I remember the first time I heard someone talk about exploitation and human trafficking. It was then I realized, "OMG, that's what I went through!" Leaving the Life engages you in a story much like our own, encourages you to consider other options, and empowers you to dream of a different, better life. Rebecca Bender, Foreword--------------------------------------------------Book Excerpt Mary saw the bruising around my eye. "Did AJ hit you again?""No, of course not," I said, reaching up to touch my tender face."Are you sure? Looks like it." Mary stared at my black eye. It made me uncomfortable."It was my own fault," I finally said. "I didn't get a very big tip last night. And I passed out before he could send me somewhere else."Mary nodded as if to say, been there, done that, then said, "It happens."I walked to my room and stared at the girl in the mirror. Her face seemed thin and almost hollow. Her eyes had circles around them and looked darker than I remembered. I tried to make her smile, but she wasn't able to...I couldn't sleep because I was lying in bed with my heart on fire. I hadn't felt this way since the first few nights my stepdad came into my room all those years ago. After each time, I would spend the rest of the night trying to contain all the awful feelings pouring out of me. I would hold my knees to my chest, knowing that if I let the feelings out, everyone would know my shame.--------------------------------------------------About the Book Have you felt desperate, discouraged, overwhelmed and confused? Have you been in a harmful relationship where you have experienced exploitation and abuse? Has your life gone in a different direction than you expected or wanted? If so, this book is for you. In Elsa's story, you might find many similarities between what you have experienced and what she has survived-vulnerabilities, abuse, regrets, bad relationships, drugs, violence, emotional turmoil, fear, anger, self-blame, self-hatred, and more. Yet your past does not need to define your future. You can leave. Help and hope are available.-------------------------------------------------- About the Authors. Dr. Becca, Jessa, and Karalyn are a unique team - a psychologist, survivor and writer. These justice-seekers and heart-helpers want to encourage you to find freedom.

In this unflinching and inspiring memoir, Jesse Leon tells an extraordinary story of resilience and survival, shining a light on a childhood spent devastated by sex trafficking, street life, and substance abuse. Born to indigenous working-class Mexican immigrants in San Diego in the 1970s, Jesse Leon’s childhood was violently ruptured. A dangerous and harrowing encounter at a local gift shop when he was eleven years old left Jesse with a deadly secret. Hurt, alone, and scared for his life, Jesse numbed his pain by losing himself in the hyper-masculine culture of the streets and wherever else he could find it—in alcohol, drugs, and prostitution. Overlooked by state-sanctioned institutions and systems intended to help victims of abuse, neglected like many other low-income Latinos, Jesse spiraled into cycles of suicide and substance abuse. I’m Not Broken is the heartbreaking and remarkable story of the journey Jesse takes to win back his life, leading him to the steps of Harvard University. From being the lone young person of color in Narcotics Anonymous meetings to coming to terms with his own sexual identity, to becoming an engaged mentor for incarcerated youth, Jesse finds the will to live with the love and support of his family, friends, and mentors. Recounting the extraordinary circumstances of his life, Jesse offers a powerful, raw testament to the possibilities of self-transformation and self-acceptance. Unforgettable, I’m Not Broken is an inspirational portrait of one young man’s indomitable strength and spirit to survive—against all possible odds.

While our culture places great emphasis on comfort, security, control, and success, there are deeper rewards for those who take hold of God’s promises and reach out in the Name of Christ. Adventure, faith, miracles, and a deep knowledge of Jesus Christ. This is what Susie calls her readers to realize. Author/Speaker Susie Larson makes her message graspable, accessible, and doable. Her stories, scriptural devotionals, and study questions set the stage for a first-hand experience of God’s heart for personal freedom, for the plight of the suffering, and for a conviction to get involved with His work among those in need. While the book’s primary focus is on the reader’s journey into freedom, it clearly conveys our shared responsibility to “seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, [and] plead for the widow” (Isaiah 1:17, nrsv). This is God’s expectation for those who truly know Him. When we live in bondage to our fears, insecurities, shame, guilt, despair, or sinful appetites, we live self-focused lives. But when we embrace our freedom in Christ, our hearts are released from captivity and we view everything around us—our relationships, resources, responsibilities, and opportunities—as tools to bring that same freedom to those who desperately need it. This book is for the woman who wants to grow stronger in her walk of faith and who wants to gain a greater view of God’s heart for the world. And it’s to this we are called. May she be provoked, to be as free as God meant her to be. And as a result, may she become an advocate for the freedoms of others. Each chapter includes devotional insights, justice quotes, anecdotes, prayer guidance, and study/reflective questions.

Meditations and Reflections to Help End Codependence “In 200 short, straightforward daily lessons illustrating the many forms that detachment can take in one’s life. Casey’s latest is an easy reference guide for those seeking recovery or peace.” —Publishers Weekly #1 New Release in Personality Disorders and Twelve-Step Programs Do you ever feel like you might be giving other people too much power over your mood? Do you find yourself feeling immobilized by expectations and demands? The cure for facing codependence, says Karen Casey, is detachment. Control your life by letting go. When we remove codependent behavior from our lives, we discover a life of balance and freedom. Whether you find yourself tempted to become enmeshed in other people’s problems or rushing to their rescue, Casey reminds us to stop controlling behavior —that we cannot control anyone or anything beyond ourselves. What is codependency and detachment? Inside, you’ll find gems of insight for every stage of your codependence recovery journey. Through 200 recovery meditations and reflections, Casey explores how to set boundaries, control emotions, face attachment issues in adults, and more. Inspirational and easy to read, Let Go Now guides us away from taking care of others, and toward taking care of ourselves. If you’re looking for a codependent book or an attachment book —like Melody Beattie books,The Power of Letting Go Codependent No More, or TheLanguage of Letting Go book —you’ll love Let Go Now.

Many people live a life of darkness and suffering under the weight of childhood trauma, neglect or abuse. Anger and rage are distress symptoms of a deeper issue. The Holy Spirit knows the gentlest way to guide you to truth and freedom and He desires to woo His bride gently. He does not desire to kick in your doors or expose you in shame. My journey of Inner-healing and deliverance based on Theology of The Body has truly transformed my life so that I could reclaim the truth that God has made me for greatness. One person can change the world and that person is you.

Sex trafficking is too common in our country and there are many who are seeking healing. It is difficult to get that healing when your own story is confusing. Sex trafficking is very complex and not easy for outsiders to understand let alone the person it happened to. What Happened to Me helps survivors of sex trafficking understand and comprehend what they experienced. Real life stories of other survivors that have been trafficked by family, pimps, and gangs help give voice to what happened to the survivors reading this book. It is meant to help break the trauma bond and walk them through the healing process. Survivors as well as clinicians, advocates, and anyone else wanting to understand more about trafficking will benefit from the knowledge in this book. This book was written by a survivor leader who in a licensed counselor that helps other survivors like her heal.

Winner of the René Wellek Prize Named a Best Book of the Year by The Guardian, The Millions, and The Sydney Morning Herald This Life offers a profoundly inspiring basis for transforming our lives, demonstrating that our commitment to freedom and democracy should lead us beyond both religion and capitalism. Philosopher Martin Hägglund argues that we need to cultivate not a religious faith in eternity but a secular faith devoted to our finite life together. He shows that all spiritual questions of freedom are inseparable from economic and material conditions: what matters is how we treat one another in this life and what we do with our time. Engaging with great philosophers from Aristotle to Hegel and Marx, literary writers from Dante to Proust and Knausgaard, political economists from Mill to Keynes and Hayek, and religious thinkers from Augustine to Kierkegaard and Martin Luther King, Jr., Hägglund points the way to an emancipated life.