Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss

The diary began after Katherine received a new desk and writing utensils for her sixteenth birthday. Her journal contained many thoughts about herself, life and God. She came face to face with her own selfishness, weakness and lack of spiritual interest, but struggled onward. Soon married life brought many challenges and reflections. A quote from the book: "And I think some of the best, most contrite, most useful of men and women, whose prayers prevail with God, and bring down blessings into the homes in which they dwell, often possess unlovely traits that furnish them with their best discipline." An important quote from Jean Paul Friedrich Richter is "our course heavenward is like the plan of the zealous pilgrims of old, who for every three steps forward, took one backward." Earnest Christians are sure to be pleased with the wisdom for everyday life contained in this book.

Paperback 6X9, 270 pages. ISBN 9781935626879
Hardcover available here.

Elizabeth Payson (1818–1878) was born in Portland, Maine. She had a feeble constitution and often battled sickness. Her writing talent became evident at an early age and she wrote for "The Youth's Companion" magazine. She had a natural gift for teaching and taught in a school in Richmond, Virginia. She had a religious life, but it wasn't until 1840 that the love of Christ became alive in her soul. She married Rev. George Lewis Prentiss in 1845, who was a pastor and became a professor of pastoral theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York. She published "Stepping Heavenward" in 1869 and it became very popular.