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Hidden Treasure: How to Break Free of Five Patterns That Hide Your True Self

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Hidden Treasure

I was recently sent a copy of Hidden Treasure: How to Break Free of Five Patterns That Hide Your True Self, in exchange for telling my readers about it. While this isn’t the sort of book I normally read, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t the sort of book you could very well enjoy. That’s the amazing thing about books, one person can read the intro of a book, toss it aside and never think twice about it while another person can devour the same book in one sitting and wonder how they ever lived without it!

That’s pretty much why I’ve gone ahead and written about books before that didn’t float my boat… because I know that my boat isn’t your boat.

 

Hidden Treasure: How to Break Free of Five Patterns that Hide Your True Self is written by Alice McDowell, PhD, a counselor in private practice, retreat guide, and co-founder of Light on the Hill Retreat Center, as well as the founder of the Hidden Treasure Program (a 3-year training in personal and spiritual growth).  A professor of religious studies at Ithaca College for eighteen years, she now facilitates groups devoted to inner work.

Book Description: Do you long to live a more authentic life but feel you might be getting in your own way? In Hidden Treasure, author Alice McDowell reveals five personality patterns that cause unnecessary suffering and block individuals from living a full and radiant life. These patterns can be so ingrained that they influence body shape and even who a person thinks they are. Through a series of exercises, compelling true stories, fun cartoons, and spiritual insights, McDowell offers individuals and groups an opportunity to learn about―and break free of―these patterns. She provides guidelines for readers to join or create a Hidden Treasure group for ongoing exploration. No matter a person’s age or background, Hidden Treasure can light the way to soften and heal these patterns―and restore your true self and spiritual identity in the process.

Hidden Treasure examines five personality patterns (“character structures”) – and teaches you how to break free of these patterns through effective exercises, compelling true stories, fun cartoons (I got a kick out of these), and insights to help you carve out a free, more radiant life.

This book is a complete study in the Psychology of Self-Awareness. I read a great deal of Spiritual and Christian books (a favorite genre) and honestly feel that trying to fit this book into those categories would be like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. While the description and author’s bio mention “religious studies” and “spiritual insights,” do not expect this book to be a Spiritual book or guide.  As I said, it’s more about psychology, self-discovery, and self-awareness.

You can read more about the author at AliceMcDowellAuthor.com.

You can find Hidden Treasure on Amazon.

Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God by Mark Batterson (Book Review)

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Whisper by Mark Batterson

Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God

As a book fanatic, I am completely in love with being in the middle of a great book. I carry the book with me everywhere I go – it gets a tour of each room of our house and it knows the flowers in the flower beds by name. It’s convinced coffee is it’s soulmate and wonders if all books spend time in the company of so much chocolate and so many cats.

Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God (pictured above and below, with its soulmate near its favorite location – the flower beds) is the most recent book to get this special treatment.

I even carried it with me once to meet my daughters for lunch. I wanted tWhisper: How to Hear the Voice of Godo have it handy if I beat them there, so I could sneak in a little extra reading.

Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God is by the wonderful best-selling author Mark Batterson. This book is not just a remarkable journey…. it’s one you cannot afford to miss.

“If we don’t listen to everything God has to say, we eventually won’t hear anything He has to say.” Mark Batterson, Whisper

This is not a book about hearing God speak as Moses did from the burning bush – although, if God chose to speak through any size plant to us, he certainly could, whether or not it was ablaze. The truth of the matter is, He doesn’t generally speak to us in this manner.  More times than not, the voice of God comes to us as… you guessed it, Whispers.

“The voice of the Spirit is as gentle as a zephyr.” – Oswald Chambers

{Continued Below…}

The best-selling author of Circle Maker, which helped over 2 million people learn to talk to God, now helps readers learn how to listen to God.

The voice that spoke the cosmos into existence is the same voice that parted the Red sea, and made the sun stand still in the midday sky. One day, this voice will make all things new, but it’s also speaking to you now!

That voice is God’s voice, and what we’ve learned from Scripture is that He often speaks in a whisper. Not to make it difficult to hear Him, but to draw us close.

