Welcome to Ms. Nelly's Sunday School Class by Chetoca Barfield

 

If you're looking for a variety of stories to share in your own Sunday school class or at home to celebrate your faith, you can use the collection in Ms. Nelly's Sunday School Class by Chetoca Barfield. She also shares with us an idea of a parallel universe for her collection. Read an excerpt and download your own copy before you follow the rest of the tour for even more!

Bedtime Stories for the Living by Jay Armstrong

 

Getting a rare disease diagnosis can be devastating. This father has chosen to look for the positive and to leave a legacy for his children and others. Be inspired with this excerpt from Bedtime Stories for the Living and then download your own copy. Also check out his writing advice! Leave your questions and comments as you follow the tour. Best of luck entering the giveaway!

Review of 365 Days of Gratitude Journal by Marielle S. Smith

 

A practice of gratitude is so important in our lives. And sometimes you need a little nudge to help you along the way. Learn more about the 365 Days of Gratitude Journal by Marielle S. Smith and then get your own copy to get you started. She also shares with us her top 5 songs to listen to while doing your practice. Best of luck entering the giveaway! And follow the tour for more.

I Know You By Heart: Navigating the Dementia Journey by Angie Swetland

In the U.S. today, over 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementia. Each of these individuals has a story. And each one has caregivers, with stories of their own. You have questions – so many questions about what is happening now, and what is to come. How do I cope with this new manifestation of the disease? How do I prepare for an uncertain future? This is especially true when just navigating your way through each day can be overwhelming. Contained within these pages are answers to some of your questions as well as strategies for your future. In navigating this journey, it is important to remember two essential truths. The first is that the body may fail, and the mind may wander, but the spirit – the person inside - remains intact. The caregiver’s role is to maximize the remaining strengths of the person they care for. The second is that you are not alone. Caregiving is often an isolating experience. Stories from the lives of others let us know that our experiences are not unique. Be assured that many have gone before, and others are walking the same road today. This is "I Know You by Heart: Navigating the Dementia Journey"

Read an excerpt:

Ella

Ella is ready.

A former church organist and choir director, she is used to looking just so. These days she might emerge from her room with her wig askew, and her lipstick crooked. Still, she always tries to look her best.

Ella lives in a Memory Care Community.

Today she must go out for a doctor’s appointment. I am escorting her down to wait for her ride. It is warm for March in Minnesota. Ella is wearing a boiled wool suit in emerald green with a pillbox hat and has a light woolen coat on her arm. I offer to take her coat, which she hands me with thanks. She holds her handbag prettily in both hands. No one seeing her would ever dream that this elegant lady’s thoughts are blown about like sheet music in the wind. We enter the elevator with some trepidation. I know that Ella does not like elevators or closed spaces, but the stairs on her floor are secured, so this is the only exit.

The elevator is crowded. I see one resident I recognize; others in winter coats are coming to visit relatives, or here on business. It is a small space, but I count one, two, three, four, five…seven people, including Ella and me. We only have three floors to go. The door closes, and the elevator begins to descend.

Suddenly we all feel a jolt. The iron box we ride in has stopped between floors. There is a collective intake of breath, and people express dismay.

Quietly, I suggest to the man next to the emergency panel that he use the button to call for assistance. We can speak to our helpers on the outside, and they assure us that it will only be a few minutes.

Five minutes pass, then ten. The anxiety climbs, the muttering increases. People have places they need to be. One has a dentist appointment, and another must be back at the office, a third cannot imagine not meeting her child’s school bus. The other resident worries that she will miss her lunch.

I glance at Ella.

She has backed into the corner of the elevator. Her head is bowed, her shoulders hunched, her arms curled across her abdomen. She shudders. I step towards her, concerned that she is afraid, yes, but mostly worried about what she might do.

Suddenly she throws back her head, flings her arms wide, and begins to sing her favorite song, “My Wild Irish Rose,” full voice. And what a lovely voice it is. I catch her eye and grin and begin to sing along. The muttering stops. Everyone turns to stare.

We switch from “Irish Rose” to “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” and then to “I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen.” One by one, the others join in, as we sing “Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ra.” You see, it is St. Patrick’s Day.

When the elevator doors open ten minutes later, we all exit singing.

Available on Amazon

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Angie Swetland

Cresting Wave Publishing

https://gocwpub.com/

The Conman by Mike Murphey

Sports Fiction (Baseball)

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

Date Published: November 11, 2019

Conor Nash has lived his life with a single purpose—to pitch in the Major Leagues. He’s been released from professional baseball contracts ten times over a sixteen-year career, but he’s overcome every obstacle to finally reach The Show when he’s a decade too old.

