The Invitation

If with all your hearts ye truly seek me,
Ye shall ever surely find me.
-Children’s Songbook, 15

In this opening chapter, the author talks about an invitation that her sister received one day in the mail. A box was delivered to her house from a friend. The box contained four items: a nutcracker, two round-trip airline tickets to San Francisco, a gift certificate for a hotel and an invitation to a Christmas party that was to last all weekend. I would love to have a friend like that. The author liked this invitation so much because it contained a treasure (the Nutcracker), a journey (this airline tickets and hotel stay) and a celebration (the party).

Emily Freeman, the author, wrote this book with those three things in mind. Her invitation definitely got my attention and just as she was excited about the above invitation, I am excited about her invitation to me.

The invitation is for all who read her book to take a journey and come to know the Savior, Jesus Christ and how He works in our daily lives. We are invited to see the hand of the Lord each day.

Throughout the book, which is filled with many different invitations, everyone should start seeing treasures that will make the journey more meaningful. I have read the book all the way through and have already started finding these treasures. One such treasure is the desire I have to draw closer to my Savior and really know Him and what He has done for me. I have a desire to better understand and apply His Atonement in my life. I’m excited as I embark on this journey to better understand Jesus Christ’s role in my life.

The celebration should come as challenges are met and as you realize those moments that are meaningful to you and help you draw closer to Christ. I think the whole book will be a celebration for me.

I am excited to see the changes that will take place in me. I’m grateful that I can keep track of them through this blog. I hope that you will share your thoughts and experiences with me as well. This will be a wonderful journey. I’m going to choose to do the challenges daily. I want to do it this way so that I can have this journey completed by Easter. If you want to do the same, then you must start no later than March 14, 2010. Starting on the 14th will allow you to finish Easter Eve. I will be posting each day that I do a challenge. If you are joining, make sure to read all of the entries. I hope that you will join me in this journey.

“You are embarking on
something which is going to
take the whole of you.”

-C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 78