There are good secrets—the kind that are fun and exciting, the kind that you’re anxious to share. And there are bad, dark secrets—the ones you may hope and pray are never found out. Even so, like a blockage in a pipe that sends water to places it is not wanted, such secrets make themselves known.

Guilty as Charged … Forgiven as Promised is author Sally Simmone’s story of her struggle to rise from the depths of depression caused by the guilt and shame of childhood sexual molestation and wrong choices made as a young adult. Simmone finally broke under the load of secrecy and shame and shared her secret with a friend. With the events of her life open before her, the pain was more than she could bear, and she sank into a deep depression.

 After years of counseling and even hospitalization, her journey led her to discover the depth of her Savior’s love. She shares some of the specific ways God brought her to where she is today and concludes with a Bible study on how one can find forgiveness from God—and oneself. The Bible teaches us to forgive others, even when it doesn’t seem possible.

 Simmone emerged into the sunlight of knowing God’s healing and forgiveness. Guilty as Charged … Forgiven as Promised can help and inspire those who live with a hidden secret to do the same.

Choosing His Hand is one woman’s journey of faith from turning her back on God and denying His existence, to recognizing His Almighty hand through a miracle, to finally choosing to place her life in His hand. How do you maintain a faith in an all-powerful, loving God when bad things happen to you? Many of us have been confronted by that question at some point in our lives. Although some Christians possess a faith strong enough to maintain a relationship with God even through the most difficult of times, others lose faith in God entirely when they fail to see the evidence of His hand.

When author Julia Kercher was faced with difficult circumstances in her life, she began to question God’s existence. In Choosing His Hand, Kercher shares her story of turning her back on God and attempting to take control of her own life—at least that’s what she thought she was doing. In reality, she had turned her life over to Satan’s control.

Still, God refused to give up on Kercher. He put His people in her path to help her find her way back to Him. But it wasn’t until experiencing a miracle that Kercher finally came to recognize God and eventually chose to place her life in His hand. Her life didn’t become miraculously happy and easy and she was still not in control, but she could trust in the One who is. When tragedy struck and Kercher’s world came crashing down around her, she had no one but God to turn to for answers and comfort. She had to trust in Him to carry her through.

Born into Islam, author Showkat Alborzi was an inquisitive young girl who longed to know her creator, her purpose in this world, and the meaning of life. One evening, she looked up to the depth of the sky and called God to reveal the truth of life to her. In her amazement, God showed up! He revealed His love for her in the evening sky by showing her His heart, carved out of clouds. It was the first time Showkat felt God’s presence. God was love. This was beyond Islam.

In 1979, the Islamic revolution shook Iran and the country plunged into 7th century darkness. She fled to the United States. Years later, God revealed Himself again to her, this time through a poem about the abortion she had years ago. God brought to light her hidden secret and guilt. Although, Jesus was never more than a prophet for her, now she knew He was the true God and that He was ready to forgive her if only she was ready to be forgiven. That was the moment she believed. 

This is the story of Showkat’s journey from the bondage of religion to the freedom of knowing God, from deception of Islam to the truth of Jesus. It is also an examination of crucial differences between Allah and YHWH, challenging Muslims to examine their beliefs, and offering a glimpse into a religion most Americans know little about, and its profound effect on our world.

Born into Islam, author Showkat Alborzi was an inquisitive young girl who longed to know her creator, her purpose in this world, and the meaning of life. One evening, she looked up to the depth of the sky and called God to reveal the truth of life to her. In her amazement, God showed up! He revealed His love for her in the evening sky by showing her His heart, carved out of clouds. It was the first time Showkat felt God’s presence. God was love. This was beyond Islam.

In 1979, the Islamic revolution shook Iran and the country plunged into 7th century darkness. She fled to the United States. Years later, God revealed Himself again to her, this time through a poem about the abortion she had years ago. God brought to light her hidden secret and guilt. Although, Jesus was never more than a prophet for her, now she knew He was the true God and that He was ready to forgive her if only she was ready to be forgiven. That was the moment she believed. 

This is the story of Showkat’s journey from the bondage of religion to the freedom of knowing God, from deception of Islam to the truth of Jesus. It is also an examination of crucial differences between Allah and YHWH, challenging Muslims to examine their beliefs, and offering a glimpse into a religion most Americans know little about, and its profound effect on our world.

Born into Islam, author Showkat Alborzi was an inquisitive young girl who longed to know her creator, her purpose in this world, and the meaning of life. One evening, she looked up to the depth of the sky and called God to reveal the truth of life to her. In her amazement, God showed up! He revealed His love for her in the evening sky by showing her His heart, carved out of clouds. It was the first time Showkat felt God’s presence. God was love. This was beyond Islam.

