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The Blended Family Activity Book: 75 Fun Activities to Help Families Connect and Spend Time Together
by Julie JohnsonCreate connections and help your blended family bond using these engaging activities Blending a family can bring up big feelings, so it's important to spend quality time together. This book includes 75 family-friendly activities to get everyone thinking, talking, and making memories together. What sets this activity book apart from other parenting and relationships books: Celebrate each other—Find something for everyone so no one is left out. Enjoy thoughtful classics like the telephone game and drawing self-portraits together or discover new favorites like frisbee tic-tac-toe. Get creative together—Strengthen communication skills by collaborating on family projects like murals, vision boards, or even stop-motion movies! Mindful family bonding—Explore activities rooted in mindfulness practices that encourage family members to trust and support each other as you build bonds that will last a lifetime. Nurture the relationships in your family and help each person thrive with The Blended Family Activity Book.
BLESS: 5 Everyday Ways to Love Your Neighbor and Change the World
by Dave FergusonBLESS is a simple, biblical, and relational set of 5 practices that everyone—young and old—can use every day to reach their neighbors, show them love, and change their world! From the beginning of the Bible, God&’s has spoken of blessing. Throughout the gospels, Jesus blessed others through his life and leadership. This book will break down the Bless principles, and help Christians engage in a relational form of evangelism. Readers will learn the five practices of BLESS: Begin (with prayer) to discover your personal mission Listen to others Eat with others and build the relationship Serve others Tell you Story. By establishing a relationship, and investing in others, opportunities will arise to share your story of God&’s influence upon your life.
Bless the Birds: Living with Love in a Time of Dying
by Susan J. TweitWriter Susan Tweit and her economist-turned-sculptor husband Richard Cabe had just settled into their version of a &“good life&” when Richard saw thousands of birds one day—harbingers of the brain cancer that would kill him two years later. This compelling and intimate memoir chronicles their journey into the end of his life, framed by their final trip together, a 4,000-mile-long delayed honeymoon road trip. As Susan and Richard navigate the unfamiliar territory of brain cancer treatment and learn a whole new vocabulary—craniotomies, adjuvant chemotherapy, and brain geography—they also develop new routines for a mindful existence, relying on each other and their connection to nature, including the real birds Richard enjoys watching. Their determination to walk hand in hand, with open hearts, results in profound and difficult adjustments in their roles. Bless the Birds is not a sad story. It is both prayer and love song, a guide to how to thrive in a world where all we hold dear seems to be eroding, whether simple civility and respect, our health and safety, or the Earth itself. It&’s an exploration of living with love in a time of dying—whether personal or global—with humor, unflinching courage, and grace. And it is an invitation to choose to live in light of what we love, rather than what we fear.
Bless the Messy: Life Lessons from a Work in Progress
by Jess BirdFor readers of Hyperbole and a Half and Am I There Yet?, Bless the Messy is a compassionate, distinctive, and voice-driven illustrated personal growth book, one that gives readers permission to radically love themselves, feel their feelings, and live with joy even as—especially as—they may fumble through major life moments, or feel othered by society&’s narrow norms.Supreme moments of beauty and joy can be found in the mess. Jess Bird is living proof of that. As a queer woman who received a late-in-life ADHD diagnosis, Jess is raising her kids in a blended family, rewriting the rules as she goes along. Far from being an expert or perfect, she embraces her imperfections and invites you to do the same. By sharing her messy, in-process journey, Jess hopes to connect with those who feel isolated or oppressed by society&’s narrow norms, making them feel seen and validated. In this illustrated personal growth book, Jess combines self-reflection, encouragement, and practical guidance. She delves into her struggles and triumphs, offering insights on growing through trauma and healing, breaking free from societal expectations, setting boundaries, redefining home and chosen family, finding self-worth, and embracing anti-perfectionism. The mantra &“Bless the Messy&” runs through it all, reminding us that every emotion, even the uncomfortable ones, is valid and valuable. Bright, hopeful, real, and raw, Bless the Messy is a warm hug of a book that will make you feel a little less alone.
