Kathleen White

Kathleen White's biography of Jim Elliot is a fairly short but penetrating portrait of perhaps the most well-known of the five missionaries to the Auca tribe of Ecuador who gave their lives in 1956 in the service of God, whom they followed wholeheartedly.

White shows that from early in his life Elliot had a deep faith and devotion to God. As he grew through adolescence and went to college he did so in the knowledge that the life he intended to live was one of service to God, above any other calling. He became convinced that he was called to missionary service and spent nearly two years after finishing college in discerning that God's call for him was to travel to Ecuador. His time of discernment was not idle, as he worked to support himself, generally through manual labor, acquiring both physical skills and perseverance that would serve him well once he reached his mission station. He also spent that time developing proficiency in languages that would be needed to share the Gospel effectively.

The book is short and drawn in part from many of the published works by Elliot's widow, Elisabeth, including his extensive journals. What really stands out throughout White's book is Elliot's unwavering resolve in trusting God with his life and believing that it was his responsibility as a Christian to live under the Lordship of Christ. White has written an accessible introduction to the life of one who truly lived each day to the glory of God.… (more)