Is there a reason for being? Why are we so often fearful? How can we know our Destiny? What is the cure for racism and hate? Is there such a thing as a "Happy Place" to be found in our lives? What is Life and am I giving it my best? When it is said that "I will give you beauty for your ashes," what does that mean exactly? And if I were a dog, what kind of dog would I be? These are questions that we all have and wonder about, yes? Ok, perhaps not that last one reflected here. But we humans do wonder, ponder and muse. It is in us to do so. And contained within these pages are some thoughts and ideas on these questions and more, along with perhaps even some answers to things that we think upon. Come walk with me a bit down this Road of Thought and let us see what lies along the way of Contemplation and Discovery. I will see you inside, my good friend!

From the Preface by James P. Moore, Jr.: "The apt title of Midnight Musings brings together the prodigious, expansive, and real-life reflections of Magda Herzberger, an extraordinary figure by any measure. She sits alone in the company of her thoughts-past, present, and to come-and reaches out eloquently and movingly to readers from all walks of life. If each one of us is the sum total of everything we have ever experienced in our lives, Magda brings much to the table. We feel privileged to enter into her world, one that unfolds through a variety of poems steeped in reality, fantasy, quest, and profound faith." "As a poet," Magda says, "I feel that I am like a photographer. Sometimes I focus my camera and take pictures from the outside world surrounding us. Other times I take photos depicting the many aspects of the inner world of my soul. Behind