brief conversation with her and receive a personal note from her. I have listened to many hours of her Gateway to Joy Radio Program and received her Newsletter for many years. I also have heard Valerie Shepherd speak at my Church as she shared about writing DEVOTEDLY(The Personal Letters and Love Story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot). Also, I have given numerous copies of EE’s books to friends through the years.

I read Ellen Vaughn’s Authorized Biography with a very open mind. I believe her title BECOMING ELISABETH ELLIOT is an excellent description for everything she brings forth in her writing. She starts with Betty Howard’s (Elisabeth Elliot) life as a child and works her way slowly through her school years and time at a Boarding School in FL, Wheaton College, meeting Jim Elliot, their separate calls to the mission field, the separate training each went through prior to going overseas, serving in different areas, etc. Vaughn shows a young child developing into a teenager, college student, young adult, single adult missionary, young married, mother, widow, and single mother mIssionary in the jungle. All of this adds into the becoming of Elisabeth Elliot. To many who have followed the writing and speaking ministries of EE for many years, they know she was known as “Betty” to her family, close friends and those on the mission field. After her husband Jim Elliot and the other four missionaries were savagely killed while attempting to make contact with the Waodani Indians in the jungle of Ecuador, it was Betty that was chosen to write their story to share with the world. When Through Gates of Splendor was published, the world was introduced to Elisabeth Elliot. Little did anyone know what an effect the publishing of that book would have on the rest of EE’s life!

Vaughn has a monumental task in attempting to write the Biography of such a well known woman and one who is beloved by many. She has been allowed the use of EE’s personal diaries as well as Interviews with family members and friends. She also has spent untold hours researching through a vast number of existing articles, past interviews and even made a trip to visit the actual Waodani Indians and see the place that changed and shaped the rest of Elisabeth’s life and ministry. It is through this lens that Vaughn writes how she observes Betty Elliot becoming Elisabeth Elliot. Elliot was not a saint — as her own diaries will testify. She was a woman of great depth and feeling. She struggled mightily to follow God and to do His Will at — any cost. Even when EE recognized her spiritual gift of linguistics, she would not force them to be used in an effort to ensure a quicker written language for the Waodani. She always kept her mind sharp (not the easiest thing to do in a jungle setting), was available to treat illnesses, snakebites, be a midwife or deal with whatever other crises might arise. She struggled with what her ministry should be. She struggled with loneliness, a theme that she would write several books about. She struggled with her grief over Jim’s death. Yet she never lost faith in God. God used EE’s extraordinary communication skills of writing and public speaking to influence many generations to make professions of faith, decide they wanted to have a deeper walk with God, dedicate their lives to working on the mission field and just understanding what it means to answer God’s Call on their life. This book states that it is only Volume 1. It is easy to see why there would need to be a Volume 2. So much of Volume 1 is obviously about her time in Ecuador and her early writings. At the conclusion, it quickly touches on the rest of her life but more as a hit and run approach than the detailed approach of her life in Ecuador.

Another favorite quote of Elisabeth Elliot’s and one she often shared explains what she learned from the death of her young husband and the other four missionaries:

“To be a follower of the Crucified means, sooner or later, a personal encounter with the cross. And the cross always entails loss. The great symbol of Christianity means sacrifice and no one who calls himself a Christian can evade this stark fact.”

Elisabeth Elliot continually sought the path of obedience, no matter the cost.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by B&H Books & NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

Like many American Christians, I have held a long-time admiration for Jim Elliot and his companions, missionaries who were killed by people to whom they wanted to extend friendship and the gospel. His story made such an impression on me that I named by eldest son Elliot. So I was eager to read Ellen Vaughn's new biography of Elisabeth Elliot, Jim's wife, who bravely continued their work in the jungles of Ecuador.

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot fully met my hopes and expectations. Vaughn covers Elisabeth's life from her childhood, to boarding school in Florida, to Wheaton and courtship with Jim, and to mission work in South America. There were several points about which I was surprised and appreciated Vaughn's insights.

