At the start of chapter five Lisa writes, “I have a pretty high energy level—some have even accused me of being hyper.” I laughed. Only four chapters in and I had worked that out.

The Sacrament of Happy : What a Smiling God Brings to a Wounded World is a high energy ride as Lisa Harper uses many illustrations from her own life. Lisa is an adoptive mother and her daughter is from Haiti. She came to Lisa with much emotional and physical baggage so it has been quite a roller coaster ride. Yet Lisa uses these real life dramas to teach us that God intends us to be happy.

Lisa jumps from telling stories to in depth theological teaching with many Scripture references. Her sense of humour and the antics of her daughter keep the book moving at a fast pace. I was curious how she came to be an adoptive single mother later in life and this kept me reading, even when her anecdotes rambled. As the book progresses more of Lisa’s own testimony is revealed.

The book tackles the topic in a fresh and enlightening way.

Overall a good message, and interesting testimony.