I first heard of Elisabeth Elliot when I was sixteen.

My good friend had loaned me the book,”I kissed dating goodbye,” in an effort to show me there was way more to life than having a boyfriend(which at that point in my life, was a fairly inconceivable notion.)

While reading that book, I kept noticing references to this book called, “Passion and Purity.” The author referenced it so much, that I ended up borrowing it from another friend of mine.

I don’t remember how much of Passion and Purity I actually read, but I do know that God used those two books to help shape how I viewed relationships before marriage.

A few years later, as a new wife, I read through the book Feminine Appeal. It was one of the first times I’d ever heard the Titus 2 principles explained. I remember the author of Feminine Appeal(Carolyn Mahaney) saying that outside of her mother, Elisabeth Elliot was one of her biggest spiritual role models.

As a new mom, I read Shaping of a Christian Family, and some of the stories she told in that book have continued to stay with me even to this day, almost eight years later.

Last week, when I heard of Elisabeth Elliot’s death, I felt sad, of course, but at the same time, I was overwhelmed with thankfulness for her life. This is a woman who stood up for her faith and influenced so many people’s lives, all because of her genuine, unashamed love for the Lord.

I never met Elisabeth Elliot, but her heart for the Lord influenced some of my biggest mentors, and as a result has made a huge impression on my role as a wife and mother.

It made me realize, yet again, that I want to keep pouring into the people God has placed in my life, particularly my family, and pointing them to Jesus.

I seriously doubt that I’ll ever write books that influence thousands of people, but God has given me five beautiful children and a husband to love and influence.

And who knows what kind of impression that will make on future generations?