--- title: "Book Review: \"The Best is Yet to Come\"" description: "Thinking that your life needs an attitude adjustment but aren’t sure where to begin? Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur reviews \"The Best is Yet to Come: Living Fully in Each Moment\" by Sr. Anne Bryan Smollin." --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/01/18/book-review-best-yet-come#) # Book Review: "The Best is Yet to Come" Jan 18, 2017 7:00:57 AM  |  by [Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/patrice-fagnant-macarthur) [![Book-Notes-720-x-340-dark-gold-outline-and-medium-blue-pen-_-Notes-light-blue-702x336](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Book-Notes-720-x-340-dark-gold-outline-and-medium-blue-pen-_-Notes-light-blue-702x336-235.png?width=702&height=336&name=Book-Notes-720-x-340-dark-gold-outline-and-medium-blue-pen-_-Notes-light-blue-702x336-235.png)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Book-Notes-720-x-340-dark-gold-outline-and-medium-blue-pen-_-Notes-light-blue-702x336-235.png) Looking to make the most of the new year? Thinking that your life needs an attitude adjustment but aren’t sure where to begin? ***[The Best is Yet to Come: Living Fully in Each Moment](http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1933495960/catholicmom)*** by Sr. Anne Bryan Smollin (Sorin Books, 2016) offers a wonderful guide to squeezing the maximum amount of joy out of each moment. [Tweet "Need an attitude adjustment? Read 'The Best is Yet to Come'."] ![](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/The-Best-is-Yet-to-Come.jpg?width=180&height=279&name=The-Best-is-Yet-to-Come.jpg)Sr. Patricia A. St. John, C.S.J, who was Sr. Anne’s best friend and a fellow Sister of St. Joseph, shares in the Foreword that Sr. Anne lived by the mantra to  “live well, love much, and laugh often.” She prayed that God would allow her to touch people’s lives. Sr. Patricia emphasizes that Sr. Anne lived the life she preached, “striving to seize each moment and live it fully, to experience the ordinary events of life as sacramental, and to cultivate possibility.” At the time of her sudden death in September of 2014, she left the manuscript of this book nearly completed. Sr. Patricia put the finishing touches on it for her friend, who was always convinced that the best was truly yet to come. In her introduction, Sr. Anne shares her hope that “as you read through these pages, you will be energized and challenged to make each day count .” As she points out, it is up to each of us “to decide how to live, how to spend those precious 86, 400 seconds” we each are given each day. Sr. Anne was an international lecturer on wellness and spirituality who also served as an educator and therapist. She had a doctorate in counseling psychology. Yet, despite all those qualifications, she retained the humility to laugh at herself. She is willing to share many embarrassing, humorous stories about herself as a means of making a point. She also shares many anecdotes she has heard. Like Jesus who spoke in parables, Sr. Anne knows that a story can preach louder than a treatise. There is no rocket science in these pages. No doubt, you’ve heard or read similar material at some other point in your life on the value of smiling, dreaming, making personal connections, the gift of proper perspective, a sense of humor, and being open to change. Yet, the message is of infinite value. No matter where we are on our life’s journey, we all can use the reminder and reinforcement because in the muck of everyday life, it is so easy to forget how meaningful and grace-filled it all is. In her final book, Sr. Anne has left behind a beautiful gift sure to touch many lives. May we, like her, trust that the best is yet to come as long as we are willing to look for, embrace, and appreciate it. **Buy this book through our [Amazon link](http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1933495960/catholicmom) and support CatholicMom.com with your purchase!** **Be sure to check out [our Book Notes archive](http://catholicmom.com/category/book-notes/).** *Copyright 2017 Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur*   ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F01%2F18%2Fbook-review-best-yet-come%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F01%2F18%2Fbook-review-best-yet-come%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F01%2F18%2Fbook-review-best-yet-come%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Book%20Review%3A%20%22The%20Best%20is%20Yet%20to%20Come%22) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F01%2F18%2Fbook-review-best-yet-come%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2017%2F01%2F18%2Fbook-review-best-yet-come%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Patrice%20Fagnant-MacArthur%202024.jpg) ### [Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/patrice-fagnant-macarthur) Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur has a master’s degree in applied theology and is the author of The Power of Forgiveness, Our Lady of La Salette: A Mother Weeps for Her Children, and The Life and Lessons of St. Zelie Martin. A mother of three, she is the editor of [TodaysCatholicHomeschooling.com](http://TodaysCatholicHomeschooling.com) as well as a [freelance writer and editor](http://Pfmacarthur.com). ## Related Blog Articles [ Book Review: Dear God, You Can't Be Serious Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2014/07/03/dear-god-you-cant-be-serious) [ Where Did You Find God Today? Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/04/19/find-god-today) [ Book Review: Seven Saints for Seven Virtues Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2014/10/08/book-review-seven-saints-for-seven-virtues) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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