How Meditation Can Help You Stop Smoking

How Meditation Can Help You Stop Smoking

Is it true that meditation can help you quit smoking? Have you ever thought about it? Can we possibly do something that easy to make you stop smoking? Everything is possible. What I am going to tell you in this article is what I have found. What you can do to stop smoking.

Meditation has long been considered as one of the very few ways by which man could access himself without really having to accommodate the intervention of the logical mind. Meditation helps relieve the stress of everyday life and it helps the person rejuvenate his mind to function more effectively. Apart from these, meditation is also considered as a cure to some diseases and disorders, especially those that are infiltrated mostly by stresses.

When people meditate you become more relaxed and clam about your everyday life. Some people smoke more when they are stressed. This is a proven fact. People often chain smoke because they are under stress. Your mind becomes weak from stress resulting to the deterioration of the body and the will to continue what was first a goal.

So there for when someone is constantly stressing and if you just take a second or however long you want, begin the process of meditation.

We already know that the cost of smoking is very expensive. When you smoke more than one pack a day, the cost that you are spending is very high. You probably do not realize that within a years time you can probably spend almost half of your earnings on smoking. Just think what you could have done with that money if you found what could help you stop smoking. Meditation could be one of the methods that could help you stop smoking.

Meditation to help quit the smoking habit acts in many different ways. The person from the pressure of temptations but on the other hand, the person will be rescued from the pressure of not being able to meet the goal. The former conceives the smoking cessation on a much brighter side since meditation could help drive the person with complete motivation to stay quit even when the mind calls for a last smoke.

They say quitting smoking is one of the hardest habits to quit. You have to put your mind into it. If you do not have your mind set to something then it will not be a focus. Meditation can help you get that mind frame that you are looking for. You have to take many things in consideration when wanting to quit a bad habit. It is very stressful and sometimes you will not succeed on your first try, but do not give up. There are other ways out there.

If you find out that meditation is not the way for you, then there are many other options out there you can find. Contact your local doctor or research it online. There are over the counter medicines out there you can try. You just have to find out what works best for you.

Healing Your Past With Meditation

Healing Your Past With Meditation

We all know it is not possible to roll back time or undo or change bad decisions we made in the past, however using meditation we can change the way we feel about the bad decisions we made in the past so that they will stop tormenting us here in the present. We all carry a lot of baggage from the past, such things as maybe a broken heart, hurt feelings, or bad memories of friends or loved ones that have lied, cheated, or betrayed us, events that may have brought us pain, or we may torment ourselves over opportunities we may have missed out on or even wrong choices we made in our lives.

We absolutely cannot allow ourselves to let things in the past we cannot change take over our present lives. Meditation is simply collecting our thoughts in a relaxing atmosphere. If you take the time to learn how to heal your past it will enable you to be happy in the present. You may ask how can you heal the past? You can look at past situations you cannot change in a brighter light with a new understanding on the events in the past have hurt you. When your by yourself in a quiet place start your meditation.

Think about how whatever may have happened to you in the past may even be a benefit to you. You know how bad you felt when something or somebody said or did something to you that you felt that you had nomor purpose in life or was not good enough to associate with others. Meditating about how those things in the past made you feel helps you to understand how others World Health Organization are now in the same situation you were in then feel about themselves.

You know how they feel so you maybe can tell them your experience back then and how you turned it around and made a life for yourself. So many of us just need someone to take the time to just say hello or nice day isnt it? Just a kind word to someone World Health Organization has had a bad day can make all the difference in the world. My dear sweet mother told me all the time that you can kill more flies with honey. Meditation can make you feel so much more positive and give you a different outlook on life in general, it is something very positive you can do to help yourself.

What she meant was if you have been around someone that wasnt pleasant or had a bad attitude dont act like that person does, instead just turn the other cheek and it may rub off on the person World Health Organization has a bad attitude. Meditation could be the key to this happening. So you see meditation can be used to turn bad situations into something good or even good situations into something great. Shining the light of the new understanding on those events that happened in the past will help you have a feeling of acceptance, peace, and happiness.

Healing Your Past With Meditation

Healing Your Past With Meditation

We all know it is not possible to roll back time or undo or change bad decisions we made in the past, however using meditation we can change the way we feel about the bad decisions we made in the past so that they will stop tormenting us here in the present. We all carry a lot of baggage from the past, such things as maybe a broken heart, hurt feelings, or bad memories of friends or loved ones that have lied, cheated, or betrayed us, events that may have brought us pain, or we may torment ourselves over opportunities we may have missed out on or even wrong choices we made in our lives.

