Q&A Session with Karyn Climans, Creator of Tail Wags Helmet Covers, Inc.

Yesterday, I shared my review of the ‘Lucky the Ladybug Helmet Cover, manufactured by an awesome company named Tail Wags Helmet Covers, Inc. Click here to read all about it! Their helmets are designed to make it FUN for kids (and adults) to wear their safety helmets. Here is a question and answer session with Karyn Climans, the creator of Tail Wags.

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Question: What was the inspiration behind your company?

Answer: Nine years ago, I was in a serious ski accident but fortunately I was wearing my ski helmet. The helmet saved my life! Ever since my accident, I became determined to encourage more people to wear a safety helmet while biking, skating, skiing, snowboarding, and tobogganing.

Question: How did you come up with the idea of helmet covers?

Answer: I have a teaching & costume design background. I wanted to incorporate the idea of dress-up/imaginary play in to wearing a helmet so kids would find it fun to wear their helmets. For adults, the motivation to wear a helmet is different... They like to "make a statement"!

Question: How many helmet cover designs do you have?

Answer: There are over 40 adorable designs to choose from including the Fairy Princess, Gladiator, Big Stinker Skunk and the Pink Kitty.

Question: What type of helmets do they fit over?

Answer: They fit ALL makes & models of bike, skate, ski, snowboard, toboggan & equestrian helmets. They even fit "bucket style" motorcycle helmets. In fact, the Bridal helmet cover was created when a bride who was driving off in to the sunset called me and asked me to create her a bridal helmet cover. She wanted to feel like a bride on her special day!

Question: Do you do custom orders?

Answer: unfortunately, it's impossible to respond to every request for a custom helmet cover. That said, if I think the idea is going to appeal to the general public, I would give it a try!

Question: From a safety perspective, are helmet covers safe?

Answer: The important thing to remember is helmet covers should not be attached in any way to the helmet. Tail Wags are not tied or velcro-ed or snapped on to the helmet. They are simply a shower cap design. The other important thing to remember is helmet manufacturers warn that stickers should not be applied to helmets because the adhesive of the sticker may undermine the integrity of the plastic shell. One more important point: Tail Wags helmet covers ADD to the visibility of the user when biking, skating & skiing. There are no drivers who don't see me coming when I'm riding the streets of Toronto with my Princess helmet cover. Because of the added visibility, I feel safer when riding my bike.

Question: What is the most satisfying aspect of running your own business?

Answer: Customer feedback is the thing that makes the hard work of running my business worthwhile. I've had parents call me to tell me their child who didn't want to wear a helmet is now wearing their helmet in the car & house because they love their Tail Wags ... Since my company goal is to increase the number of kids and adults actually wearing their helmet, I know I'm doing a good job!

Question: What plans do you have in the future for Tail Wags?

Answer: Of course, I'm always creating new designs because I love the creative side. I'm about to launch 4 new designs including a Unicorn, Butterfly, Dinosaur and Zebra.

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Thanks to Karyn for giving us some background on her company. It is amazing to see how far the company has come in the couple years since I first discovered it on the Canadian Broadcasting Company’s TV series, ‘Dragons’ Den.’ I highly recommend that you head over to their website to check out their awesome products! 

'Lucky Lady the Ladybug' Helmet Cover by Tail Wags - Product Review

Living in Detroit, right across the border from Canada, has its advantages. One of them is watching what has become my favorite program, ‘Dragons’ Den;’ its US equivalent is ‘Shark Tank.’ If you’re not familiar with either program, inventors and new business owners come in and present their ideas. Five business moguls then decide whether or not they want to invest in these businesses. It is interesting to see the new ideas presented, as well as to occasionally see the moguls haggle with each other to win the business. I rarely miss an episode!

One of the businesses that really piqued my interest was Tail Wags Helmet Covers, Inc. The founder, Karyn Climans, came up with the great idea to make fun helmet covers for adults and children alike. Karyn generously provided ‘Lucky Lady the Ladybug’ for my review.

