This Is Your Brain on Joy: A Revolutionary Program for Balancing Mood, Restoring Brain Health, and Nurturing Spiritual Growth

By Dr. Earl Henslin


How do you picture joy?

Some may envision children with Jell-O-red smiles, rambunctious puppies, or Fourth of July parades. For others, joy may conjure up memories of time spent with someone you love or warm summer evenings.

However, in this book, the author takes a more scientific approach. Through the use of SPECT (single photon emission computerized tomography) imagery, brain scans are now able to expose emotions such as joy, anger, depression, fear, etc.

Why is this important to the average lay person? This imagery provides powerful information to identify disorders such as ADHD (attention concerns), fears, addictions, compulsions, obsessions, depression, grief, anger, etc. In other words, conditions common to the average person in today’s world.

Doctors, counselors and therapists use this information to prescribe personalized treatment. While treatment may include medication, usually there is a combination
of diet, supplements, music, cinematherapy (watching certain movies), laughter, aromatherapy, biofeedback, as well as physical and spiritual exercise (prayer, reading scripture, etc.).

The author, Dr. Henslin, is a licensed counselor and graduate school faculty member. According to the back cover, “Dr. Henslin has been integrating brain imaging into the treatment of psychological, physical and spiritual problems (at his) Christian counseling group in Brea, California.”

I found this book to be enjoyable, practical and easy to read.

The Noticer

by Andy Andrews

Lunatic… or Angel? Perspective is everything.

Has someone ever impacted your life by saying what you needed to hear at just the right time? In The Noticer, a fictional story, a community is blessed to have a quirky man named Jones who turns up at just the right place, at just the right time. Jones takes words and sayings you may have heard before, applies it to your life until it seems new and suddenly, your perspective changes.

Couples about to divorce recognize a love worth saving. A man about to take his own life decides his life is not over. An old woman who believes her life is useless, realizes the best may be yet to come. Even teenagers ask for advice!

The situations you face don’t change, however, your perspective changes and you are changed.

The impact of the wisdom in this small book will not stay on the written pages. To fully understand, you must go a step further. First you must ask, who are the “Jones” in your life, and secondly, who needs you as “Jones” in theirs.

This small book holds great ideas that will spill forth and multiple.

The Edge of Recall

by Kristen Heitzmann

Tessa is a landscape architect obsessed with labyrinths. She is drawn to the ruins of an intriguing labyrinth; however, to follow her passion, she must work with a man she once loved but who ultimately betrayed her.

The Edge of Recall may be of the genre contemporary romantic suspense, however, "thriller" seems a more appropriate label. Until the end, it's unclear as to who should be wearing the white hats and who deserves the black.

If you are looking for a great read, pick this one up. To fully explore the depth of the messages hidden within this book, consider more than one reading.

~ ~ ~ If you are interested in Prayer Labyrinths ~ ~ ~

You may wish to explore prayer labyrinths such as the one at

Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

For history and information on the EMU labyrinth, go to https://www.emu.edu/seminary/whylabyrinth.html

Wordle John 3:16

Reflections of God's Holy Land: A Personal Journey Through Israel

Reflections of God’s Holy Land: A Personal Journey Through Israel
By Eva Marie Everson and Miriam Feinberg Vamosh

“In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.”
David Ben-Gurion (p. 18)


Written by two friends, a Christian from the United States and a Jew from Israel, this “arm chair tour” of Israel illustrates miracles, both ancient and modern.

As the two friends move from the Judean Wilderness to the Garden Tomb, the women journey not only in miles but in depth of heart and kinship. Two unlikely traveling companions. Two women bonded in search for what they hold holy.

Through the eyes of the two friends, we come to the Western Wall, a sacred place of prayer for centuries. We see men dressed in traditional religious garb while others wear khaki shorts and athletic t-shirts. The history is fascinating (“Did You Know?”) but Eva Marie Everson’s insights (“Reflections”) stir the soul.

At Beersheba’s well, we wonder with the authors, “…how deep I’m willing to go each day to find water from the stream.” (p. 33)

At the Field of Boaz, we understand that when one traveler cannot enter Bethlehem safely, the other will not go. Like Ruth and Naomi, they are not parted.

This book is not just beautiful and inspirational, it touches the soul. It tells of miracles of the past while creating hope for the future.

Reviewers Notes:

One of my favorite sections of the book is the story of when Rebekah sees her future husband for the first time. When translated from the original Hebrew, Genesis 24:64 “…says that when Rebekah saw Isaac, she fell off the camel!” Later in this section, the author asks, “When was the last time your Heavenly Bridegroom knocked you off your camel?” (pp. 30-33)

Reaching for Answers to Crohn's Disease

by Martha Kalichman, R.N.

Imagine a prescription for a devastating disease that is simple, relatively inexpensive, without side effects and effective long term.

Author Martha Kalichman did just that when faced with her fifteen year old daughter's diagnosis of Crohn's Disease. She called upon her knowledge as a registered nurse, her interest in medical research and her faith to find a better answer than those currently offered. In this reader-friendly narrative, Martha shares the journey her family traveled in search of better choices than the current harsh medications.

The result is an incredible discovery that is backed by medical research. Written in conjunction with a pediatric gastroenterologist, J. Rainer Poley, M.D., who completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic and now practices in North Carolina, this powerful little book contains Martha's story and guidelines for this "prescription." Medical references are provided for those interested in looking into the research themselves.

Reaching for Answers to Crohn's Disease will live as a trailblazer for improved health and quality of life for sufferers of this potentially debilitating disease.

This book is available from http://www.amazon.com/ or http://www.barnesandnoble.com/

Paperback: 104 pages
Published: July 2008
ISBN-10: 1414111762
ISBN-13: 978-1414111766

Cooking Around the Calendar with Kids: Holiday and Seasonal Food and Fun

by Amy Houts

"So Much More Than A Cookbook"

"So Much More Than A Cookbook", a statement on the back cover of "Cooking Around the Calendar With Kids", is an accurate description of this delightful resource. The introduction explains the reasons for our food choices including weather, holidays, location, harvest times, and family traditions.

The author uses the simple means of cooking to incorporate a variety of important skills for children. These skills range from learning about healthy eating, kitchen safety, sports nutrition and the changing seasons to spending quality time with family.

Children are taught to give of themselves (while also raising self esteem) by making simple holiday food gifts such as honey butter, spice mix, soup mix, or chocolate chip cookies in a jar. Each page is 'jam packed' with simple, healthy recipes and wonderful ideas.

This book is a valuable resource for anyone in contact with young children whether a child care provider, parent, grandparent or next door neighbor.