Less Stress, More Peace: Finding Contentment in a Hectic World

Verna Birkey's purpose in writing was to reveal the secret of facing every stressful situation with a winning attitude. This is a journey to the core of who we are and what we really need. By understanding we are all born with deep, legitimate, God-given longings, we can then learn how to quench the thirst of the soul. If you think about what you want most, it would most likely be: To be wanted by someone, be of value to someone, be accepted just for who you are and be loved unconditionally. We often expect one person to fulfill all our needs, yet Verna believes not even a spouse should be expected to meet all our needs. That is where angels and friends come into the picture. "We need each other. We are to be continually reaching out to others-giving love to them and receiving love from them." -pg. 32 My aunt enjoyed reading this book and was kind enough to recommend it to me. I am quite thankful she did as it has given me insight into issues we rarely discuss, let alone acknowledge. While we can't avoid stress and suffering altogether no matter how much we wish we could, those times in our lives can lead us to opportunities to be more sensitive to others in the same circumstances later. The pain we feel will then make us keenly alert to the pain in others. Sometimes it if fine to also just say: Dear God, I can't take this anymore! And at that point you feel broken in spirit. Something beautiful happens after that moment. When we trust God with our struggles, our grief and even our hostile feelings, he is listening. "In looking away from God, humans create an emptiness and then go on searching on their own for something to fill that emptiness." -pg. 71 The highlights of this book are the steps you can take to reduce stress in your life. Sometimes it is as simple as making a right choice, no matter what. ~The Rebecca Review