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Author Tyson offers a serious study of the stages of spiritual life based on Christian teaching. The book begins with a portrait of God (the first chapter heading) drawn from biblical revelations. He is the eternal and omniscient creator, revealing Himself in many ways. But sin, imbued by disobedience in the Garden of Eden, gave Satan great power over events, often preventing humanity from accessing God's word. Jesus Christ came to change people and provide them with a pathway to redemption, a means of battling evil. Through the abiding truth of Christ's sacrifice, people can achieve salvation, activated by the Holy Spirit that Jesus sent to "guide and lead" after his departure from earthly life. Through salvation comes sanctification, an increasingly righteous tendency that emerges once a person has been saved. The reward for these newfound spiritual attitudes and actions to renounce sin in all its aspects is eternal life.
Tyson is a retired schoolteacher who is now very active in church life in several notable roles. She has organized this narrative with great care. She includes many quotations from both the Old and New Testaments. This task was undoubtedly time-consuming, requiring both a knowledge of the material and diligence in matching the quotes to the relevant portions of her book. The part focused on Jesus Christ is the longest, delving into both His life and its aftermath in the foundation of the religion that arose. Perhaps most fascinating is her description of the elements of sanctification, which, as she has explored and likely experienced it, does not imply sainthood but rather a genuine change of perspective, a deep desire to bring all parts of one's life into agreement with Christian principles. Thoughtful Christians will appreciate Tyson's efforts in composing this intelligent view.