Born To Shine

More than you have imagined, your life can communicate grace and bring solutions that transform the world for God’s glory. Born to Shine invites Christians to review the way we see ourselves and the methods we employ as partners in God’s mission. It looks at the beauty of light, the horrors of darkness, and God’s mystifying method of using fallible Christ followers to bring hope and healing to neighbors near and far. The book provides practical tools to help readers answer the vital question: “How can I best use my prayer, time, finances, strengths, circumstances, and pain to change the world with the love of Jesus?” You are the light of the world. God invites you to reclaim that identity with intentionality, urgency, and excellence.

This powerful memoir and inspirational guide shares a story of loss, resilience, and life-changing lessons found in the darkest seasons of life. When Ashley LeMieux and her husband lost their children in an adoption battle, it sent her into a tailspin that, ultimately, taught Ashley how to soar. Most people live with constant fears, burdens, and pains that they try to hide from themselves or others. In Born to Shine, Ashley shares a message of hope for women brave enough to admit that everything is not okay. Because the truth is that even when life is in ruins, people can still shine. LeMieux tells her story in alternating chapters, interspersed with lessons readers can apply in their own lives. It combines personal reflections and practical tools to help women shine despite the darkness, to press forward one day at a time, and to turn their most painful moments into their greatest teachers and signposts to true, deep, unassailable joy.

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER This authentic and dynamic memoir from the CEO of Kendra Scott Jewelry delivers inspiration, leadership lessons, and spellbinding storytelling. For twenty years, Kendra Scott built her eponymous jewelry company from a hobby and an idea into a company worth more than a billion dollars, creating beautiful and affordable pieces with signature-cut natural gemstones packaged in a sunny yellow box. By any measure, she’s the woman who has it all: a self-made billionaire, a generous philanthropist, and a mother of three with a squad of strong female friendships. Sounds pretty perfect, right? But perfection is a myth that doesn’t serve any of us. A myth that encourages us to assume that we know what other people are going through, to judge each other on appearances and reputations, to present the best versions of ourselves and pretend like we’ve got it all together even when everything is falling apart. Perfection isn’t just a lie, it’s exhausting, and Kendra is tired of it. In this vulnerable, wise, and laugh-out-loud book, Kendra takes us on a journey of personal stories and hard-earned life lessons, from her humble beginnings as an awkward, bullied young girl in small-town Wisconsin to launching a business in her spare bedroom with $500. With every pitfall, misstep, and failure, Kendra builds a life—and a career—rooted in joy, purpose, and doing good, a life she wants for every reader. With heart and humor, Kendra reminds us that not all that glitters is gold, and that there is no level of success that can insulate you from what it means to be a human being: that life is as messy as it is magical, that bad things happen to good people for no good reason, and that a good life does not mean a perfect one.

"Ruth has chronicled a brave, bold and honest journey. Her quest to record an eye opening bird's eye view into the educational systems of America is sure to help many souls successfully navigate the valleys and hills that lie ahead as we strive for freedom in a world that often buries its jewels in the muck and mire of political correctness. Indeed, we were born to shine, and this book will help us to believe." (Dr. Alveda C. King, Founder of King for America.) "I want to encourage you to take the time not just to read but think through this book by my dear friend, Ruth Stafford. She has shown great courage to honestly, yet lovingly challenge the prevalent thinking in our country. Ruth asks us to reconsider the value of all people, born and pre-born, and to understand that when we choose one life, we really devalue all life. It is imperative that we get honest with ourselves, even question the "status quo" thinking and begin to realize that our only hope is to begin to see people through God's eyes." (Lead Pastor, Chets Creek Church) "Ruth boldly opens the door to societal problems, exposing how a child's home life affects everything: morality, goals, intellect, dreams and character. She declares, 'Reading is knowledge.'" "With facets of poetry, life experiences, statistics, and resources, Ruth woos the reader towards a shinning, conclusive hope. In this book a window opens allowing God's light to illuminate the dark places. Silently, a God consciousness streams in, restoring the broken spirit in practical application. Open the mind. Breathe the truth. Live the faith. Care for one another. Make a difference. Be a conduit of His light." (Billie Cash, Author, Speaker, Motivator) wwwbilliecash.com

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER This authentic and dynamic memoir from the CEO of Kendra Scott Jewelry delivers inspiration, leadership lessons, and spellbinding storytelling. For twenty years, Kendra Scott built her eponymous jewelry company from a hobby and an idea into a company worth more than a billion dollars, creating beautiful and affordable pieces with signature-cut natural gemstones packaged in a sunny yellow box. By any measure, she's the woman who has it all: a self-made billionaire, a generous philanthropist, and a mother of three with a squad of strong female friendships. Sounds pretty perfect, right? But perfection is a myth that doesn't serve any of us. A myth that encourages us to assume that we know what other people are going through, to judge each other on appearances and reputations, to present the best versions of ourselves and pretend like we've got it all together even when everything is falling apart. Perfection isn't just a lie, it's exhausting, and Kendra is tired of it. In this vulnerable, wise, and laugh-out-loud book, Kendra takes us on a journey of personal stories and hard-earned life lessons, from her humble beginnings as an awkward, bullied young girl in small-town Wisconsin to launching a business in her spare bedroom with $500. With every pitfall, misstep, and failure, Kendra builds a life--and a career--rooted in joy, purpose, and doing good, a life she wants for every reader. With heart and humor, Kendra reminds us that not all that glitters is gold, and that there is no level of success that can insulate you from what it means to be a human being: that life is as messy as it is magical, that bad things happen to good people for no good reason, and that a good life does not mean a perfect one.

Everyone deserves to shine in this sparkling book about a girl who's trying to find her place in the universe--and middle school--from the New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library! Shine on! might be the catchphrase of twelve-year-old Piper's hero--astronaut, astronomer, and television host Nellie Dumont Frisse--but Piper knows the truth: some people are born to shine, and she's just not one of them. That fact has never been clearer than now, when her dad's new job has landed them both at Chumley Prep, a posh private school where everyone seems to be the best at something and where Piper definitely doesn't fit in. Bursting with humor, heart, science, possibilities, and big questions, Shine! is a story about finding your place in the universe--a story about figuring out who you are and who you want to be. BONUS! Science experiment included!

This book is a compilation of poems and soul songs. The collection depicts four stages in the journey toward self-realization and self-love. The first stage is remembranceone that exists in the realm of the imagination. It describes memories, visions, thoughts, and dreams. The second stage is the encounterthe point at which memories become real. The third stage is the fear stagethe moment when confusion sets in and one denies his or her own inner truth. The fourth stage is the awakening stageat this point, one has no choice but to accept his or her own inner truths. This journey is one characterized by joy, pain, fear, hope, uncertainty, and certainty. It captures the best of times and the worst of times on the path toward an awakening to ones true self. The book will be of interest to anyone who has ever encountered their divine counterpart, whether real or imagined.