Discipline: The Glad Surrender

by Elisabeth Elliot

In our age of instant gratification and if-it-feels-good-do-it attitudes, self-discipline is hardly a popular notion. Former missionary and beloved author Elisabeth Elliot offers her understanding of discipline and its value for modern people.

Now repackaged for the next generation of Christians, Discipline: The Glad Surrender shows readers how to

-discipline the mind, body, possessions, time, and feelings
-overcome anxiety
-change poor habits and attitudes
-trust God in times of trial and hardship
-let Christ have control in all areas of life

Elliot masterfully and gently takes readers through Scripture, personal stories, and lovely observations of the world around her in order to help them discover the understanding that our fulfillment as human beings depends on our answer to God's call to obedience.

Genres: Christian, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Faith, Christianity, Theology, Spirituality

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

From the Author's Web Site: My parents were missionaries in Belgium where I was born. When I was a few months old, we came to the U.S. and lived in Germantown, not far from Philadelphia, where my father became an editor of the Sunday School Times. Some of my contemporaries may remember the publication which was used by hundreds of churches for their weekly unified Sunday School teaching materials.

Our family continued to live in Philadelphia and then in New Jersey until I left home to attend Wheaton College. By that time, the family had increased to four brothers and one sister. My studies in classical Greek would one day enable me to work in the area of unwritten languages to develop a form of writing.

A year after I went to Ecuador, Jim Elliot, whom I had met at Wheaton, also entered tribal areas with the Quichua Indians. In nineteen fifty three we were married in the city of Quito and continued our work together. Jim had always hoped to have the opportunity to enter the territory of an unreached tribe. The Aucas were in that category -- a fierce group whom no one had succeeded in meeting without being killed. After the discovery of their whereabouts, Jim and four other missionaries entered Auca territory. After a friendly contact with three of the tribe, they were speared to death.

Our daughter Valerie was 10 months old when Jim was killed. I continued working with the Quichua Indians when, through a remarkable providence, I met two Auca women who lived with me for one year. They were the key to my going in to live with the tribe that had killed the five missionaries. I remained there for two years.

After having worked for two years with the Aucas, I returned to the Quichua work and remained there until 1963 when Valerie and I returned to the U.S.

Since then, my life has been one of writing and speaking. It also included, in 1969, a marriage to Addison Leitch, professor of theology at Gordon Conwell Seminary in Massachusetts. He died in 1973. After his death I had two lodgers in my home. One of them married my daughter, the other one, Lars Gren, married me. Since then we have worked together.

Reviews

[Becky Pliego · Rating 3 out of 5]

2018: Read it with my 14yo daughter and it was a good one to discuss with her.

2013: Very good.

Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"Discipline is the disciple's "career." It defines the very shape of the disciple's life."

"Discipline is the wholehearted yes to the call of God."

"There are truths that cannot be known except by doing them." (p.38)

"A young woman asked the great preacher Charles Spurgeon if it was possible to reconcile God's sovereignty and man's responsibility, "Young woman," said he, "You don't reconcile friends." (p.41)

"We cannot give our hearts to God and keep our bodies for ourselves." (p.44)

"The natural mind prefers argument to obedience, solutions to truth. Its immediate response, when the truth is presented, is no. No way. It refused to be nailed by truth." (p.63)

"Maturity is the ability to carry the unanswered question in faith, holding to the Word by which we live." (p-66)

"The disciplined Christian will be very careful what sort of counsel he seeks from others. Counsel that contradicts the written Word is ungodly counsel. Blessed is the man that walketh not in that." (p.69)

"The disciple steps forward through the narrow gate." (p.75)

"There is always enough time to do the will of God. For that we can never say, "I don't have time."" (p.99)

"Frustration is not the will of God. Of that we can be quite certain. There is time to anything and everything that God wants us to do. Obedience fits smoothly into His given framework. One thing that most certainly will not fit into it is worry." (p.101)

"People wish they had more leisure time. The problem is not too little, but too much of it poorly spent." (p.102)

"If the work is soaked in prayer, the beauty will be there, the work will be established." (p.126)

"Feelings, like thought, must be brought into captivity. No one whose first concern is feeling good can be a disciple." (p.133)

"Choices will continually be necessary and -let us not forget- possible. Obedience to God is always possible." (p.142)

"Do not try to fortify yourself against emotions... The discipline of emotions is the training of responses." (p.145)

[ladydusk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Own.

