"A person is what he/she chooses to be. We can choose to walk in love."
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Revelation Inspiration Memories by Latena Willis Trafford Publishing
book review by J A Garcia
Based on her years of experience as a pastor and the wife of a minister, Willis shares her insights on living life according to her faith. This collection of essays begins with revelations about key teachings of Christian faith. Specifically, Willis details her own struggles to love her enemies and practice forgiveness: "Try as I may, there were still people that I had trouble liking, much less loving.. ."Her personal accounts of practicing these cornerstones of Christianity reveal a straight forward approach to abiding by scriptural teachings: "We can't wait for our feelings to change…" and then forgive. We must choose to forgive." In addition to these shared revelations, this collection also includes inspirational articles, which ruminate on a wide range of topics, including brief notes on prayer, the commercialization of Christmas, and hard-earned virtues that come with spiritual maturity. Finally, Willis dedicates various essays to remembering key moments, places, and people in her life, devoting loving tributes to each one.
Less effective are passages exploring Willis' partial views on gender roles and feminism in particular, which depict movements towards equality as decidedly antithetical to Christianity. However, her essays often impart practical approaches to understanding Biblical passages. In her quest for understanding, Willis often explores a topic through word study, allowing the reader to understand a familiar concept on a more fundamental level, revealing the essential meanings of words and concepts often taken for granted. Taken together, these essays work to reveal, inspire, and memorialize the key lessons from Willis' spiritual journey.