Many people have a tough time believing God still speaks. Sure, in ancient times and in mysterious ways, God spoke to His people, but is He still speaking now?

Mark Batterson certainly believes so. And he wants to introduce you to the seven love languages of God; each of them unique and entirely divine. Some of them you might suspect but others will surprise you.

By learning to tune in to and decipher each language, you’ll be able to hear His guidance in simple as well as life-altering choices. God is actively speaking through: Scripture, Desires, Doors, Dreams, People, Promptings, and Pain. Batterson gives you the tools you need to unlock each of these languages.

God’s whisper can answer your most burning questions, calm your deepest fears, and fulfill your loftiest dreams.

Discover how simple it is to hear God’s voice in every aspect of your life!

He’s speaking, make sure you know how to listen!

{Continued Below…}

Whisper by Mark Batterson

Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God (with its soulmate)

The truth is God uses a variety of methods to speak to us – sometimes it’s a whisper and sometimes it’s through someone else’s words. Other times, He may use situations, dreams, and/or closed doors.

As this wonderful book points out, God knows us inside/out. After all, he made us! He knows what type of approach will work with each of us. How He chooses to speak to me may differ from how He chooses to speak to you simply because we’re different.

God knows how each of us will interpret or respond to His messages. He has often used visual messages or imagery with me – I lean toward thinking that this means I’m more childlike than most. I imagine God telling His angels, “I’d better paint this one a picture…”

One thing is for certain, if God is trying to speak to you, you do NOT want to miss it and you do NOT want to make Him repeat Himself. As the author says, “God has an outside voice and He is not afraid to use it!”

Mark Batterson is an engaging author who is fascinating to read. He injects wonderful humor into his books, which is part of what makes them so difficult to put down. You don’t know what he’s going to say next.

I couldn’t possibly recommend this book enough. You can find Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God on Amazon, along with other books by Mark Batterson.  This will quickly become one of your favorite book and he will quickly become one of your favorite authors.

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.


Overwhelmed Writer Rescue: Boost Productivity, Improve Time Management, and Replenish the Creator Within by Colleen M. Story

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Overwhelmed Writer Rescue

I was recently invited to participate in a Review/Giveaway/Book Tour for the wonderful book you see pictured above, Overwhelmed Writer Rescue by Colleen M. Story. I jumped at the chance because…

  1. I want to add more books about writing to Self Help Daily.
  2. As a web publisher and blogger (with 8 blogs… count ’em, 8), I was pretty interested in the information, myself.
  3. My oldest daughter, Emily, is a writer and I knew this book could help her.

As you’d expect from a mother, the third one was the most appealing to me. Sorry not sorry.

But here’s the thing…. I absolutely loved this book cover to cover! Unlike some non-fiction books, this book read at a really fast pace. As writers and bloggers, we always appreciate that, right? The author has a captivating personality and it comes through each of her words.

While you can tell how much research she has put into her craft, it isn’t what sets this book apart from other writing books.

So, what does set it apart?

Author Colleen M. Story is, perhaps without even trying, incredibly encouraging. Yes, she is presenting a wealth of information (and wonderful tips!) and, yes, she gives her own experience from her side of the pen – but to me the most compelling effect of reading this book is the feeling you’re left with….. I can do this!

Seriously, could you ask for any more from a book?!

{Continued Below}

Embrace Your Life

Advice, Most Excellent from Overwhelmed Writer Rescue

Who Needs this Overwhelmed Writer Rescue?

Published Authors. If you are an author who has seen their work (book, e-book, article, poem) published, congratulations! That is an incredible accomplishment and I am sincerely proud for you. You know more than most how overwhelming the whole process is. This book is still for you, however. In fact, I whole-heartedly believe it could make the process easier the next time around.

You’ll pull out a lot less hair this time.

Future Authors. Okay, confession time. My own family doesn’t even realize this but I’ve had not just one but TWO books in limbo for a few years.  Somewhere along the way, life got the upper hand and the books just sort of sat there. I still believe in them with all my heart, I simply set them on the back burner because there was always something on the front burner demanding my attention. Like 8 blogs.

