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Best Books to Read on Achieving Self-healing

“Just like there’s always time for pain, there’s always time for healing.” – Jennifer Brown, Hate List.

Healing is essential. However, the process in achieving inner wholeness might become a little too difficult due to different factors. Every person in this world has been or is still on his journey to mend his own pain and turn them into his greatest strength. It is only in completeness that everyone can experience genuine emotions, clear mind, happy heart, and positive mindset; so, the moment that your wounds have been mended, that is only the time that you will feel whole again.

How could we strive and achieve this type of wholeness? There are many means that we can turn to, but books have proven themselves useful and practical. Hence, listed below are among the best titles to look out for that can greatly help you on your journey to self-healing.

Healing the Wounded Soul: Ways to Inner Wholeness Volume I by Arline Westmeier

Arline Westmeier authored the book Healing the Wounded Soul: Ways to Inner Wholeness, which is the first volume of the Healing the Wounded Soul book set. It was published in 2020 by ReadersMagnet. Moreover, the way that you totally recall your traumas linger within you like unsettled videos found in both your conscious and unconscious memories. These particular terrible experiences greatly affect your personal life and the people around you by throwing them to your experiences each day. Thus, the author helps you manage the impacts of different problems or traumas, including dysfunctional families, guilt after committing abortion, becoming an unwanted kid, and more, that you have encountered through this book.

The Untethered Soul: The Journey beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer

The first edition of The Untethered Soul: The Journey beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer was published by New Harbinger Publications/Noetic Books last 2007. This New York Times bestselling book helps you change your bond with yourself and with your surroundings. Therefore, you will soon uncover the methods of stopping frequent thoughts and feelings that restrains your consciousness. The author makes you witness the growth of consciousness that allows you to live in the present and set the hurtful memories and ideas free. As a result, you will achieve genuine happiness and self-reflection.

You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay

This international bestseller that has sold more than 50 million copies is authored by Louise L. Hay. You Can Heal Your Life is among the best books to read when it comes to searching for self-esteem and self-love. Many readers give credit to this particular literary work with deeply changing their consciousness of the effect that the mind creates on their fitness and well-being. This encouraging and motivating work provides an intense insight to the bond of the body and mind. Examining the methods that restraining concepts and thoughts restrict and impedes you, the author also gives a great point to comprehending the main reason of your physical illnesses and discomforts.

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

Published in 2016 by Penguin Life, Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig is a motivating and inspiring narrative of the way that he personally conquered the disease through reading, writing, and the unconditional affection of the most important people in his life. Hence, he gradually learned to be grateful and to value life better. Every individual’s life is impacted by mental illness, if you do not personally suffer from any of it, then someone who play a special role in your life or someone you know might be suffering from it. The honesty and openness of the author of what he has gone through is both motivating to the readers who feels tired brought by depression and enlightening those who are bewildered by it.

The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

Brené Brown’s The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to be and Embrace Who You Are is an uplifting spiritual and self-help book that can surely increase the self-esteem of every reader. It was published last 2010 by Hazelden Publishing. Through this book, everyone will surely discover the bravery and courage to conquer the great amount of self-consciousness and fear. Instead, people will start to build up their relationship to the world, as well as support individuals to have faith that they deserve self-discovery, development, and love.

Top Children’s Books that Promote Safety

Safety is something that seems so simple yet has the most important meaning. In this day and age, we should definitely stress out the significance of putting welfare first than anything else. Safety precautions allow us, especially children, to prevent the risks and hazards that can lead to serious injuries. With everything that is going on in the world today, the kids — innocent as they are, should be trained to know the importance of being protected and recognizing the threats around them.

Additionally, these young minds must have adequate resources that will remind them of how beneficial and essential keeping themselves safe and being aware of their surroundings. Books can be the most effective teacher and medium that promotes safety and welfare. That said, here are some of the best books that will help kids learn more about the vitality of living in a safe and comfortable environment.

