Category: Books

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The Miracles of Archangel Gabriel

Archangel Gabriel book cover

When my grandson Gavin was born, there was really no easy Greek translation of his name. So when he was christened, the baptismal name he was given was Gabriel.

Since then, it has been my wish that the Archangel Gabriel watch over and bless my grandson Gavin. And with that thought, I just couldn’t resist the latest book from Hay House Publishers “The Miracles of Archangel Gabriel.”

The author, Ms. Doreen Virtue, has also written a book on Archangel Michael. In her book on Gabriel, Ms. Virtue goes into a biblical history of the Archangel, beginning with the poetic first words he spoke to Mary, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy…..”

From there, the author takes us through chapters of how Gabriel has assisted women through conception and pregnancy, parenting and childhood, and interestingly enough, how the Archangel has affected writers and the way they communicate to others.

For those of us who love to write, Ms. Virtue urges us to press on. “I believe that the desire to write is a signal that it’s part of your life purpose. Those who continually think, I should write, are getting Divine guidance to express heavenly messages through a book, article, blog or other medium. In some cases, Gabriel will suggest journaling or keeping a diary as a way of opening the creative pipelines. Whatever form the writing takes, the process of putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard is soul- stirring.”

I loved that motivation! This book is encouraging and thoughtful, with beautiful pictures and inspirational stories. If you are looking to further your knowledge of Archangels, this is a great book to add to your collection.

And of course, here is my disclosure per Hay House. I get to choose the book I wish to review, it is given to me free of charge, and I am not compensated for my endorsement of this book. This review is my personal opinion.

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The Radical Practice of Loving Everyone

Loving EveryoneAs soon as I saw the title of this book, I knew I had to read it. “The Radical Practice of Loving Everyone” is a treat, a feast not only for the heart but also for the soul of anyone who is willing to take a few moments a day to learn more about unconditional love.

Honestly it took me a few weeks to get through it because you really shouldn’t read this book fast. I loved savoring a chapter or two, then really thinking about the lessons that Mollie, the hero of the stories, had imparted not only on her owner but the rest of us.

Mollie had a terrible start in life at an awful puppy mill, but thankfully Michael J. Chase and his wife latch onto her and nurse her through the first few ill months. After that, Mollie eats her way through heart and home as Michael tells witty stories and heartfelt lessons about the things Mollie teaches him.

Because even though Mollie is a dickens of a big poodle dog, always getting into trouble, wanting her own way and stealing cookies, she is an amazing judge of character (as many dogs are) as she wags her tail and makes friends with anyone.

The author, Michael J. Chase, is an inspirational speaker on KINDNESS, even has his own KINDNESS CENTER so that tells you right there he has his priorities straight. Early on in the book, he chronicles his search for a new spiritual teacher and while pondering his options, Mollie suddenly licks his face. He decides then and there that Mollie is the teacher he has been looking for.

My favorite story is about a walk that Michael and Mollie embark on, one day through their neighborhood. It is a carefully mapped route with a minimum of distractions and opportunities for Mollie to get into trouble. But on this day, Mollie has her own ideas. She plops her butt down and decides she is not going any further. Michael begs, pulls on her leash, offers snacks and pleads for movement but Mollie won’t budge. It begins to rain and they are getting soaked. Finally, exasperated, Michael asks her where she wants to go. He lets her lead and Mollie takes them on a beautiful walk, through new neighborhoods with lovely picturesque houses. Michael decides older dogs really can teach new tricks and the lesson is to move out of our comfort zones and try new things.

I hope you decide to give this amazing book a read. It would make a great present as well, especially for someone you know who loves animals and does acts of loving kindness.

This is my 100th post and I cannot think of a better way to celebrate than to review such a wonderful book! Thanks to WordPress for this Daily Prompt!

And here is my disclosure per Hay House Publishers. I get to choose the book I wish to review, it is given to me free of charge, and I am not compensated for my endorsement of this book. This review is my personal opinion. Thank you for reading!

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Sober Mercies

“Once upon a time, I assumed my Christian faith would make me immune to the kind of gross moral lapse I considered alcoholism to be. The way I saw it, if you were a sincere believer, you would rarely, if ever, drink. And if you did drink, you would be careful not to drink too much. And if you never drank too much, you couldn’t become an alcoholic”. Heather Kopp

Sober-Mercies-198x300So begins Chapter Two of Heather’s book “Sober Mercies”, a book I couldn’t put down and read in a little over a weekend.

I was fascinated by Heather’s story mainly because I personally have the privilege of knowing many members of my local recovery community. I admire those individuals who recognize their drinking has gone awry and make the choice to live sober. Matter of fact, my recovery friends have taught me a great deal about spirituality, faith and living life one day at a time.

