Are You Living Your Best Life On Purpose? ... Book Review

Book Review . Sailor. U. S. Navy . Military & Personal Training . Coaching & Mentoring . Prostate Cancer . Sunday School Teacher . Veteran . Europe . Middle East . Israel . Trainer . Life Coach . Engineer . Biz Consultant . Motivational Speaker . Psychology . Ph D Student

This book is Inspiring and Motivation.

I am highly elated that Jon G. Hartman sent me an autographed copy of his book for review. My prayers are with him, all cancer patients, veterans and our troops around the world.

He was diagnosed with stage-two prostate cancer at the age of 48 (just six months prior to completing his book).

No good deed or success goes unnoticed without celebration and giving thanks. Be grateful in advance to God, and all whom took part in your journey thus far.

Celebrate and Reward Yourself.

Get Your Happy Dance On!

King David Danced!

Corporate America has played a big part in persuading our governments and the people into creating and becoming slaves to an economic god, the economy.

Only God knows the amount of time He has graciously gifted to you.


11 Key Areas for Your S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Balanced Life

1. Spiritually

2. Purpose

3. Passion

4. Wellness

5. Health

6. Personal Growth

7. Career

8. Financial

9. Relationship

10. Family

11. Social

Your S. M.A.R.T.E.R. Balanced Life

S.M.A.R.T.E.R. goals are very: Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely, Engaging, & Righteous.

GPS = God + Purpose + Significance

God has so graciously gifted you with your Life, talents, tools, and time.

Make Good Use of Down Time.

Walking, Driving, Showering, and daydreaming are good times to plan, reflect, and pray.




Regardless of your religious Belief system, your journey through this book will guide you to seek, realize, and live out your true Purpose in Life. You will learn and come to realize hopefully, that time is a gift from God.

This book is considered second to the Bible as a Life handbook to possibly help when parents, the church, and the community may have fallen short in being effective and efficient in raising and educating past and present generations.

A handbook to remind you and encourage you to always love and respect your family, your neighbor, your environment, and you. To show you how to lead by example and utilize your mind, body, and spirit's full potential.

I understand this quite well: Jon G. Hartman, MBA, BSME, CPC shares "Though he is a follower of Jesus Christ, out of sincere love and respect, he must acknowledge many of those who have been part of the journey for what he learned (A Scripture from the Bible be ye wise as serpents & harmless as doves), even if he didn't agree with their personal Emotional Intelligence reasoning that they may believe and/or teach."

He believes his Purpose is to serve God, and then serve you by being a significant human being.

Much of the sharings in his book has been shared by authors (past and present), Biblical apostles, and Jesus.

He encourages the reader to learn more about Jesus, and to truly seek a personal relationship with God.

What do words like "joy" and "happiness" mean to you? What does success mean to you? How do you define what your Purpose is? Yes, our lives are shaped by the results of all experiences that involved Significant Emotional Pain & Significant Emotional Pleasures.

Before you can truly fulfill a Life of Purpose, you must first define exactly what these types of words describing pain and pleasure truly mean to You. At the end of the day, other people's definitions, opinions, and beliefs don't matter.

Your Belief System has been impacted by the family and culture you were born into, and whom you have surrounded yourself by throughout your Life that have either encouraged you to seek self-actualization.

Your Life exists because of God's grace and mercy. What you choose to do with your Life and how you choose to live it, is your gift in return to God.

None of this is possible without you rolling up your sleeves and preparing to take action by utilizing ALL of your mind, body, and spirit in order to seek and live your best Life On Purpose.

To have a Purpose is to have a plan, to have a plan is to have goals, to have goals is a sign of true passion, and passion is the driving force to get you to set and achieve Life goals that matter.

Your Purpose must contain Life goals.

This is where Life separates people who are just content, and those who hunger to learn more, live more, and love more. Truth be known, if you cannot love and respect yourself 100%, you will always hold back from giving 100% to others ... including God.

You joyfully use your gifted talents, wisdom, and love to serve God and mankind.

Don't get caught in the peer pressure trap of lowering your standards because of other people having a lesser expectation of themselves, or their limited Belief System.

Sure, you can't pick your family, but you don't have to surround yourself with them to the extent that you give up your personal power.

Train and workout with people that are more physically fit than you are, or better at any of the sports or activities you are training for.

Study with the people that seem to be subject-matter-experts, or at least very knowledgeable in the subject area that you are learning.

Surround yourself by couples that live a loving and healthy marriage by example, if you are seeking to better your existing relationship.

Surround yourself by as many strong Christian & Spiritual like-minded people as possible and learn from them all.

Ego and God cannot occupy the same place at the same time in your heart.

Things in your Life will happen and you will not be in control, and as a result, you are going to experience fear (fear = pain).

God created you for His Purpose, His love, & His joy. Your career, education, and personal successes are not needed beyond this world. However, they are needed today as part of your wonderful journey that allows you to live and express your Belief System.

Surprisingly, and even worse sometimes you win when you don't follow the rules or laws.

Rick Warren boldy wrote, "Without a clear purpose you have no foundation on which your basic decisions, allocate your time, and use your resources.

In the Book of Habakkuk it says "Write the Vision & Make It Plain."

Remember the meaning of success is very different from person to person and culture to culture.

You learn this is not a game you can play by yourself, there are other people involved in this game, and you best have a good understanding of what their rules are.

That is why people, who give up on themselves, never thrive because they never get to feel and live Life with ultimate joy, happiness and fulfillment.

KISS. Keep It Simple Silly!

Most, if not all people have the same desires and needs, of ultimately seeking and experiencing joy and happiness, regardless if it is in a personal or professional relationship. We seek to have pleasure in all situations and avoid pain when possible.

Jon was inspired to write this chapter based on the principles taught by Robbins (2000), in his audio book, Getting the Edge. He identifies humans having six specific needs that are driving forces in their life: certainty, uncertainty, significance, connection, growth, and contribution.

It does not matter who you are, what your educations or experiences have been so far in your Life. We have all been there and experienced many levels of motivational passion and drive at some point in our lives. What is the secret of putting yourself in a state of passion about everything you do in Life? The passion of doing what it takes to become significant and serve God and humanity.

All people need diversity, uncertainty, and a little vanity in their Life. In my eyes this will teach you not to place your trust in man, but in God, for storms will come, things will just happen.

You are never too old to know something new. To earn a higher degree, new language, play a musical instrument, foster a child, or paint a monet.

Jon's Mother turned a young 70, and unfortunately, she had to bury three of his siblings over the past twelve years.

Had each of his siblings known exactly how long they had to live, he is certain, the quantity and experiences of their Life would have been much different, and perhaps their relationships with God as well.

As parents or guardians, it is our responsibility to get every child educated and on track as soon as possible. Your children are gifts from God.

Time, as you know it, will never be replaced!

The world was not created in one day, and neither was your attitude or Belief System.

Become Fit For Life!

Before you run out of time, make the best of it in what ever you do to be effective and efficient in your daily Life.

Setting goals drive you to serve with a purpose.

A good coach or teacher can train you to use all of the latest and greatest techniques and methodologies for reaching your goals.

Define and lay your goals out in every part of your Life.

In May 1980, Jon had turned seventeen when he barely finished his tenth year as a C-ish student. He dropped out of high school so he could join the military. He studied that summer and earned his GED.

He went from an E1 to being frocked to E5 in less than three years.

He decided to go to college after he got out of the Navy, and he had many academic adversities awaiting him along the way.

After he got out of the Nay, he took a decent job working in a chemical plant as a mechanic in North Haven, Connecticut and soon began taking night classes.

It took him three years studying part time to do it.

After three years of passion, pain, and joy, in the fall of 1992 he was awarded his Mechanical Engineer degree.

