All That Was Ever Ours (Elisabeth Elliot Christian Classics): Meditations on Faith and Character

by Elisabeth Elliot

In one of her most personal books, Elisabeth Elliot shares her own perceptions on the meanings of the events in her turbulent life, including the death of her first husband at the hands of the Auca Indians of South America and the cancer that widowed her for the second time. Undeterred by grief and hardship, Elliot lived a productive life as a mother, missionary, author, and Christian intellectual.

The themes of this collection touch on her both her life experiences and the overarching Christian values of overcoming difficulties, taking responsibility, exercising discipline, and the redeeming grace of God which, in spite of trouble, gives us our life, calls us to labor, and grants us our salvation.

Genres: Christian, Essays

152 pages, Kindle Edition

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

[Harryette Obrien]

Finished. This book was a short listen. It was interesting to hear her perspective and opinions on things. Especially issues that are so relevant today (it was published in 1988). While I think some of her views are a bit intense, I admire her desire to always point to scripture. She made God’s Word her first priority.

[Michelle]

2.5: There were some buried treasures in this essay collection for sure, but also a lot of opinions and harshness that made the digging more challenging.

[Becky Pliego]

Good words from this Woman of faith -as always.

[Taryn]

Honestly- I was going to quit reading this. It was super slow until about 70 pages in,and while I normally stop reading if it's not gotten my attention by page 50,I'm glad I pressed on. I actually REALLY enjoyed this book and really liked her nuggets of wisdom . I loved how she talked about allowing yourself to be molded and made more like Christ in the midst of grief and suffering ,as we will all walk those roads in our lives .

[Lizette Vega]

All That Was Ever Ours is a short volume of essays and articles written by Elisabeth Elliot. Some chapters are poignant in their charge to grow in Christ, others are sweet memories of her childhood and life in the mission field. Elliot always provides a good read by pointing out even the smallest of things as God given and meant for our good.

[Paul,]

This book of essays is a good book, but it a mixed bag. Some of the essays are really, really good. Some of them are just okay. Worth reading.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes:

A witness speaks. His witness is his word. But it is also his life. Witness is action. It makes truth visible. (p. 18)

Bishop Stephen Neill said that writing is almost entirely a matter of self-discipline. “You must make yourself write.” I know. Alas. Sit yourself down, shut yourself up, restrict your enthusiasms, control your maunderings. Think. (Sir Joshua Reynolds wrote, “There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.”) Diminishments. Then put things on paper—carefully. Then (and this is the part I resist most strenuously) rewrite. Cut things. Drop things you’ve spent hours on into the wastebasket. (p. 46)

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a man who epitomized true freedom in his acceptance, for God’s sake, of the prison cell and death, wrote: “If you set out to seek freedom, then learn above all things to govern your soul and your senses. . . .Only through discipline may a man learn to be free.”

Freedom and discipline have come to be regarded as mutually exclusive, when in fact freedom is not at all the opposite, but the final reward, of discipline. (p. 60)

[HisPresence MyHome]

This book has been on my "to read" list ever since I read EE's biography. I was so excited to see the EE foundation released the kindle version of this book as well as the audio book! This book was a very wide collection of different messages and essays that Elisabeth had written throughout the years. I loved being able to read a little more of her works. This was the kind of book you want to sit and read slowly, trying to savor what she is saying. This book is full of practical advice, biblical insights, and wisdom. Elliot gives encouragement and the hard, raw truth that makes you tense up at first, and then realize it's the exact exhortation you needed. This book felt like I was sitting with an older saint and I didn't want it to end. I loved seeing the different books and authors EE read throughout the years and what one's greatly affected her. This book was wonderful and I was thankful for one more of EE's works that is now more easily accessible!

[Kristina]

Elisabeth Elliot has instantly become a favorite author, as this is the fourth title I've read from her in as many weeks. This one is an essay collection, spanning the gamut of her life and many different topics from a Christian perspective. It's definitely a good one to read as an introduction to her writing, but I was glad I knew the details of her story to provide more depth to some of the essays.

[Claire Kaat]

This book is full of Elizabeth Elliot’s miscellaneous musings. Each chapter has a different topic, some more related than others. I liked it less than many of her more topical books, but would still recommend as an encouraging read.

[Ann]

Well. I thought I'd read everything ever written by Elisabeth Elliot, so was pleased to find this one from the early '80s that is full of her typical style and wisdom. Practical truths, written well. They're written as individual articles and could be used as a devotional. Truly inspirational.

[Meg]

Simply good writing, reflecting on life and its relationship to God.

[Rebekah]

I have read 15/25 chapters in other Elisabeth Elliot books.