I bet I can make you smile!

Even though we’re not living through the Great Depression, it sure feels like it, doesn’t it?

The headlines are depressing.  The economy stinks.  Businesses are closing.  Families are losing their homes.  Things are a mess in Washington. 

If you’re like me, I’m sure you know someone who is having a really rough time right now.  Someone who has lost his job.  Someone who has been dealing with a serious illness in her family.  Someone who has lost a loved one.  Someone who is battling cancer.  Someone who has a teenage child that’s bringing strife to the family.  Someone who has a tyrannical boss.  Someone who is feeling alone and depressed.   

Life is a challenge and can very often be quite overwhelming.  We all know people who are suffering.  Family members.  Loved ones.  Friends.  Neighbors.  Co-workers.  Fellow church goers. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could bring a little joy into their life and put a smile on their face? 

Well, I would like to try to help.  My name is Anthony DeStefano.  You may have heard of me because I’ve written a few books, two of them for children: Little Star and This Little Prayer of Mine. And several for adults: A Travel Guide to Heaven, Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To, and The Invisible World.

I’m not new to suffering. Over the years I’ve dealt with a lot of it. Especially family illnesses. Without going into any details, I can only say that it’s been a rough few years for me. During that time, I’ve done my best to cheer up the people closest to me. Sometimes I’ve been successful, and sometimes not. But through it all, I kept remembering that old saying: “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

So I stopped talking and put together a little book filled with adorable pictures of children reacting to all that life has to throw at them. Then I came up with some captions which I thought seemed light and inspirational, but at the same time had a deeper message—a message of spiritual consolation—and I gave the book to some of my family and friends who were hurting.

I’m happy to say that the reaction I got was always the same. Slowly, as they turned the pages, I noticed that they began to grin. By the time they turned to the last page of the book, looked at the last picture, and read the last caption, that tiny grin had become a big smile.  And the look on their faces told me that, if only for a moment, they’d been able to put their troubles behind them and allow these children to remind them of just how beautiful life truly is and how much God loves them and cares for them.

It was then that I realized that I had to share this little book with others who are feeling down and need a quick spiritual pick-me-up.

Well, the book is called I Just Can’t Take It Anymore! and it is being published by Harvest House Press in just a few weeks! If you think you know someone who might be able to benefit from this book, or if you, yourself, would like to read it, please do me the honor of reviewing a few sample pages. If you like those, you can click here to pre-order the book from Amazon.com. Thank you very much!

Anthony DeStefano