Speaking of her season of grief, Elisabeth Elliot wrote,

“At such times I have been wonderfully calmed and strengthened by doing some simple duty . . . like a bed to be made or kitchen floor to be washed . . . Sometimes it takes everything you have to get up and do it, but it is surprising how strength comes. . . There is wonderful therapy in getting up and doing something. While you are doing, time passes quickly. Time itself will in some measure heal. . . . And in the doing of whatever comes next, we are shown what to do after that.”*

You may be familiar with the story of Elisabeth’s life. It was told in the movie The End of the Spear, a major motion picture released a couple of years ago. The movie included the heartbreaking details of the murder of her husband, Jim Elliot, and four other missionaries who were speared to death by the Waodani in 1956 as they attempted to befriend that Ecuadorian tribe.

In the years following the loss of her husband and her dreams of a life together with him, Elisabeth became a proliferate writer with a new passion and wisdom beyond her years. She learned some valuable lessons from her life’s experience, and she shares that wisdom through her books.

I have a great respect for those who have excelled in the face of adversity. As the old E.F. Hutton commercial used to say, “When they speak, I listen,” because I know that lessons learned from experience are as valuable as nuggets of gold – and Elisabeth is a storehouse of gold nuggets.

Where did she learn to handle emotional stress in this manner? From the example Jesus left as he endured the cross. She shares her understanding of his example in this quote,

“Our Lord did not halt all activity to brood over what was to come. He was not incapacitated by the fear of suffering . . . To the question, ‘What shall I do?’ (so often, for us the cry of despair) he simply answered, ‘This,’ and did what lay in his path to do at the moment, trusting himself completely into the hands of his Father.”*

Elisabeth has written many books, including these popular titles:

If you order any book from Christian Book Distributors using a link from my blog, CBD will donate a portion of the proceeds back to Are-You-For-Real. If you do make an order from them, I want to thank you for helping to support my ministry.

*All quotes used in this article are taken from Twelve Baskets of Crumbs by Elisabeth Elliot.


Keeping it real,
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