Bless This House: Creating Sacred Space Where You Live, Work & Travel
by Donna HenesIn this comprehensive guide to crafting your own spiritual intentions, rituals, and blessings, urban shaman Mama Donna draws upon a variety of world cultures to show how to transform your environment into a sanctified haven. Spiritual blessings of our surroundings can help enhance our daily lives, from processing emotions and releasing negative energy to setting the stage for our fondest dreams to come true.Your immediate surroundings are the psychic as well as physical spaces that you occupy in the world — they house not just your body but your energy, your thoughts, your demeanor, your spirit, your deeds, and your legacy. Shouldn't the energetic atmosphere within your walls support you emotionally and spiritually as well? A personalized blessing ceremony engenders an aura of hope and the possibility of positive new beginnings, creating a safe milieu conducive to regeneration. Times of celebration and transition — receiving dinner guests, hosting a family get-together, traveling to a new locale, moving offices or homes — also deserve to be sanctified. This book is your guide to creating a warm home and blessing your space for any occasion."The way an architect and a builder understand a house, Donna Henes understands a home. She can minister to a dwelling like a chaplain, tap its inner workings like a good therapist, and polish its energy to a spotless shine. I know: she's done it for mine. And in this enchanting book, you get to access the prowess of Mama Donna in your home, even if oceans separate you from her legendary Brooklyn digs. What she knows — and what she senses — inhabit these pages so accessibly, it's as if this shaman of spaces is whispering in your ear." — Victoria Moran, author of Creating a Charmed Life and Shelter for the Spirit"Get out your highlighter! Mama Donna's book Bless this House is immensely readable, practical, and filled with modern and ancient wisdom. After using her methods, your home will shimmer and sparkle with healing, radiant energy. Highly recommended!" — Denise Linn, award-winning author of Sacred Space: Clearing and Enhancing the Energy of Your Home and Feng Shui for the Soul"The original crystal-packing mama." — New York Press"Bless This House is a beautiful embrace of a book; erudite and inspiring, wise and kind. If you want to feel 'at home' in your life, let Mama Donna show you the way. She is, without question, the high priestess of sacred space." — Jane Alexander, author of the bestselling Spirit of the Home series"Donna Henes, familiarly known as 'Mama Donna,' is a national treasure. Among the many delights of this beautifully designed and carefully organized book are the numerous interspersed meditations on the meanings of home." — Feminism and Religion.com
Blessed
by Ellen MichaudSometimes we just need to stop for a moment and absorb the quiet moments in the world around us--to take a deep breath and appreciate the things in life that make us thankful and bring us joy. Blessed is a call to do just that. In this heartfelt collection of her online columns from Diane, the flagship magazine of the Curves women's fitness center organization, author Ellen Michaud reminds us of the everyday blessings that surround us, but we all tend to overlook. Entries include: Summer in a Jar: On a 200- acre farm known for its Jersey cows and prizewinning cheese, two women harvest a cornucopia of produce that looks like it came from the Garden of Eden. Although the visit was intended to pick up ingredients for "one of the finest salsas in the near world," the end result is a view of a fertile valley, the rich smell of vegetables freshly tugged from the earth that speaks to the soul, and the natural rhythm of friendly conversation. The Teapot: During a snowy winter storm, the author pulls her great- grandmother's worn silver teapot down from a shelf. As she polishes the teapot's tarnished surface, she contemplates its long journey over an ocean and through the generations. As she discovers engraved hallmarks that lead to a deeper understanding of its 200-year history, her appreciation for the women who traveled with it grows. Welcome Home: As an Airbus 321 begins its descent toward the coastal lights of Los Angeles International Airport, the pilot makes an overhead announcement that stills the restless and rustling passengers. What follows are moments of contemplation about the sacrifices of soldiers and, how regardless of one's politics, there is still a shared sense of love and respect for those who fight for our freedom. The Courage to Change: After a lifetime of self-built barriers, the author's 88-year-old aunt overcomes discouraging memories and years of grief
