"Being Enough" by Chieko N. Okazaki

"What you have to give is enough - if you give it with all your heart."

What a wonderful and uplifting book! I had previously read Lighten Up and Sanctuary both by Chieko N. Okazaki before purchasing this more recent book. Sister Okazaki has a talent for presenting womanhood in a realistic and down-to-earth way and at the same time sharing how we can experience holiness and spiritual growth in our day-to-day living.

This book is broken down into 12 chapters; each chapter being a mini-sermon on a specific topic. "Being Enough" is the title and subject of chapter one, and one of my favorite sections of the entire book. In this chapter she reminds us that we as women ARE doing and being enough if we are truly doing the best we can and relying on the help of our Savior:

"It is probably true that our own wisdom is inadequate, our own love too quickly exhausted, our own patience in short supply, our own resources too scanty, our own capability too limited, our own talents too stunted. But the good news of the gospel is that we are not alone. This mortal probation is not a test of any of those things. It is an invitation to walk with faith with the Savior, and his promis is that he will make up all of our deficiencies. That's what grace means. That's what grace is for. If we will give Christ our trust, then he will provide everything we lack..."

Another chapter that I loved was entitled "Sparrow Prayers." I believe we have all experienced the feeling that a prayer has gone unanswered or unlistened to. Heavenly Father DOES hear our prayers although they may not be answered when or how we would like them to. Sister Okazaki reminds us that our prayers are listened to and answered - Heavenly Father sometimes sends some sunshine into our lives before we even ask for it and at unexpected times - these are blessings she calls sparrow prayers.

"It's been my experience that sparrow prayers are delightful surprises, happy little 'I love you' messages from God. And since one of their characteristics is that they're not the kind of answers that finds a cure for cancer or stops a war, they're always astonishing because they didn't have to be answered. So they're also always characterized by pure grace and love. They're unbirthday presents. They're surprise packages."

I give this book **** stars. This is the kind of book that you can sit down and read any chapter, take some time to think about it and feel good about the things in life that you are accomplishing.