Only two people attended his graduation ceremony. He received few congratulations from family members, his mother, but very few from extended family members and friends. Not because they did not care, because for some, if they were to acknowledge his achievements, it meant they were staring in the face of their own failures.

He received his AA in 1989, and then his engineering degree in 1992, and his MBA in 2003.

Know when to excuse yourself from a conversation going nowhere.

Small talk can be very important and powerful when it is used Purposefully in an effective and efficient and manner involving relationships, networking, consoling, being cordial, and in business.

Look for subject-matter-experts in your church or community programs. Find a Life Coach, Big Brothers/Big Sister Program, Counselors, Your local non-profits, Support Groups, or Colleges.

You can choose to be a main character, by seeking to be santicified by God, or you can simply stand back and watch His story unfold without you being written into His last chapter, Jon titled it, "Eternity, The Last Beginning."

He suggests you could write a letter to yourself each year at a minimum. He recommend that you do this on your birthday.

This may be very personal information and you may not want to share it with just anyone. Teach your children and neighbor so that you can pass on a new tradition that will bring love, growth, and value to the present day, as well for your family's future, long after you are gone.

Jon G. Hartman is a Ph D. Student studying Industrial & Organizational Psychology. He holds a Master in Business & a Bachelor in Engineering Compounding 30 years of Real Life 101, he is a prominent author, motivational speaker, life coach, and business consultant working in the fields of self-development & training for individuals & business professionals, who are seeking to become successfully & spiritually grounded while living their Best Life.

He is a proud Veteran, who has served his country in the U.S. Navy with two tours in Europe and the Middle East. He had the opportunity to be in Israel (my dream vacation) and walk the streets and paths that were believed to be the very journey of Jesus Christ, where the true spiritual journey began for Jon.

He also has been a Sunday School Teacher and Elder within the Lutheran Church Community.

Our Troops .. Encourage Them & Their Families .. Book Review (2007)

Troops . Flag Day . Military Families . Active Duty . Reserve . Matthew 25 . Care Packages

As we know Flag Day is June 14, 2013.

Sharing suggestions from a book I reviewed over five years ago ...
Be a source of strength and encouragement for military families as these committed soliders, both active duty and reserve, protect our freedoms and defend.

Several ways churches can help military families feel appreciated:

Post prayer reminders in church bulletins listing parishioners or their family members still in action, and hold a special service to honor them.

Ask families and Sunday School class to adopt military members. Check on their loved ones. Pray for and write them.

Take donations for care packages (The Department of Defense recommends using Operation USA Care Package, http://www.usocares.org) Include items such as church bulletins, prepaid long-distance cards (available at http://www.operationuplink.org). (Camouflage pocket-sized New Testaments and devotionals are available from Campus Crusade for Christ's Military Ministry, http://www.milmin.org)

Start support groups for spouses of deployed members.




Ellie Kay -- If Bob knows that when he returns from his mission he will have a loving family waiting for him, he is better equipped to perform at the height of his capabilities.

Matthew 25:34-36,40

Jesus also explained that good works alone will not ensure someone a place in heaven. We can't board a chartered "Works Plane" to get us to heaven.

A reserved solider is part of the country's armed forces, subject to call in an emergency.

Our nation called upon its army of volunteers when in 2005 Hurrican Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.

Rick Warren -- Great opportunities to serve never last long. They pass quickly, sometimes never to return again. You may only get one chance to serve that person, so take advantage of the moment.

Tips shared from "What's in the Bible for Women" by Georgia Curtis Ling & Larry Richards, Ph D.

(Georgia is an author & well-liked speaker. She has been teaching & helping women find answers through the Bible. She graduated from Kentucky Christian University with a major in Bible in 1979).

(Dr. Larry Richards -- General Editor, was converted while in the Navy in the 1950's. He has written several Sunday School curriculum for every age group. He has published more than 200 books & his books have been translated into 26 languages).

Confident Parenting ... Book Review

Book Review . Parenting . Children . Child . God . Galatians 6:2 . Shema . Deuteronomy 6 . Mentor . Faith . Grandchildren . Proverbs 18:21 . Matthew 16:26 . Father's Day

I thought that this would be a great book to share for 2013 Father's Day, which will be June 16, 2013.

Sharing tips from a book I reviewed over five years ago.

When a child comes into your home, he or she doesn't come with an owner's manual, warranty, or guarantee. Nobody sent us to parent - training school.

This book won't give you easy answers, but it does offer a road map, one drawn by God himself, who made caring for your family your highest calling on earth.

Is your parenting working? It will never be perfect, but it is supposed to be working.

For now, be aware that you may need to use the word "no" more than you would like in order to raise your kids to be responsible adults.

Frankly, you can't do much about the decisions of your spouse, or even your kids when they reach a certain age. Make decisions about your own life.

God's promise to you is found in an old proverb: "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

You can choose to recover from your family's past or repeat it.

The author admits that there is alcoholism on both sides of his family. His choice is either to recover or repeat, so he choose not to drink.

Dan Chun is a good friend of the author and a pastor in Honolulu. Several years ago, he was looking to hire a youth worker for his church and called the author for some suggestions. The author gave him two names: an all-star youth worker and the other was yet unproven. Dan decided not to take the all-star. He told the author he only hire broken people to minister in his congregation.



Bill Hubels has written about coming to a place in his life where he needed to make some changes if his ministry relationship to his wife, and his role as a father were going to be successful.

He wrote, "there was no way he could continue to lead, teach, feed and grow his church with so many broken pieces rattling inside him.

Paul's advice to the church of Galatia is good for everybody (Galatians 6:2).

VDPs' -- Very Draining Persons

VIP's -- Very Inspiring Persons

We can - and should - make parenting decisions based on the eternal perspective.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 "Shema" in the Bible. It is the Hebrew word from the Old Testament. It means to listen or to hear.

The word "Shema" (pronounced she-MA) - to listen, to hear, morning blessings, bedtime prayer, special dedication, such as "home blessings."

No one is perfect. The cry of the Hebrew people was that there was one God, Yahweh, or Adonai.

Yes, the church community has a role, but parents must take ownership of transmitting faith to the next generation.

Each child is unique.

Every six months the author and his wife spend a half day talking about their kids. What areas need work?

A few years ago the author and his family visited Israel during the Jewish Passover. It was a most incredible time to visit the Holy Land, because of the preparation, Worship, and family traditions that happen at this very sacred time of year. They were doing what the Bible told them to do (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

At mealtime, read a Scripture, say a prayer, share a prayer concern, and light a candle to remember a loved one.

Storybooks are good for younger kids; hang-out time is better for older ones.

Focus on traditions that are meaningful to your family.

Ten Commandments: Lesson for finding peace in an over-crowded life. Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it Holy. Sabbath - Rest.

The pace of life is destroying families. It makes good people act crazy and makes otherwise healthy people become vulnerable to sickness, broken relationships and to sin.

The reason the author know and write about the effects of busyness is because it has so often been the story of his own life.

"What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Matthew 16:26 NKJV)

The author and his wife spend a great deal of time helping people in pastoral ministry with their marriages and families. In this last year, they have heard from people struggling with pain and problems, from affairs and addictions to abuse and wayward children.

So what's the answer yo these pace-of-life issues? The author believes it is found in the lesson of the Sabbath.

A half day of Sabbath rest is better than no time at all.

4 Elements of A Healthy Sabbath for the Burns Family:

Rest - Refresh - Restore - Recreation

Lesson of A.W.E. - Affection, Warmth, Encouragement

Request a prescription of A.W.E.

There is no such thing as a house without conflict, but by working relentlessly to reduce stress in your family, you promote a warm environment.

No one can live successfully until he or she masters self-control.

Your words have power. They can either provide life and build up or they can destroy. Even when correcting your children, it is important to choose your words wisely.