This delightful helmet cover is made of polar fleece. It is clearly very well-made (in Canada). The cover fits easily over the safety helmet and is held in place by the elasticized binding. The ‘Lucky Lady the Ladybug’ cover is available in adult sizes, as well as in children’s sizes up to the age of 11 years old. It is adorable, and I will be sporting it on bike rides, as well as the next time I go snow-shoeing!

Here is some information on the founder, Karyn Climans:

Karyn is the entrepreneurial spirit behind Tail Wags Helmet Covers, a company devoted to encouraging more children and adults to wear their safety helmets. One of her goals is to prevent unnecessary head injuries and it is her passion for safety awareness, along with her imaginative flair, that have been the key ingredients for Tail Wags’ success.

Karyn’s innovative helmet covers first appeared on the ski slopes in 2006. Since then, Tail Wags helmet covers have been showing up on bike trails, skating rinks, tobogganing hills, ski slopes and equestrian trails across North America and internationally, including Europe and Australia.

Here is some information on the company, Tail Wags Helmet Covers, Inc.:

Tail Wags are adorable and innovative helmet covers that fit over bike, skate, ski, snowboard, toboggan and equestrian helmets. Tail Wags features over forty animal characters, each with its own personality and each making its own statement! From tigers and dinosaurs to Princesses and Kitty Cats, children love dressing-up their safety helmets with Tail Wags helmet covers.

All Tail Wags designs are created exclusively by Karyn and are made locally in Toronto, Ontario.

I love these products! They are really innovative, with lots of adorable designs, including the Fairy Princess, Cleo the Cat, Fifi the Pink Poodle, Ticked Off Bird, Regal Tang the Blue Fish, Slope Shark, and Gulp the Piranha! These make great gifts for children of all ages, for all occasions! You can place your order here.

Thanks to Karyn for providing this awesome product for my review!

Please join me again tomorrow for a Question and Answer session with Karyn Climans!

‘Solitude’ by Keri Wyatt Kent – Guest Blog Post

Today, I have the unique opportunity to share a guest post from a wonderful author, Keri Wyatt Kent. Please enjoy!

Solitude

A guest post by Keri Wyatt Kent

Let’s consider a counter-intuitive truth: time alone can ease our loneliness.

The practice of solitude is not mere isolation, but time alone with God. We forsake others, for a time, to come away with our Beloved.

The very thought may frighten us: we live in sometimes palpable isolation, even with the pseudo-companionship of television, social media, and the crowds around us. In solitude, we bravely face what we’ve been unconsciously avoiding: the intensity of our loneliness. In so doing, we experience the furious, piercing love of God who is our only real hope of escape from that loneliness.

Solitude creates a boundary, within which we might pray, mourn, rejoice, read Scripture, or simply be silent. We can speak to God, or attentively listen for the voice that is always there, but too often drowned out by the noise of our lives. In solitude we are alone and still, and must face the fact that the world keeps spinning without our assistance.

Jesus spent time alone for his own sake, but also to serve as a spiritual role model for his disciples—both then and now. He went to lonely places, in part, to show you how to do it. The gospels whisper over and over of Jesus waking before dawn to withdraw, to sneak off for a few moments alone.

Yet even Jesus sometimes found it difficult to escape the demands of daily life, of others: “At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.” (Luke 4:42)

Any close relationship, if it is to grow, requires time spent with the beloved. We nurture our relationship with Jesus by spending time alone with him—whether it is a few minutes each morning, or a longer solitude time on a weekly or even monthly basis. Ours is not a religious obligation but a response to love: the love within our hearts, and the persistent love of Jesus that beckons us to come away with him.

Luke, ever the fastidious observer, connects two truths that give us the “why” of solitude: “Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.  But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:15,1 6) The gospel writer links the demands of the crowd with Jesus’ response—withdrawal into solitude.

