Blogging and social media were waters which I had tread upon slowly and with caution. Over the last few years, they have proven to be a place where rich and meaningful bonds have been forged in my life. New friendships have been founded and old ones renewed. Life has been enhanced through each and every one.

People have often questioned as to the authenticity of friendships made online. In looking back over the years, I have discovered those which were rooted in love – for God, His Word and people – have lasted the test of time. My longest online friendship began during Beth Moore’s first online study, Believing God. There I met Bev and over the pages of that study and our Bibles, our friendship grew as our love for God did as well.

We have now shared children growing up, bridal showers, weddings, baby showers, anniversaries, and crises together. And through all of it, we have laughed, cried, and encouraged one another to hold onto our God.

It was with this in mind, I signed up to join the launch team for Choose Joy by Sara Frankl and Mary Carver. I had heard of Sara through social media but she had already left this earth by that point, so I did not ever experience the delight of getting to know her. The thoughts of her friends, as they wrote and shared of her, moved me.

Every word of this book touched me deeply – growing in me the desire to connect better, reach out to others, and to always choose joy.

This is a story of a woman’s journey with both life and death. Yet it is the living which speaks louder and more boldly with each page. Sara lived well and loved better. She valued the people God placed in her life, always sincerely more interested in them than in her own circumstances.

In the midst of struggling with a rare autoimmune disease which would eventually take her life, she chose to make others laugh and share their lives with her. She chose joy – being joyful and spreading joy to those around her.

This is what she noted about friendships:

“I never cease to be amazed how, in every stage of my life, God has opened my heart to so many friendships. I love that I have friends who make me laugh until I cry. I love that some of my friends are so shy, until they get comfortable, and then they shock the life out of me with things they say or do. I love that some friends are intellectual and planners. I love that other friends go totally on emotion and spontaneity abounds. I have friends who are so much like me I think we may be the same person, and I have friends who are so opposite of me they keep me looking at life from different angles. I love that God knew I needed all of it and placed me right where I needed to be to find each and every one of them.” (page 7)

This is a book about life and friendships and joy. I laughed. I cried. The book brought reflection about the mysterious way God weaves His people together.

Sara challenged me to love well. Truly the most important gift we can give one another is the gift of our full and undivided attention. This is the gift that will long be remembered. Even after we are gone.

Yes, I was given a copy of the book to review. It has truly been my joy, and to my own benefit, to read each word. It’s a powerful book which will impact every reader deeply.

You can read more about the book and find a reader discussion guide here.

Today I am joining … Three Word Wednesday and Women With Intention and Literacy Musing Mondays and Booknificent Thursdays .