We absolutely cannot allow ourselves to let things in the past we cannot change take over our present lives. Meditation is simply collecting our thoughts in a relaxing atmosphere. If you take the time to learn how to heal your past it will enable you to be happy in the present. You may ask how can you heal the past? You can look at past situations you cannot change in a brighter light with a new understanding on the events in the past have hurt you. When your by yourself in a quiet place start your meditation.

Think about how whatever may have happened to you in the past may even be a benefit to you. You know how bad you felt when something or somebody said or did something to you that you felt that you had nomor purpose in life or was not good enough to associate with others. Meditating about how those things in the past made you feel helps you to understand how others World Health Organization are now in the same situation you were in then feel about themselves.

You know how they feel so you maybe can tell them your experience back then and how you turned it around and made a life for yourself. So many of us just need someone to take the time to just say hello or nice day isnt it? Just a kind word to someone World Health Organization has had a bad day can make all the difference in the world. My dear sweet mother told me all the time that you can kill more flies with honey. Meditation can make you feel so much more positive and give you a different outlook on life in general, it is something very positive you can do to help yourself.

What she meant was if you have been around someone that wasnt pleasant or had a bad attitude dont act like that person does, instead just turn the other cheek and it may rub off on the person World Health Organization has a bad attitude. Meditation could be the key to this happening. So you see meditation can be used to turn bad situations into something good or even good situations into something great. Shining the light of the new understanding on those events that happened in the past will help you have a feeling of acceptance, peace, and happiness.

Finding Relief With Meditation

Finding Relief With Meditation

I would like to take you beyond the limits of your customary thoughts and experiences. This new way of life begins with two questions that are very sederhana. The first question is would I want this to be true:" Every event that will befall me is absolutely the best possible event that could occur." Meditate before answering this so that you can think about it with a clear mind and answer it truthfully. The second question is the more difficult part, is to truthfully answer this question: Will I give that a chance to be true?

Imagine using meditation that God has appeared before you this instant and said:" I promise you that everything that happens to you from this moment forward will be of the greatest benefit to you and will bring you the utmost good fortune," Suppose God went on to tell you," Even though what happens will appear at times unfortunate or even hurtful, in the end your life will be wonderfully blessed and hugely benefited by whatever may happen to you. Stop and meditate. How would you feel about that wonderful news? Happy? Perhaps you may even be filled with joy.

Wouldnt it be the greatest news that you could ever hear? Wouldnt you heave a deep sigh of relief and feel as if a great burden had been lifted from your shoulders? Wouldnt you then respond to the next thing that happened- even if it was hurtful or took something from you or seemed bad or even unlucky- as though it was going to be wonderfully beneficial for you, the best possible thing that could have happened? If you have not enthusiastically answer yes, clear your mind, meditate on it. Perhaps you mistaken what I am talking to you about.

I am not talking to you about the common phrase we commonly hear," try to make the best of things," which basically means

" The situation or event really is bad and terribly unlucky, but do what you can possibly think of or meditate to salvage some good out of it." Nor do I mean that within even the worst event possible, there can be found a tiny bit of good. I am not thinking in terms of such limited ideas. I am thinking in unlimited terms, where every event that befalls you is absolutely the best event that could occur- that there is nomor other event imaginable that could benefit you to any greater degree.

So, again, while you meditate ask yourself wouldnt that be the best piece of news you could hear? If you are willing to give this new concept a chance and actually believe that everything that happens to you will happen for a reason. When thinking about anything, to get a great deal of relief just clear your mind and meditate about the good things that are to come to you in the future. Meditation can be much better than medication and you might just be real surprised how much better you will begin feeling after practicing it for awhile.

Different Forms Of Meditation

Different Forms Of Meditation

There are no special tricks to meditating; no special posture or breathing rhythm is required. Once you have gotten the knack of it you can meditate anywhere during any activity. Some readers have succeeded in reaching this altered state of conscious while reading about my sand meditation, perhaps you too may realize this transformational state of consciousness as you read on…

Sometimes meditation opens a door into the mysteries of creation. If we allow ourselves to pass through this door there is no telling what we may encounter on the other side. Do not become discouraged if you have tried to meditate in the past and not gotten any remarkable results. Meditation is a mystical process and it may take awhile to learn how to quiet your mind and open yourself to all the present moment has to offer you.

