Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels All Around: 101 Inspirational Stories of Miracles, Divine Intervention, and Answered Prayers


Amy Newmark - 2019
    And angels are all around if we are open to seeing them and accepting their help. You’ll be inspired, awed and comforted by these 101 stories from ordinary people who’ve had extraordinary experiences, including: The young family caught in a snowstorm who were rescued by a man named David and hosted in his cabin—who learned afterwards that David and his family had died three years earlier on the same highway they were stuck on The widow who had been making snow angels with her husband for decades and then found two perfect ones in the fresh snow by his memorial bench one wintry morning—with no footprints leading to them The daughter whose dying mother promised to send flowers, who returned from the funeral to find her mom’s almost dead Christmas cacti had blossomed, covering an entire room with flowers The mother who saw her husband hoisting their little girl by one arm from a lake she’d fallen into, but didn’t see the man her husband says was holding the girl’s other arm The notoriously grumpy old man in a nursing home who spent a whole day happily saying goodbye to everyone and thanking them because an angel told him, correctly, it would be his last day on earth The teenager working in a hotel kitchen who was pushed away by an invisible force while standing in a group of people, and just missed being hit by a large piece of equipment that fell right where she’d been standing

Chicken Soup for the Nurse's Soul: 101 Stories to Celebrate, Honor, and Inspire the Nursing Profession (Chicken Soup for the Soul)


Mark Victor Hansen - 2001
    The authors have done nursing a wonderful service by bringing to light the touching, funny, heartfelt an

The John Wayne Code: Wit, Wisdom and Timeless Advice


Media Lab Books - 2017
    He was a symbol for everything good and decent about America, inspiring everyday people to reach just a little bit more and try a little bit harder. During his 72 years and more than 150 movies, John Wayne imparted a seemingly-endless amount of advice, wisdom and good old-fashioned common sense to his audiences, and that wealth of knowledge has been collected together for the first time by the people who loved and knew him best. The John Wayne Bible is filled with the icon’s most insightful quotes, personal stories from his family and friends, and advice for how to be a better person. This personal collector’s item makes the perfect companion for any fan of Duke’s who wants to make their life a little more legendary.

Normal Is Just a Setting on the Dryer


Adair Lara - 2003
    Celebrated columnist Adair Lara polled her readers for life-lessons learned the hard way and compile their priceless counsel, including: If someone offers you a breath mint, take it. Never continue dating anyone who is rude to the waiter. Take Spanish, not German. Whenever people say they hate to say something, they actually love to say it. Never fry bacon in the nude. Wear cheap pants if you must, but never cheap shoes. With whimsical illustrations by Roxanna Bikadoroff, and a healthy dose of humor that's just what the doctor ordered, Normal is Just a Setting on the Dryer equips you with hard-won wisdom to take on the real real world.

What Should I Do with My Life?: The True Story of People Who Answered the Ultimate Question


Po Bronson - 2002
    With humor, empathy, and insight, Bronson writes of remarkable individuals—from young to old, from those just starting out to those in a second career—who have overcome fear and confusion to find a larger truth about their lives and, in doing so, have been transformed by the experience. What Should I Do with My Life? struck a powerful, resonant chord on publication, causing a multitude of people to rethink their vocations and priorities and start on the path to finding their true place in the world. For this edition, Bronson has added nine new profiles, to further reflect the range and diversity of those who broke away from the chorus to learn the sound of their own voice.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Passalong Plants


Steve Bender - 1993
    These botanical heirlooms, such as flowering almond, blackberry lily, and night-blooming cereus, usually can't be found in neighborhood garden centers; about the only way to obtain a passalong plant is to beg a cutting from the fortunate gardener who has one. In this lively and sometimes irreverent book (don't miss the chapter on yard art), Steve Bender and Felder Rushing describe 117 such plants, giving particulars on hardiness, size, uses in the garden, and horticultural requirements. They present this information in the informal, chatty, and sometimes humorous manner that your next-door neighbor might use when giving you a cutting of her treasured Confederate rose. And, of course, because they are discussing passalong plants, they note the best method of sharing each plant with other gardeners. Because you might not spy a banana shrub or sweet pea in your neighborhood, the authors list mail-order sources for the heirloom plants described. They also give tips on how to organize your own plant swap. Although the authors live in and write about the South, many of the plants they discuss will grow elsewhere. from the book Amid the clamor of press releases touting the newest, improved versions of this bulb or that perennial, what keeps people interested in old-fashioned plants? Nostalgia, for one thing. It's hard not to feel a special fondness for that Confederate rose, night-blooming cereus, or alstroemeria lovingly tended by your grandmother when you were a child. Such heirloom plants evoke memories of your first garden, of relatives and neighbors that have since passed on, of prized bushes you accidentally annihilated with your bicycle. Recall the time you first received a particular plant, and you'll recall the person who gave it to you.

Employee of The Month And Other Big Deals


Mary Jo Pehl - 2011
    With biting wit, bracing satire, and boundless good cheer, Mary Jo-distinguished member of the First Family of Circle Pines, Minnesota; she'll explain-takes you on a poignant, hilarious journey through the world of keepin' on. Dispatched from her Midwestern home state, then New York, Texas, and exotic points beyond, these very personal stories and essays, with illustrations by Len Peralta, reveal a warm, smart, funny writer who can spot the absurdities in what she deals with every day, and make her readers LOL at them. There's nobody else like Mary Jo Pehl. But then, there's nobody else like you, either. Hey, you two should get together! Read this book, and you will, my friend: you will.

