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Restoring Virtue: A Testimony of Healing Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ
The path to healing is as unique as the individual who seeks it.
Restoring Virtue is a message of hope for all. This deeply personal and honest account details how Emily accessed the Atonement of Jesus Christ as a way to recover from the effects of childhood sexual abuse. Even for those who have not personally experienced the trauma of abuse, it inspires a thoughtful examination of one's personal relationship with God. The narrative highlights virtues such as honesty, love, forgiveness, and service. And affirms it is possible to achieve happiness and peace after life's darkest and most difficult challenges.
"Every time rain clouds hang on the mountains and the sun shines from the west, a full arcing double rainbow stretches over my backyard. A token sign of God's promise. Evidence that with the perfect combination of trials and hope, a testimony is born."
Restoring Virtue is a message of hope for all. This deeply personal and honest account details how Emily accessed the Atonement of Jesus Christ as a way to recover from the effects of childhood sexual abuse. Even for those who have not personally experienced the trauma of abuse, it inspires a thoughtful examination of one's personal relationship with God. The narrative highlights virtues such as honesty, love, forgiveness, and service. And affirms it is possible to achieve happiness and peace after life's darkest and most difficult challenges.
"Every time rain clouds hang on the mountains and the sun shines from the west, a full arcing double rainbow stretches over my backyard. A token sign of God's promise. Evidence that with the perfect combination of trials and hope, a testimony is born."
190 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2015
22 people are currently reading
415 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 4, 2016
Before I begin my review, I want to identify the appropriate audience for this book because it might be important to parents. Since 3/4 of this book is written like a memoir, the content requires a very mature reader even though Emily Hope did not provide graphic details of her experiences. I think all adults (victims of abuse, church leaders, teachers, or anyone who is frequently around children) should take the opportunity to read this. I almost hesitate to recommend this for teenagers because even a mature teenager might struggle with recognizing a damaging behavior than one that could help with the healing process. However, this book might give comfort to a teen who has been a victim of sexual abuse. This book, at the very least, could help a teen know that she is not alone. In a perfect situation, I'd hope that a mother and teenage daughter could read this together and discuss what is healthy behavior, and what behaviors could cause further damage. As is often the case, if a perfect situation is not possible, I hope the teenager reading this will carefully study what brought Emily peace and happiness and try to avoid the choices that brought more pain to her tragic situation. Emily Hope is very direct with the reader about what helped her and what didn't, especially in Part 2, and I hope the reader is mindful of her efforts to help the reader through his/her personal healing process.
I found this book on our bookshelf. It had been gifted to my husband by a friend but he hadn't found time to read it. I've always spent a lot of time volunteering for my church, especially with children, and currently I'm a teacher for the older teenage girls of our congregation. When I read the title, I thought about the young women I've come to love so much-- what would I do if one of them approached me to confide in me about abuse in their home? As their church leader, I hope I'd be someone they could trust to respond appropriately in a sensitive manner. So last night I began reading this book in hopes of finding the answers I could provide if that situation ever occurred. Then this morning, I let my daughter watch TV for way too long so I could finish. I had 101 things I needed to do (and have yet to do because I'm writing this review instead), but I desired to read this book.
This book was intended for a very specific audience by an LDS author, but I strongly feel that anyone who feels alone, lost, or in need of Christ's atonement will benefit from this book. I'm at a very happy place in life from a very stable family and even though I've had difficult trials I can confidently say I've had a joyful life-- even so, I found myself stopping to ponder about how much I identified with Emily and how I could use her advice and lessons to enrich my life and the life of those around me.
I loved Emily's use of scriptures, quotes from prophets, and truths of the atonement she applied throughout the book. As she notes in the beginning of the book, Restoring Virtue is not a cry for help, a complaint, or a stab at those who've hurt her. Even during the darkest points in the book, Emily acknowledges God's hand in her life and related her struggles to the gospel. I loved Emily's take on suffering:
"Trials will be part of this mortal existence, but suffering is not proof of strength. True character comes from the strength it takes to dedicate oneself to God. He allowed me to suffer until I realized my salvation was only through Him. My trials stripped me of everything, and then in His time, God took my empty shell and filled it with His pure love."