Blessed Are the Spiraling: How the Chaotic Search for Significance Can Lead to Joy Through Life’s Shifting Seasons
by null Levi LuskoARE YOU GOING TO COPE, QUIT, OR COME ALIVE IN A BRAND-NEW WAY?The whirlwind of chaos and confusion barreling toward you has likely caught you completely off guard. Maybe you're navigating a season of transition—a career shift, a major life adjustment, or just an unshakable sense of disorientation. When the things that once brought fulfillment no longer seem to work, when the familiar feels foreign, and when life feels like it's slipped out of your control, you're actually in the perfect position for God to lead you to greater heights.Am I still enough if I don't succeed? Is this season going to last forever? Am I too old to make a change, start over, or dream again?Levi Lusko wrestled with these questions, and what he discovered on the other side wasn't despair but surprising delight.With a rich blend of personal stories, biblical insight, and hard-won wisdom, this book will help youfind your footing in the disorienting chaos and tap into steady, unshakable joy amidst life's storms;step off the treadmill of success-chasing and embrace the true significance that comes from knowing that your worth is fixed and your future is secure;challenge the lie that your best days are behind you by getting your bearings, retooling, and reframing for a vibrant future; andchannel the energy of your spiraling into something meaningful and life-giving, propelling you to a new level. This could be your new lease on life.
Blessed Are the Unsatisfied: Finding Spiritual Freedom in an Imperfect World
by Amy SimpsonChristians often hear the idea that following Jesus means that we should be living a life of full satisfaction. How many of us actually experience that kind of life? Amy Simpson wants to debunk this satisfaction myth in the church. After forty years of walking with Jesus, she writes, "I am deeply unsatisfied not only with my ability to reflect Jesus, but also with the very quality of my intimacy with him. I strongly suspect that the abyss of my nature has not been entirely satisfied by Jesus." Hers is a freeing confession for us all. Simpson explains that our very unsatisfaction indicates a longing for God, and understanding those longings can bring us closer to relationship with him. And that is where true spiritual health and vitality reside. Read on to discover anew what it truly means to be satisfied in Christ.
Blessed by Our Brokenness: Finding Peace in the Challenges of Aging and Illness
by Anne FieldWith compassion and hope, spiritual writer Sr. Anne Field helps us face the inevitable losses we experience through aging, illness, and other causes of suffering. She gently urges readers to choose freely to replace gloomy attitudes of self-pity with God's perspectives on pain and disabilities. In a reassuring way, she shows us how we can find peace and purpose in life by extending God's kingdom on earth through our losses, not in spite of them. With compassion and hope, spiritual writer, Sister Anne Field, helps us face the inevitable losses we experience through aging, illness, and other causes of suffering. She gently urges readers to choose freely to replace gloomy attitudes of self-pity with God's perspective on pain and disability. She shows us how we can find peace and purpose in life by extending God's kingdom on earth through our losses, not in spite of them.
Blessed in the Darkness: How All Things Are Working for Your Good
by Joel OsteenThe same God who leads us to green pastures guides us through the valleys. #1 New York Times bestselling author Joel Osteen shares how God uses the darkness in life for good.All of us will go through dark times that we don't understand: a difficulty with a friend, an unfair situation at work, a financial setback, an unexpected illness, a divorce, or the loss of a loved one. Those types of experiences are part of the human journey. But when we find ourselves in such a place, it's important that we keep a positive perspective. Joel Osteen writes that if we stay in faith and keep a good attitude when we go through challenges, we will not only grow, but we will see how all things work together for our good. Through practical applications and scriptural insight, BLESSED IN THE DARKNESS focuses on how to draw closer to God and trust Him when life doesn't make sense.If we will go through the dark place in the valley trusting, believing, and knowing that God is still in control, we will come to the table that is already prepared for us, where our cup runs over.
