A Diary of Joseph: A Spiritual Journey Through Time

The story of Joseph in the Bible is a very popular and powerful one with all its connotations and possible life applications. Joseph's struggle through life after his brothers threw him in a pit and then later sold him into slavery has implications for all of us dealing with the likes of jealousy, sibling rivalry, parental love, forgiveness, faith and hope. Diane Proctor Reeder has taken that story and charted Joseph's life alongside that of her family's struggle with a life and death situation in A DIARY OF JOSEPH, A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY THROUGH TIME. Ms. Reeder uses poetry and a little narration to compare the similarities between Joseph's struggles and her family's battle with leukemia. At the onset, it would appear that the two were not the same, but this carefully plotted spiritual journal boldly marks all of the similarities. The book was set up in chapters that fully explored all the different stages that Joseph and this family went through in their journey. She even gives a look at her conversations with God. My favorite chapters were The Pit and The Bottom, in which Reeder compares the pit and the jail Joseph was thrown into to the pit her family entered with the initial diagnosis of leukemia for her husband. If you can imagine how Joseph must've felt alone in that dark pit or the jail waiting for God to do something, then imagine how it must have felt to have the man you love, one day healthy and the next dealing with a possible life-threatening disease and then waiting for God to deliver him. The feelings explored were deep despair, fear, anxiety and hope. For such a small book, A DIARY OF JOSEPH packs a really big spiritual punch for everyone. The lesson I learned from these pages is that no matter how deep your pit of despair, there is something better that God is working out. We build spiritual muscle when we're going through and learning to depend on God. We just have to keep an open dialogue with Him and remember that He alone is the author and finisher of our lives. Not being a big reader of poetry, I must interject that this was a well-crafted book in which each poem really spoke to me on a level that I could understand and relate. I would recommend anyone in need of a spiritual lift, particularly if you're facing a crisis, to please read this book. You will come away with a new perspective on faith and hope. Reviewed by Brenda M. Lisbon of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

I read this book from cover to cover in one sitting. I could not put it down. I was encouraged to keep on my journey through the delicate way crisis and hope was woven into the pages. I hope anyone who may need spiritual direction in their life would read this book. Also if you are trying to make sense of the rollercoaster ride that you are living; this book will help you to find peace amongst its pages. The writer was very clever in her literary style. It made me think and want to read more to see how she would tell the next part of the story. I hope she will write more books of inspiration in the future.