The Peacegiver, James L. Farrell

I am in LOVE with this book. This is my second reading, and I'm sure there will be a third. The Old Testament and I are the kind of friends who sit by each other in class but never hang out on the weekends. I love it, and appreciate it, but I don't always get it. In The Peacegiver, Farrell talks about how we can learn from examples like Abigail and Jonah and allow ourselves to forgive others and let the Atonement heal our hearts. He offers ideas to help us become more generous in our interactions and less self-centered.

I've heard some say they don't enjoy the teaching approach Farrell employs. The book reads like fiction, the story of a man unhappy in his marriage of 12 years and unable to see anyone's suffering but his own. He dreams of his grandfather and is taught the lessons heaven sees that he needs. As readers we see into his thoughts and witness his reactions to what he is learning, which is helpful because he addresses the concerns many of us have as we attempt to apply the lessons to our own lives.

The author is LDS (Mormon) but does not cater to an LDS audience, which I appreciate. Any Bible-loving Christian could enjoy this book. I'd recommend it to anyone and everyone.