Too many times, I've seen this happen in my own life, when I was struggling until I remembered to turn to my Heavenly Father. "O remember, remember, my sons... yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved , only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world." Helaman 5:9
I loved how Emily grew from a hurt victim of sexual abuse, to a strong young woman beginning to recognize her individual worth, and finally into a mother and woman of service. Her journey was heartbreaking, but powerful. The moment my heart leaped for joy was when Emily brought a homemade gift to her grandfather and said, "But this time the gift I gave was not to prove that I was worth loving, but to be a vessel for God's love." How amazing is that? Emily had every right to be bitter and distrustful and could've turned her hurt against God. But instead she nurtured her faith until she could use her trials to become a compassionate, loving woman and a servant of God. I admire her for writing this book, for revealing her pain to the world in hopes of uplifting others who've suffered similar experiences. I can't imagine the courage that required. She immediately made me think of the scripture Matthew 9:22 "And when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour."
Of course, the purpose of my reading this book was to seek guidance on how to help others if they need my support in a tragic situation-- whether that be my own children someday, a family member, a friend, or a sister in my congregation. Part One taught me to be understanding of what abuse victims might be suffering. Part Two offered direct guidance on how to provide support. The scripture Emily Hope provided was perfect: "As ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things, and in all places, that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life" Mosiah 18:8-9
A powerful message I hope every reader who is a victim and everyone trying to offer support to these victims remembers Emily's words: "Sexual abuse thrives on silence." I hope this book encourages victims to reach out and confide in the right people and turn to the atonement during your healing process. And I hope this book will guide parents, teachers, and church leaders to be the person they can turn to.
For everyone in all walks of life:
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." Helaman 5:12
I found this book on our bookshelf. It had been gifted to my husband by a friend but he hadn't found time to read it. I've always spent a lot of time volunteering for my church, especially with children, and currently I'm a teacher for the older teenage girls of our congregation. When I read the title, I thought about the young women I've come to love so much-- what would I do if one of them approached me to confide in me about abuse in their home? As their church leader, I hope I'd be someone they could trust to respond appropriately in a sensitive manner. So last night I began reading this book in hopes of finding the answers I could provide if that situation ever occurred. Then this morning, I let my daughter watch TV for way too long so I could finish. I had 101 things I needed to do (and have yet to do because I'm writing this review instead), but I desired to read this book.
This book was intended for a very specific audience by an LDS author, but I strongly feel that anyone who feels alone, lost, or in need of Christ's atonement will benefit from this book. I'm at a very happy place in life from a very stable family and even though I've had difficult trials I can confidently say I've had a joyful life-- even so, I found myself stopping to ponder about how much I identified with Emily and how I could use her advice and lessons to enrich my life and the life of those around me.
I loved Emily's use of scriptures, quotes from prophets, and truths of the atonement she applied throughout the book. As she notes in the beginning of the book, Restoring Virtue is not a cry for help, a complaint, or a stab at those who've hurt her. Even during the darkest points in the book, Emily acknowledges God's hand in her life and related her struggles to the gospel. I loved Emily's take on suffering:
"Trials will be part of this mortal existence, but suffering is not proof of strength. True character comes from the strength it takes to dedicate oneself to God. He allowed me to suffer until I realized my salvation was only through Him. My trials stripped me of everything, and then in His time, God took my empty shell and filled it with His pure love."
