Silence Breaks


Ashlee Birk - 2014
    I am a victim of murder. Through a series of events and by two shots of a gun, I was made a widow at the age of 28, with my youngest child just six weeks old. I am a victim of infidelity. I have felt unlovable. I have felt rejected. I have had days in my life when I wasn’t sure if I would ever take a breath again, let alone be able to raise my five children by myself. I have lived in fear. I have felt much heartache. I have felt truly broken to my core. I have carried some heavy burdens...not only of my own, but burdens put upon my shoulders by the death of my husband. I have felt alone. I have felt humiliated. I have been humbled to my knees. I have searched my soul to find my worth in this world, and in the life that was left for me. My world has been totally shattered. I have faced realities I never knew were possible, and found strength within myself to keep up the fight and live every day as if it was on purpose. I have been carried by Angels...both earthly beings and those unseen. I have found that being a “victim” doesn’t mean we have an excuse to stop living. Being a victim means finding a reason for seeking a higher road. I have picked up the pieces left and carried on. I am a mother. We are survivors. In one way or another, we are all victims. There are times in our lives when we are forced to question who we are at our core. When we are presented with a path...we can go this way or we can choose that way. For some, this moment comes when the one person whom we love the most decides we are not enough. This person leave us—at a most vulnerable moment—alone to search within ourselves for who we really are. We are left trying to find who it is that was left behind. Sometimes the person we love dies. Sometimes it is merely an internal battle we are facing...all alone inside our minds. Whatever the situation and wherever you have been...you have been hurt. You have felt alone. You have been abandoned, either by your parents, your lover, your friends, complete strangers, or even yourself. We have all been at that crossroad where all we have left is ourselves. Sometimes these moments of lows have brought you to your knees and caused you to reflect and ponder your relationship with God...and other times they have made you question if He is even there, or if He knows you are alone. Whatever that moment has been for you, it is personal and real. It has defined and refined who you are, who you think you were, and who you want to become. This is my story...the defining moments that have truly brought me to my knees, the times when I’ve questioned to my core my very existence, and the experiences I’ve had that have shown me who I really am and who my Heavenly Father still needs me to become. The night of my husband’s death was my darkest hour, but also the very moment when I saw firsthand that my Heavenly Father sent Angels on errands for me. He carried me. It was the hour when all my fears and all the pain of this world collided together and He was there...putting back together all the pieces, one step at a time.

Confident Moms, Confident Daughters: Helping Your Daughter Live Free from Insecurity and Love How She Looks


Maria Furlough - 2019
    But no matter how much we try to tell our daughters that they are beautiful and lovable as they are, words are not enough. And if we're honest, we don't always set the best example of being body confident. Until we truly see ourselves as good enough, our girls will struggle.With deep compassion, Maria Furlough delves into the root causes of our insecurity, offers biblical guidance for seeing ourselves as God sees us, and shows how to model our newfound confidence to our impressionable daughters. Speaking as a daughter, a youth leader, and a mother, Furlough shares her own struggles and triumphs, as well as expert advice from a pediatrician, a nutritionist, a Christian counselor, and more.What we say to our daughters might last a moment. What we show our daughters lasts a lifetime. With God's help, we can put aside our obsession with bodily perfection and refocus on becoming and raising godly women.

The Sad Son


Claire B. Josephine - 2020
    She was beautiful, she was blonde, and she dressed like a Kardashian.Then Claire met “him.” And it's hard to see evil in a man who's so hot.How many hot men does it take to screw up a life? Just one.The Sad Son reads like tequila shots with a friend- It's straight up, a little salty, and contains an inconspicuous worm. This true story unravels how Claire went from partying with rock stars, hitting all the hip nightclubs in Chicago and LA, and owning every dance floor she set foot on to becoming a single mother to a son she feared would kill her in her sleep. Her life veered to pure loneliness and denial as Claire unconditionally loved—and desperately tried to protect—a son who didn’t deserve his sad existence. And it’s a story of finally letting go when nothing else seemed to work.*This Book Contains Adult Content. Please Read A Note From The Author Below*I wrote this book to raise awareness of the many challenges family members face when someone they love is mentally ill. Even though this is a serious topic, I honored my personality and unfiltered tone with a conversational writing style so my story would be entertaining instead of . . . well, just sad. That said, if you’re looking for a wholesome, serious, informational book on mental illness, this is not the book for you. However, if you’re looking for a raw, humorous (and a little naughty) inside look at what I went through as a mom raising a mentally ill son, then grab a glass of wine and get comfy. And one more thing: if you can’t take a joke, set down this book and return under the rock from which you crawled. Consider that last sentence a test.