As he faces the specter of injury-forced retirement, he becomes a man neither he nor his wife recognizes. During his career, Conor avoided the trap of alcohol and drugs because his drug was baseball. And what can an addict do when he realizes he will never get that high again?

Conor climbs treacherous Camelback Mountain, drinks a bottle of Champagne, recalls people and events, and seeks an answer. Who is Conor Nash if he can’t pitch?

The Conman is based on the Life of Keith Comstock. Keith pitched professionally for sixteen years, including Major League time with The Seattle Mariners, the San Diego Padres, the San Francisco Giants and the Minnesota Twins. Following his retirement in 1992, Keith has held minor league coaching and managing positions with several organizations.  For the past decade he has served as the rehabilitation instructor for the Texas Rangers.

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CHAPTER ONE

October 1992

Phoenix, Arizona

Failure can be an acute condition, perhaps even chronic, but quitting—quitting is fatal.

Conor Nash believed this to his marrow.

No stranger to failure, Conor had been released from professional baseball contracts ten times. He’d been released by major league teams. He’d been released by minor league affiliates. He’d been released in five countries encompassing three continents. He wasn’t sure how to count Puerto Rico. And, technically, that release occurred in an aircraft somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. He’d had a contract when the plane took off. When it landed, they told him, “Go home.”

And Venezuela, well, they weren’t satisfied with just releasing him. A pissed-off dictator banned him from the entire country.

Hope remained, though, and ultimately, he’d kept his vow. Conor Nash pitched in the major leagues. So why did this champagne bottle clutched in his left hand cast a pall that felt like death?

Fat Brad Grady could have helped him sort through these confusing emotions. Brad loved debating the nuance of words, and he and Conor argued the semantics often enough. Where Conor saw a razor-sharp line distinguishing fail and quit, Brad found a middle ground he defined as surrender to reality or honorable retreat. Brad’s intellect would help make sense of Conor’s present struggle. Brad wasn’t available, though, was he? Conor closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to slough off the guilty anger he still confronted when he thought of Brad.

Conor set the champagne atop a flat red rock beside one of those damned jumping cactus plants. He bent forward, hands on knees. Everything around him conveyed hostile intent. Towering sajuaro their spines like nails, prickly pears, sharp-edged Spanish Daggers. The cholla cacti were worst, with needles that seemed to leap from the plant if you got too close.

Maybe he hadn’t thought this through.

This was an occasion, and he would not visit a host of family, friends and adversaries dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt. Cowboy boots, jeans and a knit polo were proving inappropriate, though, for scaling Camelback Mountain.

He squinted into the glare of afternoon sun and saw a pair of young women making their way down. They wore cargo shorts. Sweat-soaked tank tops seemed plastered to their skin. Their  hiking boots bit into the steep slant of red rock and sand surface.

Conor shaded his eyes, stood straight and did his best to look ten years younger.

“Hi,” he said.

They smiled politely and passed without comment.

Conor was not a womanizer. He’d put that behind him when he married Kate fifteen years ago. Still, if those women knew they’d been greeted by a genuine major league baseball player, they wouldn’t just hurry on their way, would they?

Then, he amended his thought. Ex-major league ballplayer.

Other hikers—all the traffic seemed to be headed down—offered curious glances at his clothing and champagne bottle. A few wished him success on his climb. He thought it a happy coincidence they were leaving. After all, he sought solitude at the camel’s hump.

  Retrieving the bottle, he craned his neck toward the summit. Damn. He didn’t remember the fucking mountain being this steep. A half dozen more steps and the slick soles of his cowboy boots betrayed him again. He caught himself with his free hand, protecting his Champagne. Breaking the bottle after all these years would be catastrophic.

French. Moët-Chandon. Purchased for twenty-five dollars at an Idaho Falls liquor store during the summer of 1976. Conor hadn’t a clue whether brand and vintage qualified as good, bad or indifferent. They’d been four minor league baseball players. Kids really. The last man standing pact was Conor’s idea. The player remaining when the other three had officially retired from their playing careers got to drink the champagne. Sports Illustrated published a story about this pact when Kenny Shrom  passed the bottle to Conor at when the1989 season ended.