Too many times, I've seen this happen in my own life, when I was struggling until I remembered to turn to my Heavenly Father. "O remember, remember, my sons... yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved , only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world." Helaman 5:9
I loved how Emily grew from a hurt victim of sexual abuse, to a strong young woman beginning to recognize her individual worth, and finally into a mother and woman of service. Her journey was heartbreaking, but powerful. The moment my heart leaped for joy was when Emily brought a homemade gift to her grandfather and said, "But this time the gift I gave was not to prove that I was worth loving, but to be a vessel for God's love." How amazing is that? Emily had every right to be bitter and distrustful and could've turned her hurt against God. But instead she nurtured her faith until she could use her trials to become a compassionate, loving woman and a servant of God. I admire her for writing this book, for revealing her pain to the world in hopes of uplifting others who've suffered similar experiences. I can't imagine the courage that required. She immediately made me think of the scripture Matthew 9:22 "And when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour."
Of course, the purpose of my reading this book was to seek guidance on how to help others if they need my support in a tragic situation-- whether that be my own children someday, a family member, a friend, or a sister in my congregation. Part One taught me to be understanding of what abuse victims might be suffering. Part Two offered direct guidance on how to provide support. The scripture Emily Hope provided was perfect: "As ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things, and in all places, that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life" Mosiah 18:8-9
A powerful message I hope every reader who is a victim and everyone trying to offer support to these victims remembers Emily's words: "Sexual abuse thrives on silence." I hope this book encourages victims to reach out and confide in the right people and turn to the atonement during your healing process. And I hope this book will guide parents, teachers, and church leaders to be the person they can turn to.
For everyone in all walks of life:
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." Helaman 5:12
October 18, 2016
What an AMAZING read! I highly recommend everyone read it at least three times in their lifetime. Even though I have never been a victim of sexual abuse, this book was so relatable and brought so much enlightenment to my eyes. I went to read a few pages and before I knew it, I read 80 pages in the first sitting! The author has a way of captivating the audience with such feelings as she relates the events that took place in her life and how they got her to the place she is at now. No matter what you have been through in your life, "Restoring Virtue" is a book that will strengthen your testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. This is a book I will keep with me to be re-read time and time again. Wonderful wonderful book and testimony of the atonement! I can't praise it enough.
August 17, 2017
This is an incredible book that shows the author's struggles as she tried to overcome a childhood of sexual assault through the teachings of Jesus Christ. Even though this is written specifically for victims of sexual abuse, it is a book that is helpful to anyone who struggles with pain or heartache. This taught me so much about the Atonement and even though I haven't gone through what the author went through, much of what she said resonated with me and the things I've gone through. I definitely recommend this to anyone who is struggling with overcoming pain in their life and want to use the Savior's love and Atonement to do so.
February 3, 2016
This book is for more than just those who have been haunted by childhood abuse. It’s a story of growth and spiritual healing. It’s beautiful. Intermixed with quotes from church leaders and scriptures--plus Emilisms; little truths Emily has come to know--this book is an inspiration about how one woman overcame fear, guilt, and despair to find love, hope, and redemption through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. A great book for anyone who struggles.
April 2, 2016
The author explains the principles through her own experiences, but as she says in her book, 'pain is universal'. It doesn't really matter what we need healing from. Christ is the answer.
December 3, 2016
What a courageous young lady! Applause for seeing the light and God for leading you to it.
January 16, 2021
This is a courageous book about the author’s abuse and healing. It is about truth and faith. It is about love and forgiveness, hard times and joy
March 17, 2018
A very deeply moving memoir that found interesting
October 18, 2018
Good
This book was ok.it teach about the blood of Jesus and he did on the cross.The book was just ok
This book was ok.it teach about the blood of Jesus and he did on the cross.The book was just ok
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April 13, 2018I this book for free from the author/publisher in response for an honest review of the book. I have not had the opportunity to read this book at this time. I will add my
review of this book once I have read the book. Thank k you for allowing me the optometrist review your work. I look forward to reading this book.
review of this book once I have read the book. Thank k you for allowing me the optometrist review your work. I look forward to reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews