Tag: survive

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I Wanted to Leave This Hotel Called Earth

Thank you to all of you who have been subscribing to this site. It has grown from 800 subscribers to over 2,200 in just a few months. Our goal was to reach 2,000 by the end of the year. You blew that goal out of the water. We have to adjust our sights to a higher goal. Let’s see if we can reach 2,400 by December 31st. That would be awesome.

You can help us reach that goal by subscribing today if you haven’t already. Just click on the icon right after the title to this post to do that.

I have been working very hard on my new book, “Signs of Hope: For the Military. I feel that it will help many soldiers and their families. The appendix for this book will have one of the most complete lists available for finding help in any area a person may be searching for pertaining to the military.

Be looking for updates on the book and other news at this site, or at http://www.dailysignsofhope.com. 

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Two steps forward and one step back make the walk of life very slow. So many people  are one the same path. They trudge along, not knowing or caring where they are headed.

Are you on that path? Are you unhappy with your current status? Maybe you feel that you are stuck, and have no where to go at your job. You may feel too old to start over and try again.

I am 75 years old. (I know, you are surprised I can still type and sit up to do this post.) I have a book published called, Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World, , that I didn’t start writing until I was 69 years old. It has received a national award from the Reader’s Favorite Awards.

I was a teacher until my retirement in 1995. I felt just like many of you may be feeling right now. What now! I thought I was going to have to sit in my rocking chair and fade away into the sunset.

God had another plan. He pulled me out of the muck and mire on March 31st, 2001 when I was sitting in my Ford Explorer thinking of checking out of this hotel called earth. I cried out to Him for help and He took my hand and has been leading down the right path ever since.

I have to admit, I never grasped the thought that I would be am author some day. The only writing I had done was in journals. Well, much of my first book was taken from those very journals. I didn’t realize I was preparing to publish a book just from my hurts, and pains I had written down.

Don’t let this world overcome you and make you feel you are worthless. There are so many thing you can do to make you feel good and help others at the same time.

It is never too late to start something new no matter what you age is. Behind that next door could be what God had in mind for all along like He did for me.

Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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If you want to take a peek at the book that won a national award, just click on the “Bookstore” page and check it out. 

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God has Performed a Miracle

Free Books Given Away at Workshop

I wanted to update you on the progress of my book getting published. It looks like it may come out sooner than thought. I will try to give you a publishing date as soon as I know it.

I will be doing a workshop in Asheville, NC on April 21st. If you are going to the NEA-R Eastern Regional Teacher’s Conference there, I hope you will take the workshop. I have lots of goodies to give away.

I have to tell you that God worked all this trip out for me. I am just a local farm boy/retired teacher from Salem, Oregon who happens to have a book coming out on how to survive in the not so friendly world.

The title: “Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World, is very timely. The word “hope” is a buzz word right now. People are seeking hope.

The fact that I was chosen from Oregon to do a workshop clear across the nation in North Carolina, is nothing short of a miracle.

NEA In Washington D.C. found out from my local Uniserv consultant, that I had written a book. That happened to be exactly what they were looking for.

They contacted me and invited me to do the workshop. They are paying the air, room, and food. (I could get used to this!)

My publisher is providing five books to give away during the workshop. There will even be a pre order form for the attendees to order the book before it even comes out. (YAHOO!)

The contact person told me that there was a limit of 50 people allowed to sign up for the workshop, and it is already full. They are allowing some standing room only people to come to the workshop.

So, this little ole retired teacher/author will have an open gate to plug my book and sell some books in an all expense paid trip to Asheville, NC. Can’t beat that.

The cover design is finished and I am very pleased. It has a picture of a man at the ocean holding out his hands to the skies and looking for hope.

The back cover is waiting for the publicity designer to OK. It is a very precise and explosive message to those who are hurting.

I will have business cards and post cards done before my trip to North Carolina, so I will have those to hand out as well.

My publisher will also provide handouts for the workshop to make it a very good experience for all of the attendees.

Keep checking here for more updates. It will a fun ride from now on. Things are rolling very fast!!

Out!

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Don’t Get Rid of Your Spouse. They are not the Enemy!

 Wait a minute!

Before today’s post I want to announce that the drawing for the book,  Moments This Good: The Softer Side of Alzheimer’s, by Bonnie Nester, has been completed. The winner will be notified.

Now I have exciting news:

I was sent an autographed book written by THE Brandilyn Collins, called, Eyes of  Elisha. It is one of her previous books she has written, but it is brand new.

I am very pumped about being able to give one of you this book by the arguably # 1  Christian fiction mystery writing author on the planet.

All you have to do to have a chance to win in the drawing is go to the right side bar and find the icon that talks about signing up for my free newsletter. While you are there you will notice you will alos get a free eBook for signing up as well.

So…… a free newsletter-free eBook, and a chance to win a free book written by one of the top selling authors in Christian fiction.

Can’t go wrong. You have nothing to lose and a great deal to gain.

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Not so Fast! Your Support is Right in Your House!

 

The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife,

and likewise, the wife to her husband.

1 Corinthians 7:3

 

In our daily lives we go about trying to just make it through the day. And we spend much of our time worrying about tomorrow. We do not know where to turn for comfort.

I learned through my own troubled times that I have one place I can always turn besides prayer and meditating on God. It is someplace (someone) right in my home. My wife. I’ve learned that a spouse should be your special place of refuge.

And I’ve learned that my wife Charlotte is not the enemy. There were times when I wondered about this, and struck back. Through counseling, I realized that she is my strength—and my friend. In the past I always tried to blame her for many of my problems. If I was depressed, it was her fault. If I failed at something, it was her fault.

Our personal counselor made us think and really look at each other. Each of us had to decide if the other really was on our side. Or was my spouse the enemy? This, of course, was an easy choice. Charlotte was not the enemy. She wants the best for me, and I want the best for her. So why do we spend so much time blaming our spouses for our problems?

They are the ones we should be going to for help with our problems. If there is an unresolved issue that has come between the two of you, sitting in silence only fuels the problem.

We need to consider the feelings of our spouses, and stop putting ourselves ahead of them. We need to clean up our inner feelings before we can attempt to help others. If we do this and really try to stick with that formula, the regret we feel should be because we haven’t done what we feel we should have done to uplift our spouses.

Think of your spouse as your sounding board, your place of refuge. You need to consider your spouse a place for you to share hurt, and a place where you can feel free to “unload,” without judgment or punishment.

Talk to your spouse and let him or her know that you do not think of them as your enemy, and also let them know that you are on their side and want to help them in any way as they go through their daily lives.

Your heavenly Father is, of course, not your enemy. Neither is your spouse, who is your earthly companion that you should always feel free to share your hurts with—just like you would with God.

 

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives,

and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you

of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.

1 Peter 3:7

 

However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself,

and the wife must respect her husband.

Ephesians 5:33

 

Further adventures

Sit down and list the good things you know about your spouse. Now write the things that you consider bad things. Look at each of them, and then throw the bad things in the garbage. Keep the good things and concentrate on them. There is a saying, “Write your hurts in the sand and your happiness in cement.” This way your hurts will wash away, and you can always see your happiness. This is the step toward a happier marriage. Don’t keep score of the bad feelings. Only count the good.

 

Something to ponder

Wouldn’t it be funny if Adam said to Eve, “Watch it; I have plenty of ribs where you came from”?

(Excerpt from: Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World. Chapter 11)

 

Doug