Vaughn clearly has the greatest admiration for Elisabeth, but doesn't make her out to be a superhero or saint. For example, I was not aware of the simmering rivalry she had with Nate Saint's sister Rachel. (Nate Saint is the pilot who was with Jim Elliot when they were killed.) The two ladies lived among the Waodani, befriending the people responsible for Jim and Nate's murders. Rachel was a missionary with Wycliffe Bible Translators/SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics), while Elisabeth was basically independent, under the auspices of the Plymouth Brethren. They ended up butting heads over the New Testament translation work, with Rachel excluding Elisabeth from her work, and ultimately damaging their friendship and working relationship.

For this and related matters, Vaughn describes Elisabeth's frustration with Christian leaders and institutionalism. She grew weary of hierarchies that stifle the gospel and lack the ability to reach other cultures, not to mention the hypocrisy she observed among some Christian leaders. Elisabeth was very concerned about cultural imperialism. She wanted to be careful about introducing the Waodani to Jesus without their understanding being corrupted by Western culture and modern amenities and prosperity. Even with her deeply engrained personal modesty, she was comfortable with their nudism and lack of privacy about sex. She became troubled when they started wearing clothes, feeling guilty that she and the other missionaries were guilty of tearing down Waodani cultural norms and traditions.

As anyone who knows anything about Elisabeth's story and writings knows, she led a remarkable life and deserves a place among the heroes of the faith. Vaughn writes about Elisabeth's frustration when, for years after her husband's death, well-meaning people would ask whether it was worth it, entering into a calculus of how many lives were saved or impacted because of his sacrifice. Elisabeth felt they were asking the wrong questions. It's not a matter of results, but a matter of obedience. Whether he became a famous hero of the faith or a martyr forgotten in obscurity didn't matter; what mattered was his obedience to follow where God directed him. That is the choice we Christians face day by day, and, if you are looking for a guide, Elisabeth is one who has gone before. I'm grateful to know more about her example thanks to Becoming Elisabeth Elliot.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

While many people are familiar with the name Elisabeth Elliot, her story is not as familiar among a younger generation of Christians. The new biography Becoming Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn intends to change that.

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot is the first of a two volume biography. This work stands out as Vaughn has made extensive use of Elliot's own journals which she began keeping as a teenager and her husband Jim Elliot's journals. Vaughn also uses interviews with numerous others who worked with Elisabeth or are related to those who did and photographs. These journals had not been published before and offer a new, personal, unfiltered look at Elliot and her life. Vaughn deftly uses excerpts from the journals, interviews, and other materials to create an immensely readable and enjoyable glimpse into the human behind the legend that Elisabeth Elliot became.

Starting as a child, Elliot focused fully on obeying God's word. Going into all the world to preach the Gospel was not a suggestion but God's command. Although Elliot is often seen as a spiritual giant, Vaughn's use of her journals indicates that Elliot struggled with many normal young adult issues and provides an unique look at her experiences dating and her courtship with husband Jim as well as other relationships. A particularly intriguing aspect of Becoming Elisabeth Elliot is the up close and personal look at the interaction between various missionaries and mission agencies as they worked to carry out their desire to carry the Gospel to unreached people groups. While working towards the same goal, readers are reminded that the missionaries and mission agencies mentioned are indeed humans who wrestled with a variety of human traits and foibles.

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot is highly recommended to anyone who is interested in world missions or missionaries. Reading this will inspire many to follow God more closely. I look forward to reading the second volume and learning more about this missionary giant.

I received a complementary copy from Broadman & Holman via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and I am not required to provide a positive review.

A powerful life story of a believer who was surrendered to the Lord and desired to be faithfully obedient to Him above all else. This book encouraged and challenged me with the great example of how Elisabeth Elliot lived her life directed by the will of God. I appreciated the inside look into her life in this well thought out and superbly written biography. Ellen Vaughn shared not only the amazing example of Elisabeth's strong faith in the Lord, but also the doubts and struggles she had that we all face and how she overcame them to serve the Lord as He called her to do. I highly recommend this book!
Thanks to NetGalley and B&H books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.