But a Christian drunk exposing all of her deepest fears, shortcomings and basically, dirty laundry? Yes. Heather gets right to the point and shares the secret life she led- hiding bottles, discarding used bottles and the constant maintenance of a consistent level of alcohol in her system. And the insanity that brought her to bended knees, finally causing her to admit she had no control over her insatiable desire for alcohol.  And finding out alcoholism is a disease, not a question of self will.

Because, as Heather explains, it is a disease. She hears this in treatment, thinks it’s an excuse, and the counselor blows her out of the water by explaining that “no one would propose lung cancer, directly caused by cigarettes, or diabetes brought on by obesity, are not legitimate disease, even when they arise from or are triggered by an avoidable indulgence.”

Heather analyzes her own Christian faith, realizing that she brought “a finely tuned and biblically supported belief system about God” to recovery. But then she realizes just how much her recovery meetings begin to feel like a close encounter with grace.

The difference? The people in the meetings come in desperation, asking God for help. And they are saved by their surrender and willingness to turn complete control over to the God of their understanding.

Why read this book? Maybe you are a member of a recovery community yourself, or maybe you know someone who drinks a little too much. Regardless, you will find an education within the pages of  “Sober Mercies.” An education not only on alcoholism, the twelve steps, faith and God, but also the enlightenment that comes with going deeper. Heather inspires us not to settle for the comfortable (or uncomfortable) spot in life, but to look beyond and inside ourselves for answers and the real meaning of why we do the things we do.

I hope you will take the time to read this beautiful book.

And, of course, here is my disclosure. The book was given to me free of charge and I am not compensated for my review. This is my own opinion of “Sober Mercies” by Heather Kopp.

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Activate your Goodness

Hello Friends!

If you remember a while back, I signed up to be a blogger/book reviewer for Hay House Publishers. This is my second book review.

“Activate Your Goodness” by Shari Arison is a motivational, feel good book. On the front jacket is a quote by Bill Clinton I want to share with you. He says, “Shari, your work has impacted the world in a profoundly positive way, touching lives everywhere in your everlasting pursuit to make the world a better place.”

I expected to be razzle dazzled by this book, especially after reading all the endorsements. And in many ways, it is impressive. Ms. Arison survived a challenging childhood, three marriages and divorces and came out of it all, transformed and with a strong desire to do service for the greater good.

Her father was the founder of Carnival Cruise Lines and she makes it clear that he struggled financially for many years before he succeeded in business. Ms. Arison served on the Board of Directors for her father’s company and started The Arison Foundation. In 2007, she created “Good Deeds Day” in Israel and it has since gone worldwide.

I have to admit though that I was expecting something different from this book. Looking forward to some author introspection, I was surprised when Ms. Arison delivered only a small chapter on her childhood and nothing on her (three!) marriages or divorces. Her words at one point were this: “I felt that for years, in order for people to understand me, I had to bang my head against the wall. I managed to move a few walls and break a few glass ceilings, but I began to feel overwhelmed, tired, and sick. “ That’s about as deep as she goes with her own personal feelings.

The rest of the book tells us how to do good for ourselves, our family, our community and for humanity. The rewards of doing for others are endless and I agree with this. Ms. Arison has examples of powerful, motivating situations and chronicles them in a simple, friendly manner. If you belong to a group or organization looking for positive ways to integrate into a community in a more service oriented fashion, this book could be very helpful.

Though overall I was not impressed by her writing, I was impressed by what Ms. Arison has accomplished and what she continues to stand for in her life. Best wishes to her for continued success with “Good Deeds Day.”

And of course, here is my disclosure per Hay House. I get to choose the book I wish to review, it is given to me free of charge, and I am not compensated for my endorsement of this book. This review is my personal opinion.

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A Writing Adventure!

In my latest writing adventure, I have been accepted by Hay House Publishing Company as a book reviewer! This is a good feeling for me as not only do I get to stretch my writing chops a bit, I also get to choose which new books I’d like to review! I love it!

In The Shadow of a Badge by Lillie Leonardi
In The Shadow of a Badge by Lillie Leonardi

For my first official book review, I chose Lillie Leonardi’s recent release “In the Shadow of a Badge.” Here’s a bit about the book and my thoughts regarding Lillie’s story.

Ms. Leonardi worked in law enforcement and was the first female responder to the scene at Shanksville on that fateful day of 9/11. She was the Community Outreach Specialist for the Pittsburgh Division of the FBI and as such, was one of the first to witness the crash scene in that lone field. As she surveyed the barrenness of the landscape, she was overwhelmed by what WAS NOT there. There were no bodies and very little left of the plane and crew of Flight 93.

