About the book: Our earliest scripture tells the story of those who thought they could build a structure high enough to get to heaven, and of the consequences of that mistaken belief. In contrast, the prophet Jacob dreamed of a ladder sent down from heaven by God, with rungs—steps—that we could ascend to return to Him. In The Way Back to Heaven: The Parable of the Crystal Stairs, award-winning author S. Michael Wilcox helps us discern the "stairs of man" from the "stairs of God." Using the metaphor of a beautiful crystal stairway, he shows us the difference between a focus on "being and becoming" and "believing and doing" in our life's journey. While we may think we know the steps we'll need to take, the author suggests some unexpected—even counterintuitive—yet essential stairs each of us will encounter as we make our way back to our Father in Heaven.
My review: As I was reading this book, it reminded me of a few scripture stories from different places. I was reminded of the great and spacious building in Lehi's dream and also of the way the people tried to build their own staircase to get to Heaven. Both of those stories are examples of the way that men on Earth try to use their own wisdom to get back to Heaven rather than listening to the Holy Spirit and living prophets to see the way that the Lord has designed for us to get back to Heaven. I enjoyed this book and the way that S. Michael Wilcox used a dream that he had to make his own parable that is easy for the rest of us to understand to teach us how to find our way back to Heaven. Make sure to check out this great book!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
About the author: S. Michael Wilcox received his PhD from the University of Colorado and taught for many years at the LDS Institute of Religion adjacent to the University of Utah. He has spoken to packed crowds at BYU Education Week and has hosted tours to the Holy Land and to Church history sites. He has served in a variety of callings, including as bishop and counselor in a stake presidency. He has written many articles and books, including House of Glory, Sunset, 10 Great Souls I Want to Meet in Heaven, and Finding Hope. He and his late wife, Laurie, are the parents of five children.Labels: Deseret Book, LDS non-fiction, S Michael Wilcox
