According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17.5 million Americans suffer from clinical depression. Each year, more than 132,000 people will consider suicide as a way out of depression and over 30,000 of them will succeed. The author became a statistic of the first two categories and was miraculously saved from the third. Ironically, he was reborn to a new reality through the intervention of a terminally ill friend as he wrote his school-aged son a desperate suicide letter. The letter grew longer and longer and eventually changed course and became this book. Something tragic and sad became an inspirational story of survival and perspective. This book is a riveting first hand account of not only depression, but more importantly his journey into and out of depression. The author describes his decent and climb from depression to his son in heartbreaking detail, from his childhood in the tough streets of Philadelphia to his battle with cancer, the deaths of his sister, mother and two best friends, all in a relatively short period of time. What make this book unique are the strategically intertwined positive lessons that were learned while facing these tragic, life-altering events. These lessons, appropriately named "Life Lessons", are heartfelt loving messages from a father to his son illustrating what the author believes to be the truths of life and what is truly important to him today. Desperate to pass on these imperative messages to the most important person in his world, the author expresses his feelings on such subjects as true success, stress and pressure, love, and family.

When the challenges you've faced threaten to destroy your life, how do you find your way back to the truths you thought you believed? I Am Restored tells the untold story of how Lecrae's past nearly ruined his future--until he learned that the wounds we carry can have the potential to be unlikely guides to healing and freedom for ourselves and others. Throughout I Am Restored, Lecrae documents the shattering yet hopeful story of how he faced the scars of his past--sexual abuse, physical trauma, addiction, and depression--and emerged more fully human than ever before. With remarkable transparency and vulnerability, Lecrae reveals that at the height of his professional success, his life was spinning out of control, driven by a past that he had never confronted and a religious perspective that was incapable of meeting the challenge. I Am Restored takes an unflinching look at the personal and public spaces that are too often at the societal core of our pain and heartache--culture, politics, family, church, and more--and teaches us that forgiveness can be the birthplace of the life that God has created for us. Throughout this powerful, deeply personal account, Lecrae shares the life lessons he's learned about: Confronting the pain and trauma that has shaped your story Breaking the cycle of sin and shame and embracing joy and authenticity Finding hope and healing in the midst of chaos The simple practices that can change your mental, emotional, and spiritual health Leading a life that's bursting with creativity and true freedom I Am Restored is a hopeful, inspiring charge to start your journey to lasting healing today. No matter what your past has held, God is near you, he hears you, and he's not done writing your story.

In The Daily Check-In, singer and actress Michelle Williams helps readers process the emotions that cause them to feel overwhelmed and gives them powerful strategies for discovering freedom and wholeness. In her book Checking In, Michelle Williams shared the painful seasons of struggle that left her feeling like she couldn't go on. In the midst of her wrestling, she came to realize her crucial need for connection--with God, herself, and others--and developed strategies for checking in with each. Her life-giving strategies have helped her overcome the thoughts and emotions that once threatened to derail her. Now she shares those strategies with readers who are on their own journeys toward mental wholeness--and who want to discover how to be free to live an abundant life. In this sixty-day guided journal, Williams leads readers through the process of identifying the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that leave them feeling overwhelmed, unfulfilled, and alone. Through her unique blend of tender, sometimes humorous, and often thought-provoking wisdom, Williams shows readers how to overcome difficult circumstances and relationships with life-giving honesty and connection, offering powerful readings about overwhelming emotions and healing from hurt; key scriptures that emphasize the importance of checking in with God, themselves, and others; journaling prompts for personal processing; and short prayers to help readers lean on God for insight, strength, and courage on their journey toward mental wholeness.

This is a true story of the author's friendship with Alice, a cat, and how she helped him through a difficult time in his life, bringing him to a new level of looking at both life and death. My Cat Saved My Life explores the relationship between cat and man: the ways in which she gave him a clearer understanding of existence; taught him, in fact, how to live, how to achieve a spiritual awakening to the world, and the place of humans in it.Phillip Schreibman rescued a sickly stray kitten when he was struggling with both his parents' deaths. The emotions he experienced had driven him into a deep depression, which had begun to fracture his relationships, disconnect him from the everyday world, and impair his work as a composer.Alice soon began to insinuate herself into all aspects of Schreibman's daily routine. He began a personal journey to discover the cat's "strategy of life". Their ensuing adventures and the exploration of the bond that grew between them make a remarkable tale of how one species can teach another -- with respect, compassion, and love.

Do you sometimes feel . . . Down, depressed, or unhappy? Anxious, panicky, or insecure? Guilty, inadequate, or worthless? Lonely, unwanted, or alone? For decades, we've been told that "negative" feelings like depression and anxiety are the result of what's wrong with us, which creates feelings of shame and makes it sound like we're broken and need to be "fixed." But what if we have it all backwards? What if our negative moods do not result from what's wrong with us but, rather, what's right with us? This is the revolutionary mind shift you will find in Feeling Great. Written by Dr. David Burns, a pioneer of cognitive therapy and author of the national bestseller Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, this book describes a groundbreaking high-speed treatment for depression and anxiety based on one simple notion: Our struggles actually reflect what is most beautiful about us. And when we can see our negative thoughts and feelings from this radically different perspective, recovery becomes possible--sometimes even in the blink of an eye! Based on Dr. Burns's 40+ years of research and more than 40,000 hours treating individuals with severe mood issues, Feeling Great is filled with inspiring real-life case studies and more than 50 actionable tools to crush the negative thoughts that rob you of happiness and self-esteem. You can change the way you feel. In fact, you owe it to yourself to feel GREAT!

In Healing from Depression, Douglas Bloch shares his struggle to stay alive amidst overwhelming despair and out-of-control anxiety attacks, and explains how the power of prayer and other holistic approaches ultimately led to his recovery. As one of the millions of Americans who suffer from depression, Bloch could not be helped by so-called “miracle” drugs. Therefore, he had to seek out conventional and alternative non-drug methods of healing. The result is a 12-week program that combines his inspirational story with a comprehensive manual on how to diagnose and treat depression, offering new hope and practical strategies to everyone who suffers from this debilitating condition. Complete with worksheets and goal sheets to customize individual plans, Healing from Depression is an accessible self-guided program for managing and recovering from depression. Acclaimed as a “life-line to healing,” this important book stresses the importance of social support, on going self-care activities like relaxation, nutrition, exercise, prayer, meditation, support groups, therapy and keeping a daily mood diary and gratitude journal.

Now in paperback, the national bestselling riches-to-rags true story of an advertising executive who had it all, then lost it all—and was finally redeemed by his new job, and his twenty-eight-year-old boss, at Starbucks. In his fifties, Michael Gates Gill had it all: a mansion in the suburbs, a wife and loving children, a six-figure salary, and an Ivy League education. But in a few short years, he lost his job, got divorced, and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. With no money or health insurance, he was forced to get a job at Starbucks. Having gone from power lunches to scrubbing toilets, from being served to serving, Michael was a true fish out of water. But fate brings an unexpected teacher into his life who opens his eyes to what living well really looks like. The two seem to have nothing in common: She is a young African American, the daughter of a drug addict; he is used to being the boss but reports to her now. For the first time in his life he experiences being a member of a minority trying hard to survive in a challenging new job. He learns the value of hard work and humility, as well as what it truly means to respect another person. Behind the scenes at one of America’s most intriguing businesses, an inspiring friendship is born, a family begins to heal, and, thanks to his unlikely mentor, Michael Gill at last experiences a sense of self-worth and happiness he has never known before. Watch a QuickTime trailer for this book.