KC Royals Fan from Independence, MO

A long awaited 2nd Volume Biography

Reviewed: 11-17-23

After writing my review below, a dear old friend/relative whom I respect very much, read my review and shared with me her thoughts. She is a friend of Lars Gren and Elizabeth and feels that the treatment of Lars in this book is inappropriate, unkind and unwarranted. As a friend of Lars and Elisabeth, she thinks the sharing of such personal and private stories inappropriate too. It was a reminder to me that there is the proverbial “two sides to every story.” We approach life and relationships from our own perspectives and biases. I definitely feel like Ellen Vaughn approached the season of Elisabeth’s life of her richest, most well-known and longest ministry to the church (but did not write about it) with a bias of not agreeing with her teaching on Biblical womanhood in marriage, which very much came during her longest season of marriage, her third marriage. In the end, Vaughn leaves it to the reader to decide.

I had a hard time processing this long awaited 2nd volume of Elisabeth’s authorized biography! To be sure, there were some amazing, rich and surprising aspects of Elisabeth’s midlife to process and think about which gave pause for thought and wonder, but those things only added to the respect and appreciation for Elisabeth as a person and a genuine Believer! It was the abrupt ending of the book which made me sad, frustrated and disappointed! For it was the last almost 40 years of Elisabeth’s life I also wanted to know about. It was the prime of those years, Elisabeth’s 60s and 70s, that I was most impacted and effected by her thoughts, speaking and writings. I am the less common male reader and follower of Elisabeth Elliot’s life and story. Because my job in the later 1990s allowed me to listen to Christian radio every day with my Walkman headphones, I listened to Gateway To Joy every day. I found I looked forward to it! It was Elisabeth who made me consider that even I might be “loved with an Everlasting Love”, because “that’s what the Bible says!” Many of the direct-to-the-point things Elisabeth would say have stuck with me all these years, like wearing clothes more than once before laundering to extend their usefulness and to be a little more frugal (I don’t always do it) or about not complaining about the weather! Of course I read Through Gates Of Splendor and valiantly tried to make my way through A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael. (I didn’t finish it!) But most of Elisabeth’s books were for women. When raising our family of six children, I read The Shaping Of A Christian Family and longed to create that kind of a godly devoted home!

In the end, I’m grateful for this book! I’m grateful for Ellen Vaughn’s very hard work in writing it—I can’t even imagine! After reading the book, I listened to several podcasts of Ellen explaining the writing of the book, which helped me to understand and accept how the book ended, and there are several reasons. I’m grateful that Valerie Shepherd and her family wanted her mother’s story told. It helped me in many faceted ways which I cannot describe or put into my own words. But it spoke so much on multiple levels to my very own faulty, sometimes failing Christian life! I think that is what Elisabeth wanted in life and death! As long as I live I will never forget the words, her matter-of-fact cadence, and the truth of:
“‘You are loved with an everlasting love.’—that’s what the Bible says, and—‘underneath are the Everlasting Arms!’ This is your friend Elisabeth Elliot …”

The reader did an excellent job and is a very good reader, but her voice for Elisabeth Elliot was at times annoying with its snarky and cynical cadence, I’m sure her attempt to capture Elisabeth’s voice which at times could sound that way. But I often thought I’d rather read Elisabeth’s words imagine her voice with the truth she was trying to tell.

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Charlotte is a Talented Writer

Reviewed: 04-27-20

I really enjoyed this book. I am so struck with Charlotte’s wisdom and poise for her young life! It is not a very political book, but is much more about a family we all can respect and admire. The story is as much about the young author and her character, as it is about her father’s. It gives me hope for the future, and wisdom in how to be kind and gracious in this season of our country.

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