The Idaho Falls Russets, a team named for a potato, represented minor league ladder’s lowest rung. And against all odds, three of the four pact members climbed from that first step to the majors. Mark Brouhard arrived first. He played a half-dozen seasons in Milwaukee, punctuated by a year with the Yakult Swallows, before Kenny took charge of the bottle. Kenny pitched for Minnesota and Cleveland until injury robbed him of 1988. His comeback the next season failed in El Paso.

Initially, the bottle sat on Conor’s garage shelf, subjected to a quiet indignity of shared space with wrenches and bicycle tires and motor oil. Then Kate pointed out it should probably be refrigerated. So, he made room at the back of his garage ice box. It loomed like a grim reaper each time he opened the fridge to grab a beer, and fed a sullen, brooding hostility that took seed following Conor’s final shoulder surgery.

Since second grade, Conor Nash had lived with a single purpose: to be a big-league pitcher. Even through high school, adults and friends indulged him with smiles and chuckles and, “Yes, but what if you don’t make the majors? What’s your back-up plan?”

The only adult who might have swayed him from his path had been his father. Hugh Nash cast an enormous presence. A brawler, he literally fought his way into a leadership role with the Teamsters at the Port of Oakland.

“Conor, I know what I’m supposed to tell you,” Hugh told his second-born son one grey fall Bay Area afternoon. Hugh had conceded he would not beat the lung cancer, and that his five sons would make their way into the adult world without him. He called each boy individually into the living room of the two-story house on Melendy Drive in San Carlos, California, to address their futures.

“Even though you had a good year in Idaho, there’s a long, tough road ahead,” he told Conor. A deep, rasping cough forced a pause. Conor made it a point not to wince or show concern, though he imagined what a painful fire the coughing built in his father’s lungs. Hugh’s failing body still held an iron will, and Conor would not acknowledge the cancer. As his cough subsided, Hugh drank from a glass of water, gathering himself.

“No matter what the scouts said, only something like four or five percent of kids drafted ever make the majors,” Hugh continued. “So, I’m supposed to say find something to fall back on, maybe school during the off-season, or see if I can hook you up driving a truck or working the docks.”

Hugh shook his head.

“I’m supposed say don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Conor, I’ve watched you try to change a tire. Son, you’ve only got one basket. That’s it. If you have a fall-back plan, that’s just what you’ll do—fall back. Since you were seven years old, you’ve aimed yourself like an arrow at one goal, and I’ve never seen anyone so focused, so single-minded. For the other boys, that would be a weakness. Not you. That’s your strength.”

And now, on an October afternoon sixteen years later, Conor climbed Camelback Mountain. Along with the bottle of champagne, he carried his father, his best friends—A.J., Basil, Brad—his brothers, his wife and children, a whole community of people who had celebrated his successes and commiserated over his shortcomings, teammates and coaches, both friend and foe. All who had shaped him for better or for worse.

He intended to sit atop a mountain overlooking Phoenix, drink his champagne, and reflect on people, places and events—try and understand what would become of Conor Nash now.

He honestly didn’t know, though, whether he was attending a party or a funeral.

About the Author

Mike Murphey is a native of eastern New Mexico and spent almost thirty years as an award-winning newspaper journalist in the Southwest and Pacific Northwest. Following his retirement from the newspaper business, he and his wife Nancy entered in a seventeen-year partnership with the late Dave Henderson, all-star centerfielder for the Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners. Their company produced the A’s and Mariners adult baseball Fantasy Camps. They also have a partnership with the Roy Hobbs adult baseball organization in Fort Myers, Florida. Mike loves fiction, cats, baseball and sailing. He splits his time between Spokane, Washington, and Phoenix, Arizona, where he enjoys life as a writer and old-man baseball player.

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Once You Know by Agnes Deglon L.Ac., MS

Non Fiction / Body, Mind, Spirit / Inspiration & Personal Growth

Date Published: November 5th 2019

Publisher : Acorn Publishing

Our children are our hope, our future, our everything. Yet, we are often very unaware of the consequences of our actions, and the impact they have on our children’s future. The dangers of our lack of awareness are real. For the first time in history, our children’s life expectancy is shorter than ours. It is our duty as parents to educate ourselves and help our children thrive. This book is:

·  An invitation to take a deeper look at the cultural influence on our children’s health.

·  A helpful resource for parents who wish to take an active role in preserving their children’s health in today’s toxic environment.

·  An empowering guide with life-changing information that most of us don’t have.

Once you know, you can make changes. NOW is the time to act.