Imagine if Jesus had a publicist. Time alone would not be on the agenda: he’d be advised to build his platform, use the momentum he was gaining, add a few more appearances to his calendar, and to be more polite to the Pharisees. Solitude would likely not have been a strategy for ministry effectiveness. But that’s the paradoxical power of this discipline: by doing nothing, we are supernaturally enabled to do much.

As we spend time with no one except God, where we are reminded that it is his love for us—not the accolades of the crowd or the adrenalin rush of accomplishment—that truly matters. Solitude inoculates us against the spiritual malady of relying too much on the approval of others.

In other words, our priorities can be more easily aligned with God’s when we spend time in solitude. As God says through the Psalmist: “Be still, and know that I am God;” (Psalm 46:10) 

Some of us seem to have only two speeds: overdrive and collapse. We’re honestly afraid that if we stop running, and just be, we will fall asleep. That’s fine—it’s even biblical. Elijah began a very transformational time of solitude with a little nap (see 1 Kings 19). It may be that is exactly what you need.

Solitude is foundational to all spiritual practice. It is one of the few disciplines that every Christian needs—indeed, every human being, no matter their beliefs, would benefit from it. When the distractions are set aside, we come face to face with who we are, who God is. We can no longer hide behind the flurry of activity that keeps us swimming along the surface of life. When we are still, and alone, we are able to dive deep, and be lifted up by God’s presence. We begin to live into the truth that we are deeply loved.

About the Author:

Keri Wyatt Kent is a freelance writer and speaker, with ten books to her credit. She writes and speaking about slowing down, simplifying and listening to God. Her latest book is ‘Deeply Loved: 40 Ways in 40 Days to Experience the Heart of Jesus.’ To learn more, join Keri on a 40 day Lent study of her book on Facebook or by following her on Twitter (@KeriWyattKent #DeeplyLoved). 

Through her writing and speaking, Keri Wyatt Kent helps people to connect authentically with God and to be spiritually transformed. Her books include 'Rest: Livingin Sabbath Simplicity.' In addition, she is the coauthor of several others. Keri frequently travels around the country to speak and lead retreats, and she is a regular contributor to several magazines, websites, and blogs. Keri is a member of Willow Creek Community Church, where she has taught, led groups, and volunteered in a variety of ministries for more than two decades. She and her husband, Scot, live with their teenage son and daughter in Illinois.

Here is the description of ‘Deeply Loved:’ 

Jesus loves you.

That profound fact has been changing lives around the world for centuries. Yet, there are days when you don’t experience this completely in your own life. So, how do you get to the very core of that statement on a deep, personal level?

Keri Wyatt Kent wants to help you fully experience the heart of Jesus’ love in Deeply Loved. Using the gospel stories of Jesus, reflection, and personal stories, Kent will guide you through 40 days of how to create space in your life for Jesus to show up and love you. Deeply.

You can order this deeply impactful book here. 

Thanks to Keri for this powerful guest post! I have a copy, and look forward to starting to use it during my morning devotionals!

‘5 Days to a Clutter-Free House: Quick, Easy Ways to Clear Up Your Space’ by Sandra Felton & Marsha Sims - Book Review

We are still early enough in the year where we are working on our New Year’s resolutions. One of them usually has to do with being more organized.  The latest book on my reading list can help with that! The book is '5 Days to a Clutter-Free House: Quick, Easy Ways to Clear Up Your Space’ by Sandra Felton and Marsha Sims.

Here is the synopsis of this helpful book:

A Clean, Organized and Restful Home is Only Five Days Away. If you’ve picked up this book, you want to reduce the clutter in your home, organize what’s left, and keep it that way. But does the sheer scope of the project give you an anxiety attack? Don’t let fear stop you! Organizing and time management experts Sandra Felton and Marsha Sims show you how, with the right game plan and a healthy dose of adrenaline, you’re just 5 days from your goal.

With their proven team-based approach, even the most overwhelming de-cluttering job becomes doable. Section one shows you how to de-clutter, with each day of the week focused on one reachable goal. Section two shows you how to cultivate time-tested habits that keep your house in the clean, well-ordered state you’ve just achieved. You’ll even learn how to deal with common obstacles such as:

·         filing

·         storage needs

·         health issues

·         space restrictions

·         the car

·         even family sabotage!