Children need to learn that life is not fair and that there are consequences to wrong choices.

Your words have great power with your children. (Proverbs 18:21).

Your words have power to destroy or to heal. Use your words with your kids to bring out the best in them.

You are a role model to your children.

You are a mentor to your kids.

"Build a legacy of faith for your children and your grandchildren. Continue doing the best you can, and with God's help you will see wonderful results."

There is much to be done and much to be taught. You have learned the lessons of parenting.

The great philosopher Soren Kierkiegaard told a story about ducks that came from an imaginary country where only ducks live. One Sunday morning, all the mother and father ducks headed to church with their children waddling behind them.

They entered the doors and sat in their duck pews, sang songs from their duck hymnals, and gave to under privileged ducks at the offering time. When the duck preacher got up to proclaim the message, he was very dynamic. He opened his duck Bible and screamed, "Ducks, you can fly!" You have wings and you can fly like eagles."

The ducks all chanted. We can fly, we can fly!" He asked, "Do you believe you can fly?" He screamed again, "We can soar through the skies!" They all shouted, "Amen." With that the pastor closed his duck Bible and dismissed his congregation of ducks. Then they all waddled back home.

Your words are important, but they can only go so far. The message to our children will be very similar to that of the duck pastor. After he told them they could fly, he needed to show them by spreading his own wings and soaring above the clouds.

The author, Jim Burns, Ph.D. is heard daily in over 800 communities. He speaks to 1,000's around the world each year through marriage & family seminars & conferences. He earned his M.A. in Christian Education from Princeton Theological Seminary & his Ph.D. in Religious Education from Greenwich School of Theology.

To A Child LOVE Is Spelled Time ... Book Review ... 4/18/2004

Book Review . Love . Children . Investment . Time . Annual Children Day .

Annual Children's Day is June 9, 2013, and I thought this would be something great to share for this occasion.

Book Review. Love is one investment that will never fail you. Children are priceless.

This book is a precious jewel. It will remind you that children are most important.

The best gift you can give a child is to tell them that you love them and to express that love. Love is one investment that will never fail you.

Love is a mighty power. Never let the lines of communication be cut between you and your child(ren).

Something that really touched my heart: There was a business man and his son named Jimmy, both of them had kept journals. In the Daddy's journal he recorded: wasted the whole day fishing with Jimmy. Didn't catch a thing. The business man read his son journal: Went fishing with my dad. Best day of my life.

I will share some things that you will be reminded of:

Your little girl will always be your little girl and your boy will always be your precious boy.

Children are priceless.




The world may be different because I was important to the life of a child.

Listening is most important, learn to listen with your heart.

To one person you might just be the world.

Your son needs to know that you are his biggest fan in life and your daughter needs to know that you see her as a winner because of who she is, not because she achieved something.

The most important things in life aren't things.

Laugh and play with your child(ren). Enjoy your child(ren).

Children depend on you.

Yes, Parents might make mistakes and we know it, and our child(ren) might know it. Something to think about: admitting our mistake and asking for forgiveness teaches our child(ren) honesty and keeps the doors of communication open.

Mac Anderson and Lance Wubbels are the authors of the book that I am sharing my thoughts on.

Mac Anderson is the founder of Successories, Inc., the leader in designing and marketing products for motivation and recognition.

Lance Wubbels is presently the vice president of literary development at Koechel Peterson and Associates, Inc. in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Freefall to Fly: A Breathtaking Journey Toward a Life of Meaning ... Book Review

Book Review . Anxiety . Depression ., Down Syndrome . Journey . Dreams . Talents . New York . Mental Health . Christian Life . Women Issues . Virginia . Maya Angelou . non profit . international missions . Manhattan . Greek isles . relaxation . Heavenly treasures . corporate ladder . pray

Rebekah Lyons is a brave woman to share her personal story and I hope that it will inspire and help others.

"It is never too late to be what you might have been." ... George Eliot

Depression and anxiety have many faces. More than 57.7 million American adults suffer from some form of mental illness, including 18.1 million who have been diagnosed with depression.

Even more shocking is the number of women suffering from depression. From anxiety attacks, as in Rebekah case, to mood disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and so on women are under siege. And the majority of women who are wrestling with depression fit nicely in the twenty-five to forty-four-year-old age bracket.

Rebekah is no medical doctor, and she has no degree in psychology,but she loves to listen to the stories of women.

Thanksgiving had barely faded into autumn's wake when Rebekah received the news of her aunt Martha's death. The doctor had handed her a diagnosis of advanced pancreatic cancer just five months prior, but none of the family thought the disease would steal her life so quickly.

Her thoughts flipped to the person noticeably absent for the funeral the weekend: her dad.

She was aware of the state of his mental health when she was fifteen. He was admitted to a psychiatric hospital hospital for a week.

He lost his job teaching for the county. Administrators didn't consider him fit to be responsible for a classroom.

Perhaps one of the worst effects of such an illness is the lack of respect the individual gets from those closest to them. The survivor never seems to receive the benefits of the doubt. Always looked at as a mental case.

She found herself thinking of her father.

Would she end up in the same bed, her mind unable to sustain her body? She worried that his present might be her future.

Her father and her firstborn son, which has Down Syndrome were connecting in a way they were unable to. Beyond logic and reason. A brokenness that is whole. Beautiful.

A man who'd lived a life of suffering, of struggle, of mental anguish never turned his back on God. He had been faithful. His grandchildren delighted in his presence.

As you know, New York is bleak in wintertime.

Rebekah was invited to lunch with a few women in her Church who were looking to start conversations among their parish Churches concerning what "living fully" looked like for the women in the city. She'd been asked to provide insight and talking points, but she was wrestling with God.

She was beginning to put pen to paper about her journey over the past two years - the story of her own struggle with depression and anxiety.




She thought of Jesus. And what had to have been a horrific night in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He was Crucified, when He prayed on His face for hours.

We all wonder how long we must wait and when the rescue will come. And God says in the waiting, "Turn your face to Me, focus on Me.

So we wait.

"If the future road looms ominous or unpromising, and the roads back uninviting, then we need to gather our resolve and, carrying only the necessary baggage, step off that road into another direction." ... Maya Angelou

These technological creations, while interesting for everyone else, have the opposite effect on us. Instead of confirming our worth, they only add to the pressure to perform and strive. Have you made every recipe on your Pinterest board? Rebekah admits she haven't. How many of us have homes that look like the images we pin?

Rebekah loves knowing what her friends are up to, near and far. Technology helps her feel more connected to them. But unless she reach out and actually talk to them, the closeness is limited to a newsfeed.

Her husband, Gabe is a helpful barometer to keep her accountable. He knows when the real Rebekah, and the virtual ones grow disconnected. And he raises a red flag when her iPhone gets more attention than he does.

For a few of us, our parents saw a gift in us and nurtured it to full bloom. Sadly for many, like Rebekah our uniqueness was squelched by peer pressure, feelings of inadequacy, or disapproval from a parent.

As for her gift of writing, that one snuck up on her. Though she could be found often with a book in her hand during her youth. As she wrote fervent questions of prayers, she felt His presence near.

Some days she's on edge for no reason, unsure if she should trust her surroundings or even her friends.

Upon graduation, she landed the perfect job at Blair Communications, a respected PR firm in Virginia. The idealism lasted for nine months, until she felt pulled toward a nonprofit focused on international missions.

What is God's unique plan for the headstrong leader and wise counselor with a fierce ambition for love for writing?

She loved her children and her husband and, in many ways, the life she had created. After months of misery, she had begun the journey toward meaning by unearthing her unique gifts. And like Manhattan's spring tulips, she was now bursting with life.