My meditation began while sitting on a beach. My hands were sandy. I rubbed my thumb and forefinger together feeling the grains of sand between them slipping away until only a single grain of sand remained.
I could feel the shape of the grain of sand distinctly as I rolled it back and forth between my thumb and forefinger.

The longer I rolled the grain of sand about the more defined my awareness of the grain of sand became. The more detailed my experience of the grain of sand became the larger it appeared to be.
While I could clearly feel the tiny grain of sand trapped between my thumb and finger roll about across the grooves and ridges of my fingerprints the grain of sand appeared to be growing larger and larger as I contemplated it.

The grain of sand continued to grow, encompassing the beach and then the world. Before long the grain of sand had grown to an infinite size and it now encompassed all of creation; yet I still held the tiny grain of sand between my thumb and forefinger, rolling it about across the grooves and ridges of my fingerprints.


The tiny grain of sand was intimately connected to every part of creation and all of creation existed within it, even as it existed within my grasp. I communed with the grain of sand, aware of its infinite connectedness to everything else; through the medium of the grain of sand I became aware of my own infinite connectedness with all of creation.


The sand spoke to me of eternity. It told me tales about creation and the infinite nature of our existence in creation. From the grain of sand I learned that every tiniest part of creation is a living being experiencing creation and sharing in the process whereby creation makes everything manifest.


My meditation with a grain of sand always produced a feeling of intense bliss. It was an eternal meditation that transcended the time and place where it began to continue throughout all of creation. From time to time I would return to this meditation, engrossed by the wisdom and experience of a single tiny grain of sand.

Different And Helpful Things To Know About Meditation

Different And Helpful Things To Know About Meditation

 

Relaxation techniques are a great way to help your pursuit to reduce stress. Relaxation isn't just about peace of mind or enjoying a hobby. Relaxation is a process that decreases the wear and tear of life's challenges on your mind and body. Whether you have a lot of stress in your life or you've got it under control, you can benefit from learning relaxation techniques. Learning basic meditation relaxation techniques isn't hard.

Explore these simple relaxation techniques to get you started on de-stressing your life and improving your health.
There are ample of sources of stress in the world now a days. As the old saying goes, "there's no need to look for trouble, because trouble will find you all on its own". All of us have troubles and worries, along with all these stresses, few of us even have time to kick back and relax. If you suffer from anxiety and did you wish to ease that anxious moods you have and feel relax for a while?

There are number of relaxations techniques you have that you take a little time and are highly effective which you can done anywhere even at work.
If I were to find a perfect relaxation techniques I would preferred to make a fortune sharing with others. In this, there are a lot of great ideas, and these ideas published in different places but it seems no one got it gold. I know that the people around me seem to be more and more stressed as time goes along. More people tried many relaxation techniques but they only find nothing work for them.

There are many different things you can try, but you may have to search for a while before you find something that works for you.
Performing breathing can be therapeutic, and with enough practice, can become your standard way of breathing. To breathe with the diaphragm, one must draw air into the lungs in a way which will expand the stomach and not the chest.

It is best to perform these breaths as long, slow intakes of air - allowing the body to absorb all of the inhaled oxygen while simultaneously relaxing the breather. To do this comfortably, it is often best to loosen tight-fitting pants, belts, skirts as these can interfere with the body's ability to intake air. The old-fashioned remedy of breathing slowly into a paper bag works amazingly well to relax you and restore proper breathing. Another version of this relaxation technique involves taking slow deep breaths. At first you may find you need to force yourself to breathe slowly, but persist and you'll soon be back to normal.

And bear in mind that some people, especially those with significant psychological problems and a history of abuse, may experience feelings of emotional discomfort during relaxation exercises. Although this is rare, if you experience emotional discomfort during relaxation exercises, stop what you're doing and consider talking to your health care professional. Some relaxation techniques will work for some people, while some will leave others feeling cold. Write down all of your ideas and move through your list one at a time. This may help you find relaxation techniques that work best for you and your lifestyle.

I know that the people around me seem to be more and more stressed as time goes along. More people tried many relaxation techniques but they only find nothing work for them. There are many different things you can try, but you may have to search for a while before you find something that works for you.
Performing breathing can be therapeutic, and with enough practice, can become your standard way of breathing.