After reading the inspiring words of Colleen M. Story and taking killer notes as I read her book, I have figured out that this whole “back burner” scenario is a crock. When cooking, I use my front burners and back burners simultaneously. There is no either this or that. I don’t say, “Well, the fried catfish and okra are on the front burners, the potatoes and corn won’t make it to the table – after all, they’re on the back burners.”

Why does everything always go back to food with me?

Armed with outstanding advice and much-needed encouragement, I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and tackle my neglected books in limbo. Both of them – one at a time.

Bloggers. I have been a web-publisher and blogger for far too many years to count. One thing that has always frustrated me is the fact that, even though most of us writer literally every day of the week, we aren’t often looked at as writers.  That’s like looking at a carrot and saying it isn’t a vegetable because it isn’t as expensive as yams.

Again with food.

We are writers. We write. Therefore we are writers.

If you are a blog publisher, you will love this book to Starbucks and back. The information and inspiration are as much for carrots as they are yams.  Trust me on this, Overwhelmed Writer Rescue is as much for you as any other writer.

{Continued Below}

Put it all together

Book Description:

FIND THE TIME, ENERGY, AND CONFIDENCE TO MAKE YOUR CREATIVE DREAMS COME TRUE.

Do you feel like you’re always behind? Do less important tasks frequently flood your schedule and sink your creative motivation? Are you frustrated and out of touch with your inner artist?

After 20 years experience in the writing industry, author Colleen M. Story extends a lifeline to pull you out of the sinking swamp of “busyness” and back into the flourishing creative life you deserve.

Today’s demands on writers and other creative artists are overwhelming. Not only must you produce the work you love, but build and maintain a platform and market your finished products to the world—all while holding down a day job and/or caring for a family.

You teeter on the edge. What waits on the other side are burnout, exhaustion, and a complete loss of creative motivation.

“Overwhelmed Writer Rescue” provides practical, personalized solutions to help beginning and experienced writers and other creative artists escape the tyranny of the to-do list to nurture the genius within. You’ll find ways to boost productivity, improve time management, and restore your sanity while gaining insight into your unique creative nature and what it needs to thrive.

Ultimately, you’ll discover what may be holding you back from experiencing the true joy that a creative life can bring.

{Closing thoughts and a Book Giveaway are below!}

Colleen M. Story

About the Author:

Colleen M. Story has worked in the creative writing industry for over twenty years. Her novels include “Loreena’s Gift,” an Idaho Author Awards first place winner, New Apple Solo Medalist winner, Foreword Reviews INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, Reader Views award finalist, and Best Book Awards finalist; and “Rise of the Sidenah,” a North American Book Awards winner and New Apple Book Awards Official Selection.

As a health writer, she’s authored thousands of articles for publications like “Healthline” and “Women’s Health;” worked with high-profile clients like Gerber Baby Products and Kellogg’s; and ghostwritten books on back pain, nutrition, and cancer recovery. She finds most rewarding her work as a motivational speaker and workshop leader, where she helps writers remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers.

Colleen is the founder of Writing and Wellness (writingandwellness.com), a motivational site helping writers and other creative artists maintain their physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being throughout their careers. Sign up for your free weekly email containing tips for living your best creative life at: www.writingandwellness/newsletter.

To find more information on Colleen and her work, please see her website or follow her on Twitter. She loves to hear from readers—feel free to use the “contact” form on either her website or Writing and Wellness to get in touch with her.

In Closing… What Makes This Book Extra Special

I’ve put my finger on what it is that makes Overwhelmed Writer Rescue by Colleen M. Story EXTRA special and it’s simple. She doesn’t give tell you how to manage your time, awaken your creativity, and get things accomplished based upon what works for others – she guides you as you discover how to manage your time, awaken your creativity, and get things accomplished based upon what works for you.

That, as they say, is where the magic happens. We don’t improve in any area of our lives by mimicking what others do. We have to do what works for us, or it won’t stick. Through fascinating information and interactivity (which I love by the way), the author allows the reader to find what works for them, individually.

