“Gifts of Self-Esteem” by Mary Jane Woodger carries a subtitle: “Obtaining Spiritual Gifts and Strengthening Self-Perception.” That, in a nutshell, describes the whole book, but it’s not just a useful volume for someone who struggles with a negative view of themselves. There are many different angles to this book and it would be a wonderful gift for anyone who is seeking to draw closer to the Lord in any aspect of their lives.
We begin with a chapter called “Combatting the Ds.” The “Ds” are: Depression, Despair, Despondency, being Dismissed, Discouragement, Doubt, being Discounted, and feeling Dead. These are all emotions/feelings we have when trying situations arise in our lives. As the book progresses, we learn many spiritual truths – that staying close to the Lord can give us the strength we need to overcome these Ds, and that He is never the author of discouragement. He wants us to succeed and has given us the tools we need to do it, if we’ll listen to His words.
One of my favorite chapters is “Being as Abraham.” Abraham, as we know, was promised that he would have many descendants, but as he became an old man and still had not had any children, it seemed that this promise would not be fulfilled. And yet it was – he and his wife Sarah had a baby boy in their old age, and named him Isaac. However, Abraham was later asked to sacrifice his only son. During this time, Abraham didn’t turn his back on God – he believed there was a reason for the commandment and that the Lord would bless him, even to helping him raise his son from the dead. We are reminded that all of us go through what might be called Abrahamic trials, when it seems we’re being asked to give everything we have. We may feel picked on, or that the Lord doesn’t love us, or that life just isn’t fair. But the Lord feels after our heartstrings to see where our loyalties truly lie, and He will bless us more abundantly than we ever thought possible.
Additional chapters in the book discuss charity, having hope, and discovering our individual gifts. Every chapter is filled with quotes from General Authorities and other noted experts – a lot of research went in to finding these supporting statements. I came away from this read feeling a renewed sense of my own worth as a daughter of God and a determination to keep moving ahead, even when the road seems hard. It will all be worth it in the end.
(This book was published in 2007 by Cedar Fort.)
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