To breathe with the diaphragm, one must draw air into the lungs in a way which will expand the stomach and not the chest. It is best to perform these breaths as long, slow intakes of air - allowing the body to absorb all of the inhaled oxygen while simultaneously relaxing the breather. To do this comfortably, it is often best to loosen tight-fitting pants, belts, skirts as these can interfere with the body's ability to intake air.

The old-fashioned remedy of breathing slowly into a paper bag works amazingly well to relax you and restore proper breathing. Another version of this relaxation technique involves taking slow deep breaths. At first you may find you need to force yourself to breathe slowly, but persist and you'll soon be back to normal.
Meditation can help you throughout your entire life.

Creating New Experiences Through Meditation

Creating New Experiences Through Meditation

How can you change what you believe when the experiences you have had has convinced you otherwise? The simple answer to that is to create a new experience. The best way for you to get that new experience is to meditate about how you can change the way you respond to what happens.The new response will create new results,which you will then experience it as a new reality.

To reach your goal of happiness,you have to act as though the following statement is true: Everything that happens to me is the best possible thing that can happen to me. meditating to help turn a bad situation into something good can be as easy as: 1+ 1 = 2. Acting as though what happens to you is the best possible thing that can happen to you plus the new results just equals happiness in your life.

When you are convinced of the truth that everything that happens is the best thing that can happen,life will Begin to be much more fun.It is like opening a new channel to happiness.All you need to know when meditating is happiness is there,waiting just for you.All you need to do is follow the formula that creates it.You have to remember also that unhappiness is also out there,waiting just for you.

The way you respond through meditation will determine which one you will be experiencing in your life. It is not necessary to have all the ingredients of a project in hand at the outset. They will come at the appointed time. It's only important that you move forward with the project that you have started until that appointed time comes.With the energy you create through meditation by moving forward as if you had the money to start your project,you actually put into motion a start of events that will lead you to your success.

Your actions create an energy that draws in the necessary ingredients of your project you have ventured into. Everything that you need for your venture is,in actuality,already out there,waiting for you.You only need to draw in what is needed. There is really nothing more to all of this other than just you remembering to keep an open mind and find that peace that is buried deep within you.

The result that come with meditation that causes you to experience happiness,which then proves to you that this is how things really do work-and this leads you to soon believe that everything does indeed happen for your benefit. When you realize that is true,that is when the deep sighs of relief will come and that meditation can certainly help you see the light.

The internet is a really great place to find out all of the information that you would need about meditation, in case you are interested in learning more about it for your own benefits. This is very important for you to consider doing because it will relieve you from so much stress circulating throughout your life each and everyday. Try practicing meditation as often as you can because you are really going to benefit from it. 

Controlling Anger By Meditation

Controlling Anger By Meditation

 

I have never really thought of myself as an angry person.I would always do whatever I could to try and help someone out,nor did I do anything that would hurt someones feelings,or I would try as hard as I could not to. Every month we struggle to get by but I really didn't complain. I was just happy that we did have the money to pay our bills and have a place to live even though we barely had enough to survive on after paying the bills. Meditation is very much needed in most peoples lives, no doubt about that.

Even after all that I did not get angry,That changed last week.I really had to meditate to myself when I went with my sister to the doctor last week.My sister is a very hard worker.She never misses work unless it is absolutely necessary.Last year my sister had become sick and finally after being so weak she went to the doctor.He put her in the hospital and gave her 4 bags of blood and said she had pneumonia.

I just couldn't understand how do you lose blood by having pneumonia.As I meditated thinking about last year I was not prepared to hear what the doctor was going to say as my sister and I were driving to the doctor.You see my sister got sick again. She nearly collapsed at work and was taken to the hospital.This time she needed 5 bags of blood.She would keep telling me she was anemic.After the hospital did a ct scan on her they said she needed to go to her lung doctor immediately.That's where my sister and I were going.

My sister never wants me to worry so she never told me anything and did not want me to go in the room with her when she went in to see the doctor.After I meditated on this I decided when they called her name I would go back with her,and that's exactly what I did.The doctor came in and you could see immediately the concern on his face.He starting reading the results of her ct scan.He was reading something about her lungs.

He talked about something growing in her nodules and spreading to her lymph nodes.He wasn't saying it was cancer but I knew by what he was reading it was. I didn't want to scare my sister so meditating to myself while he was talking I asked what does all this mean? Instead of asking is it cancer I asked could it be cancer?

His response was yes mam.She has to go for a biopsy in a couple of days to see how far it has progressed.I really find myself angry at this point because she has never smoked a day in her life,And here she is 49 years old with lung cancer.So instead of worrying for the next couple of days and getting angry,I simply practice meditation by praying that god please heal my sister.

Shipshewana Visit by Vannetta Chapman

Today I thought Id share some pictures with you from my recent visit to Shipshewana, Indiana. Shipshewana is one of the largest and most affluent Amish communities. Ive been there many times and all of my Love Inspired books are set in that zona.

A few things I noticed this time that I hadnt seen before include:

solar panels on the barn

open buggies

a buggy race( on a county road-- that was a hoot)

dinner in an Amish home where that part of the house had been built or modified specifically to hold dinners for Englischers

Amish families attending an antique tractor show

But most things in Amish country remain the same:

large families enjoying ice cream at Howes on a Friday night

an Amish home to buy a quilt( the Amish woman had over 100 quilts that she and her friends had completed)

schools and phone booths and so many beautiful gardens

Amish working side- by- side with the Englisch in restaurants, quilt shops, etc.

Visited a cheese store and yes I brought some home.

Its always fun to visit an zona that you write or read about and compare the reality to the fiction. Have you been to Amish country? Id love to know what you saw that left a lasting impression on you. My book The Amish Christmas Matchmaker releases next month, and well once again be visiting northern Indiana. I hope its a story that touches your heart.

Adapting To Change By Meditation

Adapting To Change By Meditation

Adapting to any kind of change in your life can be very stressful. The one thing I have learned when it comes to any kind of change is to keep it on a positive level. To do that I stay calm by meditating and keep it all in perspective. I was talking to a friend how I was very apprehensive about a change I would soon have to make in my life.She told me that almost over twenty years ago she had bought a brand new car and it was parked in an alley next to her house.

She walked out of the house just in time to see and old vw bus scrape the front fender of her car. As she continued to tell me what happened she let me know she was trying to stay calm and knew she had to meditate and get focused on the situation. She went on to tell me that the driver got out of his car,threw his hat on the ground,then hung his head,holding it in his hands. She knew that he obviously didn't have the money to pay for the damage to her car and he almost started to cry.

My friend still meditating to keep things in perspective walked up to the man and you could tell he was very nervous and expected her to say something like What an idiot,Are you blind,or just something so mean that he would just feel terrible.As she walked up to the man she simply said don't worry about the scrape and to have a nice day.He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He began to cry tears of happiness and hugged my friend. He then ran to his wife who was in the car wondering what they were going to do and he hugged his wife and introduced her to my friend.

As they were talking my friend told them how she used meditation to keep as calm as possible because she had a temper in the past that caused her a lot of problems. The man and his wife and my friend became the best of friends. Here it is 20 years later and even though the man has now passed away and his wife is in a home for the elderly my friend still visits the woman every week and still talk about the day they had met.

Using meditation will certainly help you think about the situation your in and to not act on impulse,but to handle whatever situation it is you are in you will act responsibly.After my friend and I talked I thought how I could adapt to the change I would have to make by positive thinking and could make a bad situation into something that will have a very special meaning in my life.After our talk I went home and started using meditation to relax myself and now I feel better about myself and my life.

Happiness Through Meditation

Achieving Happiness Through Meditation

There is only one way  to achieve happiness.That way is to simply be happy.You are probably thinking right now how do i get to be happy." "Things just don't work like that, It doesn't take into consideration the times that I am miserable because of problems or mishaps that come up in  my everyday life,not to mention the tragedies." At this point I have to stop and meditate. Meditation can be done many different ways, just find the one that works best for your purposes.

Being happy much more of the time than you have been is an incredibly difficult task to accomplish-not in the doing of it once you know how and then in keeping aware of what you have discovered.Yet,I still say that with meditation you can do it.The path that you have chose that led you to your current situation was not a few days or months in the making,but a long and strenuous path that has spanned through many years.

In reality it has taken you as long as you have been alive to become the way you are today.It has also taken you that long to achieve what you have achieved, to possess,and to arrive at your current condition.By taking the time to meditate and think about who you are,and what you have in your life is truly what you want,If you are completely satisfied with the way your life is going,congratulations-do more of what you have been doing and you will get more of what you already have in your life.