Blessed in the Darkness: How All Things Are Working For Your Good
by Joel OsteenThe same God who leads us to green pastures guides us through the valleys. #1 New York Times bestselling author Joel Osteen shares how God uses the darkness in life for good.All of us will go through dark times that we don't understand: a difficulty with a friend, an unfair situation at work, a financial setback, an unexpected illness, a divorce, or the loss of a loved one. Those types of experiences are part of the human journey. But when we find ourselves in such a place, it's important that we keep a positive perspective. Joel Osteen writes that if we stay in faith and keep a good attitude when we go through challenges, we will not only grow, but we will see how all things work together for our good. Through practical applications and scriptural insight, BLESSED IN THE DARKNESS focuses on how to draw closer to God and trust Him when life doesn't make sense.If we will go through the dark place in the valley trusting, believing, and knowing that God is still in control, we will come to the table that is already prepared for us, where our cup runs over.
Blessed in the Mess: How to Experience God's Goodness in the Midst of Life's Pain
by Joyce MeyerRenowned Bible teacher and #1 New York Times bestselling author Joyce Meyer shows readers how to not just survive but thrive amidst both the everyday and the monumental messes we experience in life. Life is often messy. We hear people say, &“My life is a mess,&” or &“This situation is a mess.&” What they mean is that life has become difficult, painful or confusing. But God never promised us a trouble-free life. In fact, His Word tells us to expect the opposite. In John 16:33, Jesus says, &“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world&” (NIV). In Blessed in the Mess, beloved Bible teacher Joyce Meyer shows us how to be blessed in the midst of life&’s most challenging circumstances. The Bible is filled with instructions on how to handle ourselves when difficulty comes our way, and Blessed in the Mess shares that wisdom through poignant and practical teaching that equips us to remain stable and hopeful in every situation. No matter what problems we may face, there is a way to remain joyful and patient as God works on them. If you have not handled the messy issues or challenges in your life well in the past, then with God's help, you can begin to manage them better, starting now. We should never waste our pain. Through the wisdom distilled in this book, we can learn how to gain something from our messes, use those insights to avoid trouble in the future, and share our experiences to help other people find blessings in the midst of their messes. A study guide as well as a Spanish edition, Bendición en el desorden, are also available for purchase.
Blessed Is She
by Elizabeth Mcdavid JonesGod is alive and well and speaks to His people today. He does this primarily through His living Word, the Bible. In Blessed is She: Lessons in Living from Women of the Bible, author Elizabeth McDavid Jones demonstrates to today's women that God is speaking to us. Blessed is She is a book meant to lead women to the Bible, to be an aid in helping us understand how to read and study God's Word for ourselves, to apply it to our lives and to grow our faith. The intention is that, through this book, every woman may come to know that: · the Bible is for her · she can read the Bible and understand it · the Bible is relevant and applicable to her life here and now · the women in the Bible were women just like her, who experienced the same heartaches and spiritual trials she experiences · the faith journey of every woman in the Bible is similar to her own This devotional Bible study will jumpstart women in their own discovery of Bible truths and life lessons, and even more important, the very heart of God for them. The study features a close-up look at Elizabeth, Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary of Bethany, Martha, and Naomi. Use the devotional pages for personal growth in quiet time with God and individual Bible reflection. For the woman who wants to delve deeper, For More Understanding pages allow a further exploration of what God's Word teaches about each Bible subject. To enhance group discussion and personal reflection, use the For Deeper Thought questions at the back of the book, or zoom into a more in-depth group focus with the 8-week "Elizabeth" Bible study.