Katie and Kenny Tour the Railroad by Keith Niles Corman

Katie and Kenny Tour the Railroad emphasizes the significance of railroad safety for children by Corman. This children’s book and was published by Dorrace Publishing in 2016. Furthermore, the story follows two amazing kids named Katie and Kenny who are being accompanied by their dad to embark on a tour at their area’s railroad yard led by an engineer. The main theme of the book is to help kids realize that the railroad is not a playground where they can wander and play. Even though there are different types of transportation that are improving today, trains and locomotors are being highlighted by the author because of how he grew up watching the trains and due to the fact that many children are find trains interesting.

Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept by Jayneen Sanders

This amazing book authored by Jayneed Sanders and illustrated by Craig Smith that is intended for the young readers was published in 2015. Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept centers on maintaining the safety and security of kids from improper touch — in other words, body safety. Hence, this book is a crucial tool for parents, teachers, and others to talk about the safe and unsafe touch in an unintimidating and kid-friendly manner. There are all-inclusive notes addressed to the readers and discussion questions at the end of the book that aim to help the prospects while tackling the story.

Not Everyone is Nice: Helping Children Learn Caution with Strangers by Frederick Alimonti

Frederick Alimonti’s Not Everyone is Nice: Helping Children Learn Caution with Strangers is a promising children’s book that helps remind the readers to not trust strangers easily. The story centers on a little girl named Kathy who was approached by an unfamiliar car while she was waiting for her mom outside of her school. The driver smiled and is trying to convince Kathy to let him drive her home. Before the innocent girl get into the car, her mom arrived and the stranger quickly drive off. Kathy got confused and offended after being left hanging by the stranger. Afterward, Kathy’s parents gently explained to her the situation and told her to never trust strangers easily.

I Can Be Safe: A First Look at Safety by Pat Thomas

I Can Be Safe: A First Look at Safety by Pat Thomas and illustrated by Lesley Harker is part of the 8-book series called A First Look At…series. The book recognizes the fears of the children and helps them to be more acquainted with the things that are essential to feel protected in various events. As a result, the readers will surely learn different types of safety measures and other important aspects that revolve around being protected. This book, moreover, is easy to read, which makes it perfect for its target readers. It also explores various topics, such as understanding emotional issues, answering questions about preschool student struggles, and more.

In conclusion, safety should be given more attention and priority by many. There isn’t more satisfying and comfortable feeling than knowing that your loved ones, especially the kids are well-oriented about the dangers in the society, are away from threats and risks. With everything that is going on in the world, being able to recognize hazards and knowing how to act while being at risk is essential.

Different Elements that Enhance the Quality of Mystery Fiction Stories

Mystery fiction is a great literary genre that has inspired book lovers and aspiring writers from different parts of the world. Many books have been launched in the market and a lot of them have encouraged their mystery book fans to go beyond their limits and use their investigative skills in some parts of their journey through life. Another defining thing of this genre is its ability to produce amazing characters that serve as the idols and role models of readers because of their great characteristics and traits, such as Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, August Dupin, Nancy Drew, Superintendent Battle, Inspector Rebus, Dr. Kay Scarpetta, and more.

What could be the different elements that improve the quality of every mystery fiction story? Here are the common devices used in mystery fiction that makes the genre more interesting and exciting to dive into.

Crime

A crime refers to the felony or offense committed by a character that improves the plot of mystery fiction. This aspect is commonly presented at the early stages of the story. It has the ability to mold the main conflict of the story that leads to an investigation and the journey of the protagonist to reveal the person behind it. Take for example in The Hound of the Baskervilles, the death of Charles Baskerville led to the investigation led by Sherlock Holmes until the case was solved.

The most common crime associated with mystery fiction is murder. So, because of this aspect, the murder mystery genre came into view. The murder mystery books by JB Clemmens are some of the best examples of the combined crime and mystery genre.

Foreshadowing

There are many stories that present hints of the situation that will take place in the future, which is typically known as foreshadowing. Many authors can tease the readers about a particular event by dropping clues somewhere in the story or in the dialogues. Authors are given the freedom to either directly state or thoroughly hide the foreshadowing in the story.

