stepping heavenward by elizabeth prentiss is one of my most favorite books. it is written in diary form and recounts the trials young katherine mortimer encounters as she endeavors to become a godly woman. i've read it 3 or 4 times now, and each time i benefit from reading it because i find myself understanding katherine more and more. the problems depicted in this story are devastatingly easy to relate to. reading about katherine's failures at "being good" and her open displays of a stubborn, sinful nature challenges the reader to reckon with their own sin issues. an excellent instrument for examining your life and enriching your spiritual walk.