What I'm Reading Wednesday

I mostly read fiction, but this week I've been reading a non-fiction book called, The Decision That Changed My Life, by Ganel-Lyn Condie. It is riveting.

It starts out with an inspiring author's note of her journey in putting together this book and how decisions changed her direction. There was also a foreward by Gene Cook of how a decision to change his career affected his entire life. I knew as soon as I read those, that if it were as good as those two stories, I would love this book.

And I did.

There were so many stories that I loved, from people I've long admired and looked up to like Janice Kapp Perry, T.C Christensen, and Kathryn Gordon. Janice Kapp Perry talked about her sports "career" and how she ended up writing some of the most touching gospel music I've sung. There was a story by Whitney Laycock and her father Brad Wilcox that touched my heart, as well as one about T.C. Christensen that is unforgettable. I loved all of the stories that were included, though, and thought about them long after I finished the book.

The unique thing about this book, however, is not only do they include the stories of decisions that changed lives, but they also include a "ripple effect" story written by family and friends who were affected by the decisions made. Sometimes we don't think about how we can influence the lives of those around us and this was a good reminder as I read their perspective on each person's choice and how it changed them. I loved all the behind the scenes peeks of how each decision was a struggle and sometimes the individual just wasn't sure they'd made the right choice, but looking back, they can see the blessings that came from the adversity. This is definitely a book for my keeper shelf.

You can download your Kindle copy here

Here's the back copy:

Whether making life-changing choices or considering seemingly small day-to-day decisions, to choose oftentimes means to take a step into the unknown.

In The Decision That Changed My Life, author Ganel-Lyn Condie explores some of the life-altering choices made by sixteen notable and everyday Latter-day Saints and the chain of events that followed those decisions that affected other people's lives. From the broad impact of Janice Kapp Perry's course-changing decision to pursue music to the significance of Chris Carter's converting to the gospel as a young boy, each story demonstrates the potential ripple effects of our decisions. While following the promptings of the Spirit without a full understanding of the outcome requires great faith, sometimes making that one decision has the power to change our lives—and the world.