Review: Be Still My Soul

Be Still My Soul book cover on blue background

This was a book that I spotted at church, and am I ever grateful that I did. Be Still My Soul: Reflections on Living the Christian Life by Elisabeth Elliot is a book that I hadn't heard of before seeing it, but it is one that I enjoyed immensely.

Book Synopsis

In our can't-stop world, where we frantically move through our days with hardly a moment of true rest and reflection, it's hard to comprehend the thought of being still, of leaving our anxiety and worry and impatience in the capable hands of a loving God. But that's exactly what Elisabeth Elliot calls us to do.

Using the title of one of her favorite hymns as her unifying theme, Elliot offers an inspiring collection of reflections on living the Christian life. Illustrating biblical concepts with her rich personal experiences as a missionary, mother, wife, widow, radio host, and internationally known public speaker, Elliot writes with clarity and elegance on topics at once timeless and timely. This lovely new repackaged edition is perfect for the busy times in which we live.

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

What does it mean to rest in God's presence? This collection of ten short essays by Elisabeth Elliot not only provides insight into being still before the Lord, but is also peppered with memorable anecdotes and quotes from Scripture of what God's rest can look in our lives. There is a natural progression from acceptance and peace to suffering to the hope of glory, which brings readers through a journey of full surrender to Jesus. The missionary stories are my favourite and bring the teachings to life.

If you're looking for a quick read that will bring calmness to your heart and soul, this is a book that can be devoured over multiple readings or all at once. Elisabeth's approachable manner of writing makes reading her books a comforting experience. The quotes contained within are relevant, and the topics are engaging enough that they will allow readers to continually ponder them long after finishing the book.

Book Summary

Format of book: 📖
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Recommendation: 👍

Comments

Christian Book Review Programs

Over time, I've been on the hunt for Christian book review programs that readers can join. As a result, I've been able to compile the following list which may be of interest if you are seeking review copies of Christian books. This list mostly applies to print and ebooks, although some publishers offer audiobooks as well. If further information is available for any of the publishers below (or any missing publishers), please let me know as I am happy to update this list—thank you! Please note that you can also search for these publishers on NetGalley and other review sites in case there are no review programs available to you or you don't qualify for one 😊 List last updated: October 27, 2026 Christian Publishers 10ofThose Availability: U.S., Canadian, and U.K. residents Format: Only books published by 10ofThose qualify for review requests so as to avoid impeding with other Christian book review programs Genre: Christian non-fiction, children's books Email for availabili...

All the Cheese

I've been coming across content within the past several weeks that has stereotyped Christian books (and other mediums) as being cheesy on Christian accounts. While this isn't a new label or even a new topic, what has surprised me somewhat has been seeing more Christian authors jump into this conversation who wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment. Although some authors will name others whom they believe are writing non-cheesy fiction, I feel as though the damage has been done by repeating this blanket statement. While readers have freely been engaging in this type of commentary for some time, it's been interesting to see authors chime in, where in some cases, there seems to be an emphasis on self-promotion over reflection. I'm not stereotyping and saying that all authors or even the authors I'm connected to respond with this tactic (because I really don't think they do!), but there are a few out there from my limited experience who seem to respond to this disc...

Mortality and Reading

This is a topic that has been resonating for me over the past few days, ever since I saw James Trevino's Instagram reel about why you shouldn't finish every book you start. In it, he breaks down the math of how many books we'd be able to read in a lifetime, based on reading a set number of hours per day and the average lifespan. He then compares this number to the number of books that are available worldwide. At first glance, it made me realize that I would have a lot of unread books, no matter whether my life is short or long. There's just too many books to read. Thinking about when my life might end led me to think about the types of books I read and how I'm currently filling my time. I don't think it's a coincidence that right after this crossed my mind, I was listening to The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis where he espouses a simple but profound line that stopped me in my tracks: "If you don't read good books, you will read bad ones." Thi...