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Better Than We Dreamed: The Story of Elaine Townsend
Read the story of a life lived safely within the lines, that God turned upside down. From social star of 1930’s Chicago to a Wycliffe missionary in South America and the USSR, Elaine Townsend’s life was far from boring. Meet the woman who became Cameron Townsend’s wife, and discover how a life can be filled with adventure, by simply saying ‘yes’ to God. Through each stage of Elaine’s life her trust and dependence on her Saviour shines as an example to believers everywhere, yet there are also weaknesses with which we can all identify. This account of her struggles and successes is filled with stories gathered from those who knew Elaine best, as well as insights into the mission work that renewed a generation’s passion for Bible translation. Both encouraging and challenging, this thorough biography leads the reader to rightly recognise Elaine Townsend as one of the great Christian women of the 20th century – a demonstration of what God can do with a willing heart.
- GenresChristian
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 2, 2019
5 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Simona Gorton
5 books5 followersSimona Gorton is a wife, mother, church member, author, and former International Operations Manager for 9Marks.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 18, 2020
In a few parts, the writing seemed disjointed, but the story of Elaine’s life drew me in. I found her zeal for God, submission to her husband, and love for people convicting and inspiring.
December 5, 2024
Solid 3.5 stars
March 11, 2019
Very good.
May 20, 2025
I'm not really finished - I only got 2/3 through. I'm finished with it, though. Normally I do not review books I abandoned, but I'm making an exception.
It was somewhat interesting - in some places it was moving and in others it was funny. But there and so many missionary biographies which are so much better! (My favorite is Patricia St John's An Ordinary Woman's Extraordinary Life. I also like Isobel Kuhn's books.) I don't want to waste any more time on this one.
The most striking part is about Elaine's youth. Elaine's father's actual job was printing gospel tracts, but ironically neither he nor his wife made sure that their children understood and believed the gospel. They assumed the kids would hear it at their church, which they were in several times a week, but they didn't hear it there. Ironically, Elaine won a trip around the world as the most devout Protestant young person in Chicago. (She traveled with a model Catholic boy and devout Jewish girl.) It wasn't until after her return that she went to a Bible class and heard the real gospel, that good works can never save a person. She took some convincing - fortunately she believed the Bible was true and the evidence was there - and once convinced she was eager to share her new faith.
It was also interesting to read about her early career in teaching, overcoming her reluctance to go into missions, teaching indigenous people in Mexico to read, and later marrying the director of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, Cameron Townsend, who was 20 years older than she was. It seems to have been a good marriage - the funny thing is that she seemed to think they wouldn't have children, but they had three in the first three years (and one later.)
But it was downhill from there. The author doesn't seem to have had access to really good sources and relies on little anecdotes remembered by Elaine's children and others or excerpts from Elaine's letters. I also didn't like the way her life was consciously held up to us as a lesson in what to do and what to avoid. I do appreciate that the author did not portray Elaine as perfect.
One thing which grated on me was the way the author talked about the Central and South American natives. There's nothing wrong with calling them Indians - "Indios" is the normal word in Spanish. But early in the book she talks about how something in Elaine's life helped prepare her "to teach children and Indians". I'm sure the author didn't mean to completely equate Indians with children, and teaching is teaching to some extent, but it seemed tone-deaf to me. I'm sure the SIL people really loved the Indians and I think they respected them, but the way they're sometimes spoken of in this book bothered me. For instance, the author calls the Auca Indians "former savages". When Elisabeth Eliot published The Savage, My Kinsman, about those same Aucas, in 1960, the startling part was the word "kinsman". But this book was published in 2019 - we don't talk like that anymore. I don't think the author is racist, but I suspect she is not consuming mainstream media and is a bit out of touch with the culture.
She also puts down liturgical churches, saying something like "when faith is gone people turn to form." It is possible to have both faith and "form" as she calls it.
I am going to donate my copy. I hope it will do more good than harm wherever it ends up.