I recommend this book 110 percent. – Joi

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter

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Inspirational Book Review: The Essential Guide to Prayer by Dutch Sheets

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The Essential Guide to Prayer by Dutch Sheets
The Essential Guide to Prayer by Dutch Sheets
I read as often as fat cats think about eating. During the winter, I really give them a run for their money. My favorite books to read, understandably, cover my favorite subjects: God, the Golden Age of Hollywood, cooking, cats, birds, angels, American history, Ancient Egypt, writing, baseball, the Golden Age of Television, preventing Alzheimer’s, nutrition, the Civil War era, and Bigfoot.

What can  I say, I’m all over the place.

Inspirational books have a special place in my heart, for obvious reasons. I mean, can we ever get enough inspiration. I’ll go ahead and answer that… heck no.

The most recent Inspirational book I read was by a favorite author, Dutch Sheets. Is that a great name or what? He was born to be either a movie star, author, politician, or baseball player. I’m not sure about his other skill sets, but I’m going out on a limb and saying he chose wisely.  While I’ve read several of this author’s books, I’d count him among my favorite authors if this particular book, The Essential Guide to Prayer , was the only one I’d read.

It’s that special.

“Your prayers and mine can make a difference. We must become convinced of this. Our prayers can be irresistible to God and indefensible to Satan. That’s pretty strong language, isn’t it? Do I believe it? Yes, and so can you.” – Page 39

If you were to observe me as I read a book (not exactly must-see entertainment, mind you), you’d be able to tell how special a particular book is by my behavior. When a book is extra special, I take notes that’d impress any college professor. When the book is extra extra special, I will also frequently close the book and just sit and think about what I’ve just read.

With this particular book, I discovered a third level of special… the extra extra extra special level. On this level, I photograph passages to send to my daughters along with heart and praying hand emojis.  All the while knowing I’ll be passing the book along to them to read as well. At least they get the emojis this way and, trust me, my emoji game is strong.

From the Back Cover:

Life-Changing Teaching On the Simplicity of Having A Powerful Prayer Life

A prayer life with God isn’t complex, but sometimes not knowing how to start can be enough to make a person turn away altogether. In The Essential Guide to Prayer you’ll discover that the starting point is to find your motivation for prayer in the power of love by forming a solid relationship with God as Father and Friend. As Dutch Sheets lays the foundation for your motivation to pray, he challenges you to reflect with “Did you understand?” questions at the end of each chapter. Dig deeper into the core of your prayer life by learning to pray effectively both alone and in groups, and by persisting in prayer until you see God’s answers.

The Essential Guide to Prayer is a must read for anyone who is interested in improving their prayer life. This beautiful (and very, very funny) book will make you fall in love with prayer again. You’ll be more excited and anxious to pray than you probably have been in years.

Whether, like me, you’ve been praying for nearly as long as you’ve been walking or you’re relatively new to prayer, this beautiful book will do more than just inspire and inform you… it will ignite a fire within you to pray bolder, larger, and further-reaching prayers than you’ve ever dared to pray before.

Although I had been praying faithfully for too many years to count, about three years ago, I read a story on Guideposts.com about a woman who was a “prayer warrior.” The image of her sitting at her kitchen table praying squeezed my heart and I decided, then and there, that I wanted to be a prayer warrior, too. I studied Bible verses about prayer, read great Christian authors, and armed myself with as much information and inspiration as possible.

I wish I had this book years ago – the information would have right there in one beautiful place!

 

If you’re already a prayer warrior or simply want to improve your own prayer life,  I simply cannot recommend this book enough. It is a fast-reading, fascinating, eye-opening, and heart-stirring book and you will cherish every single word.  This book can take your prayer life to the next level and, as you can imagine, that can make a world of difference – not just in your own life but in the lives of countless others.

You’ll probably even take pictures of passages and text them to everyone you know.  Just don’t forget the emojis.

About the Author:

Doug Sheets is an internationally recognized author, teacher, and speaker. Based in Colorado, he travels extensively, empowering believers for passionate prayer and societal transformation. He has pastored, taught, and served on the board of directors of numerous organizations.

Find The Essential Guide to Prayer by Dutch Sheets on Amazon. This book is one you are going to love.