So what are you waiting for? The home of your dreams is just a week away.

Here are the biographies of the authors:

Sandra Felton, The Organizer Lady©, is a pioneer in the field of organizing. She is the founder and president of Messies Anonymous; the author of many books, including Organizing Magic; and the coauthor of Organizing Your Day and Smart Office Organizing. She lives in Florida.

Marsha Sims is an international speaker and lecturer on time management and organization.  She is the founder and president of Sort-It-Out, Inc. and Clutter-Free University. She is the coauthor of Organizing Your Day and Smart Office Organizing  and lives in Florida.

I love the ladies’ introduction:

Fall in love with order and beauty. Don’t settle with living in a house whose condition drags you down, makes you sorry you have to live there. Do you wish you could just move to a fresh and lovely new house, leaving all you have behind? You can reinvent your house into that dream. Seek the happiness you will experience by getting the house under control and keeping it the way you dream it can be. You’ll love it! (p. 24)

My marriage is like the relationship of the friends in ‘The Odd Couple.’ I am the messy one; my husband, Fred, is the neat nick! The lack of organization in our home has always been a source of some tension in our lives and our marriage. So this book is perfect for me!

In the chapter entitled ‘The Cluttered Psyche,’ the ladies describe me to a tee:

People like us, who struggle with clutter, have a much stronger attachment to our belongings than most. We see their possibilities, their beauty, and their place in our personal history with a special itinerary. What is simple to others is complex to us. That’s why we have more difficulty making decisions about what to do with the “treasures” that fill our home. (p. 27)

I do have a tendency to be attached to things, so they are speaking my language!

The ladies have an interesting strategy for each day of the week.  They also recommend that a team of friends be assembled. I am sure that is a great strategy, as it will be easier to tackle this big – and emotional – project.

The book is interspersed with testimonies from people who have already implemented the program. Donna was expected to host parties for three high school family graduations. She recruited her sisters to help her, with great results:

And they did the job – using their own version of a team approach. During the process, they got rid of some things Donna would have kept, but she kept her eyes on the final goal. “I worried about wasting things, because they aren’t as frugal as I am. I did have a feeling of loss of control, but I kept going because I wanted it done for the parties.” (p. 65)

Of course, after the clean-up, it is necessary to have a change of mindset in order for the clutter to not return.  Section Two is entitled ‘Keep the Good Life Going.’ The ladies state that the secret is maintenance, and they show the readers how to take time each day to maintain a state of order. Along with maintaining our stuff, we need to maintain ourselves. They suggest several Clutter-Buster Habits (pp. 143-144):

1.   Stow as You Go

2.   Catch Follow-Through Fever

3.   Practice the Thirty-Second Rule

Section Two also includes chapters on managing your house, managing your family, and managing your time.

The ladies have ‘A Final Word.’ They state that this book is a useful tool:

You have some very powerful tools in your hands – tools you can use to finally clear the clutter that has been dragging you down for a long time, and that can empower you to maintain the wonderful harmony and order you are seeking. Furthermore, if you have time and desire, you have what it takes to apply these ideas to helping others in need. (p. 207)

Finally, the Appendix provides helpful resources in the form of websites, books, and blogs.

I have not implemented these strategies, but I plan to do so! I grew up in a household that was much more cluttered than our home is right now, so a cluttered environment is the norm for me. I don’t think it has a detrimental effect on me, but I have no other frame of reference. I think I will take some time to consider the person who would be a good cleaning partner for me (I don’t think my husband would be the right candidate; too much anxiety for a happy marriage)! I will definitely reference this book when that very 

challenging time comes! Thanks to Sandra and Marsha for this valuable tool!  

