The Road To Me- I Now Know Why That Caged Bird Sang, is an exploratory autobiography of a woman who has known abandonment, cancer, abuse, domestic violence, foster care, love and loss in many forms. Jessica Angelique is a very special woman. She has been to the depths of pain and loss and yet she has not built her life on dispair. She has also known love and life; and yet, she has not had a smooth storybook ending. This is a woman who deserves a great two- sided love which will be built out of mutual respect, admiration, decency and purpose.
Her life as a young child can be described as, one horror after another. Her definition of family was redefined by her experiences. She considers one certain foster family to be her parents and that would be Barb and Dave. Jessica considers their children Tony and Alyssa her brother and sister.
They were a foster family that had the care of Jessica within their family for one blissful year. They accepted her as their own until the foster care system decided to end her stay there. The tragedy is that she doesn’t know their last name or, what city in Indiana that they lived in. To top it off…the system will not allow her to try to trace them or contact them. It would be an amazing miracle to find them after all of these years. Her heart aches to reconnect with them and to tell them of their impact on her life. They gave her gifts that they may not realize that they bestowed upon the young girl who had never known unselfish love and acceptance. How different would her life have been had she been allowed to put down roots in this family and grown to flourish and flower? Read the rest of this entry…
The Friendship Puzzle is a wonderful kids book written about and for those children who interact with other children who have been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. This story is about a young girl, Mackenzie, who goes to school with a young man that she tries to be friends with. She notices that he doesn’t seem to have any friends and so she attempts to engage him but doesn’t understand why he doesn’t respond to her attempts at friendship.
There are some behaviors that the young man, Dylan, does that confuse Mackenzie Mackabee. He sits and swings alone for long periods of time. He covers his eyes and his ears for no apparent reason. He doesn’t seem to smile or talk back when any other students talk to him. One day, the kids are playing soccer when out of the blue, the young man runs and takes the ball and continues running. The kids are upset thinking that he is trying to stop their game.
Mackenzie consults her teacher about her questions regarding young Dylan’s behavior. The teacher is thrilled to have an opportunity to explain that Dylan has Autism and how that affects him. She explains that she is sure that Dylan isn’t trying to stop their game or trying to be a bully.
You will have to read the wonderful story to see how the situation is resolved and how a little understanding can go a long way to helping others to include someone who is a bit different from themselves. This is a wonderfully written book and the colorful pictures on the pages help to show how students can learn about one another and appreciate their differences. The emotions of the characters are reflected in the artwork so that the reader can empathize with the characters in the story.
I think this is a wonderful story book for any classroom setting; but, especially any classroom that may include special needs students who may be struggling to feel acceptance from their peers. The author of the story is Julie Coe and the illustrator is Sondra Brassel; the story was inspired by the children of Jennifer Maloni. I like the fact that these women intend for this book to make a difference in how children see another child who is a bit different from themselves and appreciate and include them in their social lives! There are even some great activities to promote positive interaction between children who are living with Autism or any other challenge that sets them apart from their peers and others who are in their daily lives. After all, everyone deserves the opportunity to be accepted for who they are and to feel like they fit or belong with others in the peer group. Pick up this book and let it be an inspiration to teachers, students and families everywhere!
The book can be purchased at: http://www.amazon.com
This book is one that I have been waiting to read for some time now. Messenger-The Legacy Of Mattie J. T. Stepanek and Heartsongs is the story, behind the story, of Mattie Stepanek who was a young author of poetry and prose. He was also an ambassador for the MDA, Muscular Dystrophy Association. He believed that God gave him a mission of passing on the message of peace and hope to the world. He took his mission very seriously, in fact, so seriously that he often put his physical and emotional discomfort aside to spread the message to all who would stop and listen. He often reminded people ” to play after the storm”. Everyone weathers storms of one kind or another throughout their lives…it is easy to forget to play, to laugh, to love and to enjoy the moments after one of those storms. Mattie never forgot and he never forgot to remind others to do the same.
Many people did stop and listen because Mattie’s personality and the way that he delivered that message of hope, love, and peace was such that he was very engaging. I remember seeing him on talk shows and news programs and being very impressed by him. He was a gifted writer and a deep thinker. He knew, communicated and worked alongside of celebrities like Oprah, presidents like Jimmy Carter, media personalities like Chris Cuomo, or musicians like Christopher Cross, actors like Sean Austin from the Harry Potter movies, champions like firefighters and advocates, like Jerry Lewis, for those suffering with muscular dystrophy and everyday people; to share his message of peace and hope. I am grateful for and respectful of his sacrifices while delivering the message he bore in his heart. That is a person who understands commitment and passion.
He suffered much in his physical affliction. He suffered much emotionally at the loss of his siblings. He was loved and guided by a mother named Jeni who not only raised her child to be so special but also recognized that he had something to accomplish in the short time that he was given to live here on Earth. I think that she is pretty inspirational too. She lost all four of her children to this disease and she lives with it herself. She has not let it stop her from living her best life or from continuing to spread the message that God put on Mattie’s heart while he lived. Surely God will bless her for continuing to be faithful in her love for him in spite of all of the challenges that her family has faced.
Mattie Stepanek was a young man with an amazing personality and wisdom far beyond his 13 years. He lived his best life to the fullest by fulfilling his purpose to the best of his ability. I think you will be blessed by this behind the scene’s story of Mattie’s life and mission. You will be blessed by reading any of Mattie’s writings, his series of books called Heartsongs. I dare you to read them and not be changed in some kind of positive way!
If you want to learn more or are interested in one of his books you can go to the site that was set up for Mattie before his death here: http://www.mattieonline.com/ .
Even though this book is compact and only 128 pages it is packed with enough information to last into Eternity. Jason DeVelvis has written a fresh look at the book of Revelation from the Bible. In his book Jason doesn’t attempt to explain everything about the symbolism and the layers of meaning behind each word.
Instead, Jason brings his own perspective about how living a life in pursuit of a close learning relationship with God, through his son Jesus, will allow all who accept him and strive to live by God’s principals to be admitted to heaven. God says that no sin will enter into heaven; and trust me, no one is going to want to be left here on Earth once Jesus has come back for the saints; because, Satan will be unleashed to wreak havoc on those who have not commited their lives to God before hand.
Jason felt God delivered the title of the book to him and that he planted the need to write this book because Armageddon is coming soon and God wishes that none miss their opportunity to avoid the trials and tribulations that are to come for those who are not ready when he returns for those who have prepared their hearts and minds, before that takes place. It is going to be hell on earth after Jesus returns and takes his saints away. The book of Revelations describes in great detail what will happen and how it will happen. Jason’s book strives to point out the wisdom in heeding the warnings in the book of Revelations by learning the lessons that God wanted the churches and the individuals in the Bible to understand. Grow and seek his guidance and approval in all things so that all who read it may draw closer to him and be saved!
Jason does not claim to be a pastor or a theologian; but he writes the book with a sincere heart. He felt compelled to write the book to share with as many people as possible. He does a very fine job of breaking down some very difficult to understand Biblical text that many people avoid reading because they say they can’t understand it. This book would be a great way to witness to those who are on the fence with making a commitment to God and the calling that he has on their lives to live according to his purpose.
Thank you Jason for being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit by writing, In Case Of Armageddon, Break Glass. The book was copyrighted in 2009 and it can be purchased on Amazon.com.