Purchase Link

Amazon

Excerpt

What is happening right now

As participants in modern society, our bodies are exposed to startling numbers of chemicals from the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe and the products we consume. For instance, did you know that many pregnant women and their children are exposed to far more chemical toxins today than a few decades ago? Most newborns today have chemical contaminants in their blood right from birth. Did you know that much of the food sold in the U.S. is far inferior in quality compared to the same foods sold in other nations? Or that some food dyes used in the U.S., if not banned outside the U.S., require a warning notice because they have been shown to cause hyperactivity and cancer? Or did you know that GMOs need to be labeled in many countries but not in the U.S.?

The combination of excessive amounts of toxicity, coupled with a deficit in nutritious and immune boosting foods, is devastating for the physical and mental development of our children.

Furthermore, our minds are exposed to an overwhelming amount of information, resulting in a kind of information overload that includes a lot of negative images. In emergency situations, staying aware of what is happening is indeed a good thing, but in our day-to-day lives, constant negative input can and will influence our thoughts, our happiness, and our health.

Our mental health is an increasing concern in this day and age. It’s especially important to analyze the way we treat it. For example, in the U.S., ADHD is considered a biological disorder and is treated with medications such as Ritalin. In other countries, the causes of ADHD are believed to be psycho-social and situational. Therefore the treatment is focusing on improving the child’s social context rather than prescribing a drug. In the U.S., we use more antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs than any other country, even starting treatment in patients as young as 2 or 3 years old.

The use of these drugs validates the gut-brain connection. If we are using oral drugs like antidepressants to influence the mood, why not use this connection and positively affect our mental health with the right foods? In the same way, why not provide a positive environment and use our media-infused culture to feed our mind happy and uplifting information?

In today’s society, our souls do not get much attention, time or space anymore, even though studies show that spirituality has a clear impact on our mental health and wellness. Spirituality is associated with significantly lower rates of depression, substance abuse, risk-taking, or thrill seeking. Nothing else known to science and medicine has such a broad-reaching and powerful preventative influence on the daily decisions that make or break health and wellness.

About the Author

Agnes Deglon is a biochemist, oriental medicine practitioner, and the mother of two young boys. She is a passionate children’s health advocate. In the few years she spent in the acupuncture clinic, she came to the conclusion that it is easier to preserve health than to cure disease. 

Aside from ONCE YOU KNOW A Guide to Preserving Your Child’s Health, Agnes is the author of the children’s book series, Kids’ Questions About Life, an educational book series written in simple language for parents, teachers, and kids who are pondering the deeper, more complex yet so essential issues of life. Book two in the series, Wait for me! Would you Mind?, won first place in the 2016 Royal Palm Literary Award. Book three, The Little Souls, was a finalist. 

You can visit her online at WWW.AGNESDEGLONBLOG.COM

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Circle Up! by Karmel Larson

A Tale of Transformation, Beating the Odds and Changing the World, the Story of Momni

Non-Fiction, Self-Help

Date Published: October 8th 2019

Publisher: Elite Online Publishing

Circle Up is a raw glimpse into the heart, mind, struggle, and triumph of a female tech entrepreneur whose relentless grit, determination, and courage to continue, despite unimaginable obstacles, will leave you pondering your own life purpose and path.

Against all odds, this passionate mother of eight is succeeding in launching a sharing economy global tech company, linking mothers together everywhere to help solve the global childcare crisis. With more women joining the workforce and less stay-at-home parents, the need for childcare is in even higher demand. This crisis calls for a movement that encourages mothers to share resources and help each other succeed.

In sharing her spiritually guided journey, Karmel invites the reader to join the Momni Movement of caresharing and encourages mothers everywhere to gather and Circle Up!

●       Battle the childcare crisis through mentorship and caresharing

●       Overcome barriers of motherhood and stay motivated

●       Find inspiration by this entrepreneurship journey that defies the odds

●       Develop purpose through motherhood, faith, and personal growth

●       Join a movement that changes childcare for both parents and children

Purchase Link

Amazon 
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About the Author

Karmel Larson is a serial millionaire entrepreneur shattering barriers as founder of Momni and the Momni Foundation.  A professionally trained social worker, she is passionate about empowering women and strengthening families. Featured on Dr. Phil (Tuesday’s with Troy), ABC, NBC, FOX, The CW, Yahoo Finance, and Fortune. Karmel is a captivating, keynote speaker who inspires action. She presented at the UN on the global childcare crisis and was awarded the “Women of Distinction Award” by The India Council of Human Rights. Internationally known as “Mama Karmel”, she considers her greatest life work-her magnum opus, to be her 8 children.