This book is available February 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

The Lesson by Suzanne Woods Fisher – Book Review

In my years reviewing books, one of my favorite authors is Suzanne Woods Fisher. Not only is she a talented writer, she also seems, from our interactions on Facebook, to be a wonderful person! So I was excited to jump on the blog tour train for the last book in her Stoney Ridge Seasons series, The Lesson.

Here is the synopsis of this novel:

Sometimes love shows up when you least expect it.

Nineteen-year-old Mary Kate Lapp yearns for adventure, but all she seems to find is trouble. Her dreams of travel have taken a backseat to her assignment to teach school this year. And nothing ever seems to happen in her sleepy Amish community.

But when a sudden and unexplained death conveniently coincides with the arrival of a mysterious young man, M.K. is frustrated that no one takes it seriously. She’s determined to take matters into her own hands and gets to the bottom of it. Will she find more than she bargained for?

Centered on one of bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher’s most loved characters, this is the Stoney Ridge story you have been waiting for. With a surprise at every turn, a gently romance, and a shocking answer to an old family mystery, The Lesson is the dramatic conclusion to the Stoney Ridge Seasons series.

Here is the biography of this author:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Lancaster County Secrets series and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the coauthor of a new Amish children’s series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp.  Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist. She is the host of internet radio show Amish Wisdom and a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, please visit www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher.

As per usual, Suzanne’s writing is very creative and entertaining. Here is an example of how she shows Mary Kate’s personality shining through:

        “The school board has decided you will fill in for Alice,”                Amos said.

“Me? Me?” she said with a squeak. “Teach school? You want me to teach school?” She was outraged! It was just an accident. She hadn’t run into Alice on purpose! “No! No, no, no, no, no. I can’t do it! Absolutely not!” The very thought terrified her. Stuck in a hot room with twenty-five slow-witted children, all day long? Boring! Supremely boring! “Dad, you’ve got to tell the school board that I can’t do it. Tell them you and Fern need me to help at Windmill Farm.” (p. 21)

One of the characters in this book, Grace Mitchell, had a struggle in life that happens everywhere (you will have to read the book to learn more), but not always in the Christian Fiction genre. I applaud Mrs. Fisher for tackling a difficult issue.

The ending was unexpected, but satisfying. It is nice when people are content in their lives!

As with the other books from Suzanne, this book is a welcome diversion from the busyness of the modern world. It is a lot of fun to spend time with Suzanne’s Amish characters and its community. Although this is the last book in this series, I am sure there will be more to come from the prolific Mrs. Fisher!

This book was published by Revell Publishers, and provided by the LitFuse Publicity Group for review purposes.

The Handy Guide to New Testament Greek: Grammar, Syntax, and Diagramming by Douglas S. Huffman – Book Review

As part of my degree program for the Master of Theological Studies, New Testament Emphasis (at Moody Theological Seminary – Michigan), I will be required to take Greek. So when I heard about a blog tour for The Handy Guide to New Testament Greek: Grammar, Syntax, and Diagramming by Douglas S. Huffman, I was all in!

Here is the synopsis of this book:

Whether you're learning biblical Greek or using it, this is the reference tool to keep on hand. In a quick visual layout, it supplements textbooks to gives you immediate access to:

1. first-year Greek grammar
2. second-year Greek syntax
3. step-by-step phrase diagramming

Easy to carry and easy to use, The Handy Guide to NewTestament Greek crystalizes the information you need to know for classes or enables you to develop a sermon or lesson outline from the Greek New Testament faster than you could from an English translation.

Here are some of the endorsements for this book:

“I enthusiastically endorse and recommend this altogether useful volume and will encourage all Greek students to buy it and keep it close.” – Scot McKnight, Professor of New Testament, Northern Baptist Seminary

“It is one of the best reference tools available.” – Rodney J Decker, Professor of Greek and New Testament, Baptist Bible Seminary

“Douglas Huffman has written a wonderfully practical and accessible handbook for students who desire to take the next step beyond elementary Greek. I recommend it with enthusiasm.” – Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“A very nice supplementary resource to traditional beginning and intermediate Greek grammars.” – Clinton E. Arnold, Professor of New Testament Language and Literature, Talbot School of Theology

Here is the biography of the author:

Douglas S. Huffman (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is Professor and Associate Dean of Biblical and Theological Studies at Biola University.

