"There IS life after loss. It's just a different one." A decade of multiple traumatic events left Tonya Cunningham broken. In spite of her training as a grief counselor and doing all the right things, she fell into deep depression. The proverbial "lost her marbles" became reality in her life. But God led Tonya on a trek, a journey of healing. How could she ever rise from the ashes and regain the marbles of her mind? In her debut book, Tonya shares her story in hopes of helping others.

Herbert Smith, a six-foot, two-inch, 180 pound blue-eyed ?hunk?, arrived at the small Pasadena Police Department at the age of 26. Married Nettie Grace, a beautiful young lady, and the parents of their first child, a boy, they were the envy of the older officers already employed there. He exploded on the scene with a perfect score on his Civil Service Test and proved his proficiency with his sidearm by becoming one of the top shooters in his academy. Working the streets on patrol, Herbert was always on the cutting edge of the action. On more than one occasion he confronted, disarmed and arrested dangerous felons who were threats to himself, the citizens and his fellow officers. His 28 year career saw him advance through the ranks to Captain of Police. He graduated from the Institute of Applied Science, studying criminal identification methods. As a captain he graduated from the FBI National Academy, the 93rd Session. Herbert was a sidearm competitor, participating in many Police pistol matches, including the National Police Pistol Matches. As an honorable retired police officer, Herbert qualifies annually to carry a concealed handgun. Herbert is very active in his church and serves as a Deacon.

For the past two centuries and more, the West has acquired the treasures of antiquity to fill its museums, so that visitors to the British Museum in London, the Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan in New York - to name but a few - can wonder at the ingenuity of humanity throughout the ages. However, in the opinion of most people, many of these items are looted property and should be returned immediately. In 'Keeping Their Marbles', Tiffany Jenkins tells the intriguing and sometimes bloody story of how the West came to acquire these treasures. Originally published: 2016.

It is no accident that you are holding this book right now. Behind the seemingly chaotic unfolding of your life, there exists a harmony where everyone has a special purpose and everything has a perfect moment. But if you'e stuck in the "joyless zone"--that place where joy cannot enter and pain cannot leave--you cannot yet see this harmony. You may feel as if you have "lost your marbles."

Cartoonist Ellen Forney explores the relationship between “crazy” and “creative” in this graphic memoir of her bipolar disorder, woven with stories of famous bipolar artists and writers. Shortly before her thirtieth birthday, Forney was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Flagrantly manic and terrified that medications would cause her to lose creativity, she began a years-long struggle to find mental stability while retaining her passions and creativity. Searching to make sense of the popular concept of the crazy artist, she finds inspiration from the lives and work of other artists and writers who suffered from mood disorders, including Vincent van Gogh, Georgia O’Keeffe, William Styron, and Sylvia Plath. She also researches the clinical aspects of bipolar disorder, including the strengths and limitations of various treatments and medications, and what studies tell us about the conundrum of attempting to “cure” an otherwise brilliant mind. Darkly funny and intensely personal, Forney’s memoir provides a visceral glimpse into the effects of a mood disorder on an artist’s work, as she shares her own story through bold black-and-white images and evocative prose.

