Life is full of trials and difficulties, yet we are promised that we will have joy in the eternities if we focus on being obedient and enduring to the end. That’s a beautiful promise, but getting through the here and now is a daunting task. Why must we wait until the eternities before we can experience joy?
In the new LDS nonfiction book “Enjoying the Journey,” authors Jaime Theler and Deborah Talmadge tell us that we don’t have to wait. We can have joy now, even while we are living on this earth and experiencing our trials.
In the chapter “Resolve Your Identity Crisis,” we read that as we come to earth, we all experience the need to know who we are. We are children of God, sent down to this strange and confusing place, but as we reconnect with our Heavenly Father, He shows us where we need to go. We then read about what it means to be a child of God and how very much indeed our Father loves us.
Another chapter I greatly enjoyed talks about our need to live on purpose, how we need to have a direction for our journey. We are here on a mortal probation, and we can’t waste the time we’ve been given.
Other chapters are: “Stay in Touch,” which reminds us of the importance of turning to our Heavenly Father in prayer, “You’ve Got to Be Nice,” which emphasizes the need for charity in our lives, and “Protect the Home Front,” which reinforces the vital role we play as parents and how our chief concern should be our homes and children.
This book, while very much a religious self-help book, is also down to earth and friendly. While reading, I felt like I was having a conversation with a good friend. Theler and Talmadge hit on a perfect balance between sharing gospel principles and conveying their concern for my well-being. I came away from this book feeling uplifted, inspired to keep moving forward, and with a greater appreciation for all the things with which I truly have been blessed.
(This book was published in 2008 by Horizon.)
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