I received this beautiful book from Bethany House in exchange for writing a review. The thoughts, opinions, picture, and high praise are my own! ~ Joi (“Joy”)


Review: Life After Heaven by Steven R. Musick with Paul J. Pastor

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Life After Heaven by Steven R. Musick

Life After Heaven

If (like me) you’re an avid reader, you know the feeling: You’ve read an absolutely wonderful book  – one that has moved and stirred you greatly that you feel like you’ve taken a spin in the blender. You want to tell everyone in your world to read the book… but you recommend books so regularly, you’re afraid they won’t know just HOW much you want them to read this one.

So the challenge is afoot. How do you convey to them that they simply must read this book – if they’ve ever loved or trusted you before?!

Okay, maybe it’s not that dramatic – but it’s close.

I recommend books frequently to my daughters. And, by recommend, I mean I hand them the books and say, “Oh, girl, you have to read this…” as though they’re still 10 years old, still sitting at the kitchen table, still in our home-school, and still under my “assigned reading” control.

They’re not still any of those things, but I still want them to read the best books. Problem is, with all the reading I do, I’m always coming across great books – so, when I come across one that goes beyond being a “great” book and enters the “blender” zone, I’m met with the challenge of getting my point across… you know, short of sitting on them and reading the book aloud to them.

Kind of like I had to do with Shakespeare with a few of them…

Life After Heaven is an amazing, amazing book. Wherever you happen to be in your Spiritual life, I whole-heartedly recommend this book because it will lead you to the next level. As a Christian, I found this book to be a beautiful accompaniment to my morning Bible reading and Bible study. It opened up my eyes to many Heavenly things I had not considered or thought about.

I am one of those people who (for better or worse) lives VERY much in the moment. I think about my relationship with God as it stands today. I think about my family as they are today. I think about the world (we won’t get into that one right now) as it stands today.

If Life After Heaven only did one thing for me and that thing was open my eyes to the importance of tomorrow, it would have been more than enough. I do find myself more frequently thinking of eternity after reading this remarkable book.

While I know where I will spend eternity, I now think more frequently about others and where they will spend eternity.

From the Back Cover:

After a deadly medical mistake sent a navy sailor to the presence of Jesus, he returned from his near-death experience with new eyes to see the kingdom of heaven in this life. Now he wants to help you experience heaven on earth today.

For years Steve Musick kept his amazing story to himself, afraid no one would believe or understand it. A major allergic reaction had stopped his heart, hurling him into a five-week coma and a powerful experience of heaven. After returning to life, he couldn’t forget the memory of that vibrant place—and, most of all, the loving words and touch of Jesus.

But that was only the beginning. An amazing series of miracles, dreams, and other supernatural events had been set in motion, showing Steve that heaven was close, even in this life. God was calling him to discover echoes of heaven in the here and now—echoes that can happen at any moment, to anyone—that bring overwhelming joy.

At last Steve is ready to tell the story of his journey of a lifetime—two lifetimes. In it you’ll learn the secret of bringing heaven to earth in your everyday world, and how to nurture a relationship with God so real and intimate that you’ll feel his nearness as strongly as Steven did.

Experience one man’s incredible vision of heaven—and learn how you can live in God’s presence and power today. 

About the Author

STEVEN R. MUSICK is founder and CEO of Destiny Capital, a respected financial advisory firm. With three master’s degrees in management, financial services, and international economics, Musick has taught at the University of Denver Daniels College of Business. Steve and his wife, Elaine, have three grown sons, three daughters by marriage, and three grandchildren.

PAUL J. PASTOR is a writer, editor, and journalist who loves telling stories of God at work in our world.

 I Cannot Recommend This Book Enough

I don’t want to give anything away whatsoever about Life After Heaven or the author’s remarkable journey, so I am simply going to recommend this with all of my heart to anyone and everyone. I want each and every one of you to get your hands on your own copy. I recommend finding a quiet place each day to read and enjoy this book. You will take an emotional, Spiritual journey and… please forgive me for sounding cheesy… but your life will be changed.
Life After Heaven will be one of the most important books you ever read.

Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.