Blessed Life: My Surprising Journey of Joy, Tears, and Tales from Harlem to Hollywood
by Todd Gold Kim FieldsFrom "Facts of Life" to "Living Single" to "Dancing with the Stars" to wife and mom, here's the BLESSED LIFE of Kim Fields, veteran actress, TV personality, and star. Kim Fields has lived most of her life with people thinking they know her, which is understandable. From her first job on a Mrs. Butterworth syrup commercial at age 7, she has spent 40 years in the public eye. There were 9 years as Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey on the classic sitcom The Facts of Life, 5 more in her 20s starring as Regine Hunter on the seminal coming-of-age show Living Single, and most recently appearing as herself on Real Housewives of Atlanta and Dancing with the Stars. Behind the camera, she has directed episodes of Kenan & Kel, Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns and House of Payne, and BET's Let's Stay Together. Between gigs, the pop culture icon's life has included theater, spoken word, music, speaking engagements, and simply being present to the point that she cannot go a day without someone stopping her to say, "When I was a kid, I wanted to be Tootie" or "You were my role model." Flattered and blessed, after four decades in the business, Kim finally understands the role she has played onscreen and off as a successful, outspoken African-American woman. However, for as much as she's been in the public eye, people have really never known her the way they think they have, and that's because she, herself, spent most of her life figuring herself out. Now, at age 48, she is ready to set the record straight. She says, "It's not that I've been misunderstood. It's that I finally feel like I understand me enough to tell the life story that I've been asked to write for years." It will be a chronicle of living, learning, and keen moments of self-discovery as she's journeyed through the many facets and chapters of life. Fields found faith at age 14 and has found God to be right there every step of the way since then.
Blessed Mode: 90 Days to Level Up Your Faith
by Kel MitchellNo matter what you're going through, one thing is certain: God is ready to bless you. Join Kel Mitchell--pastor, actor, and famed comedian of Kenan & Kel--on a 90-day challenge to receive God's blessings and become a blessing to others.Kel knows what it's like to struggle through depression and addiction, but he also knows the power of God's presence to help you find freedom and the blessings in your life. As a youth pastor, Kel is passionate about sharing his testimony of hope with the next generation, and he wants to share it with you too.In Blessed Mode, Kel offers 90 powerful, practical devotions to help you:find freedom in God's life-changing presence.experience God's power through prayer.recognize God's many gifts in your life.share the blessings you've received with others.Get ready to level up your faith and celebrate the blessings God is giving you today.
The Blessing: A Memoir
by Gregory OrrAn acclaimed poet’s “gripping” memoir of an accidental tragedy, a childhood haunted by guilt, and a quest to find healing through art (Publishers Weekly).When Gregory Orr was twelve years old, he shot and killed his brother in a hunting accident. From the immediate aftermath—a period of shock, sadness, and isolation—it quickly became clear that support and guidance would not be coming from his distant mother. Nor would it come from his father, a philandering country doctor addicted to amphetamines. Left to his own devices, the boy suffered.Guilt weighed on him throughout a childhood split between the rural Hudson Valley and jungles of Haiti. As a young man, his feelings and a growing sense of idealism prompted him to activism in the civil rights movement, where he marched and was imprisoned, and then scarred again by a terrifying abduction. Eventually, Orr’s experiences led him to understand that art, particularly poetry, could work as a powerful source of healing and meaning to combat the trauma he carried.Throughout The Blessing, Orr articulates his journey in language as lyrical as it is authentic, gifting us all with a singular tale of survival, and of the transformation of suffering into art.“Even a chaotic and hapless family, it seems, can confer a blessing—the strength to live in the world as it is, and the wisdom to love people as they are. The book is not so much about surviving pain so much as developing a writer’s instinct for transforming it.” —Kathleen Norris, New York Times–bestselling author of The Cloister Walk
A Blessing in Disguise
by Andrea Joy CohenToday's greatest luminaries generously share personal stories about their most challenging experience-and provide the healing wisdom that helped them emerge fortified with inner-peace, strengthened faith, and a deeper understanding of life. Features pieces by: Dean Ornish Rachel Naomi Remen Bernie Siegel Joan Borysenko Harriet Lerner Belleruth Naparstek Stephen Levine Martha Beck Dharma Singh Khalsa Daphne Rose Kingma David Whyte Anne Wilson Schaef And Others
