“CLOSER TO CHRIST,” by Emily Belle Freeman, Deseret Book, $19.99, 364 pages (nf)
What began as a letter to help a sibling is now a book with more than 350 pages to help readers get a little bit closer to Jesus Christ every day.
“Sometimes you just need a place to start, a reminder of how near the Lord is, a little bit of home,” author Emily Belle Freeman writes in the introduction of “Closer to Christ,” which includes her companion books “21 Days Closer to Christ” and "Becoming His: A Daily Journey Toward Discipleship.”
The first of the letters she wrote to her brother became the Day Six chapter of “21 Days Closer to Christ.” And each of the 21 chapters started as a letter to her brother, she writes.
Emily Belle Freeman is the author of “Closer to Christ.”
Deseret Book
Each chapter of “21 Days Closer to Christ” includes a short personal experience, how it relates to the Savior and an explanation, long with an invitation to do something (or a couple of things) to help bring the reader closer to Jesus Christ. Each is meant to build on the previous one and is realistic for the timeframe. These are smaller steps along a larger journey.
In “Becoming His,” there are 12 parts designed for each month. Within the parts are four themes — one for each week — with things to consider, act on, ponder and become, with simple invitations for each one. Also, at the end of the parts is a “Solo Time” section with scriptures to read.
“Becoming is an interesting process,” Freeman writes at the beginning of “Becoming His.” “It takes us from where we are to where we want to be.”
Freeman also notes that the timing is up to the reader on how long he or she spends in each part.
“This path will include moments for learning, growing and stretching,” Freeman writes.
“21 Days Closer to Christ” was published in 2007 and “Becoming His” was published in 2015.