But if who you are,what you want,what you have,and your current conditions are less than what you want or perhaps are different from what you want,you have to start meditating about some basic changes you will need to make in your life.Failure to make those changes will find you continuing to seek the things you really would like in your life as the years pass by.

Because some of this that you are reading will seem impossible,ridiculous,or to you maybe even foolish and it may at first offend you,causing you to ridicule what you are reading and maybe even cause you to reject what you have read. I really want to suggest to you that before you may reject how meditation can help you through your life,ask yourself whether or not you want it to be true-then for your benefit please give yourself the chance to see it as true.

In this day and time with all the things we have to deal with in our lives it is very hard to stay on a positive level and be happy all the time,But just taking a few minutes a day just meditating by yourself will help you keep things in perspective where instead of being unhappy about the situation you are in you can find a way to find the happy part of being unhappy.

Rest for the Writer

 I submitted my current work in progress, Dangerous Amish Inheritance, to my editor and headed to Florida the next day for a family beach vacation. This year, we stayed at Crystal Beach, on the outskirts of Destin, Florida, where the water is sparkling clear and the white sand is silky soft. I have three adult children and four adorable grandchildren so we need a large condo with a pool. Because the beach is our happy place, my husband and I always rent waterfront accommodations for the family that provide spectacular views from sunup to sunset.

The adults rise early and enjoy coffee on the balcony. Some days we see dolphin frolicking in the waves and dark patches of fish swimming in large, undulating schools. Pelicans and seagulls fly overhead, then dive into the water for their morning meal. From our lofty perch, we watch fishing vessels with huge nets and private chartered boats head out to sea while fisherman on the shore cast their lines, hoping for a good catch.

Once the children are up and fed, we don our suits and sunscreen and head to the beach with chairs and umbrellas and inner tubes and floats to spend the day enjoying the sun, sand and water.

Destin Lifeguards trained each morning in front of our condo.
Notice them on their rescue boards.

If you were following the news last week, you heard about Tropical Storm Barry that blew into the Gulf. By Wednesday afternoon, the waves were rough and eventually strong enough to force us out of the water. We scurried to the pool but kept watch on the rising surf and encroaching storms.

Thursday morning, the beaches were closed and double red flags alerted beachgoers to stay out of the water. The pool provided lots of fun for the little ones in between intermittent rain showers. When inclement weather moved us indoors, we played cards and board permainan. Being together made the week special in spite of the storms.

At week�s end, we packed our cars for the long trip home and said goodbye to the beach with hopes of returning next year. The vacation provided wonderful family time but also offered a relaxing getaway that refreshed and renewed all of us.

Water uplifts me spiritually. I feel even more deeply connected to the Lord when I�m at the beach as I bask in the awesome glory of His creation. He is an amazing God!

How do you�find rest for yourself,� as mentioned in Matthew? Sometimes extended getaways don�t work into busy schedules, yet we still need peaceful moments of renewal. What are the ways you regroup in spite of full calendars and hectic lives?

Wishing you abundant blessings this summer along with moments of refreshment and renewal,

Here�s a sneak peek at ON THE RUN�

When Annalise Bonner reports a murder at Lakeside Lab�s guarded compound, security wants her silenced. Her only hope is Matt Mayor, the man she loved and left because of a covert military assignment. Now she must trust Matt again, not only with her life but also her heart.

Knowing she�s in danger, Matt secrets Anna away from the remote Tennessee research enclave to the Amish community of Ethridge and on to the North Georgia Mountains as a multistate manhunt mounts. Running out of options to keep Anna safe, Matt will sacrifice anything�including his life�to save the woman he loves.

Milestones with Mary Alford

Milestones come in many different forms. Some are good. Some not so much.

Webster�s defines a milestone as a�significant point in development�.

This year, my oldest granddaughter has a milestone of her own. She turns 13 years old on August 9th and she�s been eagerly anticipating the day since she turned 12.

I have a milestone birthday coming up this year as well, but I�m not as eager to share mine as she is. Let�s just say it will be a big one!

Milestones can mean stepping out in a new career path, or just reaching a goal in the career you�ve been struggling with.

I�ve recently completed my 8th Love Inspired Suspense, something that I couldn�t have imagined when I first entered the Love Inspired Suspense Speed Writing contest in 2012. I was chosen to pitch, then Emily Rodmell requested a partial, followed by a full, and in December of 2012, I received my first contract with Love Inspired Suspense. Forgotten Past was published in 2014. At times, it still doesn�t feel real.

And coming this August 6th, myself and 15 other authors will reach a milestone we�ve been working on since January with the release of the Summer of Suspense anthology. Christy Barritt, Patricia Bradley, Vannetta Chapman, Mary Ellis, Debby Giusti, Ruth Hartzler, Shaen Layle, Rachel J Good, Ruth Logan Herne, Loree Lough, Elizabeth Ludwig, Nancy Mehl, Serena Miller, Samantha Price, and Alana Terry have worked very hard on this anthology. Several of these lovely ladies write for Love Inspired.

And coming this August 6^th, myself and 15 other authors will reach a milestone we�ve been working on since January with the release of the Summer of Suspense anthology. Christy Barritt, Patricia Bradley, Vannetta Chapman, Mary Ellis, Debby Giusti, Ruth Hartzler, Shaen Layle, Rachel J Good, Ruth Logan Herne, Loree Lough, Elizabeth Ludwig, Nancy Mehl, Serena Miller, Samantha Price, and Alana Terry have worked very hard on this anthology. Several of these lovely ladies write for Love Inspired.

So what about you? Have you reached any milestones in your life? I�d love to hear about them.

And I�d like to give a shout out to Kristyn and LLord. These two ladies won our Mothers Day Giveaway. Please contact me through my email, maryjalfordauthor@gmail. com, so we can get those gifts out to you both.

Summer Movie Report by Belle Calhoune

Happy Summer everyone! One of my kesukaan things about summer are the blockbuster movies. Ive always loved going to the movies! I remember we had a blizzard when I was a kid and my sister and I were out from school for weeks. Many times my Dad took us to the movies and I vividly recall seeing Ice Castles and Pippi Longstocking. I still love watching Ice Castles whenever its on.

When we go to Cape Cod were able to travel to Wellfleet where theres an old- fashioned drive- in. Its a lot of fun and my kids always loved it when they were little. Not sure theyd still get a thrill out of it but Im permainan for it. Two movies for the price of one, as well as the ability to sit in the back of the car with the back hatch up, feeling the cool Cape Cod air brush against my face. And since we arrive in our own cars we can bring as many snacks and drinks as we please. Ive been going to drive- ins since I was a little kid and it never gets old.

 Im really excited to see The Farewell, a movie about a woman World Health Organization travels to Cina because her grandmother is dying. Problem is, her entire family is hiding the truth about her halte illness from the grandmother.

To All the Boys Ive Loved Before. This is a great romantic film on Netflix. Its geared to the Young Adult crowd but I found it really charming. Its about a girl World Health Organization enters into a fake relationship with a cute boy at her school.... and then sparks fly. A very sweet romance. And not just for young adults.

Breakthrough was an amazing, inspirational movie about one womans tremendous love for her son as he wages the fight of his life after a tragic accident. Speaks to miracles and the power of love. Its not in the theaters any longer but is available through Redbox.

Although I saw Black Panther when it released in the movie theaters, I couldnt help but rewatch it on DVD. Its so good. I cant really keep up with all the interrelated Marvel movies so it was refreshing to be able to watch a single action hero movie and feel that it wasnt attached to a dozen other films. This movie is innovative and action- packed, along with having a lot of heart and a great diverse cast.

I was really looking forward to seeing Booksmart, along with my 23-year-old daughter. We finally were able to see it last weekend. Although parts of the movie were cute and it's a great premise of two high achieving students who want one night of fun before they graduate, there were many risque and sexual situations that detracted from the overall movie and message. *Disclaimer. Adult content.  If this is on your movie list, beware of adult content and numerous sexual situations.

The movie that I really loved was Little starring a very talented young actress, Marsai Martin. It's very sweet with a great message of being kind and appreciating one's life. It reminded me a little bit of the movie, Big, starring Tom Hanks.                                                                                               

The BIG one I'm looking forward to seeing is the live-action of LION KING. I'm so excited since the Disney one is an all-time favorite. And I love Beyonce so I can't wait to see her rendition of Nala. My girls are also excited about seeing it so we're all on the same page. Movie night! My husband isn't a   big movie goer, but even he's excited about revisiting the world of Simba and the ensemble cast.        

                                                 

                                                                          

Brave in the Dark by Sara K. Parker

On Tuesday morning, my 16- year- old looked out the window and was surprised to see that our van was missing. He called downstairs to me,�Mom, where�s our other car?�

�What do you mean?� I asked.�It�s out front like it always is.�

A pause.

�Mom. The van is gone!�

I went running to the window, panic- stricken. Sure enough, the van was GONE! In the span of approximately 3. 2 nanoseconds, I remembered three things:

1. The previous night, a neighbor had called the police because she believed someone had tried to get into her house through the back door; nomor one was caught.

2. Months ago, someone else�s van in our neighborhood had been stolen. The van was found, but it was pretty messed up inside.

3. Months before that, another van in our neighborhood had been stolen. When they got it back, it had also been stripped inside.

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I knew immediately that we had been victims of a terrible theft: our van had been stolen in the middle of the night while we were peacefully sleeping. I sank to the floor in the living room and burst into tears.

Maybe my cry- fest sounds a bit dramatic. Or maybe you can see yourself falling to the floor in a puddle of tears, too. At that moment, I had zero control over my emotions because the case- of- the- missing- van came on the heels of two months of very private heartache that had thrown my life into complete chaos. Along with the traumatic event of two months past, nearly everything that could go wrong had also gone wrong:

The pool turned green.

The bathtub upstairs leaked through the ceiling.

The rear window of our van cracked to smithereens.

You get the point. So much was going wrong that when I saw our van missing, I figured� well, of course the van was stolen. Everything else was going wrong. Why wouldn�t a selfish nasty thief sasaran my car?

And a tiny part of me wanted to just climb into bed, curl up into a ball, and stay there for a few days. I did not want to face the mayhem of my life.

Then I reminded myself it was only a car, and my kids were depending on me not to lose my mind, so I pulled myself together and called the police and reported the van missing. After making the report, I was told an officer would arrive shortly. I then texted my neighbor friends:

YOU GUYS.

MY VAN WAS STOLEN!!!

Immediately, one friend responded:

What?? I just saw it outside like an hour ago.

I thought�huh. That�s strange. World Health Organization steals a van at 7 in the morning?

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Then she called me.

�Sara? I�m looking right at your van.�

It was parked right in front of her home. A few houses down the street. Exactly where I�d left it the night before when we�d gotten together.

Red- faced and stifling hysterical laughter, I called the police back and told them that my van, in fact, had not been stolen. I had just parked it down the street and forgotten about it.( I left out the part about the frozen lime margarita my neighbor made for me the previous night because I promise that had nothing to do with my forgetfulness, and lets face it- why borrow trouble?)

Years ago, I would have been mortified by such a mistake. On Tuesday, I could only laugh. I was both relieved that the van had not been stolen and amused at my own forgetfulness, which Ive been told is a common aftereffect of trauma so I should not be alarmed.

As I thought about the incident later, I was struck by how quickly my fears had sent me into a near- tailspin. How, for a moment, I had felt paralyzed, the problem too insurmountable. How, very unexpectedly, the temptation to just. not. face. it. took hold of me. This is not like me. While generally an avoider of conflict, I do tend to put on my big- girl panties and take care of problems as they arise. That unfamiliar emotion of wanting to run and hide reminded me of a character in a proposal I�ve been working on for a while. Suddenly, she seemed very real to me. Years ago, she was completely blindsided by a traumatic event incited by someone she trusted implicitly� and she wound up serving prison time for a crime she didn�t commit. When she�s finally out of jail and gratis again, she can�t live in that freedom. Instead, she lives in fear, in constant expectation of the- next- worst- thing.

I read a quote today that spoke to me:

This is the type of brave my heroine is going to become by the end of the book, and it�s the kind of brave I�m working on developing in myself.

In my August release, Security Measures, Triss Everett has always been brave. Too brave, actually. I love her life story because it is a reminder of how much we need God and one another to truly be brave. Yes, sometimes brave means taking steps on your own, but more often it means reaching out to others. It means being honest with yourself and those World Health Organization love you. It means facing pain and reaching for new hope even when your deep losses warn you not to dream again and you really cant see beyond each new step you take.

Tell me your stories of bravery� a moment when you felt brave, or a moment when you witnessed bravery. While you�re brainstorming, I�ll leave you with a song. If Triss had a life song, I think this one would be it:

https:// www. youtube. com/ watch? v=_Mm9UOlkMxo

Also, keep an eye out for Security Measure in the stores. Post your sightings to my Facebook page to be entered to win an Amazon gift card!