Blessing It All: Rituals for Transition and Transformation
by Allison Palm Heather ConcannonAs humans, we grow and we change, we grieve and we celebrate. Let Blessing It All be your guide to foster meaning and community as you mark the moments in your life.Our personal lives and the lives of our communities are marked by moments of transition and transformation. As individuals, we grow up, we move, we start new schools and new jobs, we begin and end relationships, we have children and if we are lucky we get to watch them grow, we lose people we love, and we discover more about who we are. As communities, we honor people entering new life stages, we reckon with natural disasters and national traumas, and year after year we mark the cycles of the seasons.Traditionally, we often mark birth, marriage, and death, and yet these are not the only moments that touch our lives and shape who we are. In this stunning collection, editors and ministers Heather Concannon and Allison Palm and contributors invite you to bless it all—moments that are ordinary and profound, tender and heartbreaking, joyful and celebratory, and everything in between.An expansive collection, the rituals in Blessing It All foster community, joy, and healing in moments like the joining of a blended family, changing names and pronouns, honoring Pride Month, having an abortion, getting a prosthesis, surviving sexual assault, ending a marriage, and so many others.The rituals—written by a diverse array of contributors with lived experiences that add depth and authenticity to each offering—are designed to be led by anyone inspired to do so, with clear instructions and additional insights and guidance. They are suitable for communities, congregations, family, and individual use. And they can happen anywhere our lives happen, wherever people or families or communities gather, because that is where we encounter the holy.May you find connection and commitment, inspiration and invitation, a blessing and a balm in these rituals.
Blessings
by Julia CameronThrough her writings and workshops, Julia Cameron has inspired millions to pursue their dreams. In the tradition of Heart Steps, Blessings reveals the keys she uses to reconnect herself with the source of her creative spirit. Focusing on gratitude and recognizing the power to change one's surrounding world by changing one's thinking, Cameron explains how she surrenders to the deeper flow of life rather than willfully forcing artificial solutions. By acknowledging the beauty, harmony, and synergy of life, readers learn through Cameron's inspiring prose how to cherish the gifts they have been given and use them to their fullest. Those who read and follow Cameron's advice and prayers and listen to Tim Wheater's healing music in the audiobook will realize how to achieve harmony in their lives and embrace the notion that they are part of a larger whole that holds them in a benevolent and protective view. With Blessings, readers will understand the secrets of a life that is rich, beautiful, intricate, and valuable.
Blessings From the Other Side: Wisdom and Comfort from the Afterlife for this Life
by Sylvia Browne Lindsay HarrisonGet back into the spirit of appreciating your life. Share in Sylvia Browne’s extraordinary lessons of wisdom and comfort from The Other Side....<P> Keeping life in perspective is difficult for everyone. For many, holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries become overwhelming events; not to mention job changes, family crises, and personal issues. We become preoccupied with things we cannot change and lose sight of what really matters.<P> Now renowned psychic and #1 New York Times bestselling author Sylvia Browne helps us celebrate and appreciate life by reminding us of the countless blessings we received before coming into this world. With chapters on forgiveness, past lives, contacting The Other Side, and discovering life’s purpose, Sylvia Browne tells uplifting stories of people she has helped to find their way. Sylvia Browne believes that, if we can remember why we are here and what we are supposed to be doing here, our lives will ultimately become happier, healthier, and more spiritually fulfilling.
Blessings of a Father
by Randy BrownThe author was awakened every morning by his father speaking a prophetic word of blessing over him. He is persuaded that this had a profound impact on his life and led him to greatness. It is his belief that that it is fundamental to a young person's self-esteem and potential for success that he or she receives several pronouncements of blessing. Learning from biblical examples, readers will be enlightened as they learn to change the lives of their children through prayer and specific blessings.
