LET ME BE A WOMAN
Elisabeth Elliot
Reviewed by: Florence Yeh

Oh-oh, another book on the feminine mystique - why are there so many books written about Christian femininity, and why are so many of them on my bookshelf? Precisely, because it is a mystery I guess - so much so that even I as a Christian woman have a hard time figuring it all out. In a time of blurred gender roles & struggle for true identity, Elisabeth Elliot of Passion & Purity fame comes to the rescue!

Originally written to her daughter Valerie as a wedding present, Elisabeth Elliot shares her insights on womanhood and marriage in this poignant collection of wisdom and advice - Let Me Be a Woman. Although the title may seem to indicate a certain "I am woman, hear me roar" quality, quite the opposite is true. Now, men, if you've made it this far, keep reading I don't want to lose you --- persevere through the estrogen peaks and you will be rewarded. Seriously, although the intent of the book is focused on womanhood, there's a lot of good stuff in here for men and women alike. For those interested in "what women want," this is a good book to gain one perspective. I know that even among Christian women, Elisabeth Elliot is not for everyone. Being more old-fashioned/traditional, I found her words refreshing & comforting - like reading a letter from a grandma. The fact that the book is written from a mother to her daughter lends a rather endearing "ohhh" quality to an otherwise formal discourse on issues such as submission, authority and self-sacrifice.

Although many of us reading this may not be "there" yet in terms of marriage, one of the most memorable chapters in the book for me was about accepting the gifts that God gives us, whether it be the gift of singleness or the gift of marriage. "Let not our longing slay the appetite of living" so Elliot quotes her first husband Jim Elliot, saying "We accept and thank God for what is given, not allowing the not-given to spoil it." As a single woman, I've grown used to viewing my present condition as being in a "holding pattern" waiting for marriage - as I read the quote mentioned above, I was thinking - man, that's totally true - a lot of times we want/expect something so much that we let our desire (which in and of itself is not a bad thing) distract & rob us of the joy of living in our present circumstance and we miss out on things that God wants to show us.