Epilogue

This pertains to the part of the story, usually found at the end of the novel, which serves as commentary on a particular factor of the story or shows the conclusion to the events in the book. Hence, it is the final act of the story. Using this device brings your work and the readers together. However, it is different from the storyline’s conclusion. If you think about it, this is the ending after the ending, meaning this is found after the plot is closed. The integral questions and loose ends that are found at the conclusion is being given light and answered by this device to give the readers a better grasp on the story.

Red herrings

Without red herrings, every mystery fiction story wouldn’t be interesting. Hence, they are one of the most crucial elements of mystery stories. Red herrings are the false hints used by authors to create tension in the stories. The main purpose of this aspect is to stray the readers away from the track for a short while. Many writers tend to create other villains, emphasize certain objects, and make twists that aren’t that significant. Thus, red herrings enhance the story by hooking the attention of the readers and bringing them to a false direction before they reach the resolution.

Sleuth

Sleuth pertains to the character that is filled with determination to solve the case. This character can be an amateur detective, private investigators, police detectives, and more. In simpler terms, a sleuth is the crime solver. The development of the sleuth is integral in every mystery fiction. That is why they require a great backstory that binds them to the crime or the suspect to show their character development and give them a stronger reason to solve the mystery.

Narrative momentum

The plot of mystery fiction story usually follows a continuous motion because of the cat-and-mouse flow of the narrative. The pace of the story becomes faster, resulting to reaching the highest point of the story and to the resolution of the conflict. This is the primary element, with the help of the characters, which brings the plot forward.

Importance of Joining Online Construction Project Management Courses

The building and construction industry has a high demand for competent and effective project managers, as well as tools and solutions that will help them perform their job efficiently, with the highest quality and accuracy. It so happened that the industry has now become more complex than it used to be, as the complexity of new building and construction projects, as well as renovations of existing structures, has increased exponentially due to many factors, such as government regulations and severe weather events.

The increasing complexity of new building and renovation projects has pushed firms to assume the responsibility of training and equipping their workforce to be able to operate, as well as compete, in today’s complex business environment. Responsibility also falls on project managers whose job is to run construction project processes smoothly and seamlessly to meet the expectations of their clients at a cost that helps them remain relevant and competitive in the industry. Construction projects should be managed with greater effectiveness, profitability, and peace of mind for both project managers and clients.

A construction project manager can increase his/her knowledge base by pursuing online courses, training, and seminars, especially those offered by Jamil Soucar, a construction manager with 36 years of experience and author of the Real Life Construction Management Guide from A-Z. The book provides new and seasoned project managers with sound theoretical principles, plus real-life insight and a practical guide of best practices to be a successful construction manager.

Soucar is now bringing his expertise and insight to teaching, offering customized training for companies, and holding seminars based on the concepts of his book. Through his Real Life Construction Management Online Course from A-Z, Soucar aims to take project managers, regardless of their level of experience, through all the phases of construction projects from start and planning the scope, planning the budget, design, managing the architects, advertising the project, and managing the construction, all the way to completion of the project. He takes the students step by step, shares theories and insight, real-life perspectives, best practices, and advice, envisioning his online course to be as complete as his book.

Why take up the online course to learn about Jamil’s construction claims and insight?

Take advantage of online courses

Taking advantage of the accessibility of online resources, such as Soucar’s online training and seminars, can help construction project managers boost their productivity, increase efficiency, and improve business practices.

Maximize downtimes

With Soucar’s online trainings and seminars made through mobile devices, project managers can make the best use of their downtimes on sites as a result of job delays due to bad weather and repairs.

Save money.

Project managers need not attend in-person, on-site training or seminars, thus cutting down on costs associated with travel and accommodation, such as fuel, parking fees, lodging, vehicle maintenance, public transport fare, dining, and per diem.

Learn at your own pace

Construction project managers learn at a different pace. Some learn faster than others do while others go to a deeper level of understanding than project managers do. Soucar’s online course allows you to learn at a pace that suits your learning style instead of having to adapt to the same pace as in-person, on-site sessions. Plus, you educate yourself on your own schedule.