"Every now and then go away and have a little relaxation. To remain constantly at work will diminish your judgment. Go some distance away, because work will be in perspective and a lack of harmony is more readily seen." ... Leonardo Da Vinci

Like children anticipating Christmas morning, Gabe and Rebekah were anxious to steal away. His parents had offered to let the grandkids run free on their five wooded acres in Virginia's heartland so they could spend uninterrupted time together.

Scrounging together airline miles, hotel points, and a bit of money they had tucked away for such an occasion, they booked a trip to Greek isle of Santorini.

At night, they dined in front of Mediterranean sunsets.

Gabe and her had one assignment: to reconnect. They had grown distant during her freefall months in New York. Her anxiety attacks had understandably placed him on edge. They aimed to steal away and reignite the spark they once had.

They didn't know they would go with little sleep for a decade-facing financial uncertainly and loss, burying their dear friend, birthing a son who would change the way they saw the world. And God would make them new through all of it. A lesson they continue to learn.

When packing for the trip, she made sure to cram in as many many books as her luggage could hold.

She remembered a story from the Gospel of Matthew where Jesus teaches His disciples some cornerstone principles about treasure. He explains that storing up earthly treasures is a worthless endeavor. Houses, money, livestock - they all rust or are eaten by moths. Jesus describes a different kind of treasure. Heavenly treasures.

She have felt the fading in her own life. Battling a lifelong struggle with anxiety and despair.

How might life be different for women like her if they believed a treasure awaits them?

She have found community with people who are living out the calling God has breathed into their hearts. Not a story of climbing a successful corporate ladder for personal gains, but one that carries a humble heaviness for burdens that break their hearts.

That evening she packed with fury in anticipation of returning home. But now she was discovering something greater. Treasure. Meaning.

"The wise man in the storms prays to God, not for safety from danger, but deliverance from fear," ... Ralph Waldo Emerson

They returned home to find New York had shed its summer skin, with fall nearly in full swing.

Life was going so well.

Soon sleep beckoned, thought less restful than she had hoped for. She tossed and tossed between dreams, resisting each one like an uninvited guest.

Panic whispered.

She shook Gabe awake, begging him between gaps to help her get to the elevator. Their children stayed asleep as the alarm clock glowed 3:20 a.m.

They were painfully aware that the attacks she had avoided the past nine months were back.

She had begun experiencing an onslaught of attacks daily, each distinctly different from what she had fought the year before. These episodes took place in wide-open spaces as she gasped for air on the playground bench while her kids played in the distance.

She began to believe she would never change a thought that brought sadness and new depths of desperation.

Just as life was looking up the floor was dropping out from beneath her.

3:02 a.m. another panic attack.

Her husband prayed, "God take this panic attack away. You are not a God who invokes fear, but faith. Give us faith. Help Rebekah to breathe, to calm, to release."

She cried out, "RESCUE ME!"

The physical bondage that she had been battling for more than a year-gone in an instant. She had never come out of a panic attack like that before.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Jesus yoke is easy and the burden He gives is light."

For many, prescription medication has been a lifesaver in moments of severe struggle, and some need it to even out imbalance in the brain.

God had met her in her darkest hour.

Write down the turning points in your life.

Write down your talents.

Write down your greatest burden.

If you aren't married or if your husband isn't willing to offer his support, the journey may be more difficult (particularly for single moms). Look for a trusted friend - a person who believes in you - who encourages you along the way.

Note those in your life who will help you on this journey.

I'm convinced God wants to use you to bring someone else's gift to life.

I received a copy of this book for review from Tyndale House Publishers. I review books for Authors, Ministries, Businesses, Publicists & Publishing Companies.


Rebekah Lyons is a mother of three, wife, dog walker of two living in New York. As a self-confessed mess, she wears her heart on her sleeve, a benefit to friends and readers alike. She serves alongside her husband, Gabe, as cofounder of Q Ideas, an organization that helps winsomely engage culture.

The Boy From Bothell .. Bipolar * Vietnam Veteran ..... Book Review

Book Review . Vietnam Veteran . Bipolar . Army . Navy . Saigon River . Investigation . ONI . The Office of Naval Intelligence . Lithium . Fight for Sanity . God . South Vietnam . Memoirs . Okinawa . Prodigal Son . Church . Marriage . Psychiatric Hospital . Seattle VA Hospital . Poland . Vancouver, Washington

I am high elated as well as honored to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Gene Olson, who is a Vietnam Veteran. Let us never forget our Veterans and Troops. Now my favorite branch is the Army for I use to stay on base I believe when i was a little girl in Texas (El Paso, Texas), and Florida (Homestead, Florida; Goulds, Florida; & Naranja, Florida) with my Daddy and Mother.

More than six million American adults suffer from bipolar disorder (manic depression) and or schizophrenia. These are two types of the most severe and crippling forms of mental illness.

What medicine do you give a paranoid schizophrenic? Thorazine. Between 1965 and 1980, state hospital mental patients went from 470,000 to a staggering 100,000.

What medicine do you give a paranoid schizophrenic on a VA psych ward? Liquid Thorazine.

Gene shares God miraculously healed his mind with lithium.

The year 1945 was one to remember. Flouridated water and frozen orange juice invaded American kitchens. And Tupperware gave housewives a reason to save leftovers.

John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert unveiled the electronic computer ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer). The birth of computers was ignited.

The greatest historical event in 1945 was the end of World War II and the beginning of the Nuclear Age. Germany formally surrendered on May 7th. After atomic bombs destroyed Hiroshima on August 6th and Nagaski on August 9th, Japan surrendered. And it was hard to understand and believe the film footage coming out of Eastern Europe - concentration camps run by Lucifer himself and his devils - cremation, experiments, sexual exploitations, starvation, gas and death.

As news spread "THE WAR IS OVER! celebration started from the East Coast to the West Coast.

October 12, 1945, 3:20 a.m., with a cry Gene entered the world at Doctors' Hospital as Gene Ellis Olson. The fourth child of a Norwegian mother and a Swedish father ... a mixed Viking, ready for the world.

Him and his sister, Pat, would spend the next twelve years together in the same grade. His birthday missed the eligibility date to start school.

Elementary school was a time of friendships developed and would continue to grow until high school graduation. Two of his best friends he met in elementary school were Rich and Joe. Rich was the son of an insurance executive at Bothell State Bank. Joe was the son of the Superintendent of Bothell School. Gene was proud to be the son of a meat cutter.

Rich Worthington was Gene's friend since second grade. Rich was a helicopter pilot, killed in action, South Vietnam 1970.

A picture in the Bothell Citizen brought Gene short fame as a fifth grader. Four were photographed with books in their hands and smiles on their faces.

One of his favorite places to visit as a child was Uncle Fred and Aunt Clara's house. Uncle Fred was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. He was a Korean War hero.

The book 22 Stayed documented twenty-two prisoners of war of the Korean Conflict: twenty-two soliders did not want to return to the United States, but wanted to stay in Noreth Korea. This book planted seeds for Gene's own writing tastes and styles.

After school and weekends there was plenty of free time to play.

Then they would divide into cowboys and Indians. It was hard to pick who was going to be "King of the Wild Frontier" or "the Lone Ranger."

Chris grew hay on several acres of their pasture.

Part of the fun work belonged to the little kids in the wagon.

Chris also had several acres of cherry trees.

When the cherries were ripe to pick, teenagers and even kids like Gene could earn spending money.

First stop would be to Meredith's Five & Ten. They always had great items and wasn't too expensive. Later in life he discovered that Washington State's Senator Patty Murray's father owned that store.





The first crush in elementary school was with one of the twins in his class.

In 1957 (the year I was born), Gene was eleven years old, his parents decided to divide the property in half and build a new house.

A few months later he would be helping print "1957" in the fresh cement at their new house in Bothell.

