# 10 ~ Books That Guide, Inspire, & Help to Change My Heart

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Books That Guide, Inspire,
& Help to Change My Heart

Today, I want to share how grateful I am for books that guide me, inspire me, and help me to change my heart.

First, I will mention the books that I am most grateful for. The scriptures. I am so grateful for the words of Prophets that have been written down for our benefit. They made great sacrifices in order to write these things down for us. The Bible and The Book of Mormon inspire me and give me strength. They also give me hope and guide me in my life. Reading the scriptures helps us to learn about God and Jesus Christ and their love for us. Reading the scriptures also helps us to know the laws of God that have been given to us; laws that give us guidance and direction in our lives so that we can be free and truly happy. I am so grateful for the scriptures. They are life changing books. They enrich my life and bring peace and comfort to me. They are a priceless treasure.

One of my favorite verses from the Bible:
'These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.' ~ John 16:33


I read this book (A Heart Like His) a couple of weeks ago and loved it. It inspired me to open my heart up to other people and to let people into my life. Sometimes I am really closed off and let my insecurities hold me back from serving other people or even letting myself be open to certain things. This book inspired me to open up my heart. God loves all of His children. It shouldn't be difficult for me to love God's children as well, since they are my brothers and sisters. I allow myself sometimes to have a wall up and it keeps me from feeling the love of others and letting them feel my love as well. I really enjoyed this book.


This book (The Peacegiver) is truly an amazing book. Some wonderful people gave this book to me in the first couple of days after Aaron passed away. It took me over a year to read it, but once I did read it... it changed my life. After reading this book, I looked at people differently. It helped me to see aspects of the atonement of the Savior that I had never even thought of before. There have been a handful of times in my life when I have felt a physical change in my heart. I will only mention a few of them in this posting...

Two of the times in my life when I have felt a physical change in my heart were when I fell in love with Aaron and when Aaron Jr was born. The change I felt in my heart was JOY. My heart felt like it was trying to dance and sing. That physical change in my heart was a very happy change. One of joy and gratitude. A change that I loved.

Another one of the times I felt a physical change in my heart was when Aaron passed away... I felt the pain and anguish of a broken heart. I always knew that a broken heart would bring with it emotional pain, but I never realized that having a broken heart would also bring on physical pain. It is one of the worst kinds of physical pain I have felt in my life because it is a physical pain that will not and can not be relieved by pain medication... the healing and relief from that physical pain goes hand in hand with the healing and relief from the emotional pain of a broken heart... and only TIME can help in that healing.

The other time I will tell about where I felt a physical change in my heart is when I was reading this book. This time, the physical change had to do with having a repentant heart. It was a different kind of a broken heart. This type of a broken heart was humility. Ever heard of a 'broken heart and a contrite spirit' as it talks about in the scriptures? Yeah, I felt that as I read this book. The book didn't make me feel like a horrible person at all, it just helped me to see some things in a clear way that I had not realized before regarding the atonement of Jesus Christ. I am now on my second time reading this book and things are familiar, but I feel like I am reading it again for the first time. It leaves me with a wonderful feeling and a desire to be more Christlike.

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One other book I will mention quickly that has been so great is a little quote book called 'Be Strong' compiled by Dan Zadra & Kristel Wills. I was given this book after Aaron passed away as well and it has some really neat and special quotes in it. Quotes that I have returned to many times to give me a quick boost of inspiration.

I will end this posting by sharing a few of the quotes from the little book 'Be Strong'.


'Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.'
~ Helen Keller

'The best work is done with the heart breaking, or overflowing.'
~ Mignon McLaughlin

'The best way out is always through.'
~ Robert Frost

'I will persist. I will always take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another.'
~ Og Mandino

'We define ourselves by the best that is in us, not the best that has been done to us.'
~ Edward Lewis

'We acquire the strength of that which we have overcome.'
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

'Hang in there. It is astonishing how short a time it can take for very wonderful things to happen.'
~ Frances H. Burnett

'Today I live in the quiet, joyous expectation of good.'
~ Ernest Holmen

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