Increase your retention

Industry professionals learn best when they can implement the knowledge that they have gained immediately into their day-to-day activities. By accessing Soucar’s online course through your mobile device when you need it, you can immediately put into practice what you have learned, which helps you increase your retention.

Learn from anywhere

With the online course, it’s possible to learn on the go, whether at the site or at home. By maximizing technology, you are able to take advantage of your downtime and even free time, whether commuting, waiting for a meeting, or passing idle time at home. This helps ease your burden of reserving time to learn.

The increasing complexity of projects in the building and construction industry requires that project managers adapt new ways to learn in order to keep up with the ever-changing and growing standards of their industry and profession. Online courses, such as Soucar’s, can help them achieve those imperatives.

Why Home Safety Evaluation is Important to the Elderly

Home safety evaluation refers to the detailed assessment of possible dangers inside and around your house. These potential risks may include every factor that can lead to physical injury, fire, flooding, and other events that can put you to harm. Living in a comfortable and safe home is essential, especially for those elderly living alone or with a caregiver.

According to American Psychological Association on By the numbers: Older adults living alone published on 2016, there are 26% of Americans living alone in 2014. The older adults who desire to live in their homes along with a caregiver resulted in 61%. The numbers are still high compared to total of those 4% who want to move into a nursing home, 8% who desire to live with their families, and 17% who prefer to reside in an assisted living facility. In these kinds of situations, seniors should get professional help to conduct a home safety risk assessment.

You can do the home safety evaluation on your own. The general home safety risk assessment can be done by a security consultant, insurance agents, and other qualified medical professionals. Another practical and effective choice is that the caregiver of the senior does the risk assessment to ensure the safety of the elderly.

The book One Caregiver’s Journey points out that it is essential to be a 24/7 caregiver by Gaccetta and attend to the needs of the elderly, which includes assessing risk to ensure their security. The general rule of thumb is the risk of falls. Falls is the single accident that occurs that causes injury to the elderly. The simplest way to make a home safer is to remove all throw rugs which can cause one to trip and to install safety bars in the bathroom, bathtub, and shower. Add a shower chair to ensure safety bathing.

What could be the reason behind the importance of home safety evaluation to older people? For many elderly who are residing independently or with caregivers enjoying the comforts of their homes, it cannot be helped that unforeseen hazards exist both in and outside of their houses. Due to old age, illnesses, and disabilities, they frequently need support and help in their homes, especially in keeping themselves secured and comfortable.

Safety is a crucial aspect in seniors who want to remain independent. Due to their weakening physical health brought by their increasing ages, moving from one place to another and doing other chores can beome difficult. There are many instances that they can easily fall, slip on the bathroom floor, or encounter other unforeseen hazards.

The slightest overlooked hazard can cause significant injury if they are left unattended. So, caregivers and other qualified personnel should make it a priority to conduct the assessment. They should have a checklist containing the areas needing to be inspected, such as the bathroom, kitchen, general safety, halls, living room, stairways, bedroom, and outdoor area. Afterward, the homeowner should take note of the faults, if there any, and make necessary changes to ensure the safety of their loved one.

Home accidents are among the leading causes of injuries that are either minor or fatal. Older people who are already experiencing health problems or have difficulty moving are vulnerable to these unfortunate events at home. A simple fall that causes some scratches to a healthy and young person has a more severe impact if it happens to the elderly. Moreover, as people age, and their health declines accidents can occur with little or no warning, and health are declining, which hinders their freedom to do what they want like they used to do. But with a regular and straightforward home risk assessment check, seniors can continue to savor their independence, be less supervised by caregivers, and enjoy the comfort of their homes without the fear of getting hurt.

In short, the significance of conducting regular home safety evaluation lies behind the fact that seniors — regardless of their health concerns, still want and deserve independence. Even though caregivers are there to support and accompany them, the sense of relief and comfort provided by living in a safe shelter contributes to the positive outlook of the elderly.