As a toddler, the trips to his Grandma's house was exciting.

During his junior high school days, Grandma Olso moved in next door to Chris's rental house.

She came from Sweden and their great-great-grandmother from Sweden had lived to be ninety-five years old - and she smoked a pipe!

The dial on his Gramma's radio had places like "Tokyo, Moscow, Amsterdam," etc.

The seeds for his interest in writing were sown in junior high school. Not only could you write on the journalism staff you could also help "publish" and distribute the school newspaper, The Bobcat.

His family transferred to Kirkland Baptist Church of the Nazarene.

In his book, he talks about the Holy Ghost - Holy Spirit. Let me share a few Scriptures on the Holy Spirit & Being Born Again: Acts 2:1-4; John 14:16-17; Ephesians 1:13; Luke 24:36-40; John 3:1-8; and II Corinthians 5:17. (Now I realize that I am not all that - but - a work in progress.)

Oral Roberts was the famous "Pentecostalist" in the fifties.

Now we have seen televangelists Jim Baker, Jimmy Swaggart fall, and Bennie Hinn false accused.

If a person sincerely repent and confess God is faithful to forgive. But at times it can still be damaging to your ministry and career.

Not much has changed from radio, television and mass mailings. Ministers, televangelists, schemers ... some, not all, worship money and wealth as their God. It's sad.

The Scriptures also teaches us about false prophets and some of them wolves in sheep clothing. II Timothy Second Chapter tells us to study to show ourselves approved, where we can rightly divide the word of truth.

In his childhood, boyhood and youth church played a significant role in their family. They attended services on sunday morning and sunday night, and wednesday night prayer meeting.

As a teenager, one night going to bed, he brought a Look Magazine to read. The cover read, "Wanted: Priests, Rabbis & Ministers." He started reading about the future shortage of qualified men to lead in the Catholic Churches; the Jewish Synagogues and Protestant Churches.

After high school graduation he had no problems, no worries, life was carefree.

Northwest Nazarene College in Nampa, Idaho gave him a small activity scholarship.

Foodland was the only place to work. He like "bagging" groceries better than cleaning or sweeping floors.

He enrolled as a ministerial student: the conversation college forbade smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages as set forth in the manual of the Church of the Nazarene.

What money he did have went to beer. Usually in a broken stupor he would turn to his Bible and the Book of Psalms.

But the summer of joy of '65 would not linger. College dropouts were in demand. Something to do with Southeast Asia. Something to do about a place called South Vietnam.

Greetings from the President of the United States. You are hereby ordered to report for induction into the Armed Forces of the United States of America ....

Report date "October 12, 1965," his twentieth birthday! The escalation of the Vietnam War had caught him.

Ten days after signing his name and taking the oath, "I do," he found himself ready, but not so willing for ten weeks of Navy boot camp training. He had successfully dodged the Army, but not the Navy.

Seventy-two recruits of Company 529 living together in a naval barracks.

His mother sent a letter one day telling him of an upcoming major operation.

At this time in boot camp training calls were against regulations unless you had an emergency or "bona fide" reason. Certainly he knew he was eligible to call home.

He went through the usual of seeing the company commander.

After the pass was signed, he raced to the telephone booths.

Hearing his father's voice, he almost cried from excitement. His mother was fine and had arrived home from the hospital.

Boot Camp was a good teacher.

All during the flight home he did two things: relished in new freedom and prayed to God.

His mom was still recuperating from her operation when he walked into the room. She was thrilled to see him. He never wanted to leave home again .... NEVER!

Okinawa had a busy naval port to load supplies, support vehicles, machinery and troops up rivers and along the coast of South Vietnam.

Soon he was "bar hopping" and meeting sailors.

A sailor he didn't know walked back to the ship with him. Well, he knew he worked in the engine room. He couldn't see anything strange in his request that they go to the rear of the ship (funtail)n and talk.

He put his arm around Gene and held his wrist with his other hand.

The sailor made sexual advances toward him.

What could he do? He asked God to help him! He made a quick surprise move, escaping his strong grip.

Then he appeared, climbing down the ships ladder. Sitting across from Gene, he whispered only one sentence, "Better not tell anyone what I tried to do."

After drinking himself "silly," he walked into a bar and noticed a table full of chief petty officers from the ship.

They talked and he drank their free beer.

"Olson, I know you haven't been in the Navy very long. If there is anything bothering you about the Navy, feel free to talk with me about it."

After he told the chief petty officer about the incident, he asked "Will you say those exact words to the executive office?"

The next day he spoke to the X.O.

Instantly he could tell who the men were as they boarded the ship - civilian clothes, suits, both carrying briefcases. "The two men were agents from the Office of Naval Intelligence."

"First of all they informed him of his rights under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He didn't have to answer any questions if he felt it could be used against him in a court marital."

One agent left the room and returned with a Polaroid camera. They wanted a picture of the scratches on his face caused by him breaking away from the sailor. He had never noticed the scratches before.

The sight of a sailor made him sick, even though he was a sailor.

Loneliness and he guess doubt about what was happening would follow in the next few days dragged him into deep depression.

The days started growing worse. He felt he should see a psychiatrist before things became twisted up within his mind.

He noticed a magazine nearby called His and starting to reading an article on Psalm 13. He likened himself to a modern David.

The ONI agents had said they had given the other sailor a lie detector test. Every time he had lied, they had stopped and told him to come back when he was ready to tell the truth.

When they reported onboard ship, the officer of the day knew nothing of their circumstances.

"Olson, the agents told me not to touch you or I'd be in more trouble than I am in now. But he still let Gene know that he still had feelings for him, but would not force him."

Gene thinks he was sorry.

Within two days the ship headed back down the Saigon River.

Forty letters and fifteen hometown newspapers were stacked up waiting to be opened.

Three days later word was passed throughout the ship "We're heading home!" The only thing the crew could think about was seeing America and Americans once again.

Only one sentence filled his mind as the plane circled over Seattle and Puget sound, "I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me."

He didn't know at the time, but his final cruise would sail from Okinawa, to Saigon, to Keelung, Formosa and Japan, and then to Pearl Harbor and San Diego.

Twelve of the children lined up outside the hut. He could not resist picking up the baby. When he kissed the baby on the forehead, the children laughed. The mother proudly held her baby up high for the camera. If he was running for a political office, he would have had everyone's vote.

With the GI Bill he could return to college and start fresh in the academic field. It was the fall of '67.

Being discharged from the Navy didn't discharge him from an alcoholic.

As a private Christian College, NNC was able to foster and promote religious principles and ideas of the Church of the Nazarene. Those were special times, sensing God's Spirit, sensing God's love, sensing God was personal.

Back in Washington State, his parents started two group homes for boys.

He agreed to work in the boys' home.

But one evening was the start of his first manic high.

Bipolar seeds were starting to sprout. Paranoia was growing at a rapid pace.

His dad told him, that he wanted him to come with him to go see a psychiatrist.

But his dad didn't know about Rich, the helicopter crash, his death in Vietnam and the details of the all-night drive.

The doctor's clinic was in downtown Seattle just south of the Westin Hotel near the Seattle center monorail tracks. He was recommended by his brother-in-law the doctor as a very qualified Christian psychiatrist.

Here he was twenty-six years old, ready for the journey from paranoid schizophrenic to manic depressive/bipolar.

Private hospitals are expensive. His brother found out he was eligible for psychiatric treatment at the VA Medical Center in Seattle. As a Vietnam Veteran he had priority over other Veterans except those with service-connected disabilities.

During the night a veteran had committed suicide; a lady had lost her silent husband.

He asked God to explain it. He said He didn't.

The Jewish kid who wondered like all of them, what were they doing there? His mother visited every night.

Another veteran had electric shock treatments. Shock treatments for depression - sometimes it worked.

