Featuring Author Samantha Ryan

 About the Author

Samantha Ryan was born in a colorful, town in Louisiana. Convinced that the world had to be bigger than her hometown, she left her familial roots and created a path that took her to cities across the United States and the world. Possessing a natural gift for design and a penchant for history, Samantha channeled those talents into a life full of projects and historical enquiry. In her own words, “being a mom is the greatest job in the world,” Samantha spent the better part of three decades running carpools, cooking hot meals, leading girl scout troops and taking art and fitness classes for and with one or more of her three girls. A series of divine interactions led Samantha to impact a wider range of people than ever before when she co-founded Children’s Cross Connection (now known as Childspring International). Together the two of them brought hundreds of children with life crippling and life threatening ailments and afflictions from developing world countries like Ethiopia, the Philippines, Haiti and others to the United States for donated surgeries.

The tale of Samantha Ryan Chandler's life is evocatively portrayed in her book: A Love Story, How God Pursued Me and Found Me. It tells of a life that is as disturbing and unsettling as it is uplifting and, in the end, gratifying. How "A girl from Nowhere, Louisiana" finds her way from such humble beginnings to live and walk amongst presidents and the supremely rich, only to find her trust and faith betrayed by those that she loved and trusted the most. She would be tested to the point where she began to doubt her own sanity and, at the moment of her greatest desperation and doubt, she was found by God and brought back from the brink of hopeless despair. Blessed with an almost unquenchable optimism and a unique sense of humor, she relates the story of a life that will speak to those who have encountered abuse, unfairness and anguish. Her love for her children and her faith in God carried her through a crucible of fire and in the end, made her a better, stronger person, ready to carry on with a life that is again filled with love, joy and laughter. A Love Story, How God Pursued Me and Found Me will both inspire you and touch your heart.

My life has been profoundly changed since the long drawn out divorce and all the abusive tactics by my husband. It has now come to 8 years and 2 months since the annihilation called divorce. Pollyanna is forever dead and a phoenix has risen! I have learned reams of Biblical knowledge in these years. When we are confronted with a trial, the choices are simple. We can run to God and find our hiding place beneath His wings or we can walk away from God. For me it was never a choice. I simply clung to scriptures that addressed my mountain and refused to budge from my firm belief that if God said it....it is not a suggestion. For many years, if given a choice of going to another level with God or not going through what I went through; I would have said no. I am so very happy to say that I now do not regret the horrors as my level of understanding is enormous. I am not keen to go through it again, but my God given wisdom says, “it’s Ok”. I probably will never know why Darth Vader of 25 years of my life chose to do this to me. What I do know is nothing is wasted with God. As Joseph said to his brothers that betrayed him and altered his path in life, “what you meant for evil, God will mean for good”.

I still sleep with my bedroom door locked but happy to announce I no longer awake screaming in a nightmare. I am also in love and engaged to be married April of next year. God is so good. All He asks of us is to believe Him and trust Him.

Why did I write the book?

I sat down and wrote the book to myself...or I thought at the time, to try and understand where God was in circumstances that just could not be understood. I was doing Kingdom work when, like Job; all was lost in a blink. I also needed my children to understand the truth about their mommy.

What do you hope this book accomplishes?

There are 31,000 promises of God in Scripture. My prayer that anyone facing a mountain, will find and hold onto the promises of God and NEVER let go until they see it come to pass in their life.

What genre is your book?

My story is a non-fiction Christian story.

Upcoming events?

The 700 Club contacted me a few days ago to discuss an interview. They are currently reading my book. November 13th, I have a 55 minute radio interview with Artist First beginning 7:00 EST.

How can readers connect with you and your book?

http.www.Facebook.com/SamanthaRyanChandler

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007AGD9RS/ Kindle, hardbound, and soft copy. 

My website for autographed copy to purchase or read interviews, reviews and overviews. http://www.SamanthaRyanChandler.com or Christian Books and Barnes & Noble.