Lillie chronicles her story beautifully, delving into her law enforcement background and the prejudices that women face in such a male dominated field. There was no place for emotion, crying or falling apart by what she saw.

However, as you can imagine, the sheer sight of the crash scene floods all of the checkpoints she had developed to deal with such tragedies and loss. Her emotions overwhelm her as she gazes upon the sight, wondering how anyone could do such a thing in the name of God. Then, a light comes upon the field and a vision unfolds in front of her eyes. A legion of angels appears, led by the Archangel Michael.  “This archangel stood with confidence, radiance, and an aura of leadership. The saber in his hand angled toward the ground in resting mode. I knew instantly this had to be Michael, for in my Catholic upbringing the Archangel Michael had always been depicted as the warrior. He was also known as the guardian of law enforcement.”

When the vision disappears, Lillie wonders if what she saw was real. She asks God to show her a sign that she was not just dreaming. A bible on the ground, barely singed by the flames of the crash, blows opens in a sudden wind. It stops on Psalms 23, “The Lord is my Shepherd…..” This is her sign. The confirmation of a miracle.

Lillie holds onto the vision of angels but doesn’t tell anyone about it. For years. Finally she is diagnosed with PTSD and thus begins the long road of recovery stemming from years of denial and fear.

What touched me deeply about this book was the depth Ms. Leonardi was willing to go into her soul to tell this story. She reaches into herself again and again to face her fears and tell her story. Her law enforcement background makes a fascinating read and the effect that 9/11 had on her daughter and young granddaughter is poignant, one that any mother will deeply relate to.

My favorite chapter is entitled “Superwoman Has Left the Room.” Lillie wishes to remove her symbolic uniform and cape and ask her old persona to feel safe to return. As those of us who have been through a life changing experience can attest to, it is through the shedding of our previous self that real healing and spiritual awakening can occur.

I loved the spiritual lift this book gave me. I encourage you to read and enjoy it AND be transformed by it. Here’s the LINK.

And of course, here is my disclosure per Hay House. I get to choose the book I wish to review, it is given to me free of charge, and I am not compensated for my endorsement of this book. This review is my personal opinion.

Thanks for joining me on my first book review! What are you reading these days?

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On Heaven, Faith…and Love

DSC_0280

I’ve been reading a lot of books lately. Many books, mainly on Heaven and Faith. It has given me much food for thought.

In the last six months or so, I’ve read “Heaven is for Real“, “90 Minutes in Heaven“,  “In the Shadow of a Badge” and I just finished “Proof of Heaven“. Lest you think I am completely off my rocker, I’ve also read “Explosive Eighteen” (I love those Stephanie Plum novels!), just to give my brain a break. And…I’m in the process of finishing “Everything Matters, Nothing Matters” by Gina Mazza and “Help Thanks Wow” by Anne Lamott. Yep, I am steeped in Heaven and Faith lately.

Here’s the hodgepodge of thoughts running through my head about Heaven, Faith and Love.

DSC_00041. It’s all about Love- Unconditional Love. The Universe (God, your Higher Power) loves and cherishes you and me unconditionally. Literally, we can do no wrong. We are forgiven.

2. You and I can have a deep relationship spiritually with the Universe (again God, HP) if we but take some bits of time to connect and feel the spirit deep in our soul. Prayer and Meditation help with this.

3. At the very least, we can have a kitchen sink of faith; the kind that doesn’t answer to any real organized religion. It can be a belief system of our own creation. I think God isn’t really picky. S/He just wants you and I to be happy.

Now, this may not sit well with everyone reading this and that’s ok. I am not aiming to stir up controversy (well, maybe!) but I just want you to THINK a bit.

IMGThat’s what I’m trying to do. THINK a bit. And keep myself open to all that I can learn and feel about God and Faith. There was something I read recently, something that seems too well placed to be just a coincidence. Here it is:

“Once I knew that I wanted to be an artist, I had made myself into one. I did not understand that wanting doesn’t always lead to action. Many of the women had been raised without the sense that they could mold and shape their own lives, and so, wanting to be an artist (but without the ability to realize their wants) was for some of them, only an idle fantasy, like wanting to go to the moon”. Judy Chicago

What do you really want? Do you have the courage to ask for and then receive and accept your dream?

I am beginning to realize that I can truly dare to dream on a higher level and a wish can become reality. Or better yet, I can have no idea what would be right for me and dare I stand back and let God choose for me?

Yes, it is a huge leap of faith. And it is not about taking the bull by the horns. It is about stepping back, letting go and allowing Faith to step in and assist.

(Thanks again to my daughter Michelene and my sister Cally for these photos!)

What’s your brand of faith? Share it with me…I’d love to hear about it!

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