We grow more spiritually by doing it wrong than by doing it right In Falling Upward, Fr Richard Rohr offers a new understanding of one of life’s most profound mysteries: how our failing can be the foundation for our ongoing spiritual growth. Drawing on the wisdom from time-honoured myths, heroic poems, great thinkers and scared religious texts, the author explores the two halves of life to show that those who have fallen, failed, or ‘gone down’ are the only ones who understand ‘up’. The heartbreaks, disappointments and first loves of life are actually stepping stones to the spiritual joys that the second half has in store for us. ‘I thank God for Richard Rohr’s sage-like presence in our culture: I honestly don’t know where I’d be without it.’ Brian Draper ‘Richard Rohr at his vintage best: prophetic, pastoral, practical.’ Cynthia Bourgeault ‘A voyage into the mystery and beauty of healthy spiritual maturity.’ Mehmet Oz, MD, host of the Dr Oz Show

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From the time Dana Liesegang could walk, she was out looking for adventure, and she never stopped. As a fearless child in the Pacific Northwest, she climbed trees, caught frogs, and held her own with any boy in town. She brought that true-grit, fire-in-her-belly attitude to the Navy . . . and to her recovery from the unthinkable. At the age of 19, she was sexually assaulted by a fellow sailor and thrown off a cliff, left for dead. She survived--but woke up in a hospital hours later paralyzed from the neck down, with doctors giving no hope for recovery.They underestimated the spirit and stubbornness of their patient.In Falling Up: My Wild Ride from Victim to Kick-Ass Victory, Dana recounts her agonizing and sometimes comical struggle from total dependence to doing the "impossible": walking again. With equal parts humor and rawness, she brings us along on her wild ride, as she navigates her new world, hurtles through rocky relationships, deals with family secrets, and returns to her love of sports and the outdoors. In the process, she learns the importance of forgiveness, discovers the awe-inspiring power of belief and perseverance, and transforms herself from silent victim to outspoken advocate and inspiration for people everywhere.After all, sometimes an unexpected fall can lead a person to reach for magnificent heights.

A valuable new companion journal for the best-selling FallingUpward In Falling Upward, Fr. Richard Rohr seeks to help readersunderstand the tasks of the two halves of life and to show themthat those who have fallen, failed, or "gone down" are the onlyones who understand "up." The Companion Journal helps thosewho have (and those who have not) read Falling Upward to engagemore deeply with the questions the book raises. Using a blend ofquotes, questions for individual and group reflection, stories, andsuggestions for spiritual practices, it provides a wise guide fordeepening the spiritual journey. . . at any time of life. Explains why the second half of life can and should be full ofspiritual richness Offers tools for spiritual growth and greater understanding ofthe ideas in Falling Upward Richard Rohr is a regular contributing writer forSojourners and Tikkun magazines This important companion to Falling Upward is anexcellent tool for exploring the counterintuitive messages of howwe grow spiritually.

The first and only full-length biography (authorized or otherwise) of America's most prolific and awarded native-born composer of opera- Carlisle Floyd.

Answer Girl Has a Zillion Questions. And Zero Answers Kim Peterson, the Just Ask Jamie “answer girl” is about plum out of them. As if losing her mother to cancer wasn’t enough, the hits just keep coming. Now living with Kim and her father, her aunt and cousin bicker nonstop. Dating Matthew is about as unpredictable as can be. Her dad’s out of a job. Her prayers go unanswered. And her best friend Natalie loses her virginity to Benjamin O’Conner, Caitlin’s brother! And—p.s.—now she’s pregnant! When the world turns upside down, and Kim is about to fall apart, can she perhaps fall up? Straight into the arms of the One who loves her through the madness of life? Friday, June 7 I think I’m having a serious meltdown here. It’s like I’m unable to reason, I can’t think straight, and I can’t get my feelings under control. Even my prayers are pathetic, just hopeless cries for help, with no faith involved. I’m a mess. How much stress can a girl take? Kim Peterson’s mom has just died. Her visiting relatives bicker constantly. Her dad is lost in a fog of grief. Her boyfriend, Matthew, can’t decide what to do after graduation. And Kim’s best friend Nat just can’t seem to get over being dumped by Ben O’Conner, Caitlin’s younger brother. More than anything, Kim wishes her mom were here to tell her everything’s going to be okay. But that’s not going to happen. When Kim reaches the breaking point, her dad sends her off to her grandmother’s house in small-town Florida, where she’s able to slow down, feed the gators, and realize that she’s not indispensable...only God is! And instead of falling apart, she can fall up...into His arms. Reader’s guide included Story Behind the Book “My teenage years remain vivid in my mind. It was a turbulent time full of sharp contrasts—love and hate, pain and pleasure, trust and doubt. Then, just as I reached my peak of questioning, rebelling, and seeking, I found God. And I found Him in a really big way! My life turned completely around and has, thankfully, never turned back. Hopefully this story will touch and change hearts—speaking to teen girls right where they live, reminding readers that God is alive and well and ready to be intimately involved in their lives right now!” —Melody Carlson

Struggling with life-altering trauma? Learn how to transform your trauma into triumph. Are you struggling to cope with trauma? Does happiness feel like a thing of the past? Two-time cancer survivor Tasha Brooks will show you not only how to cope with your trauma, but how to thrive because of it. Around the time of her initial diagnosis, Tasha’s career, personal relationships, and her health all came crashing down. The worst setback of all, being diagnosed with thyroid cancer twice in her thirties, completely changed the trajectory of her life—but not in the negative way you might expect. Among other benefits, this difficult experience strengthened some of her closest relationships, helped her figure out what she wanted in her career, and instilled in her a deep sense of gratitude for life. In this brief yet powerful account of her experience, she will show you exactly how you too can find happiness after a hardship. Tasha has learned what all trauma thrivers have in common. Through easy-to-follow techniques that are backed by research, Falling Up gives you the tools you need to emerge from your trauma and grow from it too. In this short book you will discover: • The basic concepts behind growth after trauma • Nine practical, simple techniques grounded in research that will help you convert your hardships to happiness • Additional resources that will allow you to turn your struggles to success We all fall down. Growing and thriving after trauma is all about using our disappointments to create a happier, fulfilling, and more meaningful life. It is about transforming our trauma into triumph. It is about falling up. Buy Falling Up to start your new journey now.

This brash and rollicking autobiography is a potent primer of the rough-and-tumble world of political consulting by one of its founding fathers and preeminent experts. A cross between a patriotic redneck raconteur and a TV-savvy renaissance man, Raymond D. Strother is unafraid to name names and refuses to mince words in tales of what he calls "the beauty and gore" of American politics. From the crash course in Louisiana politics and corruption he received following graduate school to his compelling entry into the big-time senatorial and congressional races of the 1970s and early 1980s and his adventures with candidates Clinton, Gore, and Hart and famous consultants Dick Morris and James Carville, Strother offers a wildly entertaining, controversial, but finally optimistic political and media success story that will thrill and inspire anyone spellbound by American politics.