When my grandchildren were small, they had a favorite book at my house that was read to each child a thousand times, or at least, that’s the way I remember it. The title was Jan Lewis’ Fairy Tales,¹ and contained four popular childhood stories: “The Ugly Duckling,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Cinderella,” and “The Three Little Pigs.” The book was large and colorful, with amazing imagery of those childhood characters. Yet, the authors had added a nice touch to their rendition of these timeless stories that caused great delight as we turned from page to page.

At the beginning of each story, the reader learns that an unfamiliar creature is hidden within the familiar scenes, along with how many times it appears in each story. It was a race to see which child could spot the creature first, and each sighting was celebrated with loud cheers! Page after page, we looked for a mouse, a caterpillar, or a little black bird, keeping count of the sightings as the story progressed. My grandkids have long outgrown that book, yet we all have fond memories of moments together while glued to this entertaining book.

In March of 2023, I spoke at a book signing event in Claremore, Oklahoma, a community where I spent twenty years of my life. It was a thrill to connect again with many wonderful friends. One of those friends made me an offer that day. She said, “I’d like to trade you one of my books for one of your books, if that works for you.” It absolutely worked for me!

I didn’t know my friend, Kay Henry, very well when we lived closer to each other, but our renewed friendship has brought joy to both of us. We never tire of talking about everything books! Today, I want to tell you about her and her wonderful devotional book—Living in the Light, A Journey of Goodness and Mercy.

You may wonder what my grandkids’ story has to do with Kay’s book. I simply say, “Much!” I had no expectations as I began to read her book, but I soon discovered something. Tucked within the well-written pages about the amazing God she serves, you will find hidden surprises, or snippets (as her husband calls them) on every page. It’s not unusual to run across a “Hallelujah!” or “Praise the Lord!” right where you don’t expect it. Kay dots her writings with mention of things that bring a smile, such as lyrics from Fiddler on the Roof, her husband’s homemade sourdough bread, or calling homemade jam a “love language.”

My friend’s life has been surrounded by Christians, be it family, friends, church, or career—Kay has lived life with God. She knows Him well; she knows the scriptures well; she has lived the Christ-life well. And in her book, she shares it with her readers so very well. I have no qualms in saying that Kay has and is living in the light! The statement on the back of her book cover is totally true: “Reading Living in the Light will stimulate ah-ha moments, switching on spiritual light bulbs so you can discover and rediscover….”

Her writing style amuses me, and I love her down-to-earth conversations. She writes: “In our daily lives, we say good morning to our family and hope for good news, good times, and good company. We want to look good, do good, and be good. We want our children to be as good as gold, our food to be finger-lickin’ good, our coffee to be good to the last drop, and our investments to be in good hands.”

Kay and her husband, Joe, have visited the Holy Land, and she shares the sights and sounds she discovered there. The richness of her written thoughts, all intricately woven together with scriptures, bring wealth to our own experiences of communing with God. I recently confessed to her that I am jealous of her vocabulary, knowing full-well that jealousy isn’t a good attribute to have. However, that word truly reflects how I feel about her mastery of the English language.

Kay’s book challenges us to think about what we do and why we do it, getting right to the heart of the matter. She also places us front and center into the story: “Sunrise at the Sea of Galilee is the setting for Jesus’s post-resurrection breakfast reunion with Peter and other disciples. He spoke important words to Peter that laid the groundwork for Peter’s ongoing calling.” And then surprise! She plunges us straight into the story with this thought-provoking question: “Are you willing to meet Jesus for sunrise rendezvous?”

I’m quite sure that Kay has met her Lord in a sunrise rendezvous. We’re even challenged by her devotional titles: “What Is Your Soul Worth?” “Has Your Salt Lost Its Flavor?” and “Why Do You Fail To Obey Me?” Yet just as quickly as we are confronted, Kay renders answers that stir deep: “Surrendered submission is stubborn disobedience that has been prayed over.”

Kay spent much of her career in church ministries and authored preschool resources. She also served as an assistant vice president at Oklahoma Baptist University in leading alumni and donor projects. After retiring in Claremore, she was invited to write a column for the Claremore Daily Progress, which would appear on the newspaper’s “Faith” page. Unquestionably, they picked the right person for the task.

Kay’s book can be purchased at her website www.kayhenrybook.com or any major book retailer. You won’t be disappointed—I promise!

~ Sarah Jane

¹Amery, Heather, Mick Wells, and Bob Mathias, Jan Lewis’ Fairy Tales, (London, UK: Tucker Slingsby Ltd, 1998)