Count it All Joy

by Sherrie Mills Johnson

We've all heard the saying, "If life hands you a lemon, make lemonade," But the big question is how? Count It All Joy: Finding Peace In A Troubled World explains just that. New ways of thinking, practical strategies, and real life examples make this book a must read life changer.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Book Club, Self Help

Unknown Binding

First published November 9, 2014

About the author

I began writing when I was five years old. I wrote, illustrated, collated, and stapled together my own books and went door to door selling them. I think writing is in my blood--or maybe ink flows where blood should be. I love writing fiction. I love writing non-fiction. I adore poetry and delight in the feeling of words flowing through me and landing on the page to create a poem. I'm hopelessly in love with words and often find myself repeating a word over and over just to hear the music it makes. I also love the challenge of putting the right words together so children can understand. You get the idea. I'm addicted to words and books--reading and writing them.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I expect I'll reread this several times. It was excellent! I recommend this to anyone who's LDS and has feelings.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since buying this book I’ve read it every year (except for 2018 & 2021). It is a wonderful reminder to “be of good cheer.” (Matthew 9:2, Matthew 14:27, Mark 6:50, John 16:33, Acts 23:11, Acts 27:22, Alma 17:31, 3 Nephi 1:13, Doctrine and Covenants 61:36, 68:6, 78:18, 112:4)

I went to a presentation by the author at the August BYU 2015 Education Week. She talked about the power of words in such a powerful manner than I changed my planned schedule to attend the class she had the next hour. When she casually mentioned that she had written a book, I wanted it to have a more complete description of what she was presenting. I immediately looked for a book by her on Amazon and purchased it before the class was over. This book is just what I wanted. It covers the material presented in the lecture series. It made a nice review, and filled in the parts that I didn’t quite catch when I heard them.

"When my children were growing up, we had a rule in our house: you can argue and fight all you want, but you have to sing it. It was amazing. You can’t sing and be angry at the same time." (Page 110 in Chapter 11)

Chapter 6 includes Repentance and Sacrifice as sections within the chapter.

Chapter 7
CAUSES OF UNNECESSARY PAIN
Like necessary pain, unnecessary pain is caused by four things:
1- Sin
2- Fighting against the truth
3- Trying to avoid necessary pain
4- Denying Jesus Christ

Chapter 11: Truth Tools
1- Distraction Tool
2- QuestioningTool
3- Revision Tool
4- The Good Courage Tool
5- The Affirmative-Talk Tool
6- The Anchoring Tool
7- The Music Tool
8- Curiosity
9- Humor
10- Wordsmithing

Chapter Twelve: Gospel Principles as Truth Tools
1- Gratitude
2- Service
3- Forgiveness
4- Repentance
5- Sacrament
6- Prayer



Table of Contents
Chapter One: Painting Targets
Chapter Two: What Is Truth?
Chapter Three: The Pit of Illusion
Chapter Four: Dwelling with the Spirit
Chapter Five: The Truth about Pain
Chapter Six: Necessary Pain
Chapter Seven: Unnecessary Pain
Chapter Eight: Anger and Fear
Chapter Nine: Telestial Cultural Shock
Chapter Ten: Storytelling
Chapter Eleven: Truth Tools
Chapter Twelve: Gospel Principles as Truth Tools
Chapter Thirteen: The Truth Test
1. I feel ... because ...
2. What is my expectation?
3. Is this expectation the truth and nothing but the truth?
4. Can I fix it?
5. How would I feel if I stopped expecting this illusion?
6. What is the spirit telling me to do right now?
Chapter Fourteen: Measuring Progress
1. Judgement Day
2. Our Standing Before the Lord (He who who is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot abide a celestial glory ... This means that right now you and I are in training for celestial life.)
Chapter Fifteen: You Can Count It All Joy
Notes
Levels of Living Chart
“It Is What It Is!” Truth Test
About the Author

In the 10 days since finishing reading it for the 4th time, I’ve had a new perspective. I have perceived my activities and potential activities as: Celestial, or Terrestrial, or Telestial. That has faded a bit now, and I can discern them as Celestial or not Celestial. It has been interesting how clear that perception has been.

See my highlights in Goodreads.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not the strongest writing/most engaging read. (It took a bit for me to get past how wordy it was), BUT this book was so valuable! Johnson has a way of looking at things that just clicks in my mind. I find it easy to remember to use her tools ("is this true?" and Should Sharks) when I am feeling vexed. A great application of how to live gospel principles.

[Summer Fernandez Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredibly timely for me. Some of the thoughts regarding the definition of truth and the difference between necessary pain and unnecessary pain have helped me through a very difficult situation.

[Cheya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the first half and will reread that part again.

[Jennifer Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of Sherrie Johnson's ideas really resonated with me. In fact, I plan to buy a copy to go through, this time with a highlighter, as I return my current copy to the library. I can see why the author is a popular speaker. My only complaint is that she is not super polished, and it bugged me when she tossed metaphors/analogies together like "swimming with Should Sharks in the Pit of Illusion." Still, a good book worth studying in our search for joy.

[Analee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was life changing for me. I also met the author a couple times in person and she is wonderful!

[Heather Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me through momentous trials of my life that happened the last few months including divorce. Bad things happen to good people over which we have no control but when we let ourselves be vexed over our circumstances, we create much more of a trial than needed.

[Exponent II · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a tremendous amount of insight. I especially appreciated the way Johnson differentiates between necessary pain (the hurts and slings and arrows we are all promised we will face) and unnecessary pain (the burdens we place on ourselves with the narratives we tell ourselves about that pain). “The promise of the gospel is that eventually all necessary pain will be turned into joy.” We will be compensated for it; we will be more than compensated for it – we will be blessed for it. But unnecessary pain – the feeling that it shouldn’t be this way; the narratives we tell about ourselves and others; the certainty that it isn’t fair – causes us more pain, without doing a single thing to help us. “If, instead of fighting the truth, we accept the verity of the situation, decide whether we can fix it or if we are going to have to live with it, and do what needs to be done, then we live in a state of internal peace despite the pain we are passing through. After all, it is what it is, and we can count it all joy.”

To read this entire review, please go to the Exponent blog: http://www.the-exponent.com/book-revi...

[Sherrie Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally had a chance to read this book! It is powerful and informative in keeping a positive attitude. It reads very much like a General Authority-style book, and had great insights and examples for living with joy.

[Cara · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a helpful book to learn to deal with life's "vexations".

[David Robbins · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read!!