The Introduction explains the Who, What, Why, Where, How, and When of the book. Here is the ‘Who:’

This volume is intended for second-year Greek students (and beyond), pastors, teachers, and preachers. Constant NT Greek users (addicts!) might not need it, but would-be experts should find it useful.  (p. 5)

Here is the ‘Where:’

Since it presumes some of the basics of NT Greek, this book fits into the Greek learning sequence after a full year of elementary Greek has been mastered and then during and beyond the second year of NT Greek studies. (p. 5)

There are three parts of the book:

1.   Greek Grammar Reminder

2.   Greek Syntax Summaries

3.   Phrase Diagramming

I have not had any experience with the Greek language, other than knowing some of the alphabet because of the names of sororities and fraternities, not to mention some words I have been exposed to at church and seminary. I do very well with English and its usage, so I’m not TOO anxious about learning Greek – just a little anxious!

This book is only 112 pages – very portable and compact. I expect I will be using this book a great deal when I get to that area of my studies. I thank Dr. Huffman for writing this useful tool for Greek students, teachers, pastors, and preachers.

This book is published by Kregel Academic and was provided by them for review purposes.

Radical Well-Being: A Biblical Guide to Overcoming Pain, Illness, & Addictions by Rita Hancock, MD – Book Review

The beginning of a New Year always brings with it the thought that we want to improve our lives. The latest book on my nightstand, Radical Well-Being: A Biblical Guide to Overcoming Pain, Illness, &Addictions, will definitely help with those resolutions!

Here is the synopsis of this book:

What’s Keeping You From Total Wellness? Research increasingly shows a strong connection between our spiritual life, our emotions, and our physical well-being. Yet too often our physical conditions are treated without taking our lives into account. In Radical Well-Being Dr. Rita Hancock shows you how your mind, body, and spirit are connected and addresses the factors that can contribute to – and even cause – illness, addictions, and chronic pain.

If you suffer from medical conditions like fibromyalgia, migraine headaches, neck or back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, jaw pain, food and drug allergies, depression, anxiety, or unwanted behaviors such as overeating, an eating disorder, overspending, drug abuse or alcoholism, Radical Well-Being will show you a biblical, whole-body approach to overcoming your condition. With nearly twenty years of experience counseling patients from a balanced, mind/body/spirit perspective, Dr. Rita gives you practical advice for healing and wholeness, including how to:

·         identify the lies that affect you on a subconscious level

·         deal with emotional factors that can make your pain feel worse

·         address unwanted addictive behaviors

·         fully accept God’s love and forgiveness on a deep, healing level

True freedom and improved health come when deeply-rooted lies are illuminated and replaced with knowledge from the merciful heart of God. Radical Well-being will help you feel better in all three domains—in your mind, body, and in your spirit. You will end up feeling the way one of Dr. Rita's patients put it: "Like the weight of a skyscraper has been lifted off my shoulders."

Here is the biography of this author:

Rita Hancock, MD, is a board-certified physical medicine specialist with subspecialty board certification in pain management, and she has been in full-time practice in Norman, Oklahoma, for fourteen years. Currently she serves as the Oklahoma delegate for the Christian Medical and Dental Association, as well as their official spokesperson on matters of diet and nutrition.

Dr. Rita's books include The Eden Diet and The Eden Diet Workbook,  which are about learning to eat in response to physical rather than emotional hunger. Her second book, Radical Well-being:A Biblical Guide to Overcoming Pain, Illness, and Addictions, offers a road map for finding relief if you suffer with nearly any type of symptom or behavior that can be magnified by stress. Examples of such stress-related symptoms or conditions include fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, irritable bowel syndrome, back or neck pain, migraine headaches, and others.

