Decisions Matter

This book contains a brief sketch of Eleanor Maier’s story and aspects of her family’s history.  It is a story of ninety-three years of various experiences beginning in great poverty with no electricity or running water.  It is the journey of how an orphan on a primitive pioneer farm in Canada navigated through life and eventually ended up in a very comfortable retirement in an urban setting in the United States.   One of her foremost fears in her younger years was worrying about where she would spend eternity.  She was afraid of going to hell.  Her greatest blessing was learning how she could know for sure that she would go to heaven.  Her decision then to become a Bible-believing Christian during her youth became the driving force during the many highs and lows as well as some traumatic developments during her long and distinguished life.  Her faith decision greatly affected the strength of her character as well as convictions she developed.  Furthermore, it affected her decisions as to what she would do with her life, what kind of education to obtain, and who to marry, etc.  It greatly helped her to navigate through life with her husband in the good times and the more difficult ones, with how to care for and nurture her children in the changing circumstances she and her family encountered; and to know how best to help others. In the last thirty-five years, assisting others to know how they can be sure they will go to heaven has become one of the driving passions of her life. That along with extending hospitality—to her family, her church family, college students, neighbors, and others–as this account shows.  And now at ninety-four, she is still looking forward to “What’s next?” and still continues to be involved, especially in outreach.