Obedience in Finances


Kenneth E. Hagin - 1983
    Learn the importance of obedience to God's Word in planting seed for finances.

Into The Rip


Damien Cave - 2021
    Having covered the war in Iraq and moved to Mexico City with two babies in nappies, he and his wife Diana thought they understood something about the subject.But when they arrived in Sydney so that Cave could establish The New York Times's Australia Bureau, life near the ocean confronted them with new ideas and questions, at odds with their American mindset that risk was a matter of individual choices. Surf-lifesaving and Nippers showed that perhaps it could be managed together, by communities. And instead of being either eliminated or romanticised, it might instead be respected and even embraced.And so Cave set out to understand how our current attitude to risk developed - and why it's not necessarily good for us.Into the Rip is partly the story of this New York family learning to live better by living with the sea and it is partly the story of how humans manage the idea of risk. Interviewing experts and everyday heroes, Cave asks critical questions like: Is safety overrated? Why do we miscalculate risk so often and how can we improve? Is it selfish to take risks or can more exposure make for stronger families, citizens and nations? And how do we factor in legitimate fears and major disasters like Cave has covered in his time here: the Black Summer fires; the Christchurch massacre; and, of course, Covid?The result is Grit meets Phosphorescence and Any Ordinary Day - a book that will change the way you and your family think about facing the world's hazards.

Let That Sh*t Go


Nina Purewal - 2019
    But It Doesn’t Have To Be.■ get Rid Of Past And Future Worries■ love Yourself Unconditionally■ accept What You Can’t Control■ live Authentically■ use The “f”word (forgivness)In Let That Sh*t Go, the authors share the wisdom they’ve gained though decades of practising and teaching others to find peace of mind. Learn to put your life in perspective, take each day one step at a time and steal moments of calm amid the chaos. And remember: it’s not worth holding onto that sh*t.NINA PUREWAL founded Pure Minds, a company that conducts mindfulness and meditation workshops for the public and corporate sector. KATE PETRIW is the founder of Mind Matters, an organization that holds mental health workshops focused on reducing stress and negative thinking patterns. “Stomach stress gurgles are no match for this spinning Rolodex of chill pills.”NEIL PASRICHA, #1 Bestselling Author

Start Your Day with Katie


Katie Piper - 2012
    I know how well they worked for me in regaining my life, and now I want to share them with you.' Katie Piper. Start your Day with Katie is a page-a-day book of Katie Piper's most powerful inspirational thoughts, plus quotes and mantras that helped give her courage and hope after her rape and acid attack. With Katie's guiding messages, you can begin every day on the right track. Let these affirmations help you find happiness and inner strength. They are one of the tools that Katie Piper used to rebuild her life. Keep this book with you or by your bedside table to turn to any time you need a little help in finding peace or inspiration.

A Midlife Cyclist: My two-wheel journey to heal a broken mind and find joy


Rachel Ann Cullen - 2020
    frank and funny' Melanie Sykes'Gritty and glorious' Ruth Field, author of Run Fat B!tch Run'A truly inspiring tale' William Pullen, author of Run for Your Life'Thrillingly honest and hopeful' Jools Walker, author of Back in the Frame*****************************************Rachel is a cyclist. But she was never meant to be.After gaining mental strength and healing through running, she thought she was free. Her depression alleviated, she came off antidepressants, winning races and collecting medals at marathons.But when an injury stopped the only thing helping to quiet the voices in her brain, Rachel found out what she is truly made of. As body dysmorphia began to grip her in earnest, she knew she had to find a different way to kick her mental health demons for the sake of her sanity.So, she went down to her cellar, heaved out her old bike, and started pedalling.Like her life depended on it.A Midlife Cyclist is a tale of two wheels, across the Yorkshire Dales, Vietnam,­ Costa Rica and beyond, and a rider in search of peace.*****************************************Praise for Running For My Life:'Heartwarming' Jo Pavey'Brave and inspiring' Ruth Field'I love Running For My Life' Louise Minchin

