I’ve been reading a book I find I must talk about here in these pages. It’s titled The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith—and it’s absolutely life-changing.
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Hannah Whitall Smith
Taken from my brown “Dragon” journal on February 1, 2022
A Brief Overview of The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life
First of all, the boldness and courage with which Miss (Mrs.?) Smith presents her ideas remind me of what the scribes said of Jesus—that he spoke with authority. Smith speaks with such authority that could only mean she herself had been on—and had overcome/survived—many a battlefield for the Lord.
The book was written in 1875 by Smith, who was born into a Quaker family in 1832. This means she was forty-three when she wrote it! Over 10 MILLION copies of her book have been sold! I guess there’s hope for my writing after all at nearly [at the time of this entry] forty-two years of age myself!
Paying it Forward: Where to Get the Book for Free
So far, all her ideas and insights have been scripturally sound. I downloaded the book to my new Kindle Paperwhite in the beginning of December 2021. It was free for the Kindle version. That makes it a good candidate to “pay it forward” to someone else in the future [which is what I’m doing now in this blog entry].
Topics Covered in The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life
Subjects tackled in The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life include various difficulties in the Christian life concerning:
I’m about halfway through the book, and Smith’s take on the Will, Guidance, and Doubts alone have changed the way I view victory in the Christian walk forever. I ca n definitely see this as becoming a book I’ll read every year, if not multiple times a year—at least in certain sections—to refresh my faith.
Personal Insights from The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life
It’s nice to know that God places other people in our lives to complement His Word. Preachers, teachers, pastors, (see Ephesians 4:11–13), musicians, writers, artists, and various other callings—all serve to edify the body of Christ, the Church.
If one part of the body is injured, not every remedy will necessarily work the same for that particular member. God's Word works for everyone, but sometimes a spiritual supplement is needed, just as it is with our earthly bodies.
It is those who are called (and their callings) that carry out the work of the Word; that contribute to its organic, living nature. Ephesians 4:11 didn’t say "He (Jesus) gave some the Word, others the Word, etc." Rather, He gave to us those individuals who would deliver and live out the Word in this physical realm. Those who are weak, foolish, and base, that they might confound the mighty, the wise, and the popular.
Yes, it’s a joy to know I can be “happy” in my calling for, and walk with, the Lord!
God's Word works for everyone, but sometimes a spiritual supplement is needed, just as it is with our earthly bodies.
- me
Update 12/30/22: Since originally writing this entry, I've finished the book. In fact, I've just recently started another by Smith entitled The God of All Comfort, and it's proving to be a great book as well.
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