Dr. Rita writes from the Christian perspective and lives in Oklahoma City with her husband and children. To find out more about her, visit www.TheEdenDiet.com and www.RadicalWell-being.com. 

This book is divided into five parts:

1.   “You’re No Good” – Bad Old Lies and What They Do to You

2.   The Whole You – Connecting Mind, Body, and Spirit

3.   The Spiritual One – Seeing Through God’s Eyes

4.   Take Captive Every Thought – How Right Thinking Leads to Right Action

    5.   Hope In Your Future – Biblical Steps to Healing and               Health     

In the Introduction, Dr. Hancock asks the question, “Are you eager to get started?:”

Are you at the point where you’re sick and tired of wasting time, money, and mental energy on your problems? Are you finally willing to dig deeper into the emotions and subconscious lies that trigger your unhealthy behavior rather than simply cover up your problems with temporary false comfort? Are you willing to get real with yourself?

By the time patients get to me for their pain and weight problems, they are generally exhausted and ready for deep-down help. I imagine you are too, or you wouldn’t have picked up this book.

My friend, I praise God for your faith and courage! And I pray that your continued reading is blessed with supernatural clarity and receptiveness so that you can feel the same emotional freedom I have experienced, as well as find relief from your unwanted addictive behaviors, physical pain, and stress-induced illness. (p. xix)

Yes, half the battle is acknowledging we are at the end of ourselves and need to ask for help.

Each chapter ends with an ‘Action Point – Questions to Ask God in Prayer.’ I really liked the ones at the end of the chapter entitled ‘Trace Your Triggers:’

·         Lord, will You search my innermost places for areas in which I need emotional, spiritual, and/or physical healing?

·         If I need to revisit past memories, will You promise to help me do that at a rate I can handle?

·         Lord, are there false beliefs mixed into my childhood memories? If so, please bring them to light. Are those beliefs about how I see myself? Or how I see You? Or someone else? Or some situation?

·         Lord, in the place of those false beliefs, will You reveal healing truth? What is the truth about me, You, or the other person or situation?

(p. 19)

Another section that resonated with me was in the chapter ‘You Are Delightful.’ Many Christian women are taught that they are inferior to me. It is not always overt, but it is often there. In the section entitled ‘The Lie That Women Are Worthless or Inferior,’ Dr. Hancock makes this important point:

A stay-at-home, homeschooling mom is not better than a brain surgeon because she spends more time with her kids. And the male CEO of the Fortune 500 company is not better than the mom because he drives a more expensive car. Don’t fall into the accuser’s trap and judge yourself and others with gender-based lies. The judgment is what gets you into trouble. Your worth is not determined by your gender. Your worth is determined by the fact that God sent His only Son to die so that you could be reconciled with Him. (p. 88)

One of the important biblical principles we’ve been focusing on in church is forgiveness. Dr. Hancock has a chapter entitled ‘Forgiveness Sets You Free.’  She shares the importance of forgiving others:

         

Just as love gives us free will, love requires you to forgive. John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world that He sent His only son to die for our sins. By sending Jesus to die on the cross, God created a bridge to connect Himself with mankind so He could forgive us and be reconciled with us. If God hadn’t loved us so much, He wouldn’t have made this kind of sacrifice. That’s how importance forgiveness is to God. (p. 186)

Dr. Hancock uses several real-life examples of people whose lives have been changed by her medical practice and by applying these life changes. They are inspiring!

In the Conclusion, Dr. Hancock shares that change does not happen overnight:

         

Your journey to wholeness and healing is a lifelong process, not an instantaneous fix. Hold firm to your Christian belief system, and God will bless you abundantly, not only in terms of your physical health but also with overall peace and joy that surpasses all understanding. (p. 243)

Most of us need help in many areas of life. We often can effectively work on a few issues at a time. I appreciate the fact that this book is broken into sections that we can look at individually. I thank Dr. Hancock for writing this very helpful and important book!

This book was published by Siloam. The Advance Reading Copy was generously provided by the author.