Eliot here packs a punch. None of this seems very revolutionary, yet all of it is meaningful. She uses the scripture as a measuring rod and puts our thoughts, deeds, words, actions, even our feelings up against it. She shows our deficiencies with grace, she gives corrective lenses and suggestions to turn to Christ in all things. He is the author and perfecter of our faith - he wrote, lived, finished, completed, ran the race perfectly and so is glorified. His example is what we follow, His Spirit along with the Word is our teacher. Listen, trust, obey. It's much easier said than done! But, there is grace for all things. Praise be to God.

She writes in a generally readable, colloquial style. Not fancy, but plain. Reading is deceptively easy, until you consider living as she instructs.

Note that I began this a year ago. I'm working to finish previously begun books and clear out my "currently reading" shelf. The deficiencies are all in me, not in the book.

One to re-read and give to my daughters ... later.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my third reading of the book. Every time I read it, I walk away with a different perspective. Clearly, the book hasn't changed since I bought it over a decade ago. But my circumstances and spiritual maturity are constantly changing, and it's so loaded with spiritual help that I always come away richer. To be mentored by Elisabeth Elliot is a true joy. The fact that she passed into eternity during my third read is both sweet and sad. But whether she is here or there, she continues to minister to me and others with grace and truth. I so appreciate her admonition to trust and obey in Discipline: The Glad Surrender. Discipline is the way to the freedom our hearts are looking for, even though the world shouts at us otherwise. Coupled with trust, obedience (a glad surrender) is, I'm convinced, the path to take.

[Bambi Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

2019: Still one of my all-time favorites from Elisabeth Elliot. Dearly love this book.


2014: Excellent. Favorite chapter was on the discipline of work. This book is worthy of a regular, yearly reading. Highly recommend. A few favorite quotes:

"There is always enough time to do the will of God. For that we can never say, "I don't have time."" (p.99)

"Frustration is not the will of God. Of that we can be quite certain. There is time to anything and everything that God wants us to do. Obedience fits smoothly into His given framework. One thing that most certainly will not fit into it is worry." (p.101)

"People wish they had more leisure time. The problem is not too little, but too much of it poorly spent." (p.102)

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read - something that stands out is just learning from Elisabeth Elliot's example and seeing a woman of the faith carry out her love for the Lord in every aspect of her life. If I had to summarize: discipline can be difficult. One might think that freedom is doing what you want to do without restraint, but true freedom is discovered through discipline, when you are able to be self-controlled and see the fruits of the Spirit. Discipline must be a glad surrender from the ways of our flesh and selfishness. As a Christian, I am called to take up my cross and follow Him, and this isn’t supposed to be an easy task.

[Lanny · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much good stuff here. I read it in short bits as part of my daily devotions. I would recommend this especially to millennials and Americans who struggle with boundaries and authority. I love that she kind of takes the hard line on a lot of things. She doesn't deal with all potentials and excuses of each specific situation. She just says obey Christ and discipline your body. The end. Stop whining. I will definitely be recommending this to friends.
The biggest "problem" I had with this book were all the whacky translations she used for her Scripture references.

I found this quote so applicable for today's world, "In my case, the 'house' is tall; it is Anglo-Saxon, middle-aged, and female. I was not asked about my preferences in any of these factors, but I was given a choice about the use I make of them. In other words, the body was a gift to me. Whether I will thank God for it and offer it as a holy sacrifice is for me to decide." p 46.