In 1979, the Islamic revolution shook Iran and the country plunged into 7th century darkness. She fled to the United States. Years later, God revealed Himself again to her, this time through a poem about the abortion she had years ago. God brought to light her hidden secret and guilt. Although, Jesus was never more than a prophet for her, now she knew He was the true God and that He was ready to forgive her if only she was ready to be forgiven. That was the moment she believed. 

This is the story of Showkat’s journey from the bondage of religion to the freedom of knowing God, from deception of Islam to the truth of Jesus. It is also an examination of crucial differences between Allah and YHWH, challenging Muslims to examine their beliefs, and offering a glimpse into a religion most Americans know little about, and its profound effect on our world.

Inspiring and comforting, as expressions of praise, faith, assurance, and courage, hymns have been part of author Betty Casarez’s life since her birth in 1924. One of her earliest memories is from age four, when she sang, “I have that joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart” with other children at a church in Texas. Her autobiography will take you back to her early years in west Texas; moving to live in San Antonio during the Depression and World War II, recalling songs many of us learned in childhood: “The B-I-B-L-E,” “Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World,” and “This Little Light of Mine.” Casarez went to nursing school and to seminary, working in a Mexican Baptist mission in Fort Worth where she even learned to appreciate some favorite hymns translated into Spanish.

Some hymns are associated with specific periods in her life, and some are simply longtime favorites. When Casarez’s grandfather experienced episodes of agitation in the weeks before his death, she was able to soothe him by singing hymns. She learned “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” from her oldest daughter, Jamie, who sang it often during the years she had brain cancer.

Casarez’s story calls up memories of bygone days, from wartime rationing to familiar hymns such as “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and “Just As I Am.” This is the story her life and its soundtrack—with music shared by so many throughout.

Inspiring and comforting, as expressions of praise, faith, assurance, and courage, hymns have been part of author Betty Casarez’s life since her birth in 1924. One of her earliest memories is from age four, when she sang, “I have that joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart” with other children at a church in Texas. Her autobiography will take you back to her early years in west Texas; moving to live in San Antonio during the Depression and World War II, recalling songs many of us learned in childhood: “The B-I-B-L-E,” “Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World,” and “This Little Light of Mine.” Casarez went to nursing school and to seminary, working in a Mexican Baptist mission in Fort Worth where she even learned to appreciate some favorite hymns translated into Spanish.

Some hymns are associated with specific periods in her life, and some are simply longtime favorites. When Casarez’s grandfather experienced episodes of agitation in the weeks before his death, she was able to soothe him by singing hymns. She learned “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” from her oldest daughter, Jamie, who sang it often during the years she had brain cancer.

Casarez’s story calls up memories of bygone days, from wartime rationing to familiar hymns such as “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and “Just As I Am.” This is the story her life and its soundtrack—with music shared by so many throughout.

I’ll do my best to share these events as accurately as I can. This is my recollection of it all but it is His story.  Each one of our lives and the events unfolding therein are His stories. The wondrous part is that our life stories and God’s purposes therein, will be revealed one day on the hillside of the New Jerusalem.  For those of us who have received Jesus Christ as Savior, what a beautiful love story that will be! How exciting it will be when we hear how He wooed and won each of our hearts! How He gave all He had to rescue us from the kingdom of darkness and then swept us off our collective feet and landed us safely in paradise. What a story time that will be! But until that day, and as astounding as it is, occasionally in the here and now, God parts the curtains of Heaven and gives us a glimpse of the story He has scripted before it ever unfolds.

For what I’m about to share with you today--I’m stunned afresh--almost daily that He let me in on His plan. God placed a bookmark in the present chapter of our lives, thumbed ahead a few pages, then leaned down from the Heavens and read aloud from His text—graciously allowing me a foreshadowing of the events that would come to pass exactly as He had penned them in His manuscript long before time began.

Despite advances in psychology and medicine, mental illness still carries a negative connotation among some groups. This includes some Christian communities, where mental illness is looked upon as taboo. Because of this, many Christians remain silent as they secretly battle such feelings as anxiety, depression, and compulsion. Sadly, this can mean not having their most important support system when needed.

Turning A Blind I is author Esther Jones’s story of how she battled obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which was undiagnosed for many years. In the meantime, Jones’s life revolved around constant worry, fear, and compulsion, keeping her a prisoner in her own mind. Then one summer, God brought her down to the depths of mental anguish, as she struggled for sanity and peace with her salvation. Jones was so lost; all she could do was cry out to Jesus.

