When I was in jr. high and high school the highlight of my summer vacation was the week I got to spend at Camp Patmos with the Fab 5. I loved camp for many many reasons. The speakers, teaching and games that happened in the morning were amazing. But everyday I would anxiously wait for after lunch free time. Free time meant water time: Beach volleyball, water slide, tubes, diving dock and diving board (or was it already broken??) ,kayaking, canoeing, paddle boating, just chillin at the beach, or on our designated day, time to tube or water ski. Now I would like to say that it was only in Jr High that I got anxious and restless to go to the beach, but I’m pretty sure the story I’m about to tell you happened when I was in high school. Unfortunately we all have our weak immature moments…
Her name was Lavonne: she was the only thing blocking me from my free time to spend at the beach. Lavonne is this sweet old woman from my church (I’m taking shot in the dark, but I would say she is about 80 years old) who was a missionary in Nepal and just has a special keenness towards youth. She has two roles up at camp: canteen and librarian. For her role in the canteen, she would sit in the little building down at the beach and sell soda, ice cream, candy, etc. As librarian, she had brought a selection of books from the church library up to camp, so that campers would have an opportunity to “check out” a book if they so chose.
Year after year there were not many people who wanted to check out her books, so in attempt to encourage them to check out books, Lavonne would take some time after lunch each day to read to the campers. Imagine a cafeteria full of 60 campers and staff. Need I mention the fact that after lunch free time started….as soon as we were dismissed.
I consider myself a pretty patient person in most situations: whether it be class, while my mother is talking, waiting for answers to things, in line, etc., but I literally could not handle the reading time after lunch. None of us could. All I could think about was getting down to the beach. Essentially this read-aloud should be for what, 10 minutes? Think again. Try 30 minutes.
Well towards the middle of the week I was getting desperate. How can we stop her from reading? Aha! What if she didn’t have any books to read? What if all the books were unavailable?? What if they were all checked out?? Yes. That is what we did. No, not all at the same time and not with the same name, but we checked all of them out. We felt a little guilty at the time, but oh well!
Now, I can honestly say that I have no idea if Lavonne knew it was the Fab 5. I have no idea if she realized why we did it. I also don’t even remember if the plan worked, i mean if the checking out of all the books, actually returned us to our normal hours of free time.
Fast forward about 8 years: Summer 2010: I’m back at Camp Patmos for a week. But this time not as a camper, or the lifeguard which I had been for almost as many years as I was a camper, but as a counselor. Guess who was still there? Lavonne.
Now, here is where God’s obvious sense of humor comes in. The week that I was there as a counselor, I actually checked out one of Lavonne’s. I think I was maybe one of two people who checked out a book from her. And btw, she no longer did the “read-aloud”. The book I checked out was called The Savage My Kinsman by Elisabeth Elliot. It is the sequel to Though the Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot.
This book is gripping.
At the end of the week, I was not done with the book, and Lavonne let me keep the book to finish reading it, as long as I promised to return it to the church library as soon as I was done. I agreed.
I’ve always been a reader (shout out to you, mom, for making me one), but I never really had a real draw to the missionary literature. BUT I am a sucker for adventures, etc. I became fascinated by the story of Jim Elliot and his wife Elisabeth. If you don’t know the story of these two, they were missionaries in Ecuador who were called to the unreached Auca tribe. A tribe known for being a savage people, whose 3 main activities were to hunt, fight and kill. They fought and killed within their own tribe for sport and fun. Even tribes who shared the jungle with this people group feared them and their ferocious way of living.
Savage My Kinsman tells the story of Elisabeth Elliot and how after the death of her husband and members of her “core” or “family” in Ecuador, she carries on her husbands calling with the Aucas. I’m blessed and encouraged by her in the great steps of faith she took. Just to mention a few:
1. Studied her butt off learning a language that was not written or even able to be studied because of the tribe’s nature.
2. Stayed in Shandia, continuing her missionary work even with the loss of her husband
3. MOVED IN with the Auca indians WITH HER 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER.
What incredible faith to carry out this work for the kingdom!
“How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace
And brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation
And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
– Isaiah 52:7
In early July I inherited around 10 books from teacher(s) who were not going to be staying longer in Guadalajara. Now, I arrived at a very picked-over pile of books, needless to say they were the kind of books that I love: murder mystery thriller-types. These were the books that the teachers who beat me to the pile did not want- there were no chick-flicks left. Within this pile of mysteries lay Shadow of the Almighty by Elisabeth Elliot
This book is a compilation of Jim Elliot’s personal journals, letters he wrote to loved ones, and his wife Elisabeth’s personal experience with Jim as he narrates the journey his heart took as God molded, shaped and revealed what He had in store for him.
I felt two strong, kind of opposite emotions when reading about Jim Elliot
#1 I felt insufficiency and awe. As Jim Elliot pours out his heart in his journals I’m amazed at how devoted he was to the carrying out of God’s will in his life. The heart of a real seeker. The heart and search for holiness that he had, the things that he shares, that are untainted, straight from his journals.
#2 I felt relief and comfort. He was just a man. A lowly being just like me. But look how God used him. He had worries, doubts, joys, times of waiting, blessings in disguise, etc. Things that encourage me, because I want to be used by God in an amazing way too.
