Category: inspiration

Christian, inspiration, self improvement

I AM Says, “You Are…”

Bergers Book Reviews


Author: CJ Rapp
Publisher: Infusion Publishing
Genre: Christian / Inspiration / Devotional
ISBN: 978-0-9824790-0-1
Pages: 180
Price: $12.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Women often struggle with self-esteem issues. This general feeling of unworthiness is a message from the world, and does not come from God. If we study the Bible closely, we can see just how much God really treasures us.

In I AM Says, “You Are…”, author CJ Rapp has provided a 30-day devotional study designed to show women their true value as God’s children. Each day’s study touches on one message God has for us, such as “You are significant,” “You are beautiful,” and “You are royalty.”

These messages are accompanied by relevant Bible verses which back up the statements and provide positive reinforcement. Questions that guide us to “take out the trash” help remove our negative thinking about ourselves.

God truly loves us, even though the world often sends us messages that cause us to doubt our worthiness. This wonderful devotional reminds us that we are princesses of His kingdom, and God cares about us more than we can ever know. I highly recommend this study.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

inspiration, self improvement

The Secret to Life Transformation

Bergers Book Reviews

lifetransformation
Author: Julie Chrystyn
Publisher: Dove Books
Genre: Self-help
ISBN: 978-1-59777-581-6
Pages: 252
Price: $25.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

You may be living a good life, but feel that something is still missing. You’re not as successful as you believe you can be, and you need to make some changes.  But how? Who will guide you?

Julie Chrystyn is the hidden voice behind several famous autobiographies. As she listened to those people share their stories, she developed the desire to share some of the words of wisdom she picked up. In The Secret to Life Transformation she compiles these for us, along with thoughts from some other successful people.

This books alternates chapters between her own thoughts and those of twelve brilliant and talented people. These include Justice Clarence Thomas, David Foster, John Paul DeJoria, Robert Evans, Jacqueline Jakes, Dr. Patch Adams, Judge Sol Wachtler, Paula White, Jose Eber, Dr. Steven M. Hoefflin, Paul Anka, and Bernie Brillstein. Each presents their own story, sharing their own ideas on how they became successful.

Topics like independent thinking and using your thoughts wisely, love, forgiveness, wisdom, vision, and hope are interspersed between these mini-autobiographies.

If you’re looking for an inspiring read that will help set you on the path towards your own success, you’ll find that in The Secret to Life Transformation.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

health, inspiration

The Confidence of Feeling Good

Bergers Book Reviews

Feeling Good
Author: Jeanie Marshall
Publisher: Marshall House
Genre: Guided meditation
ISBN: 1-885893-06-X
Price: $19.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Do you want to be sure you’ll have a great day before it begins? Do you need a boost when you’re feeling a little tired in the afternoon? The Confidence of Feeling Good was created to enhance your energy and vitality.

Focusing on your higher self, this meditation guides you to receive this energy and send it to all parts of your body. As it fills you, it brings you feelings of goodness and pleasure. Soft background music accompanies Jeanie Marshall’s voice for a soothing experience.

This gentle & relaxing meditation will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to go back to your day, full of joyful, exhilarating energy.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

inspiration, self improvement

Tears of Fears Behind Closed Doors

Bergers Book Reviews

tears
Author: Lyn-Dee Eldridge
Publisher: MasterMind Publishing, LLC
Genre: Self-improvement
ISBN: 978-0-9720941-0-8
Pages: 128
Price: $14.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Many women exist in silent desperation in an abusive household. As a survivor of an abusive childhood and marriage, Lyn-Dee Eldridge (or Woobie, as she calls herself) wants to show other women that it’s not only possible to escape from the abuse, but also to go on to live a happy and joyous life.

In Tears of Fears Behind Closed Doors, Woobie tells her story, beginning in childhood when the abuse began. Focusing on the universal aspects of abuse, she doesn’t reveal every aspect of her own experience. Instead she shares the parts that many readers would identify with, including some of the things she did to handle her own situation.

Positive self-talk and personal development are key, according to Woobie. Only by learning to love and respect herself can a woman get up the courage to end the cycle of abuse.

Included along with her inspirational story and helpful advice are numerous resources for women who still find themselves in abusive situations. Legal help, daily exercises, hot-line numbers, and addresses for women’s advocates are provided in the appendix. And the author is available as a speaker to share her story with women’s groups.

