Variety is the spice of life.  I like variety in the books I read and review.

I’m hardly ever review in the same genre each time; and I skip around between fiction and non-fiction with no particular preference. I have a deep appreciation for fine writing on any topic or subject; so you never know which book I’m likely to be found reading next.

There is one consistency in my reviews: I only mention the books that I think you will find interesting too.

After all; fine writing could definitely be described as interesting writing.

SELF-HELP BOOKS ARE TYPICALLY BORING

My main complaint about most self-help, Christian themed-books is they usually have the same old one-note themes.  We’ve heard them all time-after-time again, It has all been said before in a million different ways by a million different people.

I hate to have to use the word “boring” and “Christian” in the same sentence,  but with most self-help Christian-themed books; that often turns out to be the case.

FINALLY; A BOOK THAT IS UNIQUE AND INTERESTING

How refreshing to find an author who brings up the same old subjects in a very new and different way, who also gives interesting insights that you probably will never hear in your typical Sunday morning sermons.

Reading this book was more like having a conversation over coffee with a good old friend.  I finished the book feeling inspired.

This author puts the truth in a simple, everyday language and then gives you things to ponder that go deeper than a first glance; without a million scripture references every other second; but just enough references for you to know that he is authentic and truly quoting and pondering the holy scriptures.

He tells the gospel a lot like Jesus did; with solid examples from real life.

I found myself remembering his words because they related to things that I am used to thinking about every day; things that happen in real life.

WHO IS THIS MYSTERIOUS AUTHOR?

Well, he isn’t exactly a “new-to-the-press” author because he has written many other very popular best-selling books.

He is a very successful and seasoned, mature Christian author.

I found this one particular book to be very unique, inspiring and thought-provoking.

It made me want to go back to check out the rest of his long list of published works; a few of which I was already familiar with and even some delightful looking children’s editions too.   After the book I just finished reading by this author; I might now want to re-read the others a little slower with more intention.

A WONDERFUL READ

The author I’m speaking of is Mr. Anthony DeStefano;, and the book he wrote which I’ve recently enjoyed reading is  “A Travel Guide to Life; Transforming Yourself From Head To Soul.”

Have you read it yet?

The book was actually published all the way back in 2014; but somehow it has just now come to my attention.

The read was fantastic.  The subjects were interesting and the advice was priceless.  I highly recommend that everyone purchase a copy to read and re-read and to give as gifts to friends.

THE AUTHOR

I met Mr. DeStefano once.

It was a very long time ago when he traveled to a television studio where I worked.  He had been invited for an interview about his book called “A Travel Guide To Heaven.”  This more recent book I’m speaking of today is sort of a play-on-words from that older, very popular title.  It caught my attention in the store because I had seen his earlier interview from the first book with the similar sounding title.

I worked in the background at the television studio, and I doubt he would ever remember meeting me; but I was very impressed with his humble and sincere personality. He insisted on providing his own travel and making his own hotel reservations with no help from the studio. He was just so excited about his faith and was very happy to be having an interview where he could have the opportunity to be a witness to the saving grace of Jesus Christ that would be broadcast all around the world.   It was a great interview.  On that particular day the topic was “Heaven.”

The main topic of the more recent book I’m reviewing today is “Life” and “Transformation”  The author is laying the foundation for explaining how to have a happy life.

IS THERE REALLY A SECRET TO TRUE HAPPINESS?

Okay; I probably lost you there.

No one really knows the secret to true happiness in life; right?

You might be surprised.

This book can surely steer you in the right direction; but it might end up in a whole different place than you originally anticipated.

This author seems to truly know the one secret to living a happy and joyful life; which is a very bold statement for me to make; but I can only tell you that he seems to have found the same key that I stumbled upon myself.  The main difference in his information and what I’ve learned from life in general is that he breaks things down in simple, easy to follow steps.

He concentrates on one subject at time and walks you through that subject from a Christian point of view.

He offers solid basic information about things that you can do to keep your life happy, joyful and upbeat, no matter your circumstances or position in life.  These things are not hard, and a lot of them are just plain common sense; but he organizes them and lays them out like a map that you can follow to reach the desired destination.  At one point he gives you the main key, the way to live a totally happy life.  It takes awhile to get there; so be sure to just keep on reading.

BODY MIND AND SPIRIT

Somewhere in the middle of all of his explanations; Mr. DeStefano hits on a subject that I’ve recently been exploring and writing about myself; the fact that your mind, body and spirit all work together and affect one another.

From exploring that healthy fact in establishing the foundations of a happy life,  he will take you further into the different ways that our own choices and actions affect everything that goes on around us.  His illustrations and his willingness to tell of his own life story add a lot of clarity and understanding to the reading.  It seems that he has studied at the feet of many great leaders and/or teachers, and he shares the insight and wisdom that he has gleaned from gathering in the fields of godly men and women through out his life time.

At the end of the book he shares a vision that he experienced in a rainstorm while visiting the area of the Trevi Fountain in Rome.  The vision pulls all that he has learned about how to be happy in this lifetime and even throughout all of eternity together, which  suddenly makes a few facts that he has always known stand out and come together in a way that is crystal clear.

The story is beautifully told and intriguing to read and even better because it actually happened in real life to a real person who is now passing the amazing story on to us.

OUR STORIES ARE OUR WITNESS

This must be some how the same as it was for the original disciples of Christ as they shared their adventures with God and began to record the scriptures in writing.

I’m definitely not claiming this book to be a substitute for the bible; no not at all; nor would the author.  What I am saying is that it can be a good help for making all of the scriptures come together for a better understanding on some of the most basic elements of life.  These are the things that we all overlook and forget to pay attention to; the things that are all the time right in front of us; but we just can’t see them.   Something must happen to bring clarity.  This book will open your eyes wider about the practical side of living a Christian lifestyle and help you to see a lot further than you ever have before.

There are several pages at the end of the book that are nothing but questions for you to ask yourself about the different topics the author has discussed and walked you through.  I’ve found them to be very useful reminders and have enjoyed pondering each question slowly, one day at a time while letting the weight of the knowledge provided from that particular subject sink down into my spirit more and more.  The questions would be perfect for a small group study.

YOU MUST READ IT TO KNOW

That is all I’m going to tell you!

Go on out and grab a copy of the book and read it for yourself.

To make this easier; I’ve included the purchasing information at the bottom of this post along with some other favorite and cherished books that I like to keep handy for re-reading from time-to-time and for giving to people who might be struggling to find their way.  Often giving such books feels similar to throwing a life-line out to someone who is drowning.  They can often be pulled to safety just in time if you are ready and prepared to hand them a good book that will help them make sense of the sometimes chaotic state of life here on planet earth.

So thank you Mr. DeStefano for the beautiful book that will be so useful to so many.  I can’t believe I’m just now getting around to reading this 2014 publication; but stumbling upon it lately was again; like having coffee with an old friend.  You finish the reading and leave the book feeling refreshed and ready to go out into the world and have a great day.

You’ve discovered the hope in knowing that there is a way to be totally at peace and happy; and it is a beautiful place to begin the rest of your journey through life.