No Graven Image

Without hesitation, this is a top five novel on my list. Keen insights on the illusions and fallacies often associated with missions. I would place this on a must read for anyone considering missions. But more than for missionaries, this book touches on the central natural tenant of the human heart---idolatry. Man is so prone to make idols out of anything---even good things. Elisabeth Elliot is a fantastic writer. This book, though fiction, has imagery and instances that paralleled her own life as a missionary. So many have a very romantic picture of missions. This book focuses the lens upon reality.

This book has been on my wishlist since before I had a wishlist. It's written by Elisabeth Elliot (one of my favorite women *ever*), it's about missions, and it's fiction. Unfortunately, it's also out of print. While wandering through a discount bookstore, I found one copy on the shelf, so of course I picked it up, and read it over the course of one day. Just over 250 pages, it was a quick and engrossing read. In her preface to this edition, the author says, "When I wrote [this book], I felt that the implications of my message would best be conveyed in the garb of fiction. As it turned out, many readers would have preferred a happily-ever-after ending and they have remonstrated with me about the plot, saying 'I just can't believe that God would allow things like this to happen.' Sorry, folks, He does." That alone intrigued me enough to put my other reading (even Agatha Christie!) aside. Due to our ministry, and the direction God has led in what I've taught over the past three years, I've focused a lot on unexplainable or "unacceptable" circumstances, and I was interested to see how she'd handle it in fiction. I like Margaret. The setting is completely different from our own, and the attendant difficulties look quite different, but underneath, there is something in her that would probably resonate with most women. Missionary or not, we each have at least watershed encounter in our life that is a turning point in our relationship with the Lord; we come face to face with who we *thought* God was, and with who He now reveals Himself to be. I liked Margaret's freshness and enthusiasm at the beginning of her spiritual journey, and then, of course, life happens. And as she becomes more realistic, the author didn't shrink from describing her doubts and questions. "Is this really the way it's supposed to work?" "This isn't how missionaries reported their work back home..." "What am I really supposed to be doing?" Margaret, though young, began to see straight through the trite and euphemistic, and slightly deceiving language that are the signs of becoming a politician-missionary, a danger of fixing our gaze on the results of our work, rather than on the God who called us to the work, and Whose responsibility it really is to produce results. It's an important realization, and one I'd not thought seriously about before. Many who read No Graven Image might be tempted to "remonstrate," as Elisabeth Elliot said, about the lack of a happy ending, but I don't think she could have or should have written it any other way. The spiritual journey Margaret takes is one on which God will probably lead every one of His people at least once in their lifetime. He begins to teach her that if she is to trust Him, she must trust Him as He is, not as she wishes Him to be. We must trust God *Himself*, as He reveals Himself in His Word, in our circumstances...not the God we often remake in our own image. That is no god at all, and He will do whatever He needs to, to shake

This tremendous book must be read by all sincere christians who are trying to live a life pleasing to Jesus christ. Every one of us have our own fanciful idea of God which sometimes contradicts the Bible. This book will free us from all christian myths and will lead us towards a richer christian life. Ellisabeth elliot shares her experiance and things she learned in this novel. If you are a chritian missionary, pastor, or any worker this book must be read by you.

The only thing wrong with this book is that it is out of print. In The best thing about it is that it shows how important good Christian fiction is. In her own plucky style, Elisabeth Elliot shows what it means to be a real missionary. One of my favorite parts is when the missionary (Margaret) helps a not-so-helpful but well-meaning American visiting Ecuador realize that giving gospel tracts to South American Indians who can't read at all (let alone read Spanish) is less than helpful. Don't miss reading this book. Buy it and share it with those you love (including your pastor). You won't be sorry!

This book is an awesome representation of missionary life. A young, unmarried, woman named Margarat is working as a Bible translator to the Quicha Indians in the mountains of Ecuador. Most of the action takes place in her mind, where she tells you about her previous ideas of missionary work. The end is astonishing and will leave you with a new view on how God works. This book makes you search your soul for what you believe and why. It draws you into the story line, as if you were actually in the mountains of Ecuador with her! I highly recommend it for anyone planning to go into missions or just with an interest in missions.