Lessons I Learned in the Dark by Jennifer Rothschild

Yesterday I bought Jennifer Rothschild's book titled Lessons I Learned in the Dark. Jennifer is an amazing woman, and I have tremendous respect for her! I saw a video where she talks about all the amazing technology there is now for the blind that helps them read documents and emails. I think that is really cool! :) If you'd like to know more about her, read Jennifer's Bio.

 
 
 

http://www.DatabaseDesigns4U.blogspot.com

Testing Testing 1-2-3 Testing

This is a test to see if my Social Networking buttons show up below my post.

http://www.DatabaseDesigns4U.blogspot.com

Kaleidoscope - Seeing God's Wit and Wisdom in a Whole New Light By Patsy Clairmont

I just requested to review Patsy Clairmont's new book titled Kaleidoscope from BookSneeze.

This is a quirky, straight-to-the point look at the Proverbs.  In Kaleidoscope of Proverbs, Patsy Clairmont pieces together some powerful messages from God and reveals new facets of beauty, inspiration, and instruction. Written for busy women, Patsy offers brief, powerful chapters that address the key aspects of their lives, hearts, and relationships.

I can't wait to receive it!  I just read the first page online and laughed, so I'm sure I'm going to LOVE this book!

http://www.DatabaseDesigns4U.blogspot.com

What to Say When You Talk to Yourself: Self Talk, Soul Talk by Jennifer Rothschild

Q & A with Jennifer Rothschild
Author of Self Talk, Soul Talk

This is posted by permission of Jennifer Rothschild.

What is soul talk?

Over the years, I have gradually learned what to say when I talk to myself, and that has truly made all the difference in my life. After years of struggling beneath the weight of my own slander and lies, I have learned to speak truth into my soul. It’s what I call soul talk.

How does soul talk work?

Everybody practices self talk, but few of us actually take time to think about the things we say to ourselves. The process is so natural we don’t even notice it. Amazingly, much of our self talk is false. The words we say shape the way we think about ourselves. They influence our emotions, our thoughts, and our decisions. They resurface in our conversations with other people. They can spur us on to live meaningful, productive lives, or they can drag us down to lethargy and despair. Soul talk is about replacing the lies you may have been telling yourself with the truth.

What kinds of struggles with self talk have you had personally?

My steady flow of disapproving thoughts and self talk once formed a constant stream. I badgered, nagged, devalued, and said cutting words to myself. At times, all those dark, negative put-downs have felt like a raging river, tossing me mercilessly until I thought I might drown in my own self-condemnation.

What was the physical setback that you faced in your teens?

At the age of 15, I became legally blind due to a disease called retinitis pigmentosa. Even though I received that difficulty with grace and resolve, the extra challenges of the disability and the knowledge that blindness was inevitable brought even more opportunities for me to struggle with negative thoughts and destructive self talk. For me, blindness is a circumstance that opens the door to a host of other bewildering issues. One of the biggest daily realities I face is the stress of not being able to drive, read, or enjoy independence.

What is the paradox of emotions?

If you try to think with your feelings, you’ll fall into all manner of false conclusions. Emotions are supposed to serve and strengthen us. Left to themselves, however, they enslave and deplete us. We need a thought closet well stocked with timeless truth, or we will clothe ourselves with the feelings of the moment.

How important is physical well-being including exercise and healthy eating?

Living a healthy lifestyle is so important to our mental well-being. Never discount the impact of physical wellness on our souls’ wellness. Feelings of despair might really be our bodies’ signal that we need to meet some basic needs. Your body needs adequate rest, healthy food, and moderate exercise.

How important is mental well-being? How can we stimulate this?

Brains like to be challenged. Your mind needs to have something to do, or it will create something to do—something that might not be so constructive. If you don’t fully strengthen your brain, it will wiggle and jiggle itself just to alleviate the dullness and find a channel for all its energy. Spend a few minutes each day reading something that interests and challenges you. Pick up a journal and record your thoughts and questions. Join a book club or audit a class from your local university. Feed your curiosity and you’ll stimulate an enjoyable, insatiable hunger.

How important is our spiritual well-being?

Hopelessness, fear and depression often grow out of unsatisfied longings. C.S. Lewis said, “If I can find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” We can try to fill the longing with relationships, religion, volunteerism, or just being good. But the deep ache from the bottom of our souls can only be satisfied in a relationship with God.

Is it healthy to remember the past? What memories should we revisit?

The real power of any moment is fully realized when it is remembered. The experience might have been painful or pleasant, but its intensity and meaning grow when we remember and reflect upon it. Remembering is essential to the health of our souls. So we must tell our souls to look back often. Memories store great anthologies of stories that tell us who we are. They become intimate reminders of our personal histories. However, tell your soul to look back only at what is profitable. Profitable memories are those that add to your soul wellness rather than subtract from it.