Happily (N)ever After: Essays That Will Heal Your Broken Heart


Thought Catalog - 2016
    When your heart breaks, there's nothing more comforting than realizing that you aren't alone—that others can relate to the gut-wrenching pain of saying good-bye to a relationship that once felt so right. Each of us is bound to enter into a relationship or two that doesn't work out, but that doesn't make those months or years spent caring for an ex a total failure. Every heartbreak is a chance to learn, grow, and heal.

Laugh It Up! Embrace Freedom and Experience Defiant Joy


Candace Payne - 2017
    But what the video doesn’t show is Candace’s storied journey of daunting obstacles on the way to the joy-filled life—extreme poverty, past trauma, and struggles with self-worth.Laugh It Up! tells the rest of the story behind the woman in the mask. Like most of us, Candace has often felt overlooked, undervalued, and insignificant. But she has also discovered the secrets to unshakable joy that no circumstance can take away, and Laugh It Up! will help you discover and experience the same.Join Candace to discover the gift God has given us all to experience life to the fullest. All you need to do is answer “yes” when joy, whom Candace personifies as a friend, calls you to come and play.Do you feel tempted to give up on your dreams? Joy stays the course.Do your knees knock when thinking about the future? Joy hopes for what can be.Do you feel unseen and unnoticed? Joy is content whether backstage or center stage.Do you feel crushed under the weight of regret? Joy loves you enough to weep with you, but also enough to help you move on.When life punches you in the gut, it can be difficult to muster a smile—much less a laugh. But with humor and power, wit and wisdom, Candace lights the way forward to a life that is free indeed.

Hearts of Fire: Eight Women in the Underground Church and Their Stories of Costly Faith


The Voice of the Martyrs - 2003
    Yet the struggles they each faced rang with eerie similarity. These courageous women from across the globe-Pakistan, India, Romania, Former Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, Nepal, Indonesia-shared similar experiences of hardship, subjugation, and persecution, all because of their faith in Christ. Yet all of these women have emerged from adversity as leaders and heroines.The eight modern-day pilgrims featured in "Hearts of Fire" are the hidden jewels in the church universal. They are worthy role models of faith and passion, and women of every age will gain new strength and hope for their own times of crisis and trial as they read these inspiring stories. Each story concludes with thoughtful self-reflection questions for the reader.

Counting Blessings-Wit and Wisdom for Women


Kerry Blair - 2008
    Like a wise and witty friend, Kerry leads you through the rough spots of life by poking gentle fun in such a vivacious way that you’ll be smiling at your own foibles. You’ll laugh out loud—and be moved to tears—as you discover some of life’s greatest truths hidden within these simple pages. Reclaim your sanity and enrich your soul with this humorous and poignant anthology that celebrates the joy of being alive and shows how greatly each of us is blessed."

Confessions of a Prayer Slacker


Diane Moody - 2010
    Most of us are clueless at praying. Why is that? And how come we've never done anything about it? In Confessions of a Prayer Slacker, author Diane Moody traces her own personal prayer journey with a touch of humor and a healthy dose of transparency. ''I want my readers to stop the merry-go-round of prayerlessness, quit acting like a bunch of spiritual babies, and get serious about this thing called prayer. Without it, we'll never experience the warm, one-on-one relationship God desires to have with each one of us.''

We Don't Die: A Skeptic's Discovery of Life After Death


Sandra Champlain - 2012
    The goal of “We Don’t Die” is to have people believe that their deceased loved ones are still near them, help them navigate through the grieving process and educate that we are ‘eternal souls having a human experience. It is unique because it teaches people about the grieving process, keeping relationships whole, gives awe inspiring exercises that the reader experiences that we must be ‘more than our bodies.’ It gets readers in touch with the purpose of their lives and gets them on the path to producing results. Readers will no longer fear death, their pain of losing someone will be lessened, they will have hope, faith, and powerful access to live a successful life.

The Church of 80% Sincerity


David Roche - 2008
    Born with a severe facial deformity, David's life has been anything but easy. Still, over time, he's learned to accept his gifts as well as his flaws, and to see that, sometimes, they are one and the same. In this compelling book, he shares his hard-earned lessons, providing an irresistible and unforgettable glimpse of his (and everyone's) inner beauty and offering profound encouragement in dealing with whatever life brings.

Life Without Limits


Nick Vujicic - 2007
    Born without arms or legs, Nick Vujicic overcame his disability to live not just independently but a rich, fulfilling life, becoming a model for anyone seeking true happiness. Now an internationally successful motivational speaker, his central message is that the most important goal for anyone is to find their life’s purpose despite whatever difficulties or seemingly impossible odds stand in their way. Nick tells the story of his physical disabilities and the emotional battle he endured trying to deal with them as a child, a teen, and a young adult. “For the longest, loneliest time, I wondered if there was anyone on earth like me, and whether there was any purpose to my life other than pain and humiliation.” He shares how his faith in God has been his central source of strength and explains that once he found his own sense of purpose—inspiring others to make their lives and the world better—he found the confidence to build a rewarding and productive life without limits. Nick offers practical advice for realizing a life of fulfillment and happiness by building trust in others, developing supportive relationships, and gaining strength for the journey. He encourages the reader by showing how he learned to accept what he could not control and focus instead on what he could. “I do believe my life has no limits! I want you to feel the same way about your life, no matter what your challenges may be. As we begin our journey together, please take a moment to think about any limitations you’ve placed on your life or that you’ve allowed others to place on it. Now think about what it would be like to be free of those limitations. What would your life be if anything were possible?”—Nick Vujicic, from Life Without Limits