Stepping Heavenward

Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss is a marvelous book. The general story covers a young girl's maturation physically and spiritually. But, so much more can be said--and should be said--about this gem! The heroine in the book, Katy, begins a journal at age 16; the rest of the book is that fictional journal which is supposedly heavily based on Prentiss's own journals. Katy yearns to know Christ better and to know how to show her love for him in ordinary, daily life. I think many women will see themselves mirrored in Katy's experiences and struggles with the confusion of adolescence, the heartache of a lost love, the delight of a true love fully shared with another, the adaptation to married life, the delights and stresses of children in the home, the relationships with in-laws, the loss of loved ones both young and old, and the tedium of the ordinary.

This is a book to be read and reread; read during one stage of life and picked up again in another. Read with pen in hand to underline the many lines of wisdom in this Christian classic. Katy's firm conviction by the end of the book is a godly one: the Lord sends us joys and trials to bring us closer to him. We must view the hardships, the annoyances, the delights all as sent by him to teach us more of his ways and to bring us into full submission to his will. More love to thee!