A blog to help you decide what to read

About the Author

Elizabeth Prentiss was born in 1818 to revival preacher Edward Payson. Having grown up surrounded by a family who loved and served the Lord with all they had, Mrs. Prentiss’ books reflect her strong foundation in Christian principles. At the age of sixteen, she began having her work published. The purpose of her writing was to inspire her readers in the areas of patience, faithfulness, hope, and righteousness by showing that trusting in and obeying God will bring brightness to even the darkest situations.

Some of the other books she authored include The Little Preacher, Little Lou’s Sayings and Doings, and The Old Brown Pitcher. She also wrote the hymn More Love to Thee, O Christ.

About the Book

Although Stepping Heavenward is a fictional book, many of the main events throughout it are based upon incidents that happened to the author while a girl and eventually a mother. Written in the form of a diary, Mrs. Prentiss engages the reader with stories, thoughts, worries, and other happenings that take place in the life a young woman. The first journal entry is written on the girl, Katherine’s, sixteenth birthday and the book takes the reader on a journey far into this character’s adulthood. The writer realistically tells of her many struggles and failures and how she overcomes them.

At many times, Katherine despairs of herself, wondering how her mother could still love such an ungrateful and shameful person as herself. Her mother’s exemplary gentleness and patience, as well as others in her life such as her pastor, slowly but surely mold her into the young woman that she becomes.

What’s Inside the Book

Early on in the book, Katherine and her mother heard of a sick old woman who needed help. Mother wanted to leave immediately to visit the woman, but since mother had a dreadful cold herself, Katherine dissuaded her. Then Mother requested her daughter to go in her stead. Katherine replied, “Oh, Mother! That dirty old woman!” Her mother said nothing. No sooner had the girl returned to her piano playing than she jumped up and gathered her things to call on the sick woman. It turned out that the woman died later that evening, while Katherine was by her side. But before the ill woman had died, Katherine, who had been at first disgusted with going to visit a sickbed, had led her patient to find saving grace at the foot of the cross.

Later on in Katherine’s diary, and after heart-wrenching sorrows of loosing loved ones, the young woman becomes engaged and married to a doctor. This new step of her life brings its joys as well as its sorrows. Most of the time, though, she feels as though this stage in her life brings only sadness. Her husband is away from home much of the time, visiting his patients, and she feels rejected by him. One disaster after the next comes upon the young family. Their oldest and healthiest son is suddenly taken by a fatal sickness. Unwanted relatives take up space in their small house. Her mother dies. Finally, pulled through tests and trials, Katherine mentally lets go of all her worldly cares and possessions. She finally is able to see only the joy in life. Christ is the center of her life, her marriage, her household; and she is content with where God has placed her.

When the journal ends, she is continuing her life as a wife and mother, but she is happy in God’s tender loving arms.

This book provides a glimpse into the life, the struggles, the faith, the worries, the thoughts of a girl and woman trying with all her might to be an obedient child of God.

What others thing of this book

Elisabeth Elliot, wife of famous missionary martyr Jim Elliot, says good things of Stepping Heavenward: “This book is a treasure of both godly and womanly wisdom told with disarming candor and humility, yet revealing a deep heart’s desire to know God. We desperately need such intimate accounts when the word commitment is so little understood and so seldom practiced. I recommend it to any woman who wants to walk with God, and to men also, who need to better understand the wives they live with.”

Christian author Joni Eareckson Tada stated that “this book will serve as a guide for the Christian woman who desires to leave behind the dull, dry indifference of spiritual mediocrity to discover the rich, deep joy of knowing Jesus more fully.”

Author’s inspiration

After reading this book, I dug up my dusty old diary and began it again, only with a new vision. In years past, I had written in it for no real purpose, writing of the weather and activities I had accomplished during the day. It had been an almost daily affair. Now, I write in my journal only when I actually have something to say, which is usually every month or two. Instead of commenting on day-to-day life, I describe my feelings, write out strengths and weaknesses in my walk with God, and tell of concerns and answered prayers. In years to come, reading over my thoughts from years past will bring encouragement and spark thankfulness by reminding me of God’s goodness.