Now here is just a sampling of the quotes that stood out and spoke to my heart:
“The gaining of Christ is both an inward reckoning of loss and an outward suffering of it””
“Lord, give me firmness without hardness, steadfastness without dogmatism, love without weakness.”
“the character of the worker decides the quality of the work”
“Impressed with Ephesians 5, “understanding what the will of the Lord is”, and Romans 12, “proving what is the will of God.”Every moment I may be conscious and rejoice in the knowledge of God’s will. Obedience to every command puts me on the track and keeps me there. Decisions of course must be made, but as in railroad, so in life- a block signal, a crisis, is lighted only where there is special need. I may not always be in sight of a “go” light, but sticking to the tracks will take me where the next one is. Understanding the will of the Lord is believing Him, that He will- in all situations where I have obeyed- make that way His own way, effectual for eternity.”
“Rest in this- it is His business to lead, command, impel, send, call, or whatever you want to call it. It is your business to obey, follow, move, respond, or what have you.”
To his sister: “It is a warning to any of us who love. We should love hard, and not casually; fervently, playfully, simply, never heavily or slowly. Slovenly loving makes wearisome living.If you ever love, Jane, love like a school girl with giggles and sighs, and keep love alive by consciously keeping wonder and surprise at the core of it. ” awwwwww
And my favorite: “Dreams are tawdry when compared with the leading of God, and not worthy of the aura of wonder we usually surround them with. God only doeth wonders. He does nothing else. His hand can work nothing less. Praise to the Guiding God of Israel, and that Great Shepherd of the wayward sheep. When he directs a path, no way can seem bleak, no instance dull.”
I was also blessed by the story of love and courtship and waiting (erghhh como me choca esta a veces) that Elisabeth and Jim have. Betty recounts how it began, ” When, months later, he told me that his interest in me had begun before Christmas vacation, I was surprised. I learned that his personal feelings had been held in check by a principle of which he once wrote to his parents, ‘No one warns young men to follow Adam’s example. He waited till God saw his need. Then God made Adam sleep, prepared for his mate, and brought her to him. We need more of this ‘being asleep’ in the will of God. Then we can receive what He brings us in His own time, if at all…” From the beginning he had his heart surrendered to His plan. WOW.
“It had only been in the last few weeks before he gave me this booklet (hymn) that I had any idea that Jim was interested in me. I had, however, entertained any hopes, the choice was clear to both of us now. It had to be Christ- alone.”
She continues, “We took a walk one evening, discussing what seemed to us a strange path in which the Lord had led us. We had dated only once- a missionary meeting in Chicago a month before. We had spent so much time in study and conversation together, but neither had acknowledged anything beyond a very worthwhile friendship. Now we faced the simple truth- we loved each other…Jim told me that he had committed me to God, much as Abraham had done this son, Isaac. This came almost as a shock-for it was exactly the figure which had been in my mind for several days as I had pondered our relationship. We agreed that God was directing. Our lives belonged wholly to Him, and should He chose to accept the “sacrifice” and consume it, we determined not to lay a hand on it to retrieve it for ourselves. There was nothing else to be said.”
And to imagine this all happened 6 years before they actually got married……HOLY COW. Add patience to the list of qualities I admire in both of them!
Three years later, in a journal entry by Jim in visiting Elisabeth he wrote,”Arrived at Birdsong. Nearer to her now than ever, yet more confident that God is leading me away from her, to Ecuador with Pete, and she to the South Seas! This is a strange pattern.”
Elisabeth comments on how the doors for her to go to the South Seas closed….and were maybe starting to open to Ecuador…..They devoted themselves to prayer, seeking God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will. This hymn by Nathan Brown became their prayer…and has how become mine:
“And shall I pray Thee change Thy will, my Father,
Until it be according unto mine?
But no, Lord, no; that never shall be, rather
I pray Thee, blend my human will with Thine.
I pray Thee hush the hurrying, eager longing,
I pray Thee, soothe the pangs of keen desire,
See in my quiet places wishes thronging —
Forbid them, Lord, purge, though it be with fire.
And work in me to will and do Thy pleasure,
Let all within me, peaceful, reconciled,
Tarry content my Wellbeloved’s leisure
At last, at last, even as a weaned child.”
What an encouragement in the Elliot’s as seekers and fulfillers of His will. Now, I surely did not have time to share with you all of my favorite quotations, and sappy and adventurous stories that are included in this book. It took me quite bit of time to get through it, because it is so packed full of quality stuff. So there is plenty left for you to check out! **Those of you in GDL, you can borrow it if you want!!
I’m happy to get to hear Jim’s journals, but I sure am curious as to what was going through Elisabeth’s head and heart during this large chunk of their lives. Dina the Librarian is probably wondering about my frequent visits to the school library…but I’m just checkin on Elliot family books…and waiting for a certain Lincoln teacher who has Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers to turn it in…..but I think I’ve found my next Elliot endeavor: Let Me Be A Woman by Elisabeth Elliot. I know, awful title, right? But I can’t judge a book by it’s cover…or title 😉
So, God sure works in mysterious ways…through cute, old little missionary ladies, a summer filled with time to read, my shenanigan-causing ways….