Triple H Making the Game: Triple H's Approach to a Better Body


Triple H - 2004
    And now, for the first time anywhere, he tells you how he does it -- and how you can, too. Making The Game -- Triple H's Approach to a Better Body is Triple H's verbal and visual blueprint for building your body. He discusses how "a Jones for bodybuilding and a love for wrestling" morphed a skinny, 135-pound fourteen-year-old into one of the biggest Superstars in World Wrestling Entertainment. But be warned -- the "Cerebral Assassin" has two words for anyone who's not serious about the craft: "Complacency sucks!" He's spent the past twenty years living by the philosophy that training results in improved strength and conditioning, self-discipline, and an ability to focus on setting goals. This book isn't for pantywaists who'd rather exercise their egos. Triple H had help along the way. He didn't get to be "that damn good" without the support of a loving family. And over the years several bodybuilders (including world-renowned trainer Charles Glass) worked with him to develop the best training regimens. Their advice, plus hardcore commitment, helped Paul Levesque survive "The Hard Way In" through Walter "Killer" Kowalski's wrestling school and become "Terra Rising" in Kowalski's International Wrestling Federation; enabled him to adjust to a difficult life on the road as "the French guy" in World Championship Wrestling; and gave "Hunter Hearst-Helmsley" the self-assurance he needed to succeed. Making The Game breaks down and demonstrates the split-training workout program Triple H has embraced to achieve new levels of success in sculpting his body. Between drilling you with reps and sets, he relates how training gave him the inner strength to shoulder the brunt of a controversial "Curtain Call" in the ring and, later, to elevate his position with Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock as one of the "Big Three" in WWE. Relive the fateful Raw events of May 2001 that left Triple H with a torn quadriceps muscle. Then you too can feel "The Triple H Burn," the series of exercises he endured through nine months of physical therapy so he could resume his wrestling career. Besides offering the lowdown with step-by-step exercises for both novice bodybuilders and those looking to radically advance their workout, Making The Game weighs in on the science behind progressive-training resistance and rest-pause techniques; the significance of exercise form over volume; the truth behind achieving "six-pack abs"; the dangers of overtraining and "skullcrushing" exercises that risk injury; and how creativity can go a long way in your workout. Triple H sees it as his mission to provide the guidelines for you to follow in the months and years ahead. And if there's one thing he knows how to do, it's succeed. It's time to stop playing The Game...and time to start Making The Game.

Emotional Healing in 3 Easy Steps


Praying Medic - 2015
    This isn't another nice-sounding, but powerless self-help book. It's not filled with pop-psychology. It's a field-tested method of erasing traumatic wounds in your soul and releasing the painful emotions associated with them. And it doesn't require long hours of prayer or counseling. You can do it yourself and it will only take a few minutes. If you're ready to ditch your emotional baggage, put your past behind you, and get off the emotional roller-coaster you've been riding, you're just 30 minutes away from a new you. Are you ready?

American Women Didn't Get Fat in the 1950s


Averyl Hill - 2013
    If you were fat your doc said: "You eat too much." Calorie consumption hit an all-time low. A 25” waist was a clothing size 10. High fructose corn syrup consumed: None.Today: Women of all ages are, on average, overweight. Obesity is now a “disease.” Calorie consumption is at an all-time high. A 25” waist is closer to a clothing size “zero." High fructose corn syrup consumed: 76% of corn sweeteners.Is it really true that American women didn’t get fat in the 1950s? Detailed gender-specific data wasn’t published during the 50s, but an early 1960s government sponsored survey revealed that women aged 20 - 29 were, on average, a little over thirty-four pounds lighter than women in the same age bracket today! Women aged 30 - 39 were about thirty pounds lighter! It's true that women are taller today than the 50s, but not enough to explain the gain. In 1960 the average American woman was 63.1." Today she is 63.8."What did women know or practice back then that kept them immune from an obesity epidemic? Could it be a matter of simply not consuming high fructose corn syrup or fast food? Not so fast. The root of the problem is far more expansive!In this ebook you will be given access to many of the 50s slimming secrets women knew. It reveals pre-BMI medical metrics for healthy weight and eating which were far more stringent and based upon medical studies instead of comparing people to a norm. Also included are vintage US government food recommendations and an examination of the psychological climate and marketing practices to women in the 50s. You’ll find suggestions for integrating “outdated” healthy practices and attitudes into your diet to combat and replace the toxic practices and processed foods prevalent today often mistaken for “progress.” This heavily researched ebook contains over seventy linked citations and scans of vintage source materials."Diet" literally means "the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats," and by applying the 1950s diet to her own life author Averyl Hill lost sixteen pounds and four inches around her waist and has kept it off years later. She didn’t join a gym or spend money on branded, pre-packaged diet foods or pills, nor did she start wearing a string of pearls and heels while dusting her home. Going backwards can mean forward thinking!Please note that this book does not contain recipes, nor is it a specific, prescribed diet plan. It gives you tools to help facilitate healthy choices about how you eat, move and think about food, weight-loss and overall fitness. Unlike fad weight loss diets today that haven't made us any slimmer, the 1950s diet worked for millions of American women-- a decade of hard evidence is hard to dispute-- and we can learn to adopt it again today!

