I am currently reading The Journals of Jim Elliot, and I find myself returning to its pages again and again, not out of obligation, but out of a deep sense of gratitude and conviction. If you are unfamiliar with Jim Elliot, he was a missionary from Oregon who was martyred in Ecuador in 1956. I won’t spoil his story—you really should read it for yourself—but it is worth noting that Jim was killed before he turned 30. Yet despite his short life, the story of Jim and his companions remains one of the most powerful and enduring missionary testimonies in modern Christian history.

There is something profoundly sobering about reading the words of a man who knew, at least in part, the cost of following Christ—and embraced it anyway. Jim Elliot did not merely speak about faith in abstract terms. His life bore witness to a deep and settled conviction that Christ was worth everything. Scripture echoes this kind of faith when Jesus asks, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36, BSB). Jim lived—and died—as though he truly believed the answer.

When I am tempted to turn toward the ways of the world, as so many professing Christians have done, I think of Jim Elliot and others like him. I remember men and women who were so convinced of the glory and riches of Christ that they were willing to give up even their lives. Jim himself famously wrote, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” In light of faith like that, what the world has to offer seems utterly worthless.

The Apostle Paul expressed a similar conviction when he wrote, “But whatever was gain to me I count as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things as loss compared to the surpassing excellence of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” (Philippians 3:7–8, BSB). Reading Jim’s journals makes those words feel alive – as if I could reach out and touch the very truth of them. His life was evidence of what true faith looks like.

One of the most striking things about Jim’s journals is how human they are. They are not polished sermons or heroic monologues. Jim never shied away from sharing his weaknesses, his frustrations, or his struggles with sin and discipline. There is no attempt to present himself as a flawless spiritual giant. And yet, page after page, the journals are saturated with biblical wisdom, prayer, and a sincere longing to know and obey God. That honest humanity paired with deep reverence for Scripture is both humbling and refreshing to me.

In many ways, that honesty aligns with the testimony of Scripture itself. The Bible never hides the flaws of its heroes. It reminds us that “we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7, BSB). Jim’s life and writings are a modern reminder of that truth. God delights in using imperfect people who are fully surrendered to Him.

As I read Jim’s words, I often find myself thinking, I can’t wait to meet this man one day. Not because he was famous, or because his story has been retold so many times, but because his love for Christ feels so real and so familiar. And then it dawns on me—by God’s grace, I will meet him one day. Not just Jim Elliot, but every saint who has gone before us and every believer who will come after.

Scripture gives us a glimpse of that coming reality: “After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9, BSB). For the Christian, that is our promised future. It is an exceedingly great joy to even begin to fathom, and it is a joy shared by every single person who is in Christ.

For us, this life is not the final chapter. It is only the beginning. As Paul writes, “For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17, BSB). The best is not behind us—it is ahead of us. Jim Elliot understood that, and his life stands as a quiet but powerful testimony to the truth that Christ is worth everything.

In a world constantly urging us to settle for what is immediate, visible, and fleeting, voices like Jim Elliot’s call us back to what is eternal. They remind us that faithfulness matters, that obedience is costly, and that the glory to come will make every sacrifice seem small. And for that reminder, I am deeply thankful.

References

Disclaimer: This review is not sponsored by or affiliated with the publishers of The Journals of Jim Elliot. The book is an excellent resource, but all views expressed are those of Jim Elliot and not necessarily those of Thrive Christian Press and The Believer’s Byline. As with all extra biblical resources, readers should approach this work with discernment and care.

Click the link to visit this book’s Amazon sales page: The Journals of Jim Elliot.

Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which is a project of Bible Hub. Used with permission. The Berean Standard Bible has been released into the public domain.

Photography Credit

The featured image is the cover of The Journals of Jim Elliot. It has been used for review purposes in keeping with the laws governing fair use. The cover image remains the property of the author and publisher. Thrive Christian Press makes no claim on this image.

This Post is Sponsored by:

Click the ad for more details.

The Believer’s Byline is a publication of Thrive Christian Press.

Copyright © 2025 David Scott Fields II. All Rights Reserved.