“An Unforgettable Journey”
April 23rd, 2010 by Ashley
All of my life I've had one thing that I can't get enough of….
books.
I love books. Not all books. I'm pretty picky. But the ones that I like, I absolutely adore.
So when I tell you that recently I read the best book I've ever read in my entire life, you have to understand that is really saying something.
First of all, my disclaimer **I know that books mean different things to people depending on the season of life they are in, so if you disagree with my opinion, you can just assume you are not in a place at this time where you can really enjoy the book. 
Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss has been sitting on my bedroom bookshelf for at least five years. During that time I know I've attempted to read it at least twice.
I just couldn't get into it. It seemed slow and kind of boring, and I never made it past the first chapter or two before I moved on to something different.
I've gone through several months recently where reading just did not hold the appeal for me that it once did. I love reading with my girls, but reading personally for myself in my free time has fallen low on the list of priorities for me. And if I do have time to read, I tend to stick with non-fiction…it just holds my attention better for some reason.
Anyway, this is where I was at when I picked up Stepping Heavenward a few weeks ago. On the cover is a quote from Joni Eareckson Tada: "A guide for those who desire to leave the dull, dry indifference of spiritual mediocrity to discover the rich, deep joy of knowing Jesus more fully."
I decided to give it one more try.
And for some reason, this time it grabbed me. I couldn't put it down. And I couldn't stop thinking about it.
I'm a lover of good old-fashioned novels. Pride & Prejudice has a prominent spot on my bookshelf, next to The Age of Innocence and Little Women.
Well, Stepping Heavenward can fit right in with all of those when it comes to good writing about another era. But it was also so much more than that.
I don't really want to tell you much about the story, because mostly I just want you to go read it for yourself. I just want to share that I really loved it, and as hesitant as I am to give this sort of praise to a work of fiction, I have to say this book was so impacting to me spiritually. Every page and every piece of the story just turned my eyes straight to Jesus again and again. And it all comes through the story of a young woman, who I think we can all probably relate to. There's always so much peace in finding out we are not "the only ones" facing and feeling certain things. Right?
So here's a favorite passage from my reading of the book…I hope you'll go and check it out for yourself. I have no doubt you will be blessed!
I suppose to those who look on from the outside, we must appear like a most unhappy family, since we hardly get free from one trouble before another steps in. But I see more and more that happiness is not dependent on health or any other outside prosperity. We are at peace with each other and at peace with God; His dealings with us do not perplex or puzzle us, though we do not pretend to understand them…
Posted in Favorite Things