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Undercover Bag Lady by Kimberly Bowman #99cent sale!

Undercover Bag Lady

Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me. After leading a small nondenominational church and helping to serve the homeless community for 30 years, former pastor Kimberly Bowman set out on a social experiment that was decades in the making. A lifelong curiosity in human interaction and a passion to enact social change distilled themselves in the Undercover Bag Lady project.

Carefully disguised in tattered layers of dirty rags, Kimberly Bowman assumed the life of Jean, the homeless bag lady, and approached 10 different churches from the heart of the Bible Belt. Over the course of eight weeks, Jean attended Sunday morning services and took note of the reception her indigent character received.

From outright hostility to overwhelming generosity, the undercover bag lady encountered the full spectrum of humanity’s potential for acceptance. “Undercover Bag Lady: An Exposé of Christian Attitudes Toward the Homeless” examines the silent hypocrisy and the humbling benevolence that exist beyond the closed doors of the Christian church. In beautifully poignant prose, this unyielding exposé of a silent, fringe community’s experiences turns the mirror on the Christian Church and compels it to examine if it is truly following Christ’s message of unconditional love.

Available on Amazon

Sale priced 10/15-10/29

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About Kimberly Bowman

Kimberly Bowman has worked in various capacities with homeless ministry and church leadership over the past thirty years, including founding a nonprofit that has served the homeless community since 1996. She is a bit of a daredevil and takes immense pleasure in sky diving and zip-lining. She lives near Charlotte, North Carolina with her incredibly tolerant husband, Gary, and her spoiled-rotten schnauzer, Bruce.

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.

Wait: Thoughts and Practice in Waiting on God by Rebecca Brewster Stevenson

This book is for those of you seeking some inspiration in your faith and in life. Please enjoy the excerpt and then follow the tour for even more. Ask the author questions and let her know what you think in the comments area. And then be sure to enter the great giveaway!

Wait: Thoughts and Practice in Waiting on God

What are you waiting for?

Everyone has endured the endless traffic light, the queue that goes nowhere, the elevator music piped through the phone line. But what of those periods in your life when everything seems on hold? When you can't do the next thing in your professional or personal life because you can't get to it?

Waiting—be it for health, a life partner, a child, a job—can be an agony. The persistently unrealized goal feels like an endless road. And hope's constant deferment can be exhausting. A firm answer against the thing you're hoping for—"no"—might be easier than this constant lack of closure. It might be easier to give it up.

But what if waiting means to be something else? Waiting doesn't have to mean idleness. Our prolonged state of need might teach us to look beyond the desired goal to something infinitely better. We find lessons on this throughout the Bible and, if we are paying attention, in our own lives.

Rather than fostering frustration, periods of waiting might have great truths to tell us. It might show us that hope is worthwhile. Waiting might even be a gift in and of itself.

Read an excerpt:

The first lesson of waiting is that we are on the outside. Like the boy on the sideline; like the not-engaged friend who pins wedding gowns on Pinterest; like me squinting for lines that fail to emerge on the pregnancy test; none of us--whether or not we are actively waiting-- is where we want to be. This might not seem true, of course. This actually might seem patently untrue. You might be happily ensconced in a loving family, a marriage, a tight-knit circle of friends. You might belong to a country club or a sorority, a church, a civic group.

But, like that of all who wait, the human condition is actually a condition of being on the outside, an unhappy state that writers and poets have noticed since time out of mind. It's true of all of us, but we manage to obscure it from ourselves with all manner of distraction: accumulated wealth and possessions, meaningful or frivolous activity, even what is truly good and beautiful.

The problem is that you can't contend with something if you simultaneously ignore it. And the fact of our exile--the fundamental state of all human existence--is not going away.

Waiting can teach us this.

Available on Amazon

About Rebecca Brewster Stevenson

Rebecca Brewster Stevenson is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has a master's degree from Duke University and has lived in Durham, North Carolina for over 20 years with her husband and three children.

Before dedicating herself to writing full time, Rebecca worked with Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill to develop the curriculum for their humanities department; she also worked as an English teacher at public and private middle and high schools in Durham and Pittsburgh.

Rebecca's debut novel Healing Maddie Brees was published in 2016 to literary acclaim. Her beautifully crafted personal essays on her blog "Small Hours" have earned her a strong audience of readers who enjoy her explorations of themes relating to family, marriage, faith, writing, language, literature, and film.

