I Wasn't Lucky, I Was Blessed


Book Description

Are you lucky, or are you blessed? Is there a difference between being lucky and being blessed? Depending on the circumstances, one would suggest the two are very subjective. I believe, when you are blessed, you are giving a divined gift from God. You cannot not be lucky to receive such miraculous gifts. This notion of being blessed has been a life lesson for me. As a child, I always was taught to count my blessing and to always look to progress. Against all odds, I felt a calling on my life. My life experiences have shaped me to be the person I am today. I realized how sports served as a platform for my future success. It is quintessential to say I learned early in life...without being academically eligible, I could not participate in sports. "No one was going to cut me a break because of my learning disability!" More and more, this motivated me to try my best in school. Fasten your seat belt! You are about to embark on a journey of bravery, of struggles, of trials, of defeat, and of triumph. At the conclusion of this book, reflect on your own life and determine, are you lucky or blessed?




Blessed


Book Description

Gospels -- Faith -- Wealth -- Health -- Victory -- American blessing -- Megachurch table -- Naming names.




The Cure for Sorrow


Book Description

When Jan Richardson unexpectedly lost her husband and creative partner, the singer/songwriter Garrison Doles, she did what she had long known how to do: she wrote blessings. These were no sugar-coated blessings. They minimized none of the pain and bewilderment that came in the wake of a wrenching death. With these blessings, Jan entered, instead, into the depths of the shock, anger, and sorrow. From those depths, she has brought forth words that, with heartbreaking honesty, offer surprising comfort and stunning grace. Those who know loss will find kinship among these pages. In these blessings that move through the anguish of rending into the unexpected shelters of solace and hope, there shimmers a light that helps us see we do not walk alone. From her own path of grief, Jan offers a luminous, unforgettable gift that invites us to know the tenacity of hope and to recognize the presence of love that, as she writes, is "sorrow's most lasting cure."




Can You Learn to Be Lucky?


Book Description

“I don't know when I've been so wowed by a new author” –Chip Health, co-author of The Power of Moments and Switch A talented journalist reveals the hidden patterns behind what we call "luck" -- and shows us how we can all improve outcomes despite life’s inevitable randomness. "Do you believe in luck?" is a polarizing question, one you might ask on a first date. Some of us believe that we make our own luck. Others see inequality everywhere and think that everyone’s fate is at the whim of the cosmos. Karla Starr has a third answer: unlucky, "random" outcomes have predictable effects on our behavior that often make us act in self-defeating ways without even realizing it. In this groundbreaking book, Starr traces wealth, health, and happiness back to subconscious neurological processes, blind cultural assumptions, and tiny details you're in the habit of overlooking. Each chapter reveals how we can cultivate personal strengths to overcome life’s unlucky patterns. For instance: • Everyone has free access to that magic productivity app—motivation. The problem? It isn’t evenly distributed. What lucky accidents of history explain patterns behind why certain groups of people are more motivated in some situations than others? • If you look like an underperforming employee, your resume can't override the gut-level assumptions that a potential boss will make from your LinkedIn photo. How can we make sure that someone’s first impression is favorable? • Just as people use irrelevant traits to make assumptions about your intelligence, kindness, and trustworthiness, we also make inaccurate snap judgments. How do these judgments affect our interactions, and what should we assume about others to maximize our odds of having lucky encounters? We don’t always realize when the world's invisible biases work to our advantage or recognize how much of a role we play in our own lack of luck. By ending the guessing game about how luck works, Starr allows you to improve your fortunes while expending minimal effort.




Lucky


Book Description

Glenn Packiam redefines the word lucky in the context of Jesus’ beatitudes in Luke’s Gospel. Lucky uncovers how the poor, hungry, mourning and persecuted are blessed because the Kingdom of heaven—its fullness, comfort, and reward—is theirs in spite of their condition. This is Christ’s announcement: the Kingdom of God has come to unlikely people. Like the people Jesus addressed, we are called lucky not because of our pain or brokenness but because in spite of it, we have been invited into the Kingdom. The trajectory of our lives have been altered. What’s more, we now have a part in the future that God is bringing. Like Abraham, we have been blessed to carry blessing, to live as luck-bearers to the unlikely and unlucky.




Bless Our Workforce


Book Description

Bless Our Workforce explores the career narratives of 13 Jewish community professionals. Each uncovers a "big idea," which I call a blessing, supported by management best practice and the wisdom of Jewish tradition, to help us better motivate, honor, and show how we value the professional talent who serve Jewish life. Bless Our Workforce follows this golden rule: If we deeply get to know who we work with, we can better motivate and inspire them so each feels blessed at work. Bless Our Workforce believes that we have every ability, and all the magic in our hearts, souls, and collective might, to make the Jewish sector the best place possible to work, to align our intentions with our actions so each Jewish community professional can reach their full potential. How will you Bless Your Workforce?




Translated Woman


Book Description

Translated Woman tells the story of an unforgettable encounter between Ruth Behar, a Cuban-American feminist anthropologist, and Esperanza Hernández, a Mexican street peddler. The tale of Esperanza's extraordinary life yields unexpected and profound reflections on the mutual desires that bind together anthropologists and their "subjects."




Finding Mercy


Book Description

Return to Home Valley with book three in Karen Harper’s fan-favorite romantic suspense series Quiet, cautious Ella Lantz has spent her entire life in the Home Valley. Tending her lavender fields, she finds calm and serenity in purple blooms, heavenly scents and a simple life. But the sudden arrival of a strange visitor heralds a host of new complications. Alex Caldwell is unlike any man Ella has ever met—in fact, he’s a Wall Street whistle-blower under witness protection…and he's brought a world of trouble to the Lantz doorstep. As Ella comes to trust—even love—a man so utterly worldly, she realizes her life has already changed forever. When it becomes violently clear that even the Home Valley is no refuge, Ella and Alex are driven into the wider world to hide. And, with such a high price placed on their silence, they may not survive to share their love…




Ashton's Dancing Dreams


Book Description

From the family that brought you the Lena in the Spotlight series and the popular For Girls Like You magazine comes Ashton’s Dancing Dreams, book two in the Daniels Sisters series. This realistic fiction story of family, friendship, and the challenges that so many young girls face each day growing up will appeal to girls 8–12 looking to express their talents and individuality alongside their faith. In this fun, relatable, and inspiring story, Ashton “Cammie” Daniels is in love with dancing. There’s nothing she loves better than attending dance class with her two new friends, Rani and June. But that joy is in jeopardy when Rani’s father announces they may be moving to London. Ashton comes up with what she and her friends think is a foolproof plan to keep Rani with them. But her dreams begin to fall apart when the group can’t agree on music, costumes, choreography, or even whether they should all stay friends! Ashton’s Dancing Dreams: Features diverse characters Is an engaging read for girls ages 8–12 Is an addition to the Faithgirlz brand Is a perfect birthday gift from parents and grandparents to tween girls, and is great for Spring Break and summer vacation reading Is written by girls for girls If you enjoy Ashton’s Dancing Dreams, check out books one and three of the Daniels Sisters series of middle grade fiction: Ansley’s Big Bake Off Amber’s Song




Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler


Book Description

THE STORY: Hedda Gabler returns, dissatisfied, from a long honeymoon. Bored by her aspiring-academic husband, she foresees a life of tedious convention. And so, aided and abetted by her predatory confidante, Judge Brack, she begins to manipulate th