When a tragic car accident took the life of our twenty-one year old daughter, Maia, we began a journey that has been paradoxically the most heart-wrenching and spiritually uplifting period of our lives. Learning to Dance in the Rain chronicles the first year of this journey. Through pain and despair to renewed energy and spiritual discovery, we write about the many ways in which we are finding strength and inspiration to carry on. With help from family and friends, a variety of religious/spiritual traditions, encounters with the natural world, and, most profoundly, continued connection with our beloved daughter, we are learning that death is as much a beginning as it is an end and that pain can be a catalyst for personal & spiritual growth. It is our greatest hope that sharing our story in this way will help others find strength to face the storms that come their way and live their lives with greater awareness. www.learningtodanceintherain.net

Twelve year-old Elizabeth, usually happy and full of life, has her world crumble around her when the Twin Towers fall and her family falls apart. When Brandt, eight years-old, and Jared, thirteen years old, arrive on the island Elizabeth shows them a new way to look at the world and she begins to laugh again. Together they must help their families overcome the sorrow and live again.

Dancing in the Rain offers a lively and accessible guide aimed at helping education leaders thrive under pressure by developing the inner strengths of mindfulness and self-compassion, expressing emotions wisely, and maintaining a clear focus on the values that matter most. Jerome T. Murphy, a scholar and former dean who has written and taught about the inner life of education leaders, argues that the main barrier to thriving as leaders is not the outside pressures we face, but how we respond to them inside our minds and hearts. In this concise volume, Murphy draws on a combination of Eastern contemplative traditions and Western psychology, as well as his own experience and research in the field of education leadership. He presents a series of exercises and activities to help educators take discomfort more in stride, savor the joys and satisfactions of leadership work, and thrive as effective leaders guided by heartfelt values. Every day, education leaders find themselves swamped in a maelstrom of pressures that add to the complex challenges of educating all students to a high level. With humor and compassion, Dancing in the Rain shows educators how to lead lives of consequence and purpose in the face of life’s inescapable downpours.

Parents of children with special needs offer their stories. Written with candor by people who have been there.

Everyone wants to love and be loved. But what happens when the one you love dies? Or you discover he/she is only after your money? When we are in love, life is fun and exciting. But when that love is lost, it is devastatingly painful. Author and educator, Shelby Wagner, has experienced both situations, and in her book, "Learning to Dance in the Rain II, " she offers insights and strategies which will be beneficial to all mature singles who desire a change. Those who buy and read her book, are in for a treat and will benefit by learning the following: How to navigate grief so they can heal and return to a life of balance and well-being. How to manage negative thoughts so they can brush-aside depression. How to improve their self-image and rebuild their self-confidence. How to assess their options and create a plan of action for a fulfilling next chapter of life. How to make quality decisions and be more decisive. How to protect themselves and stay safe when meeting strangers. How to safely and successfully navigate senior dating, including internet dating. How to spot a scammer before losing their shirt/money or heart. Buy Shelby’s book today and join her in the mission to “Stop feeding the animals criminals!” Available on her website: https://www.learningtodanceintherain.com or directly at: https://www.xlibris.com/en/bookstore/...? Or anywhere books are sold. ??

Dare to Dance in the Rain is a writing that challenges the reader to venture outside of societal norms of responding negatively to hardships and embrace a Christ-centered response. It is an invitation to integrate a joyful and worshipful attitude in the face of stormy life circumstances. This approach is illustrated through testimonies from the author's life experiences during which she danced her way out of dire situations by committing to a lifestyle of consistently worshipping God. If you have been feeling boxed in and frustrated by trying moments this book will activate the worshipper within you and ignite you to adapt a faith-filled outlook characterized by authentic praise and worship right in the middle of the storm.