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20 Elisabeth Elliot Quotes to Reignite Your Fire

20 Elisabeth Elliot Quotes to Reignite Your Fire
Though she's been gone for a couple years now, here are Five Things We'll Always Remember about Elisabeth Elliot:

1. Her Books - She wrote two books about her husband's martyrdom and the years she and her newborn daughter spent living among the Aucas, the tribe that killed him.

2. Her Faith - Her work with the tribe, and her enduring faith, were even chronicled in the film, The End of the Spear.

3. Her Poetry - Elliot loved to write and often experimented with poetry. One of her efforts included the memorable line, "My spirit finds in Thee its perfect home: sufficiency."

4. Her Unconditional Love - Writer Asheritah Ciuciu named Elliot as one of the 11 Women Every Christian Should Know. Ciuciu's tribute to Elliot reflected how she strove to love neighbor and enemy alike.

5. Her Wisdom - Elliot's experiences left her with a deep, abiding faith in Christ which became a wellspring of wisdom for others. Which brings us to some of her greatest quotes, which are still applicable today...

  • Who Was Elisabeth Elliot?

    Who Was Elisabeth Elliot?

    When influential Christian writer Elisabeth Elliot died at the age of 88 in 2015, she left behind an incredible legacy of steadfast faith and purposeful encouragement.

    Elliot dedicated much of her life to missions work and was married to Jim Elliot, a missionary who was killed while attempting to minister to the Auca tribe, a violent group in Ecuador’s rainforest. She would go on to pen the bestselling books Through the Gates of Splendor and Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testimony of Jim Elliot.

    Even facing something as difficult as dementia could not cause Elliot to falter in her trust in God. Her third husband Lars Gren said that Elliot had accepted her dementia diagnosis in the same way that she had handled the deaths of her first two husbands.

    "She accepted those things, [knowing] they were no surprise to God. It was something she would rather not have experienced, but she received it."

    And now, we offer some of Elliot's most encouraging quotes for you to receive as you walk through your own experiences. If you've found your faith wavering or your fire dying down, latch on to one or two of these reminders today.

    *Information above taken from "Missionary & Author Elisabeth Elliot Dies at 88" by Carrie Dedrick, June 15, 2015.

    *The following slideshow was adapted from the article, 40 Inspiring Quotes from Elisabeth Elliot, written by Debbie McDaniel.

  • 1 & 2 - On Belief

    1 & 2 - On Belief

     

    ON BELIEF

     

    "Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them."

    "Don't dig up in doubt what you planted in faith."

    Elisabeth didn't doubt God's plan for her even through challenges that would have left many of us with nothing but questions. 

  • 3 & 4 - On Death

    3 & 4 - On Death

     

    ON DEATH

     

    “We are not meant to die merely in order to be dead. God could not want that for the creatures to whom he has given the breath of life. We die in order to live."

    “There is nothing worth living for, unless it is worth dying for.”

    An eternal perspective which knows that death is not the end and this world is not our home is essential to a mature faith.

    Image Courtesy: ©Thinkstock/nastco

  • 5 & 6 - On What's Next

    5 & 6 - On What's Next

     

    ON WHAT'S NEXT

     

    "Of one thing I am perfectly sure: God’s story never ends with 'ashes'."

    "When you don't know what to do next, just do the thing in front of you."

    When we walk step by step, one day we look back and see how far we've come.

    Image Courtesy: ©Thinkstock/mhaselden

  • 7 & 8 - On God in Control

    7 & 8 - On God in Control

     

    ON GOD IN CONTROL

     

    “If you believe in a God who controls the big things, you have to believe in a God who controls the little things.”

    “It is God to whom and with whom we travel, and while he is the end of our journey, he is also at every stopping place."

    God is my co-pilot? I think I've had enough of the pilot's seat, thanks.

    Image Courtesy: Thinkstock_vlado85rs

  • 9 & 10 - On Hands

    9 & 10 - On Hands

     

    ON HANDS

     

    “Leave it all in the Hands that were wounded for you.”

    “By trying to grab fulfillment everywhere, we find it nowhere.”

    When we stop trying to grasp the things that God takes care of, we are free to be His hands and feet here, which is the job he's given us to take care of.

    Image Courtesy: Pexels

  • 11 & 12 - On Needs & Wants

    11 & 12 - On Needs & Wants

     

    ON NEEDS & WANTS

     

    "God never denies us our hearts desire except to give us something better."

    "God has promised to supply all our needs. What we don't have now, we don't need now."

    When desire fades to trust, life becomes so much simpler, and we can get the focus off ourselves.

    Image Courtesy: ©Thinkstock/Highwaystarz-Photography

  • 13 & 14 - On Identity

    13 & 14 - On Identity

     

    ON IDENTITY

     

    "We cannot give our hearts to God and keep our bodies to ourselves."

    "The fact that I’m a woman doesn’t make me a different kind of Christian, but the fact that I’m a Christian does make me a different kind of woman."

    We define ourselves so many different ways today. But when we know who we are and whose we are, all that matters is what our Creator has called us to do.

    Image Courtesy: ©Thinkstock_NicoElNino

  • 15 & 16 - On God's Will

    15 & 16 - On God's Will

     

    ON GOD'S WILL

     

    "The will of God is never exactly what you expect it to be. It may seem to be much worse, but in the end it's going to be a lot better and a lot bigger."

    but...

    "Things happen which would not happen without prayer. Let us not forget that."

    It's a mystery how God can be in control and still wanting us to ask for things to happen. But Elisabeth through wisdom understood the relational aspect of God creating us for communion with Him.

    Image Courtesy: ©Thinkstock/Sasiistock

  • 17 & 18 - On Our Failings

    17 & 18 - On Our Failings

     

    ON OUR FAILINGS

     

    "If all struggles and sufferings were eliminated, the spirit would no more reach maturity than would the child."

    "Failure means nothing now, only that it taught me life."

    The redemptive life is one that began with admitting failure. But after that, we can either redefine our definition of success, or realize as Elisabeth did that setbacks are little more than opportunties to learn and grow.

    Image Courtesy: Thinkstock/Adkasai

  • 19 & 20 - Give it All - Even Your Fears - to God!

    19 & 20 - Give it All - Even Your Fears - to God!

     

    GIVE IT ALL - EVEN YOUR FEARS - TO GOD!

     

    "Fear arises when we imagine that everything depends on us."

    but...

    "Everything if given to God can become your gateway to joy."

    Can fear really be turned into joy in the Kingdom of God? I believe that's what Elisabeth Elliot came to know through her experiences on the mission field - the same field where you and I still walk today.

    Image Courtesy: ©Thinkstock/ipopba