Finding the Purpose of Life

5 Ways to Grow to Empower Women

“So many of us allow bad experiences to get the best of us and we don’t learn how to turn those experiences into stepping stones for us to grow spiritually, emotionally, financially or socially.  I would be the first to agree that life can be hard and challenging however if we take a look back and begin to analyze how to use those bad experiences to help us in one area of our life, we will never look at bad experiences the same.”

Coming from Paulette Harper‘s new book Completely Whole, provides women of all ages with keys to living a life on purpose spirit, soul and body. 

Here are her five suggestions on learning how to live a happier life. 

1. Accepting that sometimes the “Why” will never get answered.  When we can accept that many times we won’t be able to change the outcome and accept what has happened.  Realized that it happened for a purpose and rest in that, we are better prepared to handle all experiences. 

2. There is no easy way out. Many times we want to escape the bad experiences by not dealing with them head on, but that won’t solve anything. Stop for a moment, look at the situation and make the necessary changes that are required to be more empowered.

3. Realize that God is in control. Our lives are totally in the hands of someone who knows how all things will pan out. Trust Him in every situation, knowing that He will guide you as you look to Him for help.

4. Forgive yourself and others.  In life people will hurt us. That includes family, spouses, children, and parents.  As you forgive others for their trespasses, people will also forgive you.

5. Pray that God will show you what it is He is trying to teach you.  Allow this opportunity to let God reveal to you what lessons are to be learned. Treat each experience as a great opportunity to grow and mature.

Completely Whole

Publisher: Thy Word Publishing

Amazon paper back: list price: $12.95  http://tinyurl.com/425euh7

Kindle list price: $4.99 -http://tinyurl.com/3novrjg

Author: Paulette Harper, website:  http://pauletteharper.com

ISBN# 978-0-615-33101-0

Pages: 154

Let It Go

Book Except

 

The dictionary defines “forgiveness” as “a willingness to pardon; to give up resentment against; to stop being angry with”. How can a loving God forgive us of the many transgressions and offenses we have committed, not only to Him, our Creator, but to one another? Forgiveness is the act of one’s will; it is the power of choosing. God chooses, and by an act of His will, decides to forgive all those who would accept His goodness, kindness, and mercy. He does it without reluctance and without hesitation. He doesn’t give a second thought whether He will forgive you or not. Forgiveness is, however, conditional. What God requires from us is to admit our wrongdoing. Selah. 

 

“I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Psalms 32:5 NKJV).

I don’t know about you, but if God would “showcase” (I’m talking about a full color, feature length film!) my sin, my wrong-doing, things I’ve said wrong, and people I’ve hurt, it would not be a pretty sight. What about your life story? Would the box office tickets be sold out?

Confessing our wrong puts the responsibility of the error squarely on us. We don’t always like to admit when we are wrong because pride can harden our heart. But when we accept that we have transgressed, and we humbly come before a loving God, He will never turn away from us. It’s when we refuse to acknowledge and break clean with our sin, that God’s hands are tied. He cannot intervene on our behalf.

The forgiveness that God offers is powerful enough to snatch you out of hell. It has the ability to right a wrong, and it removes condemnation, disgrace, humiliation and shame. Forgiveness purifies. His act of forgiving turns His resentment away from you the one who actually deserves punishment, and places it on Jesus Christ the One who paid the price for your forgiveness— past, present, and future.

God will cover your sins and not expose you before people. If you have a humble heart. Exposure of our sins comes after our repeated rejection of His mercy. Time after time, He knocks on the door of our heart, beckoning us to repent; yet, we often reject His invitation.

Our natural minds cannot begin to comprehend or fathom the forgiveness of God because we are people, who, by nature, hold grudges and bitterness for long periods of time. It’s extremely easy for us to justify how we feel about someone that offended or hurt us, and react because of our wounds, but our Creator is the perfect example of one who teaches us how to forgive.

Completely Whole is available on Smashwords for $2.99 use coupon code: CJ46M until 2/27/12