"It is amazing how frequently things that are called disagreements prove, upon examination, to be simple dislike. 'I don't agree with you' often means nothing more than 'I don't like what you say.'" p 67

"Christ calls us to do that (what we cannot), and to be that (what we are not). He is asking us to walk on water. Peter succeeded in doing that, but only for a few steps, only for those seconds when his gaze was locked on Christ's, his mind set, as it were, on 'things above'. But when he looked around, he sank." p 62

"If I am to love the Lord my God with all my mind, there will not be room in it for carnality, for pride, for anxiety, for the love of myself. How can the mind be filled with the love of the Lord and have space left over for things like that? " p. 79

"'My burden is light,' Jesus said. It is the addition of burdens that God never meant us to carry that weighs us down." p. 104

[Rebeca Chiorean · Rating 5 out of 5]

O carte simplă în cuvinte, dar foarte bogată. O carte care te face să înțelegi că Dumnezeu ne oferă atât de multe daruri- timp, putere de muncă, oamenii de lângă noi, trupul nostru, chiar și lucruri materiale- dar toate acestea ne sunt oferite ca daruri. Ceea ce noi trebuie să învățăm să facem e să le privim în primul rand ca daruri, ca binecuvântări- care ne sunt date nu pentru meritul nostru și care ne pot fi totuși luate în orice moment- și să învățăm să le folosim în scopurile pentru care au fost facute- de a-I aduce slavă lui Dumnezeu, de a-L sluji pe Dumnezeu și pe cei din jur, iar lucrul acesta nu vine din firea noastră, nu vine natural, ci vine prin disciplină.
Autoarea explică cum Dumnezeu ne-a dat libertatea de a alege, dar singurul mod de a capitula cu bucurie este prin disciplină.

>Când disciplina devine o capitulare cu bucurie “purtăm întotdeauna cu noi, în trupul nostru, omorârea Domnului Isus, pentru ca și viata lui Isus să se arate în trupul nostru muritor”(2 Corinteni 4:10).

[Rebecca Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been so formative to me over the years! Truly one of my favorites of Elisabeth’s. She goes through why discipline is ultimately obedience and therefore necessary for our sanctification. She walks through the discipline of the body, our place, our time, our possessions, our work and our feelings.

Some stand outs for me

“Feelings, like thoughts, must be brought into captivity. No one whose first concern is feeling good can be a disciple. We are called to car carry a cross and glorify God.”

“If the work is soaked in prayer, the beauty will be there, the work will be established”

“Does God ask us to do what is beneath us? This question will never trouble us again if we consider the Lord of heaven taking a towel and washing feet”

“Thanksgiving requires the recognition of the Source. It implies contentment with what is given, not complaint about what is not given.”

[Nicole Telaneus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to read anything and everything by Elisabeth Elliot. I love the way she writes and instructs Christians. She is straight forward, confident and truthful without being overly wordy or fluffy. She isn’t afraid to write the hard or unpopular thing. This book has so many great principles that are formative and instructive, especially in this day and age. It was a bit dry at times, but always filled with helpful truth and wisdom!

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: Early in the morning I sit on a window seat in a beautiful stone cottage on a remote hilltop in south Texas. It is springtime.

Elliot selected seven (mostly spiritual) disciplines to focus on in this one which was originally published in 1982. Those seven disciplines are: body, mind, place, time, possessions, work, and feelings. She defines discipline as 'the believer's answer to God's call.'

When Elliot stays on task, she offers some good insights to living the Christian life. When Elliot gets off task--which is more often than I'd prefer--she tends to ramble. For example, she often rambles on and on about where she is when she's writing a specific chapter. Her insights into where she is, what time of day it is, her current view, her feelings of the moment, etc--these don't offer anything of worth, in my opinion. Though I suppose you could argue that they reveal her humanity. (But do we really need a reminder that authors are human and have lives to live?)

