The Law of Love in Action

by Steve Young

The law of loving as God loves, seeking another’s healing, expecting nothing in return.

It’s a lot to ask. How can we apply such a law to life’s challenges—from the smallest daily offenses to seemingly insurmountable sources of pain, like abuse, infidelity, or war?

Building on his best-selling book The Law of Love, Steve Young explores the depth and breadth of how others practice living the law of love. This volume brings together a wide variety of insights and firsthand experiences. Stories include a grandpa at a family reunion, a journalist visiting a prison before a big football game, a father with a temper, a bride diagnosed with terminal cancer the day before her wedding, a broadcaster comforting survivors at a crime scene, and more.

In every situation of life, the law of love is undefeated.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Self Help, Lds

263 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 1, 2024

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous insights! I will revisit this book often!

[Cami Putnam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I already loved his first book and I loved this one just as much. I think I will order a hard copy of both. Learning how to love unconditionally and non-transactional will bring the most joy and connection to both those who are loved and those who are loving. Oh what would our world be like if everyone could read this book and apply the principles taught. What if we all looked for the good and were the good in this world? It all starts with ourselves.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really try to apply his advice on the law of love. Loving without any expectation from the person you are loving. Still working on it.

Enjoyed all of the stories and examples. I am trying to decide which book I liked the best, book one, The Law of Love or this one!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is tremendous power in storytelling to convey a principle. This book had me hooked from the prologue, and I shared it 4 other people because the message of truly loving and seeing others as God does is so powerful through the experiences Steve Young shares.

[Jason Burt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first book (and somewhat repetitive to that one), but still a great message with some thought-provoking examples and stories.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good. So inspiring. So needed in our world today.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, but then what can I say since he is my son/ Truly surprises me at the depth of the man and suh a positive and interesting book.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend

I will be re-reading this book. Each aspect of love includes real life inspiring stories. I am so inspired by this book to live by the law of love as taught in this book. Thank you, Steve Young.

[LMoody · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this second book by Steve Young, which gives powerful examples of the transformational effect of love in our lives when we truly live the Law of Love. It teaches such a profound concept—to love others with the intent of helping them find healing through Christ, rather than loving them transactionally.

I especially love how he says:

“The law of love powers the universe, it powers heaven, and it powers all perpetual places everywhere. All your worry about gaining heaven—if you knew that God had your back and you could quit worrying about yourself—you could use all that energy to go heal others. You don’t have to be weighed down with guilt, shame, fear, or anxiety about your place in heaven because it’s not about you anymore. You can be forgiven and forgiving. You can use the law to give love instead of trying to earn love. Pro tip here—no point in trying to earn love. You already earned it, no matter who you are, no matter what you’ve done. We are all wounded healers and fellow travelers on this path, and it is bumpy and brutal—sometimes devastatingly bumpy and brutal. No one is exempt. But the overarching godly intent is to grow godlike qualities. It’s the only way, because we are all similarly situated in this rough road of growth. We have to look through the diffused light of agency and opposition to find the healing nature of the Atonement of Christ, where we can help each other.”

[LeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

At times, listening to this book felt like a tough slog especially when I’d get upset with someone! The concept of loving as God loves is simple but certainly not easy! At the end, he related the story of Green Flake, a black pioneer, or specifically the story of the white descendant of Green’s enslavers. That story rang loudly in my ears. I too am a privileged white girl who several years ago was greeted with a message from Family Search about an unknown black man who needed more work done but was most likely tied to a distant branch of my ancestral family. The shame that swept over me then. The answer came as a relief: love. I need to get better at loving as God loves even for the stupid jerk driver on the road because only as I get better at loving can I help heal the scars in my family from perpetrating such a heinous crime. But I can start where I stand. I can love the ordinary, love my parents as they struggle through Alzheimer’s in their old age. I can love my mother through the 100th time she asks the same question. I can ask the Lord to allow me to be a conduit for His love. And then I can tackle harder things too. I can learn to do the work of identifying unnamed children who are part of my heritage so they can also receive the temple blessings that heals. Line upon line.

[Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the precedent book, "The Law of Love" first, would have been preferred, but the 25-page Introduction, together with the 84-pages of Part 1: Loving as God Loves, probably was a fair substitute. The rest of this book is primarily Steve's sharing of voluminous feedback from his extensive personal network of authoritative readers of the precedent book -- almost all of which was truly educational and inspiring. The clincher was Part 4: The Law of Love in Impossible Circumstances -- i. e., War and Peace; Slavery, Ongoing Racism, and Healing -- which re-awakened in me teachings from the Four Gospels of the New Testament which I had not remembered for a long time from high school Seminary, for which I am truly grateful.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I l especially loved his first book. This is mostly a compilation of how readers of that book have applied the principles he wrote about. It was a good reminder of the goal to heal others in non-transactional ways.

