MSI Press Blog

  Dennis Ortman, author of several award-winning books, offers the following reflection for MSI Press blog readers -  FULL LIFE “I came that they might have life and have it to the full.” --John 10: 10   We have two natural desires: to live forever and to be happy. Modern medical science promises the first, but cannot guarantee the second. However, a recent bestselling book suggests that we can have both, now. Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles wrote  Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life  (New York: Penguin Books, 2016) in which they described the natural steps to a long, fulfilled life. They journeyed to Ogimi, Japan, where a large portion of the population lives into their hundreds. They interviewed dozens of the elderly residents to discover their secret. What they learned was a natural way to live longer with joy. Here are some of their recommendations: ·           Live an active life doing what you enjoy, and don’t retire. ·           Eat a moderate, balanced diet

  The affiliated book, The Celeste Experiment , by Omar Imady has just won a silver award from Literary Titan.   When modern science fails to save his wife Celeste, Michael turns to religion. When religion fails to cure her, he is left searching for answers.  From his grief flows anger, determination, and finally the plan – a meticulous experiment to unravel the truth in one of civilization’s most controversial topics … the concept of God.  At the heart of this plan is Hamida Begum. A young woman of depth and intelligence, heiress to a lost lineage. Selected and prepared. Qualified in ways even Michael could never have anticipated.  Will her involvement in this vast, mysterious, and at times unethical endeavor deliver resolution?   This literary work, with a touch of magical realism,  The Celeste Experiment,  is the story of one man’s attempt to sever the spiritual threads of history once and for all. It is a thrilling journey of revenge and conviction, sorrow and rage, design and entr

  Has the upcoming Valentine's Day got you thinking about love? If so, here are some popular MSI Press books that you will enjoy. 57 Steps to Paradise (Patricia Lorenz) half-price sale get the ebook Looking for love in your 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and yes, even your 80's or 90's? 57 STEPS TO PARADISE will help you navigate dating in midlife and beyond. Lorenz unzips her soul and exposes her foibles during 50 years of men weaving their way in and out of her life, providing a heap of wit and wisdom to help you make life-changing decisions about love and, perhaps, a life partner. Read more posts about Patricia Lorenz and her book HERE . Read more books about mid-life HERE . Read more books about aging HERE . A Movie Lover's Search for Romance (Joanna Charnas) get the book (paperback, hard cover, e-book) A diverting and informative story of searching for love in mid-life by a divorced social worker, who intertwines entertaining stories of successful love inte

  \ LIFE’S JOY “What can separate us from the love of Christ?” --Paul of Tarsus   “I’ve never been happy. I don’t believe I’ll ever escape my misery,” my elderly patient lamented. She had suffered from anxiety her whole life. She was its prisoner. “I’m always worrying about something. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Anything can cause me to panic,” she explained.  I asked her, “Who would you be if you didn’t worry?” She responded honestly, “I don’t know. I wouldn’t know myself. That would be even scarier!” My patient had constructed an identity around her illness. She could not imagine living without it and the misery it caused her.  Another patient of mine was terrified of leaving the house. She insisted she wanted to feel free to go out and socialize, but still stayed home to feel safe. I asked her, “You say you want to go out, but still stay home. Which is true, what you say you want or what you do?” Both, in fact, may have been true. She felt hopelessly conflicted, not knowin

  From 57 Steps to Romance: Finding Love in Midlife and Beyond  (Lorenz)  Mom’s Got a Date Tonight   When you're used to sharing your life with someone, to be suddenly single can be the most devastating, lonely, life-shaking experience in the world. Just ask any separated, divorced or widowed person. The thought of starting over in a new relationship, though, is the most terrifying thing you can imagine. In 1987 when my divorce was final after a two-year separation, my four children had different ideas. After a couple years of being my dates at movies and fast food restaurants, I heard comments like, "Mom, why don't you join that singles group at church and meet some men?" I shot back, “I don't know how to meet men or go out on dates. Besides, who wants a 40-year-old woman with four kids and a big mortgage?" But the children kept after me to do something for myself, and so I worked up my nerve and joined the Single Again group at church. A few week