Why, when we live in a sexually obsessed culture, do we hide our sexual brokenness? So many children are emotionally abandoned after abuse and left to navigate their way alone through life, struggling to find sexual wholeness. It takes a great deal of courage to confront an abuser. The shame, along with the lie that we are not good enough, lingers long after the abuse. I believe it is what fuels the secrets. If victims were able to tell their stories safely and freely, I believe they would be able to heal far more easily from childhood abuse. What a great example of You have to live it if youre going to give it. Caren has helped all of us live it better. Stephen Arterburn, Founder of New Life Ministries I Lost My Marbles is an authentic, vulnerable look at a journey no one ever signs up to take. Written with courage and honesty, Caren Dillmans story reveals the abuse that many suffer at the hand of a trusted loved one. Her book is also a humorous and candid love story, and a narrative of faith that is developed in the midst of the storm. The powerful conclusion will take your breath away. Gayle M. Samples, PhD Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist | Executive Director at Emmaus Road Counseling A powerful read, presented with honesty and hope. Caren Dillmans unflinching narrative of trauma strikes deep in the heart. We feel her pain, her shame, and her confusion. We cheer her victories. Most of all, we come away with a profound appreciation for the authors story and her willingness to bring it into the light. Tammy Fletcher, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist www.fletchertherapy.com Everybody's got a story to tell and everybody's got a wound to be healed. The first time I heard those lyrics sung by the artist Plump, I wanted to declare, Yes we all have a story to tell and we all have wounds to heal. A light needs to be shined on the truth and our stories need to be told! Imagine what could happen if we believed we were safe to share our stories without consequences of judgment or rejection? Our freedom and path towards healing would be liberating. When I first heard that song I was in the middle of writing my own healing story and I was again facing another roadblock. The fear that kept hindering me were questions such as, how will others respond to my story, will it make a difference to anyone else? Can I risk being real enough so that my story will offer hope to others? When I faced those roadblocks I reminded myself what I had read from the Bible: You must be very careful not to forget the things you have seen God do for you. Keep reminding yourselves, and tell your children and grandchildren as well. Deut 4:9 (CEV) It would be years after struggling through my own recovery before I would take the risk to share what God had done for me. Like many people I felt isolated in my pain. I worked hard to hide the parts of myself that I believed would be rejected. I had repressed most of the sexual abuse from my childhood. I was unable to make the connection that the abuse had done damage which made it easy for me to believe that I was unworthy of love and acceptance. Childhood sexual abuse results in long-term side effects. One of them includes the risk of re-victimization. It creates serious problems for the individual, their family and society. Adult women with a history of childhood sexual abuse are more likely to suffer from depression, eating disorders, poor self esteem, and suicidal thoughts as well as other problems. Although the heightened anxiety Ive lived with has been challenging, the most significant effect was my inability to be comfortable in an intimate relationship with God. I had to learn that the shame I had lived with did not belong to me. It belonged to those who were the victimizers. And as is often too common, out of the shame and subsequent secrets I was left feeling confused and unworthy. At times in my life, when it was obvious that I needed to work on healing from betrayal and hurts I was unaware how extensive the plague of childhood abuse is in our society. Twenty-five years ago I learned that one out of every three girls will be sexually abused before the age eighteen. The statistic is nearly the same for boys will be abused? With increase awareness and knowledge, along with advances in education and treatment, the epidemic hasnt decreased but rather increased. Who would have imagined that in America we would be faced with sexual slavery and trafficking of young girls? However, the stats dont tell the extent of the problem. How many children, teens and adults have never told anyone their story? So why, when we live in a sexually obsessed culture, do we continue to hide our sexual brokenness? I know that so many children are emotionally abandoned after abuse and left to navigate their way alone through life, struggling to find sexual wholeness. Ive heard and read their stories. It takes a great deal of courage to confront an abuser. I discovered that shame, along with the infamous lie that were not good enough, lingers long after the abuse. I believe it is what fuels the secrets. If victims were able to tell their stories safely and freely, and were believed, I believe they would be able to heal far more easily from childhood abuse. Through my own therapy work and as a psychotherapist to many others I began to recognize that there are many other factors that contribute to a child growing up without self-esteem and without confidence. Even an environment without overt sexual abuse can still be invalidating. I knew I couldnt pass onto my children what I did not possess. I couldnt teach them to love themselves if I secretly hated who I was. I had to find a way to parent differently than was role modeled for me. We all make mistakes as parents. The mistakes alone are not what contribute to hurting our children. Its the unwillingness to own them and seek to do differently. At any point in time either one of my parents could have chosen to respond differently to me. They chose to reject me over seeking conflict resolution. It was left up to me to navigate through the tricky path of forgiveness. It was a slow process that happened gradually in stages. I hung onto the hope that one day they would come to me and ask forgiveness. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, Ive heard individuals stories all the time. Someone would come into my office and one of the first things I wanted to know was, what is your story? What were you hoping to gain by coming here? Can I walk along side of you and help you on this journey? All of the stories I hear are as unique and original as the individual client. I have learned to love the process of hearing these stories because I know how healing the telling of them is. Some of what Im told has been difficult to hear. At times I have been shocked and stunned with what Ive heard. I am amazed at how they have survived. For many of these clients, I am the first one they risked sharing these stories with. I have shared my personal story in my book, I Lost My Marbles. I pray you will find an opportunity to share yours. You can email me at [email protected].

Healing is available for you and to you personally. Areas of life will be uncovered that have brought or is currently bringing emotional, mental, and Spiritual pain. As individual journeys progress depression can come to an end. Pain can cease that seems unending. Each person who takes this journey will learn and implement powerful tools to personal well-being. Throughout the Word of God healing is told. Have you ever felt sappy -sad wondering when your healing will come while at the same time happy for people whose healing healing has come hence - sappy? Different from past experiences this is the time for you to embrace feeling of joy that accompany your healing that at one time seemed so far away until now. During journeys pain will be felt but healing will come. Some journeys will be longer than others but healing will come. About the time you may want to throw up your hands and quit aEUR" donaEUR(tm)t - healing will come. A Journey to Inner Healing offers easy to follow instructions yet personal to everyone.The guidelines in this book will assist you in your personal journey. You may once again be able to embrace joy and relieve stress. This is a time for you to learn just how amazing you are as you complete your journeys.