Before she settles down to her subject--disciplines for living well--she seems to have several chapters about free will. (Six-ish chapters to be exact). Before reading this one I'd never considered if Elliot was "Reformed" or not. (I am Reformed.) There were some iffy statements that could definitely be construed as NOT Reformed or "free will-y" as I like to say. But I'm unwilling to say for sure--context, context, context always matters. Perhaps she is speaking not of a call to salvation but of a call to live holy lives. If she's speaking of sanctification and sanctification alone perhaps there is (some) truth in what she writes.

In writing of the disciplines, she's not out to make easy friends. Some of what she writes is on the harsher side. For example, in her chapter on discipling the body she makes some harsh-sounding statements about weight. One can easily get the impression that in Elliot's mind to be fat is to be sinning against the Lord. It isn't just gluttony she addresses but also sloth.

But often she does have helpful/truthful insights.

A renewed mind has an utterly changed conception, not only of reality, but of possibility. A turn away from the kingdom of this world to the Kingdom of God provides a whole set of values based not on the human word, but on Christ's. (62)

The deliberate decision to think Christ's thoughts by allowing Him to remold the mind leads to a different way of seeing, which in turn leads to a different way of behaving toward others. (62)

Reality is often evil. There is a common belief that a frank expression of what one naturally feels and thinks is always a good thing because it is honest. This is not true. If the feelings and thoughts are wrong in themselves, how can expressing them verbally add up to something good? It seems to me they add up to three sins: wrong feeling, wrong thought, wrong action. (64)

The work of God is appointed. What was given to the Son to do was the will of the Father. What is given to us to do is also His will. There is always enough time to do the will of God. (100)

Feelings, like thoughts, must be brought into captivity. No one whose first concern is feeling good can be a disciple. We are called to carry a cross and to glorify God. (133)

The world says, "Go with your feelings and be honest."
The Bible says, "Go with your feelings and die."
The world says, "Deny your feelings and you're dead."
The Bible says, "But if on the other hand you cut the nerve of your instinctive actions by obeying the Spirit, you are on the way to real living. (140)

It is the will that must deal with the feelings. The will must triumph over them, but only the will that is surrendered to Christ can do this. (141)

Our love will be shown by obedience, not by how good we feel about God at a given moment. (143)

What I ought to do and what I feel like doing are seldom the same thing. (143)

This one definitely kept me thinking.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a reprint of Elliot's 1982 book, reprinted in 2006 as Discipline. Discipline is our answer to God's call, she says. It is how we fulfill God's purpose for us. God provides the means but we must choose to do it.

Reading Elliot's book is like sitting across from someone while enjoying a cup of coffee. Her style of writing is very free flowing and informal. At times she writes about her life as a disciple. At other times she is clearly teaching from the Bible. She shares her thoughts on a number of topics, such as fasting, sexual control, thinking, honoring, time, possessions, work, emotions, and more. She essentially writes about one's attitude toward those topics rather than how we are to be living them to the glory of God. There are no practical steps nor particular strategy included. I have to admit I skimmed over some paragraphs.

Some young modern readers may be unfamiliar with some of the concepts Elliot relates. Under the topic of honoring, for example, Elliot writes that the wife's submissiveness to her husband is the appropriate way to honor him. Elliot also challenges readers to be at the Lord's disposal, to realize we are God's servants. Those are not exactly popular teachings today.

Elliot does have a way with words. In her chapter on time she writes, “There is always enough time to do the will of God.” (1415/2348)

This would be a good book for readers who are looking for the thoughts of a Christian reflecting on a lifetime of being a disciple. You will not find specific information on the seven disciplines.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher.. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't read a book by Elizabeth Elliot since college. I would say by far this one is my favorite by her. I would recommend to girls between the ages of 17-23(and up) to make this one a priority to read. I really enjoy her style of writing it is still personal and convicting without a lot of fluff. Written beautifully and with tack at the same time not beating around the bush .
She has some opening chapters on what discipline is and a few others followed by chapters on the following:
Discipline of the Body
Discipline of the Mind
Discipline of the Place
Discipline of the Time
Discipline of the Possessions
Discipline of the Work
Discipline of the Feelings
This is definitely one that should be read slowly and thought about, not rushed read. It can change how you see your faith/walk with God and how to have discipline in your life.