"Rebecca Brewster Stevenson's writing is consistently powerful, complex, honest, and hopeful" (Andy Crouch, author, Culture Making and The Tech-Wise Family). Rebecca's writing has also been called "exquisite" (Stephen Chbosky), "thought-provoking" (Barbara Claypole White), and "gorgeous" (Kirkus Reviews).

To connect with Rebecca, visit her at rebeccabrewsterstevenson.com or follow her on Instagram @rebeccabrewsterstevenson.

https://rebeccabrewsterstevenson.com/

https://rebeccabrewsterstevenson.com/blog/

https://www.lightmessages.com/rebecca-brewster-stevenson

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Website: rebeccabrewsterstevenson.com

Rebecca Brewster Stevenson will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Unmasking Prejudice: Silencing the Internal Voice of Bigotry by Dr. Melodye Hilton

Unmasking Prejudice

Prejudice is a word that is often associated solely with race. However, the truth is that we pre-judge all the time based upon countless factors, including gender, age, race, beliefs, politics, or any other infinite number of minute differences; it is a common habit for all of humanity to form an opinion without facts, firsthand experience, and without empathy and value for our fellow man. What if these habits changed? What if our default response was first to love, to learn, and to listen?

In 'Unmasking Prejudice: Silencing the Internal Voice of Bigotry', Dr. Melodye Hilton thoughtfully addresses:

• The many faces of prejudice and bigotry;
• Pre-judgment and assumption as societal stumbling blocks;
• The dangers of gossip, rumors, and slander;
• The personal pain of prejudice through real-life stories; and
• Our responsibility as humans to stop devaluation by representing a restorative influence.

'Unmasking Prejudice: Silencing the Internal Voice of Bigotry' invites all of us to recognize and remove the hidden masks of prejudice so that we can have a hand in changing the cultural narrative and bringing healing to our land.

Available on Amazon

Yes, this is my affiliate link. That just means I will make a few pennies if you make a purchase through it, and it will not cost you anything extra. Thank you for supporting my websites!

About Dr. Melodye Hilton

Dr. Melodye Hilton has developed a unique and personal approach to consulting and coaching that creates a positive and sustainable impact. With years of leadership experience, she works with individuals and teams around the globe as a leadership consultant, behavioral analyst, and executive team and personal coach. Her passion is in the development of people, as she believes that each person has a unique, valuable, and necessary contribution to bring to the table. As individuals develop the internal soft skills of leadership, their ability for both personal fulfillment and organizational productivity exponentially increases.

Dr. Melodye’s recognition extends throughout all ages, socio-economic, and educational backgrounds through her work in corporate and local business, government, and not-for-profit organizations, as well as public and private educational sectors. She is a Master Certified Trainer for Taylor Protocols, Inc., training people to discover their Core Values Consciousness in pursuit of personal excellence and happiness. In addition, she has served as vice-president of a not-for-profit corporation for over 35 years and founded the International Training Center for the development and equipping of leaders. Dr. Melodye's core passion for justice (power used for good) led her to establish the Voice of Justice Foundation to aid in the rescue and care of orphans, trafficking victims, and others in need of hope, vision, and purpose.


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https://www.facebook.com/DrMelodye/

Author Website
https://drmelodye.com/

I was compensated via Fiverr for sharing this post. I only share those books that I feel will be of interest to my readers.

Read an excerpt from Our Secret Powers by Terje G. Simonsen

Welcome to the blurb blitz for Our Secret Power by Terje G. Simonsen, a book about the history of the paranormal and its place in our real life. I have an excerpt and a giveaway for you today. If you follow the rest of the tour, you have more chances to win as you read the excerpts, a few reviews, and leave questions and comments for the author along the way.

Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Our Secret Powers

Is the paranormal normal?

Many readers will be surprised when learning that reputable scientists, among them several Nobel laureates, have claimed that telepathy is a reality. Their curiosity will increase when reading that Cleopatra’s lost palace and Richard III’s burial place were recovered by means of clairvoyance. And some will think it to be science fiction when finding out about Stargate—the espionage program where the American military and CIA engaged in the development of psychic spies!

Simonsen, a Norwegian historian of ideas, introduces an array of entertaining paranormal tales from history, archaeology, anthropology and psychology, and presents scientific research that has provided fascinating results. He argues that the stories we hear about telepathy, clairvoyance and precognition ought not to be dismissed as superstition

In step with spiritual and occult traditions, the author suggests that consciousness is not limited to our own head. Rather he thinks that all humans (and perhaps all living beings) are linked together in a “Mental Internet.’ Via this network we may exchange ‘telepathic emails’ with friends and family and make clairvoyant ‘downloads’ of information. Thus perhaps what we usually call ‘supernatural’ is completely natural but little understood communications via this Mental Internet?