It was somewhat interesting - in some places it was moving and in others it was funny. But there and so many missionary biographies which are so much better! (My favorite is Patricia St John's An Ordinary Woman's Extraordinary Life. I also like Isobel Kuhn's books.) I don't want to waste any more time on this one.
The most striking part is about Elaine's youth. Elaine's father's actual job was printing gospel tracts, but ironically neither he nor his wife made sure that their children understood and believed the gospel. They assumed the kids would hear it at their church, which they were in several times a week, but they didn't hear it there. Ironically, Elaine won a trip around the world as the most devout Protestant young person in Chicago. (She traveled with a model Catholic boy and devout Jewish girl.) It wasn't until after her return that she went to a Bible class and heard the real gospel, that good works can never save a person. She took some convincing - fortunately she believed the Bible was true and the evidence was there - and once convinced she was eager to share her new faith.
It was also interesting to read about her early career in teaching, overcoming her reluctance to go into missions, teaching indigenous people in Mexico to read, and later marrying the director of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, Cameron Townsend, who was 20 years older than she was. It seems to have been a good marriage - the funny thing is that she seemed to think they wouldn't have children, but they had three in the first three years (and one later.)
But it was downhill from there. The author doesn't seem to have had access to really good sources and relies on little anecdotes remembered by Elaine's children and others or excerpts from Elaine's letters. I also didn't like the way her life was consciously held up to us as a lesson in what to do and what to avoid. I do appreciate that the author did not portray Elaine as perfect.
One thing which grated on me was the way the author talked about the Central and South American natives. There's nothing wrong with calling them Indians - "Indios" is the normal word in Spanish. But early in the book she talks about how something in Elaine's life helped prepare her "to teach children and Indians". I'm sure the author didn't mean to completely equate Indians with children, and teaching is teaching to some extent, but it seemed tone-deaf to me. I'm sure the SIL people really loved the Indians and I think they respected them, but the way they're sometimes spoken of in this book bothered me. For instance, the author calls the Auca Indians "former savages". When Elisabeth Eliot published The Savage, My Kinsman, about those same Aucas, in 1960, the startling part was the word "kinsman". But this book was published in 2019 - we don't talk like that anymore. I don't think the author is racist, but I suspect she is not consuming mainstream media and is a bit out of touch with the culture.
She also puts down liturgical churches, saying something like "when faith is gone people turn to form." It is possible to have both faith and "form" as she calls it.
I am going to donate my copy. I hope it will do more good than harm wherever it ends up.
June 9, 2024
Number of pages: 297
Genre: Non-Fiction Missionary Biography
Series: N/A
Age recommendation: 16+
Summary: From successful teacher to Wycliffe Missionary, Elaine Townsend was an amazing woman. This book is a powerful testimony of what God can accomplish with a willing heart!
My thoughts: It was really interesting to get to know Elaine Townsend. She was an amazing woman. What I especially liked was how the author showed how Elaine’s everyday work/ housework contributed to their family’s mission work. Yes, Elaine did do her share of translating and teaching people to read, (she was a really good school teacher in Chicago before serving as a missionary), but there were other ways she served as well. Even everyday things, like listening to someone, or being a hostess to the rich and poor alike, never making distinctions based on class are works for the Lord… it encouraged me that anything and everything can and should be done for God.
The writing style was not my favourite, (third person biography with first person quotes from Elaine’s writings and others), so that made it harder for me to get through the book. I prefer non-fiction that’s written in a more story-like way, but this book was well-researched and written, even though it wasn’t my favourite style.
Sometimes in the book it did seem like Elaine was too perfect to be human, but as the author pointed out, because Elaine was the wife of the founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators, she felt she had to be perfect. Her life was on display for everyone to see, and if her life was a mess, it might reflect badly on her husband and their ministry. While Elaine probably did keep too much bottled up inside, it makes sense why she didn’t share her struggles, and that all that we can see of her is the polished image she strove to emote.
