Worth the Wrestle Insightful, Inspiring

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, we're taught that if we follow the teachings of the Gospel faithfully, everything we experience in life will work out for our good.  Sometimes we foolishly expect this to mean we will never struggle—not financially, not in our relationships, not with our faith, not with the doctrine of the Church.  This is simply not so.  Everyone has their challenges, even if they are earnestly striving every day to live the Gospel.  When these complications come, how do faithful LDS people react?  How should we react?  We're taught to "hold to the rod", look to the Lord, and have faith that He knows what He's doing.  If we do this, we won't question our God, our faith, our Church leaders, the purpose of our challenges, etc.  Too often questioning is frowned upon because it is equated with doubt and unbelief.  But is questioning really so bad?

According to Sheri Dew—current CEO of Deseret Book Publishing Company, a former member of the Relief Society General Presidency, and a popular author and speaker—questions are good.  In her new book, Worth the Wrestle, she says questions should not be seen as threats to our testimonies.  Quite the opposite.  "...questions asked against a backdrop of faith," she says, "and with an earnest desire to learn always lead to spiritual growth and a stronger testimony."  Not asking questions can, in fact, block learning, progression, revelation, and whisperings of the Spirit.  

After offering these refreshing insights, Dew goes on to discuss related topics like how to receive personal revelation, how to stand as a witness even if we don't know everything, and how and why we need to wrestle with our questions.  Most meaningful for me, personally, was the section on understanding the personalized way in which the Lord speaks to us.  I also appreciated Dew's constant reassurance that although receiving answers takes both time and work, if you put in the effort, those answers will come.

If you've ever read a book by Dew or heard her speak, you know her words are always marked by her trademark warmth, wit, and down-to-earth wisdom.  No matter how profound the topic she's addressing, she makes it accessible.  This is the reason I love Worth the Wrestle so much.  It's deep, yes, but not so much that you have to re-read every sentence three times to understand what Dew's saying.  I came away from the read feeling enlightened and inspired, not confused or headache-y from trying to understand.  Dew's approach always resonates with me.  I read Worth the Wrestle at exactly the right time and highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for an insightful, uplifting, and inspiring read.

(Readalikes:  Hm, nothing's coming to mind.  Ideas?)

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To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Worth the Wrestle from the generous folks at Deseret Book.  Thank you!