Book Review: Keep a Quiet Heart

Keep a Quiet Heart

written by Elisabeth Elliot

269 pages // published in 1995 // Christian non-fiction

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Peace and quiet--to many of us, they're just words. Somehow we have allowed the frenetic pace of life to rob us of the quiet, restful moments with God we so desperately need. Keep a Quiet Heart features the rich devotional musings of one of America's favorite authors and points the way to a deep experience with God, away from the unsettling distractions of day-to-day living.

In Keep a Quiet Heart, Elisabeth Elliot shares articles from her newsletters. It's a collection that encourages you to know God better. You can find Him best when your heart is quieted, and that is what we as Christians should strive for.

"A quiet heart is content with what God gives. It is enough."
"A Quiet Heart", Keep a Quiet Heart

There are countless lessons to be heard in this volume, if you're looking for them. As Elliot prescribes, stillness of mind, quietness of heart, can lead you to God. How accurately she wrote about this subject for modern times... and this was decades ago when she penned it! It's true, busyness takes up so much of ours lives – whether you're involved with extra church, school, and work opportunities, or just taking care of your family – we're often so busy that our hearts are screaming out with worry, despair, and unsatisfactory feelings about our lives. Enter the idea of stilling the loud “noises” in life that interrupt the contentedness of your soul. Because, even unknowingly, it's those “noises” that are breaking up your communication with the Almighty.

"Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy."
"Waiting", Keep a Quiet Heart

A wide range of subjects are covered in Keep a Quiet Heart. I think a lot of them are geared towards women, but anyone can listen and hear the truth behind Elliot's words. Sometimes she shares a special story from her own life and ministry, sometimes about a trial that a friend went through, or we even hear from her own readers. At other times she'll share a devotional on a variety of topics, which could be anything from prayer, peace, culture, marriage, parenting (even about homeschooling!), and more. Always it's an encouragement and inspiration.

Perhaps the chapters that pertained to subtopics under marriage and parenting didn't always apply to my own life right now, but for the most part, I still enjoyed even those areas in the book. Because some of these topics (and others) are covered though, I would best recommend the book for adults.

The message that blessed me the most is one that negatively affects the heart's quietness: giving yourself too many tasks and too little time. One of Elliot's stories in particular was about a time in her life where she was stressed about hitting certain deadlines, and the dread of knowing she wasn't finishing in time. Yet, she's the one who made these deadlines, and became stressed when other elements in life appeared out of the blue, knocking her off a predetermined schedule. Well, this happens to us all, and certainly to myself. Do you know why it happens to me? It's my fault. I tell myself way too often that I need to accomplish this, this, and that by week's end, and (guess what!) many times I'm unable to finish every bit of it. This, of course, irks me, right where it hurts, in my unsettled, unquieted heart. Elliot's example showed me, that quality of work is often better (and safer on your heart) when you get things done as needed, and trim out unneeded deadline worry. Already, my days seem a little easier, when I don't have to be quite so focused on the timeliness of my actions.

"Let's never forget that some of His greatest mercies are His refusals. He says no so that He may, in some way we cannot imagine, say yes."
"Lost and Found", Keep a Quiet Heart

Overall? It's a good book. You should read it. I guarantee it will help you find balance in a crazy busy life.

Available on Amazon in paperback format.

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