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Recently Released: God Speaks into Darkness (Easterling)

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Proudly announcing the release of  God Speaks into Darkness , the third book in our pandemic series -- a set of books dedicated to helping people make it safely (mentally and physically) through the pandemic. These books are written by experts in their fields, who are also authors by their own right of other MSI Press books, and  information about new books to be released in this series can be found on the  MSI Press home page . In God Speaks into Darkness,  brief devotionals speak to the enormous challenges facing our world today. So many of you are grieving loss of loved ones, or risking your life daily to help others, or facing  loss of your livelihood, financial ruin or uncertainty. The  Psalms and teachings of Jesus offer treasures of hope for today and promises us a brighter tomorrow. You will find in  these meditations that God wants to comfort his own and then use us to help and bless one another. Bennett Easterling has authored two other popular and award-winning book

Introducing Julie Gentile, MSI Press Author

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J Julie M. Gentile is the award-winning author of  108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas  and  author of  How to Stay Calm in Chaos: An Everyday Self-Care Guide ;  creator of the   Stand Up for Your Self-Care blog  and  YouTube Channel ,  a yoga teacher; and a working mama. She has been leading yoga classes since 2011 to inspire students to nourish their minds, bodies, and spirits. Her own practice, which began in 2008, empowers her to live well as a busy mom.  Learn more about Julie a t  www.JulieGtheYogi.com ,  subscribe to her  Stand Up for Your Self-Care YouTube Channel  for yoga and self-care videos, and stay connected with her on Instagram   @juliegtheyogi   and Facebook   /juliegtheyogi . Julie's book i ncludes writing prompts, yoga poses, meditations, breathing exercises, and other self-care practices to encourage modern mamas to walk a path of self-love. It was released February 1, 2019. The book has earned awards:  IPPY Living Now Bronze Medal 2019 B

Excerpt from Girl, You Got This! (Renz): Before You Conceive

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from chapter, Before You Conceive: Every person has a different body with different needs, but whether you are young or old, fit or not, pregnancy puts the body through a lot. I want you to keep in mind that health and fitness aren’t one-size-fits all. What works for one person won’t always work for another. Life—and health—are all about finding something that works for you. Taking stock is a powerful first step if you want to set yourself up for success. When is the last time you touched base with yourself and your health? Questionnaire  1 . How do you feel about your body as it is right now? Try to be as nice as possible . 2 . What role has health played in your life? Has it been an adversary? Has it always been on the backburner? Is it something you have poked fun at? 3 . Do you have any medical conditions you need to take into account when exercising? Chronic pain? Migraines? Old injuries? 4 . Do you have any dietary restrictions (or personal taste restrictions for th

Excerpt from one Simple Text...(Shaw & Brown): Chapter 1, Saturday, April 7, 2012

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Saturday, April 7, 2012 The morning before Easter I stood in front of the kitchen window in my pajamas with a cup of hot coffee in my hand, gazing at the cloudless sky and watching the pesky squirrels in the backyard eat all of the birdseed out of the birdfeeder. No matter how many times I chased them off, they came back. I loved watching the birds so I put up with the thieves. Such a perfect day—except for one thing: my daughter Elizabeth still wasn’t home. She had spent the night at a friend’s house, and I had expected her to return before now. She knew the rules—she had to check in with us in person the next morning after staying the night away from home—but she hated to follow them. A typical teenager, rebellious and stubborn, she thought her parents didn’t understand her, that we had no idea what it was like to be a teenager. Lord knows, I was well aware of the trouble a teenager could get into by spending the night away from home, not only from her older half-brother

Excerpt from A Believer-in-Waiting's First Encounters with God: Puerto Rico

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This excerpt comes from the section of A Believer-in-Waiting's First Encounters with God that talks about God's protection even while being an atheist. Puerto Rico Not only do I feel protected, but also I have no explanation for why I am here today other than having been protected in the past. Whether it is dreamily walking in front of cars—growing up on a Maine farm without much in the way of roads probably contributes to that habit—or being placed in harm’s way due to my occupation, I seem to escape injury regularly.        In 1980, my reserve unit had been called to active duty in Puerto Rico to replace sailors who had been attacked, wounded, and killed on the way home from the night shift at a military post. My unit, considered one of the most ready in the reserves at that time, was activated to fill in the decimated ranks until those wounded returned to duty and those killed replaced. I left my graduate studies and university teaching position and took off

Introducing Dr. Christina Fisanick, MSI Press Author

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Christina Fisanick Greer, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of English at California University of Pennsylvania, where she teaches writing, literature, digital storytelling, and creative non-fiction. She has written dozens of articles about writing, especially as a form of therapy, and is the author of nearly thirty books. She lives in West Virginia with her husband, son, and two cats. Her book,  The Optimistic Food Addict: Recovering from Binge Eating Disorder , has attracted the attention of the Associated Press and of the National Eating Disorders Association. This book has been reviewed by many sources with high marks. Read these reviewers, along with many interviews of and articles by Christina HERE Read other posts by and about Christina and her book HERE .

Released Today: Tips, Tools, and Anecdotes to Help during a Pandemic

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Part of a series on the coronavirus pandemic written by MSI Press authors to share expertise, help, and hope,  Tips, Techniques, and Anecdotes to Help during a Pandemic  focuses on physical and mental well being during any time of crisis. Topics include meditation and mindfulness; positivity; managing setbacks; laughing at oneself; overcoming chal lenges; friends, family, and others; managing daily tasks; adaptive solutions; tricks and tools; and miscellaneous musings. Joanna is also author of: Living Well with Chronic Illness 100 Tips and Tools for Managing Chronic Illness and A Movie Lover's Search for Romance . More posts about and by Joanna Charnas may be found HERE .