Woobie’s message is written in a conversational style, which lends itself to the occasional typo and a bit of rambling. But overall, she shares positive information and a spirit of hope. Tears of Fears Behind Closed Doors would be a great inspiration for a woman who finds herself in an abusive situation.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

cats, inspiration, self improvement

Choosing to Be

Bergers Book Reviews

choosing-to-be
Author: Kat Tansey
Publisher: iUniverse Star
Genre: Visionary & Metaphysical
ISBN: 978-1-935278-13-9
Pages: 148
Price: $19.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

I have lived with several Zen Masters — all of them cats. ~ Eckhart Tolle

During a rough spell in her life, author Kat Tansey picks up a copy of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Her cat, Poohbear, a Zen Master himself, offers to show her the way to her Buddha nature if she is willing to learn from him. But first she needs a kitten to observe, which leads to Catzenbear joining the family.

As the author works on her practice, Poohbear shares his wisdom with her. An expert at sitting, he offers his thoughts on why Tansey struggles at times. When she clings, he suggests she let go. And when she starts to feel successful, he reminds her that she still has a long way to go. Always gentle and loving, he pushes her to go farther along than she believes possible.

Choosing to Be was classified as fiction because of the author’s conversations with Poohbear. But this was simply the style she used to get her ideas across in a friendly and easily accessible manner.

If you’ve ever thought you’d like to get in touch with your own Buddha nature, this enjoyable and enlightening book will start you on your journey. And if you can, find a cat who’s willing to join you.

Update: Choosing to Be has been included in Wisdom Notes, featured picks by Colin Lewis. It joins such classics as The Prophet, The Science of Getting Rich, and Tuesdays With Morrie.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

inspiration

Awakening the Genie Within

Bergers Book Reviews

genieAuthor: Bettye Johnson
Publisher: Living Free Press
Genre: Mind-Body-Spirit
ISBN: 978-0-9650454-4-5
Pages: 163
Price: $17.95

Author’s website
Buy it at Amazon

Bettye Johnson believes that each of us has a genie within that can grant all our wishes. Awakening the Genie Within attempts to show us how to access this power.

The teacher, Ramtha, channeled through JZ Knight, and his School of Enlightenment have provided guidance to the author over the last twenty years. This book reveals some of the wisdom she has learned from him. In it, she touches on topics such as the law of attraction, the powers of the mind, healing, love and abundance. These are enhanced by Johnson’s own experiences.

Although there is a lot of good material in this book, the organization is a bit haphazard, and the book has numerous typos, leading the reader to believe it may have been put together hastily. The author’s experiences could also have been supplemented with other people’s, giving a broader view on the subjects covered.

If this is the first book you’ve read on discovering your own power to manifest your life, it provides a basic framework that will encourage further reading. If you’re already fluent in these studies, this book will give you only one person’s experiences in following these principles successfully. The inspirational stories will leave you feeling good about life, eager to create positive changes for yourself.

Reviewer: Alice Berger

inspiration

After the Fire

Bergers Book Reviews

Author: Robin Gaby Fisher
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Genre: Inspiration
ISBN: 978-0-316-06621-1
Pages: 224
Price: $24.99

Buy it at Amazon

On January 19, 2000, a tragic fire raged through one of Seton Hall University’s dormitories, killing three students and seriously injuring many others. Two of the students critically burned were roommates Alvaro Llanos and Shawn Simons. After the Fire shares their story, as they attempt to recover and rebuild their lives.

What starts out as a senseless tragedy quickly turns into a story of hope. Shawn Simons is badly burned, but his strong will to survive carries him quickly through his rehabilitation with determination. But Alvaro Llanos is in much worse condition, and his life is threatened by his severe injuries. Despite the fact Shawn has only known Alvaro a few short months, he is deeply concerned about his roommate, and vows to be there for him during his recovery.

Dealing with scars, pain and disfiguration is difficult, as is not knowing who or what caused the fire in the first place. Family members are supportive, but at times suffocating in their deep love for their sons. And budding romance is tested by the trials these young men face. But they are fortunate to be cared for by one of the best burn units in the country directed by Hani Mansour at Saint Barnabas Hospital.

Author Robin Gaby Fisher invites us to get to know these courageous young men, as she shares their thoughts, their pain, and their deep devotion to each other. She writes with compassion and the depth of feeling that only comes from full empathy with what they both went through. Most of all, she inspires us with the faith and hope Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos embody as they gratefully embrace the life they’ve been blessed with.

Reviewer: Alice Berger