How Children’s Books Create a Difference amid Digital Age

With the rise of the digital age, many may think that children are more into watching videos on Youtube and playing games online. But, the reality is that kids still read books because the entertainment and learning offered by these remarkable literary pieces cannot be compared to what they get from the internet.

On top of that, books didn’t stay on their comfort zone but go beyond it to get along with the competition in the market instead. There are already electronic books that aim to reach those who dislike physical books or for kids who are glued to their devices. So, the learning and enjoyment never stops because books continue to touch the lives and capture the attention of kids the same way that other modes of entertainment do.

After all the progress that happened in this century, there still any reasons to read children’s books. Then, how can children’s literature create a difference? Here are the answers to your question.

They encourage people to make a change

Children’s books contain stories that are simple yet meaningful. Readers of all ages tend to get inspired from the tales that teaches different lessons. The content of the stories aim to help kids and readers beyond the set age range to step up and make a change. Among the common aspects that children’s books teach people include stop bullying, radiate kindness, manifest optimism, have faith, be honest, and more. Thus, it doesn’t matter how big the difference that you have made in your home, relationship, or society. What is important is that readers realize how little progress and actions can result to big outcomes and changes.

They unleash readers’ skills and abilities

Kids are still young. They have a long way to go and a bright future ahead of them. That means that they still have a lot of undiscovered skills and abilities that need to be nurtured and unleashed. Moreover, people need skills to survive in this world. But, kids shouldn’t worry because books — as humble as they appear, can help uncover their full potential. Is it Santa?, based on actual true events book by Nelibeth Plaza, helps children and other readers develop their curiosity and investigative skills by simply reading the story and helping the characters find out who moved the cookies of Mother Rebekkah from the basket to different parts of the house.

They help readers understood themselves better

Self-understanding is important in life, especially in children’s lives. Without it, you may have difficulties in dealing with your own self and handling relationships with others. Upon reading children’s books, you will be surprised on how these simple tales can help you achieve self-understanding and awareness. They will make you realize that the complex and mature things is not always the key to understanding and improvement. The simpler the story and the lesson, the easier it is to develop oneself. If you reached this stage, you can start molding better relationships and restoring weaker bonds with people that have been part of your life.

They give individuals an avenue for growth

People need to grow. However, the process of development can become too harsh that many seem to give up without even trying their best. Personal growth should be something that individuals must strive to attain. In this fast-paced world, those who go through and survive the process are the lucky ones. Therefore, kids must be open for growth and should remember its essence as early as now. Fortunately, children’s books provide both kids and adults a good avenue for self-development. The words written on each page become powerful weapon that these remarkable people will put in mind and apply as they venture to their own paths in life.

Children’s books are amazing tools that can help many readers figure out the complexities of life and discover their full potential. Even if the world continue to progress and produce advanced modes of learning and enjoyment, books can still keep up with the trend and continue living their glory days. As long as there are kids and even adults who desire to pick and read a book, these literary pieces can withstand time and help create a difference.

Science Fiction Tropes that You Should Know

If you have been an avid fan of books, then the term “trope” might already be familiar to you. A trope in the world of literature refers to the utilization of figurative language for artistic impact. However, it is also used to describe the typical rhetorical and literary devices and clichés that are recurring in books. These tropes can be narrowed down depending on the genre that the book belongs to, such as fantasy tropes, science fiction tropes, young adult fiction tropes, and more.

Since science fiction is one of the most popular genres, you can definitely observe the wide array of literary tropes featured in different scifi books. These aspects can either contribute to the success of the book or reduce the impact of the story. So, if you want to know more about tropes in science fiction. Then, here are the common sci-fi tropes that you should know.

Parallel Universe

It is also known as parallel world or alternate reality. This trope commonly entails the escape in one of the present alternate universe. Moreover, it is a more generic term that doesn’t entail a connection or insufficient relationship with the real world. The concept of parallel universe was primarily presented in comic books after The Flash #123 was published.

