Homeschool Happenings: Elizabeth Prentiss ~ A Review

Monday, May 20, 2019

Elizabeth Prentiss ~ A Review

My 10-year-old daughter really enjoyed reading Elizabeth Prentiss published by Christian Focus. This pocket paperback book is geared for ages 9-14 years of age and is part of the Trail Blazers series. The book is 144 pages in length.

My 10-year-old said, "The book, 'Elizabeth Prentiss More Love' written by Claire Williams is about a woman named Elizabeth Prentiss. This book shows that even if you are going though a very difficult time it is possible to keep your faith. Her father died from tuberculosis when she was young. God put Elizabeth and her family through many trials. Elizabeth had six children. Sadly, within three months her second and third children died, one as a newborn and the other was four years old. She was a poet and an author. She wrote many books and poems. This book was good and I would recommend it for ages nine and above."

I have read several books about Elizabeth Prentiss. I have always admired her deep faith amidst so much heartache and adversity. I was excited to share such an amazing woman of faith with my daughter.

One of my favorite quotes from Elizabeth Prentiss is,

"Wondrous as it is, how simple is this mystery.

To love Christ and to know that I love Him...this is all."

On pages 50-52 it recounts the deaths of her two children. Elizabeth truly displayed so much faith and giving over of her children to the Lord upon their deaths. Upon her second child's death she did say, "Good help me, my baby, my baby!" But Elizabeth was able to say that God never makes mistakes. During those very difficult days she wrote,

"One child and two green graves are mine

This is God's gift to me;

A bleeding, fainting, broken heart --

This is my gift to Thee."

At the end of the book is a section entitled Thinking Further Topics. One of the topics is one prayer. The scripture referenced is Matthew 6:5-13. It has leading questions such as, Do you pray? Have you thought about prayer? Scripture teaches us how to pray. This then leads into a Challenge. Can you spend more time in prayer? It asks several other questions.

There is also a timeline of Elizabeth Prentiss's life.

On the timeline it references that in 1869 Elizabeth Prentiss published her autobiography, Stepping Heavenward. I highly recommend this book too.

On page 74 as she and her children are out picking strawberries, Elizabeth pulls out a notebook and a stub of a pencil, sits down on a bench and pens the final lines to her beautiful hymn, More Love to Thee.

More love to Thee, oh Christ, more love to Thee!

Hear Thou the prayer I make soon bended knee.

This is my earnest plea

More love, oh Christ, to Thee

More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

I would most definitely recommend this book to others. Check out all of the books in the Trail Blazers Series. Also, be sure to check out the other books reviewed by my fellow Crew members by clicking the link below.

To read more reviews click HERE.