I just finished a great book by Edward Rowell called Emma's Journal. I found myself crying at the end. Not becasue it was sad but because it was simply a beautiful story. The premise is based on the life of Emma Estes who was in an abusive relationship for most of her life. Once her husband dies and her grown children have left, she makes a life altering decision to turn everything over to God. Her journey is mainly guided by the scripture in Luke 1:80 which describes Jesus' life between His childhood and when He begins His ministry. Emma decides to live a life of purpose and to make a difference in the world around her. This is not a literary masterpiece but a simple book that brings hope. Rowell gives us a nice blueprint for improving our life each day with small steps that get us to change our bad habits into good. It is easy to read and would be appropriate for children as well (ages 10 and up). What this book did for me was two-fold. It was reassuring in the fact that people can change if they want to but it is best to set small, reachable goals that can help us get to the person we were meant to be. Living a life on purpose means that we are making conscience Godly decisions; ones grounded in our beliefs and faith. In addition, it reminded me that Jesus again provides the best example of how we should choose to live our lives. He was relational and sought people out. He engaged them in conversation (woman at the well) and truly cared for them. He did not judge, although He could, and He sought to help them see that God loved them. The heroine in the book, Emma, is an oversimplification but her journey is inspirational. Although she was not a great mother to her two children, when she decides to live a purposeful life, she becomes a great mother to so many others. The first entry in her journal reads, "When it’s time for me to go, I just want to know that my life made a difference, Lord." Isn't that something we all desire? Merry Christmas to you.