"When discipline becomes a glad surrender, 'Every day we experience something of the death of Jesus, so that we may also know the power of the life of Jesus in these bodies of ours'."

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, so wise and convicting. Highly recommend.

[Bree · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒆𝒔𝒕, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕. 𝑫𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉 𝒊𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝑯𝒊𝒎.”
- 𝑺𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝑱𝒐𝒉𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔

I would highly encourage everyone to read this book! It was very inspirational and made me work to examine my life more closely to see whether I was truly living a life of discipline. I found so much in this book to be quite thought-provoking and a wake-up call to get my life in proper order. Even if you feel like you have your life all together—which, honestly, no one does—I still suggest you go check out this book!

Elisabeth Elliot was certainly not one to hold anything back. She just said it like it was, and I highly appreciated that aspect of her writing! In her book, Joyful Surrender, she helps Christians to evaluate their lives and better understand what it truly means to live as a disciple of Christ in self-discipline. I loved Elisabeth’s practical life lessons and the no-nonsense tone that she used to prove her points in this insightful book!

Quotes:

•𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚢, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚢.

•𝙸𝚏 𝙸 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝙷𝚒𝚖, 𝙸 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚢 𝙷𝚒𝚖 𝚐𝚕𝚊𝚍𝚕𝚢.

•𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝙶𝚘𝚍'𝚜 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕.

•𝙳𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚖 𝚘𝚗 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝙷𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚖 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚎.

•𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝙶𝚘𝚍, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚑. 𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝙶𝚘𝚍, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚞𝚗𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚏.

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

•𝚂𝚞𝚋𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏.

•𝙼𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚚𝚞𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚏𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚑, 𝚑𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚠𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚎.

•𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗.

•𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎—𝚊 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐—𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝. 𝚆𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝. 𝚆𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚏𝚞𝚕 𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚝.

•𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚖 𝚘𝚏 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚓𝚘𝚋 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚏𝚢 𝙶𝚘𝚍.

•𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝙶𝚘𝚍'𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚐𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖.

•𝙰 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚜 𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚛 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚝. 𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚍𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚎 "𝚏𝚞𝚕𝚕-𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔."

•𝙵𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜, 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜, 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚋𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚝𝚢. 𝙽𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚐𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚎 𝚊 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚙𝚕𝚎. 𝚆𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝚊 𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚐𝚕𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚏𝚢 𝙶𝚘𝚍.

•𝙸𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚕 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚞𝚖𝚙𝚑 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖, 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝙲𝚑𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚍𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜.

•𝙾𝚋𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝙶𝚘𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎.

•𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝 𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚎.

•𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚘𝚊𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚌𝚒𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝙶𝚘𝚍. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚐𝚞𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔, 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚜 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝.

[Hannah Mignard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elisabeth Elliot always gets straight to the point and to the heart of the matter. This book was no exception and was convicting in many ways, while also providing practical steps for discipline in many facets of life.

“When discipline becomes a glad surrender, ‘Every day we experience something of the death of Jesus, so that we may also know the power of the life of Jesus in these bodies of ours’” (p. 150).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Rebekah Barkman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually enjoy Elizabeth Elliot’s books but I found this one much harder to engage with. It felt a bit in-cohesive to me and I had a hard time following what felt like many scattered thoughts jotted down on pages. Good thoughts, yes, but definitely not my go-to book on this subject in the future.

[Jessica Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a reminder of just how counter-cultural the Christian life ought to be, and it is a practical challenge to believers to stop putting themselves first and instead to live as Scripture says in every area of life.

[Ruth Donigian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and convicting book about the day-by-day walk with Christ. I found it particularly comforting during this time of change and college applications. God is good.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how this book points out that discipline is imperative to being a disciple of Christ.