Jesus openly accepts all who will come to Him, and Christians should follow His example.

Turning A Blind I tells the story of how one person with OCD—a disease deserving the same respect, support, and compassion as any other illness—came to allow God to make her do His will and not her own. As a result, He brought her the spiritual gift of mercy, accompanied by a God-given testimony, to help other Christians realize that even mental illness is allowed by God, used by God, and those who live it are still made in His image.

This collection of true short stories shares the life of Laurel Perrigo, a city girl from Detroit who moved to the country in Tennessee. There she began to accumulate farm animals, including goats, horses, and dogs—and to journal her experiences and insights. A photo collection also accompanies the stories.

Through these vignettes, readers will gain knowledge about various farm animals and the care they require, and they will learn the personal spiritual life lessons that those experiences taught Laurel.

Urban readers will come away with new insights into country living, while rural readers will relate to the stories of Laurel’s farm. All readers are invited to have spiritual reflections on how God uses everyday situations to reveal Himself to us and bring us closer to Him.

Choosing His Hand is one woman’s journey of faith from turning her back on God and denying His existence, to recognizing His Almighty hand through a miracle, to finally choosing to place her life in His hand. How do you maintain a faith in an all-powerful, loving God when bad things happen to you? Many of us have been confronted by that question at some point in our lives. Although some Christians possess a faith strong enough to maintain a relationship with God even through the most difficult of times, others lose faith in God entirely when they fail to see the evidence of His hand.

When author Julia Kercher was faced with difficult circumstances in her life, she began to question God’s existence. In Choosing His Hand, Kercher shares her story of turning her back on God and attempting to take control of her own life—at least that’s what she thought she was doing. In reality, she had turned her life over to Satan’s control.

Still, God refused to give up on Kercher. He put His people in her path to help her find her way back to Him. But it wasn’t until experiencing a miracle that Kercher finally came to recognize God and eventually chose to place her life in His hand. Her life didn’t become miraculously happy and easy and she was still not in control, but she could trust in the One who is. When tragedy struck and Kercher’s world came crashing down around her, she had no one but God to turn to for answers and comfort. She had to trust in Him to carry her through.

Choosing His Hand is one woman’s journey of faith from turning her back on God and denying His existence, to recognizing His Almighty hand through a miracle, to finally choosing to place her life in His hand. How do you maintain a faith in an all-powerful, loving God when bad things happen to you? Many of us have been confronted by that question at some point in our lives. Although some Christians possess a faith strong enough to maintain a relationship with God even through the most difficult of times, others lose faith in God entirely when they fail to see the evidence of His hand.

When author Julia Kercher was faced with difficult circumstances in her life, she began to question God’s existence. In Choosing His Hand, Kercher shares her story of turning her back on God and attempting to take control of her own life—at least that’s what she thought she was doing. In reality, she had turned her life over to Satan’s control.

Still, God refused to give up on Kercher. He put His people in her path to help her find her way back to Him. But it wasn’t until experiencing a miracle that Kercher finally came to recognize God and eventually chose to place her life in His hand. Her life didn’t become miraculously happy and easy and she was still not in control, but she could trust in the One who is. When tragedy struck and Kercher’s world came crashing down around her, she had no one but God to turn to for answers and comfort. She had to trust in Him to carry her through.

“Shall we attempt to save the mother or the unborn child?” That was the question facing the frightened parents and two doctors called to help with the complicated home birth in rural southern Louisiana. By the grace of God, both mother and child—Minton Oliver Newman—survived. The sturdy red oak tree sheltering the humble little house became for Minton a symbol of God’s presence and strength, serving as both comfort and inspiration throughout his life.

Eighty years later, Minton has completed this autobiography, moving from memories of his hardworking parents to his most cherished legacy: his large, loving family. Along the way, he recalls his rise from farm boy to college graduate, a thirty-year career in the air force plus fifteen more as an educator, and finally a busy and fulfilling retirement. A lifelong Christian, Minton is quick to credit God with his personal and professional success.

Photos and details bring Minton’s story to life, evoking a sense of place and time, events and loved ones. Yet this is more than a collection of facts or a list of one man’s accomplishments. Minton is not afraid to engage in serious reflection or to be honest about his feelings, such as the pain of losing his wife of fifty-three years and an adult son four years later, and the joy of discovering love again. It is this very humanness, and his love for family and God, that make this memoir such a treasure.