Blessings of Happiness: 101 Words of Sunshine
by Caroline BrownloweUplifting collection of quotes reflecting the diverse forms and explanations of happiness. Though brief, they are excellent to use as affirmations, or as the basis of meditations or discussions. They express the ideas of a wide range of individuals from biblical times to the present including: Thackeray, Bertrand Russell, Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Marcus Aurelius, Anne Frank, Henry Ward Beecher, John Milton, Helen Keller, Charles Dickens, Ben Franklin, Martin Luther, Richard Wagner, George Sand, Lincoln and the not to be forgotten, Anonymous.
Blind Ambition: How to Go from Victim to Visionary
by Chad E. FosterFor anyone seeking to live life to its fullest potential, Blind Ambition is an eye-opening account of a tech industry star executive who overcame fear and hopelessness to turn his disadvantage of blindness into a powerful competitive strength.While most people were preparing for the adventure of adult life, Chad E. Foster was watching the world he grew up with fade to black. But that didn&’t stop him from becoming the first blind person to graduate from the Harvard Business School leadership program and climbing the corporate ladder as a successful Finance/Sales executive. With determination, ambition, and drive, Chad created what Oracle said would be impossible. He gave millions of people the ability to earn a living by becoming the first to create customer relationship software for the visually impaired.In these pages, readers will: Be inspired by Chad&’s story of how he transformed the loss of his vision into a gift that provided him with unique strengths and abilities he did not have when he could see.See how we choose the stories we tell ourselves about our circumstances and how this either limits us or propels us towards our goals.Gain new perspective on what is possible when you shift your mindset, give up making excuses, and decide that you are in charge of who you want to be.Learn the mental model that Chad uses to quickly overcome frustrations and stressors.Chad is happier and more successful today than when he could see. Overcoming the challenges of blindness has improved his perspective, making him more resilient and grateful for the life that he has. Ultimately, Chad's unforgettable lessons and outlook will inspire readers to overcome their perceived limitations and explore new possibilities where they once may have only seen obstacles.
Blind Ambition: How to Envision Your Limitless Potential and Achieve the Success You Want
by Patricia WalshA goal-setting guide to top achievement from an award-winning engineer, champion paratriathlete, and IRONMAN world record holder.
Blind Devotion: Survival on the Front Lines of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Addiction
by Sharlene PrinsenOne woman's startling firsthand account of her struggle to protect her children while facing the man she married, a combat veteran plagued by addiction, rage, and depression born from PTSD.One woman’s startling firsthand account of her struggle to protect her children while facing the man she married, a combat veteran plagued by addiction, rage, and depression born from PTSD.Sharlene peered out the window into the blackness that enveloped her yard. She couldn’t see them, but she knew they were out there--police officers and a SWAT team holding their positions in the wood line out her front door, their weapons trained with deadly precision pointing at her home.“Don’t let them shoot at my kids!” she shouted into the phone to the dispatcher as her drunk, enraged, and armed husband picked up the other line, “Go on, get the hell out of here then!”When she first met Sean seven years earlier, Sharlene never imagined that he’d someday be the catalyst to this terrifying scene. Sean was handsome in his camouflage fatigues, looking proud and just a little cocky. Unlike any other man she had ever met, he was an easy, charming conversationalist and his sincerity was unmistakable. The two married and started a family.But Sean’s drinking soon took over, and signs of depression and his raging outbursts amplified. Something was seriously wrong. He never talked about his tours overseas, including his seven-month peacekeeping mission in the aftermath of Slobodan Milosevic’s ethnic cleansing campaign, but there were signs that what he experienced in Bosnia left him reeling at his core. As Sean’s behavior grew increasingly worse, Sharlene’s obsessive worry for his well–being trumped her basic needs. She knew that her husband was suffering from tremendous inner turmoil--which she later learned was PTSD--and she hoped, more than anything, to nurse him back to the loving partner and father she knew he could be.A powerful story of pain and forgiveness, horror and hope, Blind Devotion gives voice to the thousands of families who are struggling to heal and to achieve a sense of normalcy stolen by the trauma in their lives.