Will Rise From Ashes

In Sparks of Phoenix--Najwa Zebian's third book of poetry--she takes her readers on a powerful journey of healing. As the phoenix emerges from its ashes, Zebian emerges ablaze in these pages, not only as a survivor of abuse, but as a teacher and healer for all those who have struggled to understand, reclaim, and rise above a history of pain. The book is divided into six chapters, and six stages of healing: Falling, Burning to Ashes, Sparks of Phoenix, Rising, Soaring, and finally, A New Chapter, which demonstrates a healthy response to new love as the result of authentic healing. With her characteristic vulnerability, courage, and softness, Zebian seeks to empower those who have been made to feel ashamed, silenced, or afraid; she urges them, through gentle advice and personal revelation, to raise their voices, rise up, and soar.

Living is more than mere survival... Young widow AJ Sinclair has persevered through much heartache. Has she met her match when the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, leaving her separated from her youngest son and her brother? Tens of thousands are dead or missing in a swath of massive destruction. She and her nine-year-old autistic son Will embark on a risky road trip from Maine to the epicenter to find her family. She can't lose another loved one. Along the way, they meet Reid Gregory, who travels his own road to perdition looking for his sister. Drawn together by AJ's fear of driving and Reid's military and local expertise, their journey to Colorado is fraught with the chaotic aftermath of the eruption. AJ's anxiety and faith in humanity are put to the test as she heals her past, accepts her family's present, and embraces uncertainty as Will and Reid show her a world she had almost forgotten.

*#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER *Winner, Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Nonfiction *Winner, Indigenous Voices Awards *Winner, High Plains Book Awards *Finalist, CBC Canada Reads *A Globe and Mail Book of the Year *An Indigo Book of the Year *A CBC Best Canadian Nonfiction Book of the Year In this extraordinary and inspiring debut memoir, Jesse Thistle, once a high school dropout and now a rising Indigenous scholar, chronicles his life on the streets and how he overcame trauma and addiction to discover the truth about who he is. If I can just make it to the next minute...then I might have a chance to live; I might have a chance to be something more than just a struggling crackhead. From the Ashes is a remarkable memoir about hope and resilience, and a revelatory look into the life of a Métis-Cree man who refused to give up. Abandoned by his parents as a toddler, Jesse Thistle briefly found himself in the foster-care system with his two brothers, cut off from all they had known. Eventually the children landed in the home of their paternal grandparents, whose tough-love attitudes quickly resulted in conflicts. Throughout it all, the ghost of Jesse’s drug-addicted father haunted the halls of the house and the memories of every family member. Struggling with all that had happened, Jesse succumbed to a self-destructive cycle of drug and alcohol addiction and petty crime, spending more than a decade on and off the streets, often homeless. Finally, he realized he would die unless he turned his life around. In this heartwarming and heart-wrenching memoir, Jesse Thistle writes honestly and fearlessly about his painful past, the abuse he endured, and how he uncovered the truth about his parents. Through sheer perseverance and education—and newfound love—he found his way back into the circle of his Indigenous culture and family. An eloquent exploration of the impact of prejudice and racism, From the Ashes is, in the end, about how love and support can help us find happiness despite the odds.

It isn’t what happens to us that causes distress; it is how we react to distress that affects us. Beyond Coping -Phoenix rising from the Ashes is an unforgettable memoir of one woman’s incredible journey of hope, devastation, and recovery. It is an inspiration for those who are confronted with tragedy in their lives. This story takes the reader to the dream of Paradise, only to have it go up in flames a few months later. The author relies on her own inner strength, the strength of her friend who survived the fire with her, the emotional support of her fiancé, and various spiritual books to take her beyond coping and to being completely transformed. Her mother, living in Canada, was her strongest ally, constantly encouraging her to believe in herself.

Praise for The Phoenix “The constant pressures from the men she dared to love caused Melanie to crumble under their attacks. She is now soaring on the wings of an eagle, flying high into the deep blue sky, moving forward to fulfill her destiny. A must-read!” —Minister Vickie Robertson, The Fellowship of Faith Church, Huntsville, AL Uniquely Christian, uniquely honest – this book amazes, delights, saddens and ultimately encourages each reader who knows the joy and pain inside a marriage. With shocking honesty, author Dian Griffin Jackson tells a story of love, abuse and the hard work of rebuilding. A must read book for pastor and parishioner alike – anyone ready to know the reality of resurrection. —Rev. Dr. Nancy Ellett Allison, Pastor, Holy Covenant United Church of Christ, Charlotte, NC Melanie Bell—a university graduate, devoted wife and mother, pastor, and many things in between—searches for the love and acceptance that has eluded her since birth. The Phoenix – Rising from the Ashes follows Melanie’s struggles as a teenage mom who became a wife and mother of two early in life and as a woman who loved her husband and desired to please him above all else and make him happy. During therapy, she learns there’s a thirsty, hungry, needy little girl inside who is looking for her parents’ love and acceptance. After leaving her abusive husband, she sets out to find a man who will love her enough to help her right the wrongs both she and her mother experienced. She is also determined to reconcile the disenfranchised little girl with the beautiful, phenomenal woman she is certain the Creator has made her to be. A story of growing up too soon, this novel shares the journey of a woman who has been through the fires and storms of life and realized that—despite the teachings of the church intended to dehumanize her by telling her she is dirty, wretched, and unclean—she has had God’s favor her entire life.

Wanda D. Kidd is an Author, Evangelist, Seminarian and Facilitator with a passionate message of empowerment for life! She enlightens the heart and illuminates the mind with powerful messages of truth in self-evaluation, accountability, spiritual authority and the renewal of the mind. These provoking messages ultimately lead open hearts to healing, deliverance and life change. This reading is a riveting and powerful work that not only ignites the minds of the readers bringing them to a place of empowerment, but it also brings them to healing, restoration, wholeness and newness. The revelation knowledge of Jesus' mission statement is unfolded: "...I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." No matter where the challenges of life have positioned you at this time, you do not have to stay there! This book invites you to rise up out of your ashes, take back your life, move forward and be made whole in every area of your life! The question is...Are you ready for a life change?

This is for Love. Heartbreak, injustice, war, slavery. anger. vengeance. forgiveness, healing. self-love - lLife. This is a voice for the voiceless. Illuminating the darkness of societal norms. You will walk in my shoes, See through my eyes. I will snatch the rug of delusion right under your feet. You will spark, ignite, burn and rise from the ashes with me. Writing is rebellion. Breaking free from conformation is freedom. And this book is all about freedom.