the whole you can find peace.

Health Care You Can Live With: Discover Wholeness in Body and Spirit. Now that's an attractive title. I thoroughly enjoy author Dr. Scott Morris' mantra: The health care system may be a mess, but you don't have to be. Just reading the cover filled me with hope. Your physical health is affected by your spiritual well being, and neither will be lost in this economic crisis.

Dr. Morris explains that Plato was wrong when he said that "we relate to God from the neck up." Christianity is not purely there for us mentally or spiritually, but physically as well. God works in your body and spirit. Dr. Morris includes real life stories to work as examples, so that we can understand exactly what he means in each chapter. This book is filled with inspirational messages, and encouraging words from Dr. Morris. He shows us the healing properties of forgiveness, tells us how will power is overrated, and helps us find our balance. Many of you will especially find comfort in Chapter 27, Emotional Life: You're Supposed to Feel It, because stress is going to happen, it just is.

If you want to truly live life to the fullest, you can start by reading.

no diet seems to be working, so how about a different approach?

A lot of Americans struggle with their weight. I can relate, I have certain body issues, and I am not exactly the poster child for healthy eating. Marianne Williamson can relate as well, which is why she wrote, A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever. Her weight-loss journey is a lot like many of ours. Overeating, and giving food a power that it does not actually posses. There comes a point when you just need to stop. You ask God for help in so many other aspects of your life, so why not put your trust in Him to help you become a healthier person?

The principles that guide these lessons are:

1. Your body itself is completely neutral. It causes nothing; it is completely an effect, not a cause.
2. Neither poor diet nor lack of exercise are the cause of your excess weight. Mind is cause; body is effect. The cause of your excess weight is in your mind.
3. The cause of your excess weight is fear, which is a place in your mind where love is blocked.
4. Fear expresses itself as subconscious urges, which then express themselves as either excessive and/or unhealthy eating habits and/or resistance to proper exercise. The ultimate effect of this - that is, excess weight - will only be permanently and fundamentally healed when the fear itself is rooted out.

When reading a self-help book, the program or main idea needs to make sense to you. As you can see, Williamson's principles make perfect sense. Considering you've probably tried everything else under the sun to lose weight, why not give this a try? Why not? And the upcoming New Year is the perfect time to begin.

the most perfect christmas story ever.

Christmas will be here before we know it! Take time to enjoy your family and friends, and also take time for yourself. Relax. Watch the corny Christmas specials, and  more importantly read the array of Christmas novels gracing the shelves of your favorite book store. My recommendation? Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber.

Macomber's style is the light and fluffy, which is exactly what a Christmas story should be.  This book is about Jake Finley, of the New York City department store Finley's. He is young, handsome and single. As fate has it, he meets Holly Larson, who is young, pretty, and also single, and lives in Brooklyn with her nephew, Gabe. Gabe's father, Mickey was sent to Afghanistan, which left Gabe in Holly's custody with a lot of adjustments to make.

Mrs. Miracle is a grandmotherly woman who has joined the team at Finley's in the toy department. There is something magical about this woman, and how she interacts with the people she meets. From the beginning of the story you can see that she has a plan for Jake and Holly, and she works her magic on them, and the rest of their families.

Such a beautiful story about falling in love and overcoming loss. Perfect for Christmas.


**Side Note: Hallmark made a movie based on this book, it is AWFUL. They do not follow the book like they should, and ruined a perfectly good story. If you caught the movie on television, do not base your opinion of this story on it, please read the book!

you'll laugh, you'll cry. you'll laugh & cry.

Tell me, who DOESN'T love inspiring stories? Hands? Yeah, I didn't think so. Everyone loves a good story that is filled with heart, especially when they are true. Angels on Call: Inspiring True Stories from the ER, is exactly that, a collection of inspiring stories from a real life Emergency Room. 

Dr. Robert Lesslie compiled this collection based on those who visited his ER in Rock Hill, SC. We are talking about real people here, and what Dr. Lesslie and his staff experienced first hand. Through these stories you will see that life is fragile, and beauty can be found in the strangest of places. They are funny and heartfelt. I promise you will enjoy every one.

Angels are everywhere, they come in all forms, and I am pretty sure that Dr. Lesslie has received his wings.

an amish christmas.

Sarah Beachy's life is starting to change. She has been dating her boyfriend Adam for three years, and will soon need to start thinking about marriage. This nineteen-year-old Amish girl is growing up fast. She lives on a farm with her parents and two sisters, her life is extremely fulfilling, but there is something, or someone that is missing.   Her brother Caleb took off to work for a construction company in Cleveland five years ago, and has never returned. Sarah makes it her goal to bring her brother home for the holidays. Leaving her beau and worried parents behind, Sarah heads to Cleveland to find Caleb, and is using this independent adventure to look for answers and find out what she really wants to do with her life. 

Mary Ellis has created a short but sweet Christmas story in Sarah's Christmas Miracle. 

hometown mysteries.

In Advent of Mystery, former investigative reporter, Berdie Elliott thought she was done solving cases. She retired, and moved with her husband to the village of Aidan Kirkwood, in England where he was taking over a small parish. This small village turned out to be rather surprising to the couple, when Mrs. Livingston is found dead, and secrets start pouring out. Many members of this intimate community have skeletons in their closets, which makes it more difficult for Berdie and her side kick/best friend Lillian to pin point the real suspect. 

Even with a number of clues, author Marilyn Leach will keep you guessing until the very end. 

change your world.

Recording artist TobyMac has developed a collection of stories in his book City on Our Knees. I must say,    it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. These stories were anything but average, and this entire collection is anything but ordinary.

It's about making a difference in the world. We all sit around and talk about it, how great it would be if we did this, or that - yet only a few take action.  City on Our Knees inspires its readers, and a reader can be anyone. Adolescent to adult, this book is for everyone, its about becoming united for the greater good of our community, our country, and our world. Included are short stories of how God uses people to change the lives of others, and the world.

No matter what your faith is, City on Our Knees is worth checking out.