I grew up on stories of heroic missionaries. None loomed as large in my imagination as Jim and Elisabeth Elliot. I was particularly moved by the fact that, even after Jim was killed in Ecuador by Waorani tribesmen in 1956, that Elisabeth returned to share the gospel with those who had murdered her husband.

But a new biography of Elisabeth Elliot peaks behind the heroic image to explore the more complex reality of both famous missionaries’ lives. It includes an exploration of Jim’s “ludicrously protracted courtship of Elisabeth,” Elisabeth’s devastation upon losing a second husband, this time to cancer, and her later misgivings over her approach to missions. Historian Thomas Kidd reviews the new biography, concluding that it “portrays Elliot as a complex and flawed person, but one used powerfully by God.” Whatever challenges and shortcomings the Elliots may have had, that’s about the best any of us can hope would said of us.

While we’re on the topic of missionary couples, I want to encourage you to check out our resource on the topic. It offers helpful guidance for churches or individuals to understand the unique challenges of married missionaries.