Shagged, Married Annoyed


Chris and Rosie Ramsay
    

Mind Over Mother: Every mum's guide to worry and anxiety in the first years


Anna Mathur
    She offers little nuggets of gold while reminding us to point some of our kindness and love inwards.' Giovanna Fletcher, bestselling author of Happy Mum, Happy Baby 'Anna is breath of fresh air - relatable, funny and wise' Sarah Turner, bestselling author of The Unmumsy MumBaby-proof the house; panic-proof the mum.Do you overthink what you said to the mum in the supermarket queue? Is your internal dialogue more critical than kind? Perhaps you wake to check your baby is breathing, or the sight of a rash sends you down an internet search rabbit hole. Whatever your level of anxiety, however much it impacts your life, this book is for you.Anxiety is making motherhood a less pleasant, more fraught and pressured experience, and we do not have to accept joy-sapping worry and energy-draining overthinking as part of the motherhood job description. In Mind Over Mother, Anna Mathur, psychotherapist and mum of three, explains how to:* Understand anxiety, why it affects you and what to do about it* Make your mind a kinder, calmer, happier place to be* Transform your motherhood experience by addressing your thinkingThe most powerful tool Anna has to communicate this isn't the letters after her name, it is the fact that she is open about her own experience of maternal anxiety. By sharing her journey, she gives you the confidence to reframe yours.Mind Over Mother is full of light bulb moments of realisation. It will have you learning, laughing and loving yourself through the journey of motherhood. You will learn to address the most important conversation you'll ever have - the one inside your head, because investing in your mental health is the best gift you can offer yourself and your child.

Victim of Thought: Seeing Through the Illusion of Anxiety


Jill Whalen - 2017
    As it turns out, we were sold a pack of lies! What if the only thing causing your anxiety is your own thoughts? And what if underneath your anxious thinking was your true, perfect self--whole and healthy and untouched by all your fears? How would this change your life? For Jill Whalen, understanding this information switched off a lifetime of anxiety and addictive behaviors. In Victim of Thought: Seeing Through the Illusion of Anxiety, Jill describes how she spent over 50 years in a constant state of anxiousness. While she could feel fine one minute, she never knew what might be lurking around the corner that could seemingly disturb her peace. It was only when she learned the simple truth of where her anxiety was really coming from--and that underneath it was her innate well-being--that she no longer was a victim to it. In this easy to read and understand book, Jill logically explains how having one or more insightful "aha moments" can wipe away a lifetime of anxious thinking. She shares numerous relatable stories and examples from her own life to help you see the truth in her words. Jill also provides you with step-by-step instructions to become more aware of your own thoughts, which in turn puts you back in the driver's seat of your life. But the proof is really in the pudding, and Jill encourages you at every turn seek your own examples and evidence of how you've let yourself become a victim of your own thoughts. Once you see this for yourself, your life and your anxiety will magically transform before your eyes! If you're tired of believing that you're a victim to your anxiety, and are looking for a more peaceful life, then this book is for you. ======================================================================= INITIAL REVIEWS "The book was fascinating, particularly as someone who also struggles with anxiety. I think you did a great job of explaining the concepts to a layperson. I particularly found both the Thought Stream and also the Thoughts Storm as a snow globe metaphors extremely effective! It's very easy to relate to and very eye-opening. Hopefully I can find a way to start practicing some of this thought work into my own life! The idea that our normal state is peace - so simple, but so difficult to realize without it being pointed out!" - Ashley R. "I love your book. It's so wise and clear. I'm very grateful that you sent me a copy!" - Ingrid M. "I found the thought processes you speak of very enlightening and it does seem to make the complex reasons for anxiety simpler to understand." - Cyndy F. "It's great! Well written and flows well. I like that you began with your story and laid things out really nicely. The separate sections are super helpful and make logical sense to anyone who is new (or old) to the concept. Overall this book is VERY needed and useful and just has a really nice feeling to it as well. I think it would also be a reference for someone who has anxiety. A book they go back to when they get caught up in their thoughts." - Lana B.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear


Elizabeth Gilbert - 2015
    Gilbert offers insights into the mysterious nature of inspiration. She asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Balancing between soulful spirituality and cheerful pragmatism, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the “strange jewels” that are hidden within each of us. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, embark on a dream long deferred, or simply infuse our everyday lives with more mindfulness and passion, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.