Lithium had entered his life. It had only been approved by the FDA in 1970 and now, just six years later, he would be "put on" a relatively new drug for manic-depression, lithium.

He met a veteran his age. He had Huntington's disease, a disease of the nervous system. When his wife found out she left him. He had accepted his approaching death, but he could not accept his wife leaving him.

He died when he was at American Lake.

Towards the last months his concentration improved. He read four books. Man in Black, by Johnny Cash and Born Again, by Charles Colson.

He had finished reading Born Again when he heard on the TV news Charles Colson was coming to Tacoma. His prison ministry was taking him to explore McNeil Island Penitentiary.

Gene would be bipolar for the rest of his life.

"Grandpa" Christ was in a nursing home.

"He passed away."

Now before this happened he had to come to his senses like the Prodigal Son and return home he shares in his book. He also had married another woman for less than a year and she had an abortion.

If God had a girl picked out for Gene, where was she? He wasn't attending Church every Sunday, but he truly believed in a personal God.

There was one place he did not try, the Little Nickel dateline section int he free ad paper.

He must confess he prayed to God.

God sent only one.

Jolanta was 27 years old, 5'2," blond, Native Polish she wrote to him. She was Doctor of Medicine (inernist) graduated in Europe.

She was unique. She was loving and caring.

Not only could she speak seven languages fluently, but she was almost finished with her medical residency in Poland.

A few weeks passed and discussions on marriage entered the conversation.

"Should we just become engaged, or take the chance and get married?" He asked the immigration officer.

He was quick to respond, "He suggested that if you are really serious about it - get married.

After two weeks Jolanta said "Yes, I will marry you! But you have to stop drinking beer."

Their marriage took place at his parents' house in Bothell, at the small group home for boys.

They would return in later years with his wife's brother from Poland, his two young sons and their two young sons, which would be born via of C-sections.

Six months he had waited for this exact moment! She was still beautiful.

Now firsthand, he was learning about Polish culture, customs and behaviors.

It was a known fact with kids in the Polish neighborhood that all Americans were rich!

He later returned to Seattle without Jolanta.

The owner/manager of the mobile home park was leaving in several weeks for Israel and asked him to be the manager. He would agree for about a year.

He didn't have all the specific details, except his wife was having problems with the
American Embassy.

Now there was something he could do. He wrote a letter to Senator Dan Evans explaining his frustration and anger. He promptly replied back that he would look into the situation.

When his wife went to the American Embassy in Warsaw, she was treated like a diplomat.

One of the greatest moment in his life was getting a collect call from his wife at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. She had arrived in the United States!

His wife joined a small group of physicians in Vancouver, Washington. Southwest Washington was their new home.

Soon Dr. Jolanta Olson would become partner in a medical clinic and later also serve as chairman for the Department of Medicine at Southwest Washington Medical Center.

In February 2000, he received a letter from his high school sweetheart, Nancy, the dentist's daughter.

Nancy wrote:
Dear Gene, The question was asked "Who talked to you about the Gospel of Christ for the first time?" Her answer was Gene Olson. The next question was "Have you thanked them?" If not, "What are you going to do about it?"

She had continued to sing praises to Him throughout many lands - Singapore, Malaysia, Africa, Haiti, Canada and across the U.S. .... This - all because Gene told her how to know Jesus.

The lithium reduction started. He could feel mania approaching. Only a bipolar knows.

The 2004 presidential election had placed John Kerry in the spotlight of Vietnam Veterans. As he read some articles on John Kerry, the song Soirup River caught his eye. He had been on the same river a year after his ship was anchored as the "Mekong Hilton."

When John Kerry finished addressing the crowd, he asked Gene, Is there anything I can do for you?

He answered, "Yes, there is. I'd like a memorial for my friend Rich, a helicopter pilot killed in Vietnam."

A red, white and blue viewing stand was erected on top of the Seattle VA Medical Center, Beacon Hill.

The first helicopter had gathered on the hill and near the hospital for the memorial. They saluted the flag draped on its side.

In progression, each helicopter became newer.

For the finale, hundreds of Blackhawks and the most modern helicopters in formation at the viewing stand.

In meditation with God, he said, "All these years I never wanted to die! All these years he have been fighting for sanity!

God answered, "I know. I was there. I saw it all. It was a good fight. And you won!"

Oregon Senator Gordon Smith had a son with bipolar disorder who killed himself at his college apartment.

On July 8, 2004, the Garrett Le Memorial Act passed the Senate. The bill was introduced by Senator Gordon Smith who said, "It's been six months, and it's time to find more meaning and help others who suffered like he did."

The bill is for suicide prevention.

If Rich Worthington, his Christian Scientist boyhood friend killed in Vietnam, were alive today he know exactly what he would say.

"Gene, you don't need a Band-Aid for your brain. God will heal it."


Genes Olson, is the author of 'The Boy From Bothell - Bipolar *Vietnam Veteran lived most of his life in the Pacific Northwest. He has traveled extensively in Eastern Europe. He currently resides in Vancouver, Washington with his Polish wife, youngest son, older son out of the nest and three dogs.

Business Development of eHarmony .. Book Review (2005)

Book Review . Family-friendly . Dating . eHarmony . business coach host . writer . editor . Failing in Love For all the Right Reasons . Soul Mate . biz development . business development . Christian Worldview . faith based . ethnic backgrounds . religions . races


Sharing some tips from a book that I reviewed in 2005.

I did not want to focus on the dating from the book, so I focused from the business development from the book.

I received a review copy of eHarmony while being the business coach host, writer, editor for a site.

Development of eHarmony.com has more than 500 questions based on 29 dimensions that their scientific research has shown are crucial to long-term success in relationships.

In 1995 Dr. Neil Clark Warren, moved his counseling practice to a new office in Pasadena. Much of his time was consumed with creating materials to teach people how they could have a better marriage. One day while talking with his son-in-law Greg Forgatch, he told him about a study he had done in which he asked 100 married couples to tell him what makes a great marriage.

His son-in-law asked him had he ever thought of creating a service for singles based on that kind of information?
They began to dream of an educational service based on such empirical data.

This data is share in the book "Failing in Love For all the Right Reasons - How to find your Soul Mate" written by Dr. Neil Clark Warren, founder of eHarmony.com with Ken Abraham.

In 1977 Greg and Dr. Warren traveled to Santa Monica, California, where they met Pete Hurt, the former CEO of MasterCard and the current CEO of Advanta ( a financial services company for small businesses).

Pete became convinced that the only way a matchmaking company could succeed was to expand the pool of available partners. And the most helpful way of doing that seemed to be by means of the Internet.




Pete encouraged Greg and Dr. Warren to develop a program and put it on the Internet. Pete told Dr. Warren that he would be his advisor, only if he would use the Internet.

They took another year and a half to gather and analyze their empirical data.

To collect accurate reliable information, they decided to devise a questionaire for married couples to complete. They developed a team of researchers comprised of PdD's and research assistants, many of whom had worked alongside him when he taught graduate -level psychology classes. Dr. Galen Buck Walter, a brillant former student of his, was one of the first to come on board after Greg Forgatch and their friend Greig Steiner.

Galen introduced them to his friend Steve Carter, who was taking a break from his doctoral program for a while. Steve joined them in their quest. Soon Steve brought in antoher friend, Grant Langston, and they started meeting every day, working on questions they wanted to ask married couples.

A friend of Greg's, Kevin Burke, also assisted them greatly in the process. Kevin is the director of Lucid Marketing, a company with great expertise in public relations. It was Kevin who first almost whimsically tagged the fledgling company and future Internet site with the name "eHarmony.com."

Greg informed Lorrie that we were not going to match individuals on external appearances or bank accounts, but on values, character, and other inner qualities, she caught the vision for what we could do.

