H.O.P.E. Here's One Possible Expectation

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:

Overcoming Fear on the Road to Stardom

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!









You can purchase her songs on iTunes here

It's NOT Failure -- It's A Lesson

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 

I Deserved the Abuse.....And Other Lies

Roxanne Fawley went from longing for death to loving life, from debilitating depression to being extremely happy.  

In Roxanne's memoir But I Like It...And Other Lies, she shares her experience as a victim of physical, mental, and sexual abuse.  She wrote the book because she knows she is not the only one who believed the insidious lie that a woman likes or wants or even caused her own sexual abuse.

She shows us how she has been completely restored to health and freedom that comes from knowing the truth and rejecting all the lies that may hold us captive and hopeless because of abuse.

Were You Part of A Drug Company's Dirty Little Secret?

Shirley Ledlie wrote her memoir, Naked in the Wind -Chemo, Hair loss, and Deceit as a result of an unexpected battle she had to fight.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer at 47 and won the battle against the disease. BUT, after her treatment ended Shirley found herself in another seven-year battle with doctors and a drug company.

Shirley Ledlie had an unstoppable determination to win her conflict as she uncovered the truth about a little-known side-effect of a cancer treatment drug, Taxotere.

If You Have Been Bullied - You Are Not Alone

Teen Idol and pop star Meredith O'Connor is an anti-bullying icon who first rose to fame when her debut single "Celebrity" went viral on Youtube with over two million views the first two months of its release. 

It became a radio favorite, bringing her a fan base which became a cult-like following once she had established her anti-bullying platform. 

Her song "The Game," has touched the lives of thousands throughout the world, landing her a ten city tour as a headlining act for venues and schools.  Her next hit song "Just The Thing" was released on VEVO and Teen Nick gaining popularity on 17 radio stations in New York and over 400,000 views on VEVO. 

The Lighter Side to Vision Loss - Is That Possible?

Amy Bovaird is a ghostwriter, an author, educator and inspirational speaker.  She is an animal advocate and rescuer, working with domestic and international animal rescue groups. She has traveled the world teaching English and has been known to rescue camels on the side of the road who were left to die.  

Amy suffers from Retinitis Pigmentosa, a hereditary eye disease that progressively steals vision and eventual hearing loss as well.  

In her memoirs, Mobility Matters: Stepping Out in Faith and her second book, Cane Confessions:  The Lighter Side to Vision Loss, Amy shares her journey from denial to advocacy, educator, and optimistic motivator.

Amy shares her story honestly; it is inspiring to anyone who has suffered loss.  She walks us through each step from denial to being able to help others through their journey to acceptance.  


Amy shares how she has learned to laugh her way

Love and Redemption: Overcoming Guilt and Moving On

Maggie C. Romero, M.A., taught English as a Second Language in northern Virginia for seventeen years. She and her partner retired from full-time teaching and moved to New Mexico where they have lived since 2009. Maggie is a member of SouthWest Writers, Story Circle Network, based in Austin, Texas, and National Association of Memoir Writers.

Maggie knows the pain of addiction and in this interview will bring awareness to a subject many don't want to discuss.  Yet, it is around us wherever we look.  It can affect any one of us.  Rich or poor, educated or not, it can strike anywhere.

Maggie shares her daughter's story. Before addiction, Angie was a world-class gymnast, a gifted artist and graduated from university with a B.A. in Journalism. But at 21, it all fell apart.

Maggie's purpose in writing her story was to heal from losing her daughter, Angie, to the Living Death of Heroin Addiction. She was determined to save her child from addiction and bankrupted herself in the effort to do so, had a breakdown and was forced into early retirement.