For anyone facing addiction, whether it is to drugs, food, alcohol or sex, there is nothing more difficult than overcoming this disease (yes, addiction is a disease) and regaining their life. Through these personal stories of battling addiction, you will come to understand the cycle of addiction recovery—from complete loss and total despair to getting a renewed sense of purpose and an appreciation for life. But through each of these stories, one common theme stands out—hope.

When people get a diagnosis of cancer, the world around them almost seems to shut down as their mind races with thoughts of treatment, survival and everything in life they wish they had done. But cancer is not always a death sentence. In some cases, it can give new life to a person. In each of these stories told by cancer survivors, you will learn how they not only beat the odds, but also found an inner strength that enabled them to get through their cancer diagnosis and anything else life throws their way.

No one said love was easy, but no one ever said it wasn’t worth the risk either. In this series of personal accounts of love, explore the ups and downs, humility and humor, and the roller coaster ride that women often take in finding Mr. Right, putting up with him and, ultimately, spending the rest of your life with him regardless of his faults, quirks and unique way of showing love.

For some people, life can be overwhelming. And when it gets to the point where they feel trapped or out of control, suicide mayn feel like the only escape. In this series of personal narratives, learn how people who attempted suicide or seriously considered it, came out from under all the despair and hopelessness and found a way to get through it and get back to living life rather than trying to end it.

With the important role that women play in society, there is still a great deal of negativity, abuse, harassment and outright disrespect towards them. This holds true in the workplace, politics, education and even at home. But despite the insults, rage and put downs, women are managing to find their strength and are proving to the world that they are smart, have just as much to offer as their male counterparts and are no longer going to be victims. The women in these triumphant narratives found a way to stand up for themselves and what they believe in, and prove their male aggressors, doubters and discriminators wrong. They found empowerment.

At some point in your life, you probably have said “I Love You,” “Thank You,” “Forgive Me” or “I’m Sorry” to someone. But what if looking back, you realized you should have said these words, but did not. What if it was not until later in life that you realized how much you loved, appreciated or forgave someone without them knowing? For these authors, they understood the magnitude of these words and believed it was not too late to let those they loved know how they feel. You too will feel the impact of these simple words through each individual narrative. You may even be inspired to follow their lead and utter them to someone important in your life.

The last thing a mother expects is for her son to suffer at the hands of his own father. But that is what happened to one mom whose husband’s reprehensible actions led to her baby boy suffering irreversible brain damage and being taken away from her and
having to grow up without his mother for the first few years of his life. And while mother and son were eventually reunited, feelings of guilt, paranoia and mistrust still loomed large until the love of a man helped her overcome these emotions that kept both her and her son hostage for so long.

What happens when the man of your dreams becomes your worst nightmare? The saying that looks can be deceiving sure holds true for this woman whose handsome husband was nothing more than a cheating, abusive, insecure monster who also turned
to child molestation and attempted murder as part of his sick obsession with control in order to feed his very disturbed ego. But even under these horrific circumstances, this woman, wife and mother found the strength to not let her spirit be broken or her life be threatened and escaped what could have been a life-ending situation.

A teenage rape victim uses the immense anger she has for her attacker as a motivator to turn her life around and become a successful and victorious woman. She finds a way to conquer the endless thoughts of the rape and her rapist by creating her own mental torture chamber where she slowly watches him suffer and then disappear from her life. But what she ultimately finds is forgiveness—not for him, but for herself.

Childhood is something that is meant to be precious, innocent and, ultimately, defines a person. But what happens when childhood is stripped away by physical, emotional and sexual abuse? What becomes of a girl who grows up being unloved, neglected and isolated from the world? For many girls in this situation, a happy ending is rare. However, one girl who endured a horrific childhood defied the odds by letting go of all the anger, hate and sadness and creating a life filled with happiness and success. She slowly learned that releasing all the negative emotions enabled her to live the life she wanted for herself.

Fear can sometimes become a disability with a profound effect on a person’s life. But when that fear takes over to the point that a marriage is ruined, children are suffering and the pain is too unbearable, it literally becomes an issue of life and death. In this highly personal narrative, one man discusses his extreme struggle with fear and how it impacted every aspect of his life. And, yet, after hitting some deep lows, he found a way to overcome it all through a lot of support and his eternal belief and faith in God.

Childhood is something that is meant to be precious, innocent and, ultimately, defines a person. But what happens when childhood is stripped away by physical, emotional and sexual abuse? What becomes of a girl who grows up being unloved, neglected and isolated from the world? For many girls in this situation, a happy ending is rare. However, one girl who endured a horrific childhood defied the odds by letting go of all the anger, hate and sadness and creating a life filled with happiness and success. She slowly learned that releasing all the negative emotions enabled her to live the life she wanted for herself.