Alien Existence

The existence of aliens or extraterrestrial life forms is definitely common in science fiction. You can observe them in your favorite scifi series in both literature and big screen, such as Star Trek and Star Wars. Many sci-fi books tend to present these extraterrestrial creatures in different ways. In The Three-Boy Problem of Cixin Liu, there were killer aliens who desire to invade the planet while in Lilith’s Brood by Octavia E. Butler; there were friendly aliens who help save humans.

Advanced Technology

Many sci-fi books feature extraordinary machines that objects that contributed to the whole mood and atmosphere of the story. Some of these technological advancements are there to increase the mystery, enhance the setting, and generates emotions from the readers. Among the best examples are the electric indy cars of Madhouse Projects and the miles-length cylinder of Rendezvous with Rama.

Clones

If you are a sci-fi fan, then you may be already familiar about clones. This is one of the science fictions tropes that paved its way to reality. There are many books that show how humans, commonly the antagonists, are cloning themselves or put their minds to clones in order to live eternally. Moreover, many different types of inquiries regarding identity emerge. In Kiln People by David Brin, disposable clones were used to become substitute of the human who is feeling under the weather, e.g. not wanting to go to work.

Robots

Robots or artificial intelligence are widely used in sci-fi. They are typically used by characters for either a good or bad motive. This specific trope is already being invented in the real world to increase convenience and help people. Furthermore, they come in different forms, sizes, and abilities. Robots existing somewhere on the fictional earth don’t have the same intelligence, class, and tendency to become evil unlike their predecessors. The Fury in Two-Handed Engine by Henry Kuttner, The Iron Man in The Iron Man: A Children’s Story in Five Nights by Ted Hughes, Jenkins in City by Clifford Simak, and Otis in Indigara by Tanith Lee are some of the notable robots in science fiction.

Post-apocalypse

There are many post-apocalyptic novels in science fiction. Most of them are infused with dystopian elements making the novels more action-packed and exciting. Some tales conclude with the end of humankind while others open there. While various post-apocalyptic novels may frequently have the same feel, the literary trope serves a wide array of storytelling motive, such as to serve as awareness on our actions and to discover our human reactions in tight circumstances.

Time Travel

Travelling from one generation to another has been a defining trait of science fiction. The concept of time machine was made known by the novel of H.G. Wells titled The Time Machine. Thus, many stories opt to hand out the time travelling card in order to fix a problem, resolve an issue, gain enlightenment, and such.

Science fiction is definitely an interesting genre with various literary tropes that added to its richness. What are you waiting for? Stack your shelves with brand-new scifi books now!

WHAT IS ETERNAL LIFE?

Roslynn Bryant, author of The Three Keys to our Relationship with God shares on eternal life.

Many times, we have heard the phrase eternal life but what does it mean when death is so present in our world? We are familiar with death whether in our personal lives or in society but eternal life seems to be beyond us. John 17:3 states, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” The word eternal in this context means unending. Life in its simplest definition means connection. When a branch is connected to a tree, it is alive. The moment the branch is separated from the tree, it is dead. So, to have eternal life is to have an unending connection to God. The verse described eternal life as knowing God. This type of knowledge is more than intellectual but it means to know through relationship. Eternal life is to have an unending relationship with God.

Who can have eternal life? John 3:16 states, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” We see that eternal life is presented to the world. God offers to every race, nation, and people the gift of an unending relationship with Him. How do we receive eternal life? The Scripture says that whoever believes in the Son of God has eternal life. This means that whatever our economic status, previous religious upbringing, or social class may be, once we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we receive eternal life.

Let us look at the Greek definition of the word believe. The Greek word for believe is pisteuo. It means to accept absolutely, having no doubt or uncertainty, putting trust in, exercising faith in. All who put their absolute faith and trust in the Lord Jesus as Savior will not perish in their sins but will be reconciled to an unending relationship with God. When we die physically, our spirit is separated from our body but it will still exist. Yet, it is a matter of having eternal life or experiencing the second death. The second death is when our spirit resides in torment being separated from God forever while eternal life means being connected in a relationship with God forever. Why does God offer us eternal life? The answer is love. Romans 5:8 states, “God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” It was love that compelled God the Father to send His Son to be the Savior of the world. It was love that compelled the Lord Jesus to come, suffer, shed His blood, and die on the cross for our sins then rise again so that we could be forgiven of sin and reconciled to God. All who accept God’s gift of love will forever enjoy an unending relationship with God our Father, the Lord Jesus our Savior, and the Holy Spirit our Comforter.