I loved this quote:


“A positive example is when you hit a brick wall even though you've been fasting, praying, and paying your tithing. You don't get the desired outcome, as righteous as it may be, so you fast more, pray more, and pay 20 percent tithing, trying to get God's attention or change God's mind. There's nothing wrong with increased devotion; the problem is the self-focused thinking, trying to get what you want from God. Perfectionism is the problem, not the solution. It's the wrong paradigm. Leaving the transactional paradigm helps us leave perfectionism behind.”

[Robyn Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This title is life changing..... different than a lot of self help or religious titles. Puts his first book to "work" which turns not into doing but "being" as the Savior is. So many amazing stories. These 2 books would be worth reading again. Highlighting the written book after listening to his narration would be a good study. He presented recently at BYU Education Week and I attended his class. He's fun to watch and interesting but he's an even better writer. The kind of guy I'd like to be better acquainted with. Thanks Steve!

[Larissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A follow up book to The Law Of Love. The Law of Love is an amazing book focused on how love heals. After he wrote the Law of Love, so many people wrote him about more stories that impacted their life from the law of love. Young knew he had to share these powerful stores as well so he wrote this second book. My aunt shares her story of powerful love in this book of how her neverending love helped save her son's life and saved him from addiction. SO many powerful stories in this book. A must read and a reminder of hope.

[Swhe641200 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Libby. I liked this book better than his first book. I loved all the examples of others that he included throughout the book. This book makes you look into yourself at the love you have always given throughout your life. You thought it was the pure love of God but was there times it maybe was not. It takes some additional evaluation of your life. When you thought you had done your best and right this is painful. But life is about growing, learning and listening to the Spirit to help guide throughout our lives.

[Amandalynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to a Magnify podcast where they discussed this book as a book club book. I enjoyed their conversation so much I had to listen to the book. appreciated that Steve shared others stories and not just telling his own. I love the idea of transactional when thinking about love in action. After listening I went back and relistened to the podcast. This is one that could easily be read on a regular basis, coming from someone who doesn’t enjoy rereading things.

[Alisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was more of the same as the first book but with examples from other people. I admit I got a little confused listening to it when the author was talking and when he was quoting others. Some good examples and stories. I am trying to do better living the concept but I have a long way to go. This book would be better reading a story and taking a break but I needed to finish for a reading challenge so I went through it fast and that made it feel repetitive.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Steve for using your voice to continue the conversation of love. WHY.IS.THIS.SO.HARD for some people of faith? This book made me think about my legacy. I don't care if anyone remembers my name, my career accomplishments, etc. I only want people to know that they are always welcome in my home with a hug, and they are unconditionally loved.

[Lisa Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A continuation of the conversation in the first book, The Law of Love, Steve Young shows how love is not a transactional relationship. This book digs deeper, as well as shows many examples of the Law of Love in action in people's lives.

Such a great book, and such an important idea that will help you understand God and how he loves his children, and how we should show love to him and others.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really well done. I loved all the practical areas and the different examples that was given. I really enjoyed seeing how it plays out. I still feel that the application could be spelled out a little better in terms of human nature, etc. But, I will continue turning to my favorite book on this marvelous, ultimate topic of love and that is The Bonds That Make Us Free.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was an Ecclesiastical Leader of Steve Young while he was at BYU

I have followed him ever since. He was amazing back then and he has never disappointed me then or now. He has become an excellent author. I really love his LOVE books. I highly recommend them!

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love is not transactional. This book caused a paradigm shift in me. Not that I am bad at loving others or God. But that I can give love freely. Beautiful stories and liberating ideas.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book with great counsel on living a life centered in love and acceptance. I read a library copy, but will purchase this for my personal library.

[Apzmarshl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to study, think about, and reread. This book continues on with the idea of non transactional love. Helps us understand how to become love.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wonderful. One of the most readable and life altering books I have had the pleasure of encountering.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so incredibly good!

[Angieluila Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be inspiring and helpful. I will read it again.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s always great to learn more about love. I love how we need to love others without expecting anything in return. I enjoyed listening to this.

[Mary L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great, however, I wish I had read The Law of Love first. I realized this about 40 pages into the book but kept going and am about 40 pages from finishing the Law of Love.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book and insights. I liked the first one better, but still wonderful!