Book Review: Made for the Journey by Elisabeth Elliot

Made for the Journey: One Missionary's First Year in the Jungles of Ecuador by Elisabeth Elliot
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

“Made for the Journey” by Elisabeth Elliot is a short memoir that transports readers to walk with her through her first experience as a missionary to a remote area in the jungles of Ecuador as a young linguist missionary in the early 50s. The author’s transparency and detailed descriptions help readers slow down and really enter into the day to day life of that first year, from the physical and comfort challenges of adjusting to a new life style in the jungle, the practical challenges of trying to do the translation work to create a written alphabet with unclear direction or helpful native speakers, to challenges of the heart and faith that happen along the way.

The book is written almost journal like, bouncing back and forth between the everyday challenges (bugs, snakes, food issues) and the internal faith questions and devotional thoughts of a young missionary struggling with her purpose. Because this book only covers one year of her missionary life, much remains unresolved at the end of the book and those who are not familiar with her life story or other writings, can easily feel “left hanging”. There is an epilogue but in my opinion it did only a little to “tie up loose ends” in the story shared.

I enjoyed the read as it was interesting in detail and encouraging in how she experience God her first year in the jungle but likely wouldn’t recommend it often to others unless they were already interested in the life of Elisabeth Elliot or missions to remote unchurched areas.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, and Interviews and Reviews, as part of their Book Review Blogger Program. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


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