Our Secret Powers gives us a engaged and entertaining analysis of a controversial subject and would make an excellent travel companion.

"Superb survey of the paranormal... Although serious in content, it is written in a light, often humorous, style which is a delight to read. As someone who has myself made a lifelong study of the paranormal, I cannot recommend it highly enough." ~ fantasy author, Herbie Brennan

"Simonsen describes his book as "A travelogue from the twilight zone,"but he is far too modest. Our Secret Powers is a sprawling work, meticulously researched, in which the author deftly, and with engaging wit, pulls together the various strands of "psi"--telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition,telekinesis, and healing--and presents them for our consideration." ~ Pulitzer-prize winner, Teresa Carpenter

Buy links

Amazon / Amazon UK / Pari Publishing

Read an excerpt:

Based on this idea, we launch a quite simple model, called the “Mental Internet.” The basic metaphor here is that somewhat in the way our computers are linked together via the Internet, the ‘consciousnesses’ of all humans, and perhaps all living beings, are linked together via some sort of Mental Internet. Consciousness, like the Internet, is—on some level—something that we are all doing together; it is networking. And telepathy is the communication that drives this network.

I therefore invite the reader to engage in a little thought experiment throughout the book: namely that an Internet Model of consciousness may have some relevance. Galileo once invited the Inquisition to look through his telescope in order to see what he himself had seen. But, as we know, the inquisitors were not very keen on having their horizons expanded and instead muttered murkily of ‘the work of the Devil.’ However, I take it for granted that the reader has a radically more open attitude than those darkened souls, and I am therefore confident that my invitation will be well received.

I find it intriguing to think that our everyday perception of Space and Time may, in some respects, be merely a mental frame, a habit. And therefore it might be possible to think outside the box in a more radical way. The proposed thought experiment about a Mental Internet allows for this, and telepathy can then be considered as the ‘emails’ sent and the ‘downloads’ made via this mental network. Many phenomena that otherwise would appear inexplicable will in light of this model fall quite nicely into place. More (much more) about this later!

About Terje G. Simonsen

Terje G. Simonsen is an author with a Ph.D. in the History of Ideas. He has increasingly focused his attention on the esoteric and occult traditions and on paranormal phenomena, as telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, telekinesis, healing etc. Recently he published the highly acclaimed Our Secret Powers, based on his extraordinary knowledge within this field. Elegantly and with great personal wit and insight, he discusses parapsychological phenomena such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and precognition.

Simonsen has had his work praised by several of the world’s most renowned experts on the paranormal: The bestselling parapsychologist, Dean Radin, chief scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, says: ‘As an encyclopedic introduction to the psychic side of the fascinating but puzzling domain known as the paranormal, there is no better choice than Our Secret Powers.” And Stanley Krippner, expert on hypnosis, shamanism and altered states of consciousness, former leader of two departments in the American Psychological Association, says: “This is an outstanding book and it deserves all the attention it can get. Not only is Our Secret Powers a book for all seasons, it is a book for all reasons!’”.

http://www.paripublishing.com/authors/terje-gerotti-simonsen/

Author page on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/author/terjesimonsen

Terje G. Simonsen will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Draw Closer to God and Walk in Victory: A 52-Week Devotional by Dr. Arcolia Beverly

Draw Closer to God and Walk in Victory

This book is a collection of scriptures that have provided encourage-ment and strength to me throughout the years. This 52-week devotional was written to encourage readers to spend time mediating and praying over scripture to strengthen their faith. I found that I needed to focus on one scripture each week in order to deepen my understanding of the word of God. Through these scriptures, I have found answers and peace in the midst of challenging situations. Each devotional has a scripture reading assignment as well as a prayer to focus on for the week and apply it to your life. I pray that this devotional will help you grow and experience victory in all areas of your life.

Available on Amazon

About Dr. Arcolia Beverly

Having earned her doctorate at Capella University, Dr. Arcolia Beverly is a professor of information technology, author, and Christian who holds Jesus Christ at the center of her life. At an early age, she expressed an interest in reading and creative writing, and as she pursued a degree in higher education, she remained determined to write in order to draw people to Christ and positively influence society. When not writing, she enjoys reading and studying God’s word, as well as shopping. Her passions include writing, teaching, and training for the glory of God.