Overall, I really liked learning about Elaine, but the writing style made it very difficult for me to be excited about the story and getting through it.
My personal rating: 3.5/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
Genre: Non-Fiction Missionary Biography
Series: N/A
Age recommendation: 16+
Summary: From successful teacher to Wycliffe Missionary, Elaine Townsend was an amazing woman. This book is a powerful testimony of what God can accomplish with a willing heart!
My thoughts: It was really interesting to get to know Elaine Townsend. She was an amazing woman. What I especially liked was how the author showed how Elaine’s everyday work/ housework contributed to their family’s mission work. Yes, Elaine did do her share of translating and teaching people to read, (she was a really good school teacher in Chicago before serving as a missionary), but there were other ways she served as well. Even everyday things, like listening to someone, or being a hostess to the rich and poor alike, never making distinctions based on class are works for the Lord… it encouraged me that anything and everything can and should be done for God.
The writing style was not my favourite, (third person biography with first person quotes from Elaine’s writings and others), so that made it harder for me to get through the book. I prefer non-fiction that’s written in a more story-like way, but this book was well-researched and written, even though it wasn’t my favourite style.
Sometimes in the book it did seem like Elaine was too perfect to be human, but as the author pointed out, because Elaine was the wife of the founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators, she felt she had to be perfect. Her life was on display for everyone to see, and if her life was a mess, it might reflect badly on her husband and their ministry. While Elaine probably did keep too much bottled up inside, it makes sense why she didn’t share her struggles, and that all that we can see of her is the polished image she strove to emote.
Overall, I really liked learning about Elaine, but the writing style made it very difficult for me to be excited about the story and getting through it.
My personal rating: 3.5/5 stars.
Link to blog: https://karinaschristianreads.wordpre...
December 18, 2019
Elaine had been hired in her early 20’s to a very important supervisor role in the Chicago Public Schools. Her passion was teaching, but she left the job and followed God’s call to take His name to the nations. She later married Cam Townsend, the founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators, and raised their 4 children in the jungles and cities of South America as she taught many to read so they could someday read the Bible in their native tongue. The book is choppy at times but worth the read. I loved how she still wore her pearls and makeup in the jungles, & God used her unique gifts as an extrovert, an educator, and a hostess to spread his love and truth. Until the day of her death, in a wheelchair, mostly blind, in a nursing home, she was loving people, listening to their stories and introducing them to Jesus.
May 6, 2020
This book tells the story of an ordinary woman willing to serve an extraordinary God. I appreciated the author's very well-rounded look at Mrs. Townsend's life and character. She was honored by the writer's words while also being conveyed as the real woman she was. There are so many great quotes in this book, including from other sources. It's definitely one I'll be adding to my physical library.
April 27, 2022
Elaine Townsend is a fascinating person and I loved learning about her, but the author's writing style drove me a bit nuts. Things jumped around chronologically, sometimes context wasn't clear (like I needed to know or remember something I hadn't), and sometimes verb tenses changed.
Learn about Elaine! Maybe just choose a different way
Learn about Elaine! Maybe just choose a different way
October 19, 2020
Such a beautiful life!! Elaine loved the LORD with all her heart, soul & mind! She tirelessly loved people and pointed them all the Jesus! Even in her own affliction, she loved Him!
January 24, 2021
Such an amazing biography! I laughed. I cried. I was deeply inspired and encouraged to run well the race set before me for God’s glory!! I am so looking forward to meeting Elaine in Heaven one day!!
July 17, 2021
Very challenging book about an amazing lady. Honest about her life.
July 13, 2025
While biographies are one of my favorite genres, and this one was interesting, it felt a little scattered to me. At times, it was rather redundant. But it was worth reading! Inspiring to learn of another lady who followed God's calling and made the best of everything along the way.
March 9, 2023
An encouraging book that captures the victories, challenges, and shortcomings of the subject in a way that is relatable (and sometimes downright comical).
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews