We all have a story

Free and bargain books July 03, 2022

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BookRunes has a FREE suggestion for us today. It has been successful as a book and will be coming out soon as a movie. This second edition of the book with a few edits has been made available to coincide with the making of the film. Dan Walsh is an author we’ve often seen on here and I’m looking forward to this book too.

The Reunion 

There are people in this world we pass right by without giving a second thought. Some have amazing stories to tell, if we only took the time to listen.

The Reunion tells the story of Aaron Miller, an old Vietnam vet and handyman in a trailer park. Almost fifty years ago, Aaron saved the lives of three young men in a horrific battle, was even awarded the Medal of Honor. Severely wounded, he came home from the war and wound up losing everything. But God is a master at redeeming the lost things of life.

Unbeknownst to Aaron, someone is looking for him. And the one who finds him might just find the love of his life, as well.

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Dan has a bargain book also available. This one I have read and enjoyed, in 2016.

When Night Comes (Jack Turner Suspense Series Book 1)

Jack Turner comes back to Culpepper to give a series of lectures for his old history professor. Within days, he starts having bizarre experiences at night. Like he’s traveling back in time, experiencing the epic events in his lectures firsthand. He has no control over these experiences and can’t make them stop.

Joe Boyd thought he’d left big city crime back in Pittsburgh when he took a detective job in Culpepper, Georgia, a sleepy southern college town. His peaceful life ends when two students turn up dead in two weeks. The coroner is saying natural causes, but something doesn’t add up.

Rachel Cook, a teaching assistant at Culpepper, can’t believe Jack is back in her life again. She’s had a crush on him since she was fourteen, but Jack never knew. He instantly seems attracted to her, but she can tell…something is deeply troubling him.

Watching all this from a distance is Nigel Avery. He’s certain this experiment’s about to unravel. It’ll be his job to tie up all the loose ends when it does.

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Having even a few suggestions makes it a good book day.

Happy reading!

Bargain Book June 22, 2022

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An awesome book from an awesome author is on sale at a bargain price again. Charles Martin brings some of his books back every year or two for a few days. The first time I noticed this book was 2016 and every time after I remember how much I loved it.

Wrapped in Rain: A Novel

An internationally famous photographer, Tucker Mason has traveled the world, capturing things other people don’t see. But what Tucker can’t see is how to let go of his traumatic childhood and forgive his father.

On a sprawling Southern estate, Tucker and his younger brother, Mutt, were raised by their housekeeper, Miss Ella Rain, who loved the motherless boys like her own. Hiring her to take care of Waverly Hall and the boys was the only good thing their abusive and alcoholic father ever did.

When his brother escapes from a mental hospital and an old girlfriend appears with her son and a black eye, Tucker is forced to return home and face the agony of his tragic past.

Though Miss Ella has been gone for many years, Tucker can still hear her voice—and her prayers. “Life is a battle, but you can’t fight it with your fists. You got to fight it with your heart.” But finding peace and starting anew will take a measure of grace that Tucker scarcely believes in.

Wrapped in Rain follows Tucker’s journey from brokenness to healing through the everlasting power of love.

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As a general rule, we have a tendency to underestimate the power of love.

As I read this synopsis, I can see I need to read this book again too.

The new cover is beautiful.

The excitement is inspiring!! April 20, 2022

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Photo by Sebastian Pichard on Pexels.com

We are having a big time tonight.

The Peoples Convoy is parked at a speedway in Sacramento and tonight is street legal drag racing.

The live streamer we’re watching is over the moon about racing one of his friends.

We get to be in the car with him.

A clip sitting in line waiting.

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxBz22QNtxNsHe6VMCt_CMSSGzfaW6DTLM

We won!

He says he will post a video of the race later. Hoping so.

Later

I love hearing the roaring motors.

Makes me want to race too. Somewhere except on the hilly highway, in the passing lane. lol

Putting my boot in it while it shifts down to a lower gear and we walk away from the guy we’re passing, So fun.

Here is the long form of the podcast today.

Well, that didn’t work. March 27, 2022

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Photo by George Milton on Pexels.com

The goal was/is to post everyday but I messed up, again. I was distracted, playing a computer game while listening to a live streamer.

Oh no!!!

Five minutes wasn’t much but I gave it my best shot. I moved fast but apparently not fast enough. Hitting publish at 11:59 didn’t do it for me. Oh well, there would be no worrying about today’s post being on time. (big smile)

While I would like to have a perfect record, the world won’t end if I don’t manage to post everyday. The new plan is to cut myself some slack, still try but don’t stress. It’s much too late to change some habits. Besides I like being lost in whatever is going on in my little world. Usually a book or a three hour podcast.

Three hours sounds daunting but I really like hearing about things that are new to me. Some of the posts are fresh every time; like Carey Nieuwhof, his is usually only an hour long but he has interesting guests and he is an exceptional interviewer. No two podcasts of his are alike and even when he has repeat guests it’s because they have more to talk about. Carey is a long time favorite.

Then there is the three hour podcaster who is new to me, his You Tube name is Viva Frei. He is quite the character and he hangs out with other interesting characters. He is a lawyer turned hopeful politician and since he didn’t win his first try at an election he has turned serious attention toward his online presence. Most of the conversations center around politics and legal situations. His co-host is an American lawyer who is also his friend and business partner. These guys are both characters and will, in small ways, be shocking to some, I’m sure. That’s all part of their charm. Wild haircuts, blind dogs and cigars they can’t light up. They are highly intelligent and knowledgeable. “Boring” quickly kills my interest but so far I’m still watching and enjoying these guys and their guests.

The third one gaining the most attention from me is a podcaster I’ve mentioned often. She is from Ottawa and covered the Trucker’s Freedom Convoy there, never having done such a thing before. Her brother started the channel and enlisted her help with streaming 24 hours a day. Charlotte was out on the streets late at night in freezing weather walking blocks and blocks so we could see what was going on. To warm up she would find truckers or others on the ground to hear about their stories and why they were there.

As events in Ottawa wound down the American effort was started. Once their convoy reached Maryland Charlotte traveled down, for an indefinite period of time, to report on what is happening with them.

Her abilities have blossomed with the experience she is gaining as a live streamer. It’s not as easy as she makes it look. Charlotte is nineteen and a university student with a deep well of resolve and determination. This morning she left Maryland to return to Toronto to write exams. This gal is amazing. She has acquired a loyal and devoted audience who pay attention to where she is, what she eating (or if she is eating), and who in her presence is paying attention to her. She has a ton of moms and dads watching out and worrying over her. They do it because she has captured their hearts. She appreciates and relates well to her audience. Actually, even the in-person people she is hanging out with everyday are vigilant in making sure she is OK.

The channel shared with her brother is ZOT. The plan after exams is to cover the story in the next place that needs it. The US convoy may even see her again.

There are a ton of live streamers out there and ZOT is one of the best, both Charlotte and her brother Matt have worked hard to make it successful.

There is much going on out there that is never mentioned in mainstream media. This is an amazing opportunity for potential journalists. Right now it’s easy to break into the industry and gain experience and a following with the new and modern ways of reaching people. Grass roots people want to know what is going on in their world. It’s amazing that polls show some of these podcasters have larger audiences than mainstream media. This is totally mind blowing.

Charlotte is unsure of what her future holds but journalism is definitely on her radar and we all know she would excel if that was her choice.

So there you have it, another unplanned fixation. lol

It was fun.

I wonder is this qualifies as scribbling? (this weeks weekly prompt from Sunday Scribblings)

It felt like scribbling. lol

A watched and enjoyed podcast January 08, 2022

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This man may not be your cup of tea but I loved this interview and want to watch it again soon. Rick Warren has been the founding pastor of a mega church in southern California for forty-two years. He is an author of many books but probably his most well known book is The Purpose Driven Church.

The reason this interview struck a chord with me was his heart. He acknowledges his accomplishments with a humble spirit. He has his head on straight about many things and has a high quotient in emotional maturity. There are so many positive things to be said about his leadership and the interview demonstrates many of those characteristics for us.

If you are interested in someone like this I know you will enjoy this interview. The other cool thing about it is the very beginning where we are introduced to an amazing library museum. He is an avid collector and has made it into Guinness World Book of Records several times. His museum is amazing and worth the look even if you don’t watch the rest of the interview.

Rick Warren has tendered his resignation at Saddleback Church, he plans to retire and pass leadership off to someone else. The retirement discussion is part of the interview. It will be interesting to see what he tackles next.

Carey Nieuwhof has a gift for asking good questions and drawing interesting relatable content out of his guests.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Have you experienced trauma? January 03, 2022

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How can you know? One in four women and one in six men have experienced trauma/abuse with many of them not recognizing that they have. Even more recognize the abuse but have not acknowledged or shared it.

Unaddressed trauma is often the root cause beneath many health issues. Heart disease, auto immune disorders being the most common.

Yesterday I discovered a popular podcast dedicated to helping people live better lives and I enjoyed it enough to subscribe. Today’s interview is with an experienced psychiatrist and author of a new book on the subject of trauma, and it deals with today’s question.

I’m sharing this because helpful resources are so important in our healing journey.

I hope you find this as helpful as I did.

We can never see too many of these podcasts. We need to hear this information over and over again. Partly because we are in a different place with each step forward and we are able to take it in in a way we couldn’t on an earlier step.

And, we need to hear the information again because it reinforces earlier hearings and eventually is able to take dominance over the negative narrative we’ve lived with forever.

Happy Viewing!

Notes on Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt Nov 20, 2021

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Continuing on from where we left off last time. A few more relevant quotes.

Self condemnation: page 84

When we let lies overrule love, it affects those around us. We tend to take out our frustrations, lack of self-worth, shame or guilt on those we love. We cannot possibly love like we’ve never been hurt if we do not love ourselves.

another very important quote, same page:

If you struggle with shame, you may have trouble extending grace to others. If you struggle with finding self-worth, you may find it difficult to trust those around you.

Page 88:

We wear all sorts of things that keep us in bondage. Shame. Condemnation. Brokenness. Fear. Anxiety. Anger. Unforgiveness.

We are living in a mental cage. Page 89

Imprisoned with painful memories, with failures from the past, with self-sabotaging thoughts, with fear of an uncertain future.

Page 90:

When you start believing the lies about who you are, you begin to destroy your destiny.

How to change the channel?

That will be tomorrow’s topic.

These quotes are not the whole story, we need to read the book to see the full picture.

Well, I’m reading the book. I’m sure you will find it helpful too.

Current Read “How can I ever really forgive?” November 15, 2021

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Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt, now that’s something many of us can relate to. Having been hurt.

This book has been out in the open on a shelf for a number of years. Tonight I decided I need to read one of the many non fiction books I’ve been stock piling the last few years. The name of this one popped into my mind before I could even cross the room.

It’s something, because as I read the first two pages I found a conversation pretty much like the one I’ve been having with a friend recently. Hurt, betrayal, pain, a universal problem.

This book talks about all of that and it includes the author’s personal story of pain. Lending credibility because he has walked this road himself.

Jentezen Franklin is a well known public figure and his story is out there but this time it is his telling.

I learned of him in an interview on a popular podcast. I was impressed and bought his book the first chance I got. In paperback so I could mark it up and take better notes.

I’m looking forward to this read. I think it will answer a lot of questions and probably raise a few more.

Love Like You’ve Never Been Hurt: Hope, Healing and the Power of an Open Heart

The human heart was created with a great capacity to love. But along with that comes a great capacity to feel pain. There is no denying that those who love us, who are closest to us, can wound us the most profoundly. That kind of pain can be difficult, if not impossible, to overcome. And it can feel even more impossible to continue loving in the face of it. Yet that is exactly what we are called to do.

Sharing his own story of personal pain, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Jentezen Franklin shows us how to find the strength, courage, and motivation to set aside the hurt, see others as God sees them, and reach out in love. Through biblical and modern-day stories, he discusses different types of relational disappointment and heartache, and answers questions such as Why should I trust again? and How can I ever really forgive?

The walls we build around our hearts to cut us off from pain are the very walls that block us from seeing hope, receiving healing, and feeling love. Here are the tools and inspiration you need to tear down those walls, work through your wounds, repair damaged relationships, and learn to love like you’ve never been hurt.