Getting Back in the Game by Cheryl B. Martin

Getting Back in the Game

What do you do if you suddenly find yourself single again after years or decades of being in a marital or romantic relationship? Where do you go to meet other eligible singles, a travel companion or movie escort? Online dating is a 2 billion dollar industry and Boomers are taking advantage of it by becoming the fastest-growing populations to join dating sites. Getting Back In The Game will guide you through the maze of online dating and calm any fears you may have about this growing phenomenon. 

Discover 

     * If online dating is for you 

     * The importance of “The Profile and tips on writing an effective one 

     * Some of the most popular dating sites for Boomers 

     * Dating advice and tips that will turn your date from one to many dates Mature adults need love, affection and camaraderie too. So, get back in the game, today!

Read an excerpt:

John was also tall. I remember the first time we met. We arranged to meet at a local Italian restaurant. He arrived 15 minutes early so he was already seated when I arrived. He came to the hostess station to meet me and I marveled at the presence of his physique in his tan-colored jacket and turtleneck sweater. As our evening started winding down, I stepped away from the table and returned to find that John was not at the table. ‘Had I been gone too long?’ I wondered. Was I gone so long that he thought that I had left the restaurant? Time can be fleeting but I didn’t have the sense that too much time had passed. 

After a moment or two John returned to the table with a guy who turned out to be the floor manager. As it turned out, John had arrived at the restaurant without his wallet and he lived one hour away. He was so embarrassed. Here he was on a first date at a very nice restaurant with no cash or credit cards. Of course he did not want to ask me, his date, to cover the expenses of our first date. What kind of first impression would that make? So during his absence from the table he was making arrangements to pay. Luckily, a checkbook was in the inside pocket of his jacket. 

This eventful evening lead to a second, third and fourth date. John was the consummate gentleman always opening doors, pulling out chairs, holding hands and catering to my desires. Did I mention that he loved to cook? His face would light up at the thought of grilling, baking or preparing a meal. 

We met in April and that May he was surprising me with a beautiful flowerbed and stone walkway, for Mother’s Day.

Available on Amazon

About Cheryl B. Martin

Living in Midtown, USA Cheryl is a Baby Boomer that has been online dating for several years and has written this guide to help you navigate the world of online dating. She enjoys meeting new and interesting people and is currently planning a trip to Italy in 2017.

Beyond My Pain by Gladys Beri

Beyond My Pain

Are you living a life which isn’t at its full potential? 

I used to be stuck living a lie, pretending I was happy with a perfect family, career, luxury and social status. The truth was that I was miserable. Comfortably miserable, until I found the courage to break free from my limitations and unleash the greatness within me. 

Do you believe your life could be better? 

I found out who I am beyond my name and my purpose. I realized that it’s okay to embrace, love and accept myself for what makes me unique. 

The content of this book is inspired by emotional pain, and powered by passion for excellence through personal development. 

• I share with you 8 steps to rise beyond whatever negative life situation has kept you a slave to your history
• I challenge your thinking
• I inspire mind-set shifts from conventional beliefs that actually limit our potentials
• And I help you work towards improved models which will help you live a more conscious life with purpose, passion and fulfilment 

Are you open to embrace transformative ideas on how to create a new reality and impact the world positively? 

Yes, it is possible to rise beyond your pain, unlock your unlimited potential and live with joy in your heart. 

Never again compromise on you values just to fit in. If you are ready to experience such transformation, please read on. 

Remember, what defines you is how well you rise after a fall, not how many times you fell. The flip side of a big fall is unlimited success. So, until you win, don’t quit!!! 

Love
Gladys Beri.

Available on Amazon

About Gladys Beri

Gladys Beri was born in Africa, in the small village of Mbiame, in Bui Division in the North West Region of Cameroon. She first came to the United States of America in 2006 when she began working as a house keeper at the St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Shakopee, Minnesota.

Since then she has had a varied and interesting working life, becoming a Nursing Assistant, Surgical Aide, and then an Occupational Therapy Practitioner. In addition to this Gladys has started her own business, turning her passion for working with flowers into an Events Designing Service, where she decorates weddings and other special events. 

Above all else Gladys is passionate about helping others to discover and bring out the greatness and awesomeness within them, and her book (Beyond My Pain) seeks to contribute to the world by sharing some transformative ideas with as wide an audience as possible.

When she isn’t hard at work Gladys loves to sing and is a regular in the African community at her local church, helping to coordinate the African Music they sing at mass.

Find out more www.gladysberi.com

Gladys Beri - A Motivational Experience.

Also on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Beyond-My-Pain-1073975419334574/