[Tori Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adding this to the list of books I need to reread often. Oddly, I think it would pair well with Screwtape Letters? Elliot was definitely influenced at least in part by Lewis, so maybe that’s not a weird pairing after all.

Some ideas that stood out:

-Holiness is more human than unholiness…”being very much closer to what God created us to be.”
-Frustration is not the will of God; there is always enough time to do everything God wants us to do.
-Our “Christian” duty as simply whatever work needs to be done.
-“Great work for God” begins in humility. Not in self-actualization but in self-surrender.
-“The person to whom I am carrying a plate of food is someone whom it is an honor to serve. For he has been invited to eat and drink at the table of a King.”

[Leeya · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In our age of instant gratification and if-it-feels-good-do-it attitudes, self-discipline is hardly a popular notion. Yet it may be one of the most important lost virtues of our time."

This is THE best book I read in 2019. No, it is the best book I've read in a long time. And I am not exaggerating when I say that it is one of the very few books that I call "life-changing".

I love Elisabeth Elliot’s writing style. It is personal, yet not overly emotional, sophisticated and simple at the same time, filled with personal examples and always, always, always based on the Bible with scripture references instead of making up her own ideas of Christianity (as many modern Christian leaders like to do). The book is well structured and easy to understand. The late Elisabeth Elliot talks about things that are simple but not easy. Yet, she speaks the truth and it is very convicting. I really love how she does not beat around the bush but says things as they are. She is honest, straight forward, always gentle, never harsh. She is wonderful! I wish I had the read book when she was still alive.

In her book, Elliot speaks about a topic that has become very old fashioned and almost a taboo in our society: discipline. Discipline has almost become unmentionable in our times where we rather want to feel good instead of do good.

I cannot do this book justice with my review, no matter what I say. But let me say this: I got to read a free ARC and I loved it so much that I bought it and I am lending it to my friends.

If you feel like you are stuck in your Christian life or that something is missing, read Joyful Surrender with an open, searching, and praying heart. I am always wary about "new life-changing theories" because if it is new and hasn’t been before … how can it be true and stand the test of time? However, this book contains old, biblical truths. It can show you the way to finding freedom in surrender.

Thank you NetGalley and Revell for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[A Fiore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think - though six months into 2022 - that surrender is my word of the year. I feel already due for another read of this book because there was simply so much meat in this short little book. Elizabeth Elliot, so pithy and punchy, lays out the Christian walk clearly, without any fluff or nonsense. The Christian life is as simple (and as hard) as this: lay down and surrender your life to Jesus; allow Him to harrow your soul and breakdown the roots of idle affections that have yet to be given over to Him.

I think of the hymn... "I have decided to follow Jesus ... the world behind me, the cross before me; no turning back, no turning back."

[Kilby Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve dedicated this year to rereading all the books which have meant something to me in my life. It was a joy to begin this challenge with a second read through of Elliot’s “Disciplines”. I will say i think I loved it more the first time I read it, but there were still so many things to be gleaned. Her chapter on discipline of emotions and feelings is possibly my favorite I’ve read on the topic.

[Mystie Winckler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Own. Although the Bible versions and the citation methods she used annoyed me, her message was valuable. Despite the shock her message might provoke to postmodernist ears, she maintains both severity and grace.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

My whole goal this year has been to grow in self-control: self-control of my schedule, my emotions, and my habits. I've read many GREAT books on the subject, prayed nightly for heart change, ...and failed daily. I struggled to change for more than a day at a time: the selfishness is strong with this one!

I read this book as part of that quest, despite a friend's warning that its focus isn't so much "self-discipline" per se as much as it is the Christian life in general: Elliot hones in on the fact that the word "discipline" comes from the word "disciple" and proceeds to spend the rest of the book talking about how disciples should act.

And this book has helped me more than all the others. It is the most practically life-changing parenting book, habit book, and "I need to get control of my emotional outbursts" book I have read this year. It both encapsulates the heart of the other material I've read and goes beyond it.