What is to be our response to receiving such a gift? We are to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength. God is to be first in our hearts as shown by our fellowship and commitment to Him. We are to praise and worship Him with words and songs of adoration and thanksgiving. We are to spend time with God in prayer and Bible study. In our life’s interactions, we are to choose our devotion to God above everything and everyone. Secondly, our soul involves our mind and will. We are to honor God with what we meditate on. Our thoughts are to be acceptable to Him. God gives us guidelines for our meditations in Philippians 4:8 so that our thought life will be pleasing to Him. Our will is made known by our decisions. Loving God with our will means that our decisions are in agreement with His Word and will for our lives. We are to no longer live according to our own will and desires but according to the will of God. Thirdly, to love God with all our strength means we honor and glorify Him with our talents, abilities, actions, and accomplishments. God is to be glorified through our good works.

The second response to our receiving eternal life is to proclaim God’s salvation to others. We are not to be ashamed of Christ our Savior. The Lord Jesus gave His all and best because He loves us. We are to show our love for Him by sharing the good news of eternal life. Our love for Christ should cause us to rise above our fear of what others may think about us or how they may respond to our witness. It should outweigh our desire to “fit in” with the crowd or to be “politically correct.” It should strengthen us to endure any persecution we may face because of our faith. Christ was not ashamed to become like us and die a humiliating death for He knew it meant our salvation. So, let us stand strong for Him and boldly declare as the Apostle Peter did in Acts 4:12, “Nor is there salvation in any other; for there is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.” Let us share this with our family, friends, neighbors, and even those who oppose us. Let us encourage them all to receive God’s gift of eternal life.

How Books Can Bring Enjoyment and Learning

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” – Charles W. Eliot

Books can become different things all at once. They are powerful and influential. The more you try to read the more you learn and enjoy. There are just so many wonderful things that they offer, which make us more motivated to turn every page. With the wide array of stories that have been published, it cannot be denied that these books have already made a mark on the lives of their readers through giving them both the learning and enjoyment that they deserve.

You may ask that how could books bring enjoyment and learning when they are only physically made up of ink and paper. Well, here are the ways on how.

They tell meaningful stories

Books house different stories with great meanings. These meaningful works significantly impact the life and well-being of the readers by giving them motivation to pursue their passion, not give up, continue their progress, and aim for happiness. In this tough world, the stories that books provide can give people silver linings, hope, and realizations that can positively affect their way of living. Some great examples are The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, and Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.

They showcase remarkable plots

Plots are among the most essential elements of a story. Many stories can become astray and messy if there are no distinguished storyline. Hence, it is important for books to be able to showcase their greatness because of following different notable and well-structured sequence of events. There are a lot of books containing both humor and lessons inside of them that were wisely infused and blended by the authors. There are also other works that contain unconventional plots in order to increase the engagement and satisfaction of the readers. Plot-driven novels can bring out the best out of the story and highlight the incredible aspects, such as the essential messages and significant lessons.

They present amazing settings

Setting sets the mood of the story. Just by knowing the time and place where the tale takes place, you can gradually start to imagine what the characters are like, anticipate what the incoming events would become, and generate the relevant emotions subconsciously. Take for example the excellently crafted setting of Penny Higgin’s children’s book where the sea life of Oscar The Mighty Crab was soon highlighted after the authors shown the place to the readers instead of telling it directly to the readers. Moreover, books with great settings helps to link the storyline to the characters as well as deliver the theme relevantly.

