Customer Reviews

Let Me Be a Woman

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Written to her daughter upon marriage, Let Me Be A Women is full of short thoughts about the meaning of femininity and being secure in God's calling for you. The first time I had read this I was a young teen and found the book a little hard to understand as it's written is such short, personal thoughts. This summer a few women and I did a study with this book and each found it to be so full of truth (whether we wanted to agree with it or not) and it made me reflect upon my own life. God predestined me to be a woman. This is His plan for me and it's not inferior to men, but just a different job. This book helped me embrace the differences and begin embracing God's unique plan for my life!

In an age when women, especially women in the church, search, flounder, and grow frustrated with discovering who God created us to be, the role He is requiring of us, and how we are to relate to men, especially our spouses, this book gives direction in a manner neither oppressive nor offensive. Elisabeth Elliot, through loving letters to her daughter, allows us the opportunity to find the heart of our Creator in a way that inspires and plants desire within us. I came away from reading this book with a fresh longing to be all - nothing less and nothing more - than my God designed me to be. I encourage every Christian woman, whether 12 or 99 years of age, to read this book and allow Elisabeth Elliot's knowledge of the Word to shape who you are in Christ.

As a young 'educated' Christian woman, I felt that what I believed to be biblical values are no longer seen as something to strive for in this modern age. I know that I had every means of pursuing and achieving what most women of this age strive for, but I chose not to. I never felt comfortable with it bc I never felt it was God's role for me in His perfect plan for creation. This book has been incredible in reinforcing in me the importance and JOY of biblical femininity. Role are NOT unequal, both sexes are equally precious in God's eyes, but God has made us DIFFERENT for a REASON. If this was not the case, why would God have needed to make us different at all? Why would Adam need a 'helper suitable for Him'? This book was amazing and uncompromising in the message that is sorely needed in the world today.

I wish there were a way to have this review appear at the top of this book's Amazon page instead of the ones that were there. This book does not imply that a woman's only role in life is to "serve" a man. Elisabeth Elliot has spent most of her life single! While it is written to her daughter, it is for ALL women - and I think for some men too! I have been looking for a book that will tell my sons about marriage. (I'm preparing ahead to have something to give them when they become engaged). There are parts of this book that are better than anything I've read in any book for men, such as the chapter, "You Marry a Sinner." It's good to have REALISTIC expectations of your spouse! I have purchased two copies of this book for my future daughters-in-law and set them aside with instructions for my SONS to also read certain chapters as well. This is the best book on the role of women and for anyone anticipating marriage that I have ever read, and believe me, I've been looking far and wide among the "men's" books for my sons.

Personally, I do not think several previous reviews do the book the justice. I also know that I will NOT be able to explain the mystery and glory of the true "submission" (Ephesians 5:22), which this whole book is about. However, I'll try.

I don't believe Elizabeth meant:
1) "Woman for Man,... or Woman for God?" As this issue, I think one has to look over the whole book, the systematic way, instead of just one chapter or one sentence, just like how we should read and interpret God's Words. As for whom women belong to, the author made it quite clear in Chapter 2 & 3.

2) Also, I read this book many times, but don't personally get "its underlying assumption is that our purpose is simply to marry and reproduce and be good wives and mothers."(quote from the previous review). That was never my impression. Actually, my impression is that she's a woman of God, who loves God, pursues God, and submits her will to God. The author herself has been single for most of her life time.

3) If you read "Passion & Purity", you get to know her own love story with Jim Elliot, her first husband. Marriage has never been priority #1 in her life. Instead, it's God's will. She was willing to sacrifice her heart's deepest desire to God's will as they were dating... Isn't that exactly what God wants every of His followers to do, to imitate Jesus, "Not my will but Yours be done", to surrender, to submit...only then He can start His beautiful, mysterious, but magnificently glorious transforming work in us??

4) I'm single and I think it's always encouraging and reassuring to me whenever I pick it up to browse. I got it in 2002 and the book shines new insights to life as I grew as one of His followers, namely, a Christian. It reminds me of my ultimate priority, to love Him and obey His will, whatever that maybe. It emphasizes on what true freedom means, what deep and delicate respect to others (may it be husbands, or men in general or even women friends) means, what relationship, in essence, means...

5) However, if you are looking for a practical book on relationships, such as "Five Love Languages", etc. Yeah, this is not the one you want. However, remember that practical books address behaviors itself, just changing behaviors without addressing heart issues, generally, if not all the time, doesn't bring any lasting changes. Only when the heart truly repents and get humbled and realign its worship disorder in front of God, that's when the behavior changes come not only lasting in time, but naturally flowing from heart. This book is one that addresses our hearts problems....therefore, you can choose according to your own need...

OK, I write enough now... Hope this will help you decide... I've been reorganizing/slimming my bookshelf... wanted to donate this little book to the public library, but after browsing it again, decided to save it... Not many books "survive" my browsing again...

I found this book to be extremely inspiring. Not only did I come away with a new longing to be the woman that God has created me to be, but I came away with ideas and vision as to how to carry that out. I would really reccomend this book to any and all women who desire to be fulfill the role that God has placed them in!

I thought that this book was very good. I know in today's society this book would be considered too traditional and conservational but it helped me realized that its great that God made me a woman. I would recommend this book for single to married woman. Just because your single doesn't mean its of no use to you. It can help you in the long run.

Elisabeth Elliot offers good advice about feminity. I espeically like how she first starts off with "Whose Am I," instead of Who Am I. I also likes how she explains the gift of singleness and marriage.

I especially like these two quotes from her book.

"You will be pouring yourself out for the hungry and it will assummed that you are a well spring of water whose waters fail not and there will be times when you are tired of that pouring out. Your step father told a lady who came to him distraught with all that was expected of her."I work my fingers to the bone for this church and what kind of thanks do I get?" she wailed. "Well," he said, "What kind of thanks did you expect?""

"The one who sails the boat obeys the rules of sailing. A ship tacking against the wind moves deviously, but when she runs with a strong tide or a following wind and they become her own. She is doing what she was made for. She is not free by disobeying the rules but by obeying them."

Many times when we go against God's word we trap ourselves in shame and sin. But when we follow God's word we are free to be all that God wanted us to be. Its not about me but about God.

This book was incredibly refreshing in an age where the role of women has become so twisted until it is almost unrecognizable. Elisabeth Elliot gives terrific advice for how following God's design in our lives will lead to happier lives whether single or married. If you are at all confused as to how to respond in today's world where the ultimate goal of most women seems to be to achieve manhood, then I highly recommend this book.

I give this book 4 stars and not five only because I thought the description was a bit misleading, and I wasn't expecting such an emphasis on marriage. Needless to say, besides the fact I am not getting married anytime soon, I did get a lot of helpful insight from this book. I am a huge Elisabeth Elliot fan, and she always inspires me to be a better woman and to live my life for God and not myself. This book will be helpful for any female, but even more so to a female that is about to embark into marriage. This is definitely one to keep on the shelf!

The book "Let me be a Woman" by Elisabeth Elliot is a biblical revelation for Christian woman. The author states, very humbly, her convictions which are scripturally correct and completely in-line with the word of God. It exposes the lies woman of the Church have allowed the world fool them with. The book explains how woman are to be submissive first unto God and secondly unto to their husbands.
It is not demeaning towards woman or in any way old-fashioned. Elliot herself is an example of proverbs 31 woman. She is not a weak woman, but rather a strong outspoken Christian woman. She admonishes woman with tenderness and love behind each word.
I cannot recommend a better book for woman who are truly seeking God, and honestly wiling to give him their all.