Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
The Baptist Paper
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds

‘Who was this woman?’: New biography offers unique perspective on Elisabeth Elliot

The view from the audience is not always accurate and certainly never complete. And the same can be said of viewing the life of Elisabeth Elliot.
  • September 11, 2023
  • Lifeway Christian Resources
  • Latest News, Lifeway
(Photo courtesy of Lifeway)

‘Who was this woman?’: New biography offers unique perspective on Elisabeth Elliot

The view from the audience is not always accurate and certainly never complete. And the same can be said of viewing the life of Elisabeth Elliot.

In the second volume of the authorized biography of Elisabeth Elliot, “Being Elisabeth Elliot” releasing Sept. 12, 2023, bestselling author Ellen Vaughn leads readers through “the middle section” of Elliot’s life, which Vaughn describes as the most interesting and least known part of her life.

Before her death, Elliot asked a friend to steward her story and seek out someone to write her biography, Vaughn says. Later, Elliot’s friend and family authorized Vaughn to share Elliot’s story with unique access to Elisabeth’s private, unpublished journals and candid interviews with family and friends.

‘Treasure trove’

“It was a treasure trove of all of these materials that were the clues to: Who was this woman? What were her inner thoughts?” Vaughn says.

With journal entries, private papers, and private correspondence in hand, Vaughn stewarded unique cooperation with Elliot’s family as she tells Elliot’s story in “Being Elisabeth Elliot.”

“What I loved in these private writings is you can really see the private person,” Vaughn says. “Elisabeth didn’t reveal a whole lot of that in public. And I found that I liked that private person very much, and I found her relatable.”

While writing this second volume, Vaughn says she experienced uncanny parallels between Elliot’s story of struggle and suffering and her own.

“We, like Elisabeth Elliot in her story, don’t know what’s coming. But God’s grace is absolutely sufficient day by day by day,” Vaughn said. “And that was the faith that sustained Elisabeth through significant suffering.”

In the first volume, “Becoming Elisabeth Elliot,” Vaughn chronicled Elliot’s journey from childhood to the mission field and her eventual return to the States. As a young missionary in Ecuador when members of a violent Amazonian tribe savagely speared her husband Jim and his four colleagues, Elliot, along with her toddler daughter and fellow missionary Rachel Saint, returned to live in the jungle with the people who killed their loved ones. Compelled by their friendships and forgiveness, many in the tribe came to faith in Jesus. Describing disappointments, hard relationships, loss and learning impossible lessons about suffering while too young, Vaughn sought to show the real woman behind the famed widow in the first volume.

But Vaughn wonders if readers have heard what happened after.

Pulling back the curtain

In this latest volume, Vaughn continues to pull back the curtain, sharing the heart of the woman who was no longer willing to conform to common ideals in the church that did not have biblical backing.

While the most unknown to her audience, Vaughn says these years of Elliot’s life brought with them her highest joys and her greatest loss.

“I was surprised by new twists and turns in Elisabeth’s continuing story,” Vaughn said. “I think readers who think they knew the older Elisabeth will be surprised as well.”

In “Being Elisabeth Elliot,” Vaughn seeks to bring readers into Elliot’s life of navigating the world and contemplating what she coined as the “impenetrable mystery” of the interplay between God’s will and human choices, inviting readers to uncover how that strange mystery shaped the rest of Elliot’s startling life story.

“In the reading of it, I hope God will meet you where you are and give you a fresh sense of His love, His presence and His grace for you at such a time as this,” Vaughn said.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Marissa Postell Sullivan and originally published by Lifeway Christian Resources.

Share with others:

Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • First person: Celebrating the people you serve, love
    First person: Celebrating the people you serve, love
    May 17, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Looking for the 2025 SBC Book of Reports? It’s available online.
    Looking for the 2025 SBC Book of Reports? It’s available online.
    May 16, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Second VP role gets second nominee, making it first contested SBC race so far
    Second VP role gets second nominee, making it first contested SBC race so far
    May 16, 2025/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

First person: Celebrating the people you serve, love

One of the joys of pastoring is celebrating the milestone achievements of the people you serve and love.

Looking for the 2025 SBC Book of Reports? It’s available online.

If you’re looking to brush up on your business and financial reports knowledge ahead of this year’s Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Dallas (June 10–11), the SBC has released its 2025 Book of Reports online.

Second VP role gets second nominee, making it first contested SBC race so far

A second nominee has been announced for second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, making it the first contested race for an SBC post so far this year. Craig Carlisle, current Alabama convention president, will be nominated.

First person: Refocusing on the main thing

New Coke was a colossal failure. In 1985, after decades as a premier global brand producing the world’s most popular soft drink, the Coca-Cola Company’s

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2025 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

About

  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church
  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news

Subscribe

  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel