Never Ever Give Up Hope

Allison Hill is an active blogger at AccidentallyAllison. Allison's story is one that many people can relate to-- love lost. She shares about her quest for a long lastingrelationship which became a disaster -- more thanonce.Shewants women to understand relationships and how they affect ourself-image and perception. Listeningto her story in the podcast below, one has to applaud her forovercoming many defeats; yet she has an attitude ofvictory. Allisonhas been proposed to seven times, married twice and divorced bothtimes. Her blog is a glimpse into a world thathas consistent, unimaginable pain but shows that even in the faceof love lost and the shredding of the heart, there can STILL behappiness, hope, and love. After her daughter was in a near-fatal car accident, hersignificant other cleaned out the bank accounts and...........well, this story will grip your heart. Failure isNever an Option - Falling Down is But Getting Back Up is aNecessity Herstory is one of Love, Marriage, Divorce, Single Parenthood,Homelessness, Penniless, Tragedy, and Teenage MentalIllness. Sheshares her story to help people understand that they are not alone. No matter what happens, you can overcome just about anythingand find a way to laugh in the process.Forsome laughs, some insight and certainly some encouraging words --click on the arrow below to listen to her inspiring interview:

Martha Ashwell worked as a childcare officer, administrator and support tutor in university education and a counselor. She is also a member of the long-established writer's group, Manchester Irish Writers. Her memoir, Celia's Secret: A Journey towards Reconciliation, helped her to analyze and evaluate her life experiences to work through a process of reconciliation. Broken relationships. Her story shares the impact family secrets can have on your life. Are you struggling with the dynamics of a family secret or with broken relationships? Never give up hope of reconciliation. If you are determined to resolve a broken relationship, it is possible to move through a process of reconciliation and have the satisfaction of knowing that you have done everything that is humanly possible to heal the relationship. The process involves: reflecting, analyzing, understanding and forgiving. For Martha, as a Christian, it also involves God’s loving hand in the process. We can have a profound love for one another despite great pain and loss. Listen to her stimulating interview about a subject many may not want to discuss but it is necessary

Rebecca Owens has been a writer since she was a little girl. After 298 rejections from literary agents, she never gave up. In 2013, she was able to successfully fulfill her dream and publish her first novel. She is now a member of the Romance Writers of America. Her stories are inspired by her Native American southern American roots. In her interview, she shares tips on the steps to take to fulfill your dream of becoming a romance novelist. Here is a snippet from A Sister's Love Two North Carolinian sisters, Flo and Priscilla Oxendine are entangled in a web of betrayal, grief, and loss that has spanned over the time of ten years. The entanglement started when the sisters become estranged after Priscilla did the unthinkable and betrayed Flo. Nine months later, Priscilla dropped another bombshell or two after Flo had begun to rebuild her life. Jack Winston, Priscilla's New York attorney, and friend has been given the chore of calling her family late one autumn night with sad news of her accident. In search of Priscilla's family contact information, he finds a forgotten two-year-old letter asking him to agree to an arrangement with Flo that knocks him off his feet. You can purchase A Sister's Love here Rebecca was a delight to interview and hear her achievements on the road to becoming a Romance Novelist

Warren Rodwell: former soldier, university teacher, hostage survivor, speaker and songwriter, is the longest held Australian captive outside war. For more than fifteen (15) months, Warren was hidden and starved in island mangrove jungles with the constant threat of beheading if the terrorists’ original ransom demand for $US2 million was not paid. When asked how he ever survived he responded with "resilience, adaptability, versatility, pragmatism, perseverance, and a dry sense of humor" From Wikipedia: "Warren Richard Rodwell (born 16 June 1958[74] Homebush NSW)[75] a former soldier[76] in the Australian Army, and university English teacher,[77] grew up in Tamworth NSW[78] He was shot through the right hand when seized[79] from his home at Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines on 5 December 2011[80] by Abu Sayyaf (ASG) militants.[81] Rodwell later had to have a finger amputated.[82] The ASG threatened to behead Rodwell[83] if the original ransom demand for $US2 million was not paid.[84] Both the Philippine and Australian governments had strict policies of refusing to pay ransoms.[85] Australia formed a multi-agency task force to assist the Philippine authorities, and liaise with Rodwell's family.[86] A news blackout was imposed.[87] Filipino politicians helped negotiate the release.[88] After the payment of $AUD94,000[89] for "board and lodging" expenses[90] by his siblings, Rodwell was released 472 days later on 23 March 2013.[91] The incumbent Australian prime minister praised the Philippines government for securing Rodwell's release. Tribute was also made to Australian officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Australian Federal Police and Defence.[92] Rodwell subsequently returned to Australia.[93]" You can listen here to his story of how he escaped what he thought was certain death and how he stayed sane!

Nancie Schipper is a 15-year-old singer and songwriter. She started playing music at six years old, performing at the age of nine and was playing pubs at 13 years old. She writes songs from her personal experiences and what she observes is happening in the world at large -- from a teenager's perspective. As a shy person, she shares how she overcame the fear of performing in front of large groups of people and that when we face our fears, we can do whatever we want to accomplish!

Monica Perrett lives in Australia and is the mother of six children. She is currently writing a book on changing the law giving more rights for parents of teenage runaways. Monica won the Mother of the Year award. While she was out of town, receiving the award, her three-month-old son died. Because Monica's foster son died at home, she was stripped of her rights as a parent and not allowed to attend his funeral. With anger and determination, she single-handedly was able to get that LAW CHANGED. No amount of bullying by any government branch could stop her! She now intends to take her cause GLOBALLY. She is fighting for the rights of foster parents and......for those elderly people who are being abused in nursing homes. We need to applaud Monica and support her efforts because her cause can affect each and every one of us. You will stand up and cheer for Monica when you listen to her heart-wrenching story and how she is making a difference in the entire world!

Author Darcy Leech was born to Jo Lyn Bartz, who genetically carried myotonic muscular dystrophy. Darcy's brother, Dustin, was born with the same disease. He had a high enough frequency of protein repeat mutations that of his thirteen years of life, every day defied prior medical knowledge! He lived far beyond what anyone expected. Darcy shares how inner strength, a strong love of family and God sustained him. Darcy's mother lived ten years after Dustin passed and Jo Lyn was the strongest woman Darcy ever will meet. The life lessons she taught Darcy will be passed on to future generations. This story will touch your soul. Her memoir, From My Mother, is a moving narration of loss and the deep resilience of the human spirit as the body weakens. Although a cure looks promising, more funding is needed. If you would like to donate please click here to help stop this life-threatening disease. Riveting, soulful, and courageously told, From My Mother is a meditation on grief, family, genetic disease and also a deeply personal account of the narrator’s coming-of-age amid medical crisis and tragedy to carry on the lessons from her mother to raise her young son. A story of loss, From My Mother is full of life, a story of beginnings as much as endings, a moving book that transforms suffering into art and inspiration. Here is Darcy's interview that I guarantee you will not soon forget

Jon Stolpe is an author and active blogger. Jon Stolpe's Stretched is focused on "stretching" and challenging others to get out of their comfort zones. He has a passion for family, leadership development, missions, and personal growth. Jon's organization, H.O.P.E. Helping Other People Everywhere, is doing just that. In his interview he shared how we can all pay it forward. As a construction engineer, Jon has helped build homes in Guatemala for those widows with children who were homeless. On his blog he gives each of us the opportunity to be involved with this mission. During the interview, Jon shared the results of a survey Dr. Anthony Campolo, speaker, author, sociologist took of people who were over the age of 95. He asked them if they could live their lives over...."What would you do differently?" The response was basically the same: REFLECT MORE -- Take time to listen RISK MORE DO MORE TO LEAVE A LEGACY Do you ever feel like your life is off track? If your answer is yes, then Jon's blog and book are for you. In his book On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field, Jon provides practical life lessons anyone can embrace. Jon Stolpe shares his own experiences on and off the track as an athlete, a spectator, and active participant in life You Do Not want to miss this heartwarming and challenging interview

Deborah Carroll, former educator and educational publisher has written a book on a subject that is not easy for families to discuss. The subject is death of aging parents. Her book, Tales from the Family Crypt: When Aging Parents Die, Sibling Rivalry Lives is a must read! There is nothing that can tear families apart faster or uglier than estate issues. In many families there are difficult, dysfunctional and even despicable siblings who want to grab money and power at a time when they should be communicating and pulling together as a unit. Deborah shares how her siblings would stop at nothing, even if it meant breaking the law, to take advantage of the dying parents. We can't predict how our siblings will react when the time comes. Deborah's book offers suggestions and tips to communicate long before the funeral, as disputes over eldercare and inheritances can be astronomically distressing. Tales from the Family Crypt: When Aging Parents Die, Sibling Rivalry Lives is available on Amazon by clicking here. Deborah has written two other books including Raising Amazing Children, A practical guide to parenting. And another MUST READ: Real Grands: From A to Z, Everything a Grandparent Can Be. This book is for Boomers to give to their grand children as it depicts what "real" grandparents look like. Most books show them as white haired, hunched over "old" people using a cane to get around while baking cookies all day. Guaranteed to be an enjoyable read with your grand kids. Listen to her funny and......not so funny interview dealing with a subject we tend to shy away from but need to be informed

Glenda Thomas is a relationship and marriage coach who had brain aneurysm surgery May 2015. In her memoir, The Next Chapter: Glenda's Brain Aneurysm Journey, she shares that journey. This is a subject that most of us know little about but we need to be made aware. Here are some facts: It is estimated that six million people in the USA have an unruptured brain aneurysm - that's one in 50 people. The annual rate of rupture is approximately 8 - 10 per 100,000 - that is one every 18 minutes. They are fatal in about 40% of cases. Of those who survive, about 66% suffer permanent neurological deficit. Approximately 15% of patients die before reaching the hospital. Glenda shares the importance of keeping your blood pressure DOWN and taking some precautions. Glenda's Motto: Do Something You've Never Done Before In Glenda's book, The Change: Insights into Self-Empowerment, she is one of several authors who give life-enhancing realizations that touch every area of your life. She shares some of these in her interview below.