How destructive can fear become in our lives? What’s the alternative?

We can’t ever side with fear, because fear is never on our side. And we can’t let fear and despair shake and intimidate us. Fear betrays; hope never does. Fear and despair make us quiver; hope makes us unshakable. Rather than giving into fear and despair, we tell our souls to hope. Hope will always be on your side, cheering you on and defending you. Hope anchors us because it provides spiritual grounding. Hope brings stability to every part of our being: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. We speak the language of hope when we tell our souls to look up.

How can we cope with our busy lifestyles? Where can we find time to rest?

Life is busy. The demands are great, and we seem to have no time for rest. So much of our self-talk is directed at revving ourselves up. Excessive revving up, however, only leads to petering out. Daily we must tell ourselves to chill out. Rest isn’t only for our tired bodies. Weary souls need it too—our wills, our minds, and our emotions. The choice to rest is ours.

How can we press on despite fear and failure?

Steady, small actions will slowly reduce the big feeling that is paralyzing you. Just because you have failed at something does not mean you are a failure. If you quit, the world will be lacking what you alone bring to it. If you continue to feed your feelings of failure and defeat, those dark emotions will grow, creeping across your soul like long winter shadows. But if you begin to starve those feelings, they will slowly die.

How can we become less selfish and “others centered”?

It’s our nature to lift ourselves up, to be egocentric. Looking back at my life, I can say for sure that the most miserable times of my life have been when I was the most self-centered, self-aware and self-promoting. When we tell our souls to get the spotlight off our own preoccupations and onto the needs of others, we reopen the potential for joy in our lives. Only selfless, other-centered people are truly happy. They have learned the all-important key. When we lift others up, we grow stronger, healthier and happier.

http://www.DatabaseDesigns4U.blogspot.com

Book Review: Where is God? by Dr. John Townsend

This book is written for anyone experiencing difficulty in their life and wondering why God allowed it to happen. Townsend explains that everyone goes through trials some time in their life, and it’s okay and only natural to ask this question.

He tells us that God didn’t design life to be as difficult as it is, and he offers three reasons why bad things happen and describes different ways of dealing with each situation. He tells us that God loves us and wants a relationship with us but gives us freedom not to choose to love him back: “We are not free to love unless we are free NOT to love.”

I enjoyed John’s insights about suffering and faith drawn from his years of counseling experience as well as Biblical references. He tries to show us that God hurts when we hurt and whether we realize it or not, God is working for good in our life. God wants us to seek Him when we are troubled and He will comfort us. Comfort may be in the form of speaking gently to us, bringing someone into our life to help comfort us, or speaking to us through the Bible.

As a sidenote: I found a typo on page 175. 

It reads: "It didn't take long to connect the dots that father was not an word that evoked feelings of expecting good from God."

It should read: "It didn't take long to connect the dots that father was not a word that evoked feelings of expecting good from God."

Hey, I like to proof-read, and I could use a little side income!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Sneeze

http://www.DatabaseDesigns4U.blogspot.com

Happy Valentine's Day!

My son, you are SO sweet! We just got the huge box of Valentine's chocolate candy that you sent! Thank you, Sweetie! We Love You! :)  Lots of love from your little brother and sister.  They think the world of you, Son, and of course, I do too! :)

http://www.DatabaseDesigns4U.blogspot.com

PajamaJeans - I want some! :)

I want some of these PajamaJeans! Hot on StyleList

http://www.DatabaseDesigns4U.blogspot.com

The King and the Prophet - Love, Marriage and Stinking Thinking (S2E5) by Mark Gungor

I never thought about this before but you usually hear about a King and a Prophet in the Bible.  This model can be applied in marriage too.  The husband may be the "King", but the wife is usually the "Prophet", and they each have their role in the marriage.  This video is 28 minutes long, but I think it is very good and worth the watch!

Love, Marriage and Stinking Thinking - Episode S2E5

http://www.DatabaseDesigns4U.blogspot.com

Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage

I found another new book that I want: Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage by Mark Gungor.

His website is at Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage.

Watch this clip to find out:
"How to get a man to do anything you want him to."

Google Books: Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage

http://www.DatabaseDesigns4U.blogspot.com

20 Times a Lady by Karyn Bosnak

I received Karyn Bosnak's book: 20 Times a Lady in the mail today! Yes! :)

http://www.DatabaseDesigns4U.blogspot.com

Beth Moore's Newest book is titled "So Long Insecurity"

Beth Moore has a new book out! I LOVE Beth Moore! I gotta have her new book titled So Long Insecurity! :)

http://www.DatabaseDesigns4U.blogspot.com