As they began developing their eHarmony team, they didn't go to other Internet companies in an attempt to hire away their best people. That would have produced an environment of MBA's, marketing people, and Internet techies who would say, "Well, the last five times we created one of these Internet companies, we did it this way."

Although Dr. Warren and Greg approached the problem from a faith-based, Christian Worldview, they have people of various ethnic backgrounds, races and religious faiths harmoniously working together at eHarmony.

Dr. Warren's wife, Marilyn has a background in fundraising. Marilyn raised more than $150 million during her tenure as a library. From the beginning of eHarmony, Marilyn had been their best public relations person.

They had secured a few financial grants to help get them started and had lined up investors to help them afford the initial launch costs. The equipment and technology wweb site cost more than $3.1 million. They had no clients when they first opened for business in August 2000, it cost more than $300,000 per month in overhead merely to keep the company going.

Not only did they pick up new members to eHarmony following his interview on the nationally broadcasted radio show, they multiplied from barely 4,000 people on their site at the time to more than 350,000 singles on eHarmony within twenty-four months.

In 2002 he was invited to return to the nationally syndicated radio show to represent an update. By then they were adding nearly one thousand new users every day and more than two hundred couples had married after being matched on eHarmony.

The corporate culture at eHarmony is rather laid-back, but it is definitely not sloppy.

Sell An Idea .. Metaphorically Selling in Business/Sales .. Book Review (2005)

Book Review . Metaphors . Words . Sales Pitches .Information . Communication . Presentations . Speeches . Business Coach Host . Editor . Host. Writer . Speaker . Executive Coach . Seminar Leader . Consultant . Author . Media . Financial Services . Business Sectors . Yahoo . Millions of Dollars

I am most thankful that Ms. Anne Miller sent me her book "Metaphorically Selling" in 2005 when I was the Business Coach Host - Editor - Writer.

Anne is the founder of Chiron Associates Inc., a widely respected sales and presentation speaker, executive coach, seminar leader, consultant and author. She assists high profile Fortune 1000 companies in media, financial services and business sectors, including Yahoo! and over 100 consumer magazines. She sells products and services worth millions of dollars. She has appeared on CNNfn and Bloomberg News Radio.

Billions of dollars are left on the table and hundreds of ideas fail to get off the ground every day because of the over-communicated society in which we live.

This book will guide the reader step-by-step through the process of incorporating metaphors into sales pitches, presentations and speeches, including exercises and tips to cultivate and sustain a competitive edge using metaphors.
Packed with more than 250 examples from business, media, and even the deserts of Morocco, the small business owner to the corporate executive - to lead their listeners to "yes" by becoming a "Metaphorian" -- a master of metaphor.
In 1980, Lee Iacocca went to Congress to get $1.2 billion in loan guarantees for the then failing Chrysler Corporation. HE argued, quite successfully. Chrysler's problems were America's problems; Chrysler's bankruptcy would be America's loss.

Iacocca got his money.

Iacocca's one small phrase won him $1.2 billion dollars.

Lee Iacocca understood the power of metaphors, visual words that conjure an image in the listener's mind and unleash a torrent of associations.

That is the power of speaking metaphorically. You can change minds.

In Anne's 20 years of teaching sales and presentation seminars, one key factor that she see repeatedly sets sellers apart from their competition is their choice of words. It is not enough to present; you must communicate.




Metaphors help a client see possibilities he didn't see before and they help him make the best decision.

In Section one you'll learn that the brain actually craves the visual and the emotional; that you must appeal to both the left and the right side's of your client's brain to make a sale.

What Do You Sell?

Words Matter.

It's not the presenters aren't prepared: they know their material, they've worked up a slick PowerPoint presentation, they've got excellent hand-outs. But their verbal skills and/or approach to communication cost them their audience.
They confuse information with communication.

A Metaphor is simply a way of communication.

Information + Metaphors = "I see what you mean!"

Sometimes a metaphor will fail because it isn't given enough explanation to succeed.

Her goal is to get you to see the possibilities of what you may be missing. You're going to see all the ways a presentation can increase your selling power and bring you more business.

It's like a stained-glass window, you have to step back to get the full effect.

Girl Talk ... Friendship of Elisabeth and Mary ... Book Review (12/2000)

Book Review . Women . Girl Talk. Family-friendly . Christian . Spiritual Medicine to your Soul

This book plainly touches on all healing areas of women lives such as depression, rebelling children, debt, grief and divorce, just to name a few areas.

This is a book review that I reviewed and shared December 2000 at one site.

Girl, have I got good news for you and it is like " Spiritual Medicine to your Soul."

This book was written by Thelma Wells (2000, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 161 pages). I would recommend this book for churches, homes, mission, women, Sunday school departments, counselors, pastors, abuse centers, financial centers, women clinics, funeral parlors and Parenting classes.

This book plainly touches on all healing areas of women lives such as depression, rebelling children, debt, grief and divorce, just to name a few areas.

I would like for you to think on Luke 1:5, 11-17, 36; I Samuel 1:2-7, Psalm 127: 3-5 and Luke 1:60. We are looking at two women sharing their joy and concerns.

Elisabeth was the wife of Zechariah; God had chosen her for a special ministry.

It seems like Elisabeth and Mary had a friendly relationship. When Elisabeth was six months pregnant, Mary visited her.
Mary stayed with Elisabeth for three months, and the two women shared hopes and dreams. Elisabeth was old enough to be Mary's grandmother and she probably shared wisdom and advice with her.

I can see a beautiful picture of the friendship of two women. They probably blessed and encouraged each other.
Elisabeth was a wife, mother, friend and mentor.




When we came into the world we had great assets to weather successfully any storm or difficulty.

My friend, let's take inventory of our assets: Love, courage, faith, prayer and God.

Love opens doors, heals and blesses.

Wisdom lights the path to health, prosperity, and adjustment of difficulties, happiness and peace of mind.

Courage knocks on the door to success.

Faith tells us that no matter what happens God is present in all His power.

Prayer is the key to development of all of our assets.

Our greatest asset is God. We can always count on God. Man will let you down.

Angela Watkins
December 2000

Hot Topic .. Abuse In The Church ... Book Review (2007)

Book Review . Ministers Wives . Private Lives . Public Lives . Author . Parent . Pastor .Unfaithful . Survivor . Divorced . Abuse . Married . Happy Marriage . You Can Have a Dream Marriage

Joel (Husband, Parent, Pastor) and Kathy Davisson sent me their books for review in 2007. Their marriage was restored and I'll share more at a later date.


On May 14, 2013 Kathy emailed me and shared this with me after I contacted her and told her that I was going to share some reviews from her book again: See us in "Unfaithful" on the OWN (Oprah Winfrey) network. Look for "Unfaithful" and "Kathy and Joel" as one of the two couples! (Season 2, 2012. Re-broadcasted often.)


I shared a couple of reviews from this book "Real Life 101 Issues."

Tips from a Book I Reviewed

Joel(Husband, Parent, Pastor) which is one of the authors shares "longsuffering ministers' wives know their husbands are not living the life in private that they are attempting to display in public.

He understands the manipulation and control to which these wives have been subjected behind closed doors. He knows what it means to step out of ministry to go through the painful growth needed to become the man that God has called him to be by becoming the husband that his wife needs him to be.

The point is not that a pastor's wife left him. The point is that his wife's departure was a cumulative response to years of manipulation, abuse and control. This was not a sudden decision.

If someone could have looked at the authors of this book lives they would have seen the truth that his wife and him were fighting a lot.

Joel has openly shared how he mistreated his wife - Kathy in many ways.

Joel and Kathy had to successfully live what they wrote for a long time before they could share it in writing.