At first, it was still only four stars: I had benefited from Elliot's unique, no-nonsense approach to discipleship, but her meditative prose style lacked a clear arc for each chapter, and I sometimes found her personal anecdotes beside the point. But the truths from each chapter had a way of sticking with me ALL DAY, informing each decision. And Elliot builds steam all the way to the end, culminating in three final chapters that bring everything home, simultaneously humbling and exalting my vision. So by the end I knew: this is not the self-discipline book I was looking for, but this is the one I needed. It's a treasure trove I will open regularly to spur me on to disciplined pursuit of good works: the works I have before me right now, today.

[Megan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book about surrendering ourselves fully to Christ and the work that God has prepared for us to do. I think Elliot beautifully portrays the reality of discipline as a Christian - it is our duty and joy to spend and be spent for Christ as He was immeasurably more for us. And yes, it takes effort to be disciplined - it doesn’t often come easily - but since it is only by God’s grace that we can do anything for Christ, we can fully trust that God will work our obedience out for His glory and our best.

Some quotes I really enjoyed were:

“Discipline is not my claim on Christ, but the evidence of His claim on me. I do not ‘make’ Him Lord, I acknowledge Him Lord.”

“If I am to love the Lord my God with all my mind, there will not be room in it for carnality, for pride, for anxiety, for the love of myself. How can the mind be filled with the love of the Lord and have space left over for things like that?”

“Not even the tiny dewdrop lacks the care and attention of the Lover of all. Shall I then think of any detail of my earthly life, even so little a thing as a minute of one of my hours, as without meaning? How shall I answer to my Master for my time?”

“It is Christ who is to be exalted, not our feelings. We will know Him by obedience, not by emotions.”

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great addition to my books on the topic of Christian Living. Mrs. Elliot gives practical, Scriptural guidance in specific areas of life (e.g.: body, mind, time, possessions, work, etc.) to followers of Christ for pursuing holiness with self-discipline. 2 Corinthians 4:10, 16-17 (CSB): “We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be displayed in our body. Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.” Discipline is a gift of and from God the Holy Spirit, who enables us to gladly and humbly to submit to and glorify Him, which is our created purpose.

“The man who has accepted the rule of the Spirit in his life will accept spiritual discipline. In accepting the discipline of his Master, he will willingly discipline himself. This is the sign of spiritual maturity...” - from Ch. 13 in “Discipline.”

[Scotty Leandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the only books I’ve reread and I can’t remember the last time I read a Christian book so fast; I gobbled this up. An unintended side effect of spiritual discipline books is that it segregates daily from the discipline. That is, okay now i’ve read and prayed as I’m supposed to so it’s time to carry on with my day. This is reductionistic of course, but don’t we all sometimes get into check box auto pilot Christian living? The thing missing with spiritual disciplines is that it does not teach complete consecration of our lives to the King of Kings. Pharisees were spiritual discipline gurus and Jesus had quite a bit to say about them. Here comes Elisabeth, ready to give you sweet honey and show you what it means to have Jesus as Lord and experience him as the all-sovereign mighty King. This book will penetrate all aspects of your life if you let it.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I now see why Elisabeth Elliot is highly lauded! While not my favorite book on this topic (Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray holds that spot), I very much enjoyed Elliot's writing on the subject of surrender. Each chapter focuses on a different area of our lives that we should be submitting to Christ, full of Scripture and experiences from her own life.

There were some organizational issues, with abrupt transitions within the chapters, but the informational was solid and Biblical. There were also some formatting issues, but this is likely because I read this as an ebook on Hoopla.

[Joy Wettstein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had many nuggets of Truth about how we ought to practically live as disciples of Jesus Christ. I particularly loved the chapter on the discipline of time and the fact that there is always enough time to do what God wants us to do (not necessarily what we want to do :)). Other main takeaways that were weaved through the book are: 1) Obediance to God is always possible and 2) I will always be the most fulfilled and satisfied when I submit myself to and live under God’s standard.