Though I never met Elisabeth Elliot, she was and is a mentor to me and has influenced me profoundly since I was a young wife and mama; I am so thankful for her wisdom, counsel, and example for many years.
Devotedly: The Personal Letters and Love Story of Jim and Elisabeth Elliot (Amazon and Christianbook), by their daughter, Valerie Elliot Shepard, is a deep look into the courtship and brief marriage of Jim and Elisabeth, largely from their letters to each other and from their journals. Elisabeth had given her daughter all the letters her dad wrote to her mother from 1948 to 1953, the year they were married. Since Valerie had a houseful of eight children at the time, she stowed the trunk away for later. As the children left home, she remembered that she had this treasure, but not where it was located. Well, she did eventually discover the trunk and began to read and ponder, and then wrote this story, which comes quite directly from Jim and Elisabeth themselves.
Though I have read most of the books by and about Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, this was a more personal, tender and, at times, raw glimpse deep into their hearts. Their love story and mission are told in words they wrote to each other, having no idea at the time (I’m supposing) that others might someday read their private thoughts.
There is such power in example. Reading this book, I found myself encouraged to stay in the Word, be willing to do hard things with grace and cheerfulness, and trust God in the midst of it all, knowing He’s got the end in His good hands.