Dr. Sandra Hamilton, Miami, Florida shares in the book - she received information on this book at the Global Pastors Network and Women in Ministry Conference.




She recently completed two Doctoral degrees, one of which is in Education with Specialization in Conflict Resolution and the other in Religious Education (seminary). She thoroughly researched domestic violence in the church. She stated it is a silence issue. Her dissertation will be looking at the African American communities...where the epidemic seems to be devasting.

She is a survior. She is divorced.

Rosanna Logan shares in the book - she was married for 25 years to a Bible College director and associate pastor of a big church in Fort Worth. She and her husband got a divorce because he had several affairs with students. Rosanna was a Bible College instructor and Christian journalist (editor of 500,000 circulation Christian newspaper in Dallas).

She wanted her marriage restored but she wanted her husband to come clean on his own and tell the senior pastor.

The senior pastor was not interested in the truth.

Abuse is a cycle that must be broken in families. She recommends "Young people need this book before they get married."

She shares her husband was too arrogant to believe that he needed help.

Rosanna has ministered in 24 countries, built and international Christian newspaper and taught all over the world for 18 years.

She is now married again. She is now on the ground floor of starting new Christian publications, writing books, and Christian college curriculum and she is about to start three new Bible Schools. She says "the devil can knock you down, but he can't knock you out!"

The authors of the book is Joel & Kathy Davisson (Husband, Wife, Parents, Pastors) of "The Man of Her Dreams The Woman of His! Preface by Paul Hegstrom Ph. D., Endorsed by Pastor Billy Joe Daugherty.

America's Financial Expert .. Ellie Kay (Book Review 2005)

Book Review . Personal Finance . Ellie Kay . Financial Expert . Business Coach . Host . Editor . Writer . Fiscal fitness . Debt . Retired Fighter Pilot . Finances . Money . Money Personalities . Money Styles . Debt Free

I shared this book review while being the business coach host/editor/writer for a site in 2005. I also shared a couple of reviews from this book 'The Debt Diet.'

Besides this book, there are quite a number of web sites that can provide the information that you might need to achieve your goals. Fiscal fitness work outs and goal setting worksheet.

Whether you need to lose a few pounds of debt, or a truck load the good news is in this book.

Ellie Kay is the author of 'The Debt Diet.' This book has 220 pages and I encouraged readers to read it. She also speaks to live audiences of 6,000 or more.

Ellie Kay is a speaker and bestselling author of 7 books, she has appeared on hundreds of TV & radio programs including CNN, Fox News Channel, CNBC's Power Lunch, the International Radio Show, Money Matters, and Simplify Your Life, a reality TV series for the Fine Living Network.

Before the author married her husband, Lieutenant Colonel Bob Kay, a retired F-117 Stealth fighter pilot, Elliot was a successful insurance broker who never used a coupon. The author and her husband married with $40,000 in debt, and even though her husband took a $15,000 pay cut in his new job, they were still able to become debt-free in 2 1/2 years by following the author's step-by-step method to save money and pay down debt.






There are nine different money personalities:

Achievers

Entrepreneurs

High Rollers

Hunters

Money Masters

Perfectionists

Producers

Optimists

Safety Players


There are several key money styles that people posses:

The Saver

The Avoider

The Overspender

The User

The Balancer


The weaknesses of the saver: to enjoy themselves or make investments that could help secure their financial future. They may even have trouble using money for their health or well-being.

There are 3 basic reasons why people who "make it" in terms of monetary or material success do not find fulfillment in the wealth itself.

Emotional Satisfaction

Personal Priorities

Purpose


Barbara Reinhold, a career coach at Monster.com, "Perhaps it goes without saying, but you have to take strategic risks to earn and grow money."

David Bach's encourages readers to give 10% of their income away to nonprofit organizations.

Donald Trump has, the same 24 hours as we do! Why not look at donation your time to a nonprofit? Giving time does not substitute for donating money to an organization.

If you took your change and threw it into a jar, adding a few dollars here and there, you could easily invest $100 per month.

Learn to cut your food budget in half. Take whatever money you save from coupons and immediately write check in your saving account for that amount.

There's never been a better day to start saving for the future than today. Decide upon 3 action points you can take. Pick one significant way you can be generous or share this week and two more ways you can kick your up to the next level. Writing your goals down makes them more likely to happen.

Your finances didn't get chaotic overnight, and they're not going to get organized in one hour either. One way to accomplish this goal is to cover one topic per workout.

Fighting about money can cost you money.

Raising a money-savvy kid will greatly heighten his odds for having a successful marriage one day.

It's amazing how conservative a child becomes when she's not spending Mom and Dad's money, but her own.


RAISING FISCALLY FIT KIDS CHAPTER 10

The author's daughter took a year off midway through college to earn money for her education so that when she returned to and graduated from Columbia University, she could do so with minimal debt. She earned scholarships, was part of a work-study program, and made minimal use of student loans. Her smart move meant fewer bills when she got married.

It is extremely important to realize we don't have cookie-cutter kids, they are all different and uniquely gifted. It's not that one child is smarter or better behaved than the other, they are just operating on different time-tables.


VISITING THE SPA - The "Treat" of Shopping To Share Chapter 12

Th author's 11 year old son went to the grocery store. He was buying groceries for his sister and her new husband to help them set up the pantry in their first home.

The son total for the grocery was $28.60 before coupons, but afterward it was only $1.80.

The author's family saved over $8,000 last year on food, toiletries and cleaning products.

But life has away of turning the tables on us. It led to the opportunity for the author to conduct seminars, write books, and eventually appear on TV sharing this wonderful stories with others.

Who would have thought way back when Ellie & Bob were struggling like crazy to pay down their 40k-debt that one day, their "problem" would be turned around to help save the lives of one million strangers in a far away land.

I reviewed a copy of this book to review from Bethany Publishers while being the Business Coach Host/Editor/Writer for a site in 2005.

Ellie Kay is a bestselling, award-winning author, national radio commentator, and regular media guest as well as gifted speaker. She is a graduate of Colorado Christian University with a degree in the management of human resources.

The author is the founder of Shop, Save & Share Seminars. She is also a frequent consultant and spokesperson for corporations and organizations.

It Takes A Community of Resources ... 2005

Book Review . Business . Inspiration . Self-Improvement . Business Coach . Mentor . Writer . Editor . Host

I reviewed this book in 2005 while being the Business Coach Editor/Host/Writer for a website and I broke my review down to I believe three reviews from this book.

I am sharing from Chapter 9 of "Her Corner Office" by Trudy Bourgeois.

The more diverse the resources, the richer the information and experience you'll gather.


Listing of resources for your consideration:

The local library

Books

The Internet




A buddy to brainstorm with

Your Church

Mentors


You might be considering setting up a personal board of directors. A personal board of directors is a group of people that you have selected to be your advisors. This team of people should be carefully selected, based upon their character, values, principles and experience.

Anther option is to form ra Mastermind Group. Mastermind Groups are composed of people who want to learn from each other. These groups can be as six people, or as large as twenty people.

Develop a list of potential books to review, topics to cover, and issues that might be of interest.

You will need a good mentor. A mentor can play a key role in your ongoing learning and development.

You can get most out of your relationship with your mentor by: learning to listen, setting an agenda, don't think that a coach or mentor has all the answers and expect good things to come out of the relationship.

In the last five years many corporations have chosen to support their staff by using an outside coach.

Potential results of using a coach: Increased knowledge, strategic-planning skill development, self-marketing and creating powerful connections.

Coaching sessions are kept confidential.

I do believe that Ms. Bourgeois publicists contacted me to review this book in 2005.

Trudy Bourgeois, a former corporate sales and marketing executive, is founder and president of The Bourgeois. With over 20 years experience, Trudy understands what is needed to inspire employees, create workable strategies and improve employee performance.