They feature remarkable characters

Many readers tend to have their own literary heroes; some of these remarkable figures are authors while others are characters of the story. The traits and goals of the different characters typically inspire the readers to follow their footsteps or at least develop some characteristics that they showcase. Moreover, they also supply notable amount of entertainment and learning to the readers by driving the story until they have gone through each part of the plot and resolved all the conflict. Moreover, literature has a broad array of characters that have different personalities but can still create a humor and lesson-filled environment regardless of the conflict and tension that they face. These characters also enhanced the engagement of the readers by allowing them to experience the events in the story at first-hand with the use of a good point of view.

They ignite different emotions from the readers

You can tell if a story is effective if they can make you feel different emotions all at once. You already know by now that books contain significant themes and messages that the author want to transmit to the readers. Happiness, revenge, hatred, excitement, grief, fear, anxiety, and other intense emotions commonly help increase the attachment of the readers to the story, as well as help them see everything in different angles. The roller coaster of emotions that books provide is one of the best reasons why people read and get lost in the story.

Captivating Biographies that You Should Never Miss Reading

Biography is a genre of nonfiction that houses stories about the life of a particular person. The heartwarming tales of courage, sorrow, and survival might be the personal experiences of the author or a narrative of a certain famous figure. In order for a story to qualify as a biography, it needs to be real and factual. Incorporating elements that are factual or events that didn’t happen in real life will taint the integrity and lose the credibility of the story.

There are already a lot of remarkable biographies that are sitting on the shelves of bookstores and bookworms written by notable authors. They have inspired multiple readers to take action, use their voice, and other exceptional things. Biography is a really great genre that can transform and teach people. So, if you want to add more biographies on your reading list, then you might want to check these titles out:

Donut Hole by RC Le Beau

Donut Hole: A Marine’s Real-Life Battles In Vietnam by RC Le Beau is a promising book that serves as a reminder of the tough moments that the country has gone through. This book is not only dedicated to the author’s Marine Corp but also for the sacrifices done by the troops in the attempt to get to Echo 4 or what Le Beau referred as the Donut Hole. Moreover, the events when the author fought in Vietnam as one of the great US Marine troops was put into writing and has been inspiring others to exhibit the same will and bravery to protect the nation and not be afraid to take the same path. The genuineness and sincerity of the author while narrating his experiences and personal reflections have really captivated the hearts of the readers.

Walk in My Combat Boots by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann with Chris Mooney

This Amazon bestselling book in Afghan war military history was published in last February 08, 2021 by Little, Brown and Company. Walk in My Combat Boots is not your ordinary biography book because it is in the form of an anthology, which means that it doesn’t only contain one tale but multiple stories. James Patterson and Matt Eversmann, two notable figures have conducted various interviews to come up with this promising book. Hence, these intensely genuine tales were typically shared by one troop to another. The voices of these courageous males and females who battled in a foreign land, specifically from Vietnam to Iraq and Afghanistan, offered a one-of-a-kind awe-inspiring view to the meaning of fighting in war, losing comrades, finding home, and wearing the uniform.

Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins

David Goggins has penned a New York Times and Amazon bestseller titled Can’t Hurt Me. It was published in 2018 by Lioncrest Publishing. In this heartwarming book, the author shares his spectacular life story and uncovers the fact that almost everyone make use of their skills and capabilities at only 40%, which he referred to as The 40% Rule. He is the only male in history to finish the elite training as an Air Force Tactical Air Controller, Navy SEAL, and Army Ranger. The book also talks about how Goggins set the records in many endurance activities, which led him to be called as The Fittest (Real) Man in America by Outside Magazine.

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

In 2010, the biography written by Laura Hillenbrand titled Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption was published by Random House. The story doesn’t revolve on the life of the author but on the personal experiences of Louis Zamperini instead. He is a previous Olympic track superstar who was considered a hero during the 2^nd World War after he maneuvered a raft for more than 40 days after he made it through a plane crash in the Pacific War. After the tough times on the raft, he also survived becoming a prisoner in three extreme Japanese prisoners of war camps for over 30 months. This bestselling book will surely inspire you to keep the faith and spirit like what the hero Zamperini did.