 Shadow of the Almighty
Again, this is another of Elisabeth's books. This one though is a biography of her husband, Jim Elliot and it portrays with love and honesty her husband's heart. Recommended reading for anyone interested in the life of a missionary.
Definitely Worth Reading
Written by dd, age 15
I was initially given this book to read as an assignment in school, and I wasn't exactly expecting anything "thrilling" or even altogether interesting about the book. I am glad to have found that I was wrong. Though a little wordy at times, I found this book to be extremely helpful in modern context.
In his journal entries, Jim Elliot often talks about the choice he made to become a missionary instead of living the norm of modern Christianity. Even in his era and situation, he could see that the methodical rituals of Sunday morning and Wednesday evening left most people around him disinterested and distracted. Jim wanted a real relationship with God and took his commitment very seriously. The end result was an amazing reward; he could honestly say that he had served his Lord with all of his heart and self.
Jim has set an awesome example for people like me, especially when kids my age (mid-teens) are often told that we are not capable of doing things right--that we are not even expected to do things right. God expects more. Over and over again, Jim proved that when he chose to do the right thing instead of what he just felt like doing or would rather do, he received a renewed clarity with God and his relationship with Him was enriched.
It can be easy for Americans to form strange and entirely off-course ideas about what a "real Christian" looks like. Sometimes he didn't know how things would turn out, and sometimes things didn't look safe, but Jim did them anyway because he heard God tell him to. Modern Christianity promotes comfort and prosperity, but God showed Jim how to live the life He intended, the life He Himself lived here.
As a teenager, I have my struggles with patience, but reading this book made me ashamed of my petty struggles. I can't even imagine what it would be like to go through what Jim went through, all the way, waiting for God's word. Even when Jim heard God's instruction and left to serve in Ecuador, all future plans for reaching the Auca tribe were unsure. Though he had a burning desire to reach the Aucas, Jim never let impatience snuff out his faith in God.
Though Jim and his fellow missionaries never got to see their work through, their sacrifice paved the way for generations of Aucas to be led to God's love. By reading this book, I have gained a lot of advice and guidance for my own future. Reading of Jim's personal struggles and failures helped me to see that no matter how many times you think things are too hard or that you can't possibly find hope in your situation, God can prove you wrong. I am very glad to have read this book, and I hope to follow Jim's example throughout my life. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone.
 Thought provoking
The book is filled with delightful and dignified insights into the life of this young man and the wife of his youth. Elizabeth kindly and openly portrays the life of her first love and the brief life they enjoyed together. It is a very thought provoking piece of literature. I bought 8 copies and shared them with my sons and friends.
A must read, life changing book
I bought this book for a young man, a friend, for his college graduation. It was one of the most influential books in my life at that age. It deals with the big questions of life: What does God want me to do? Who does He want me to marry, and much, much about God's love in our lives. This is also a beautiful edition. My book is in tatters and pretty much was from the first read.
 Needs context
I've heard that this book on Christian martyr Jim Elliot was almost universally lauded by all who read it. I was homeschooled at the time and this book was one of the requirements. My dad had just finished and loved it so I was quite excited about it. Unfortunately, there is no actual story that had been added to these diary entries so there was no context to help me connect with them. I'm glad that so many people have found this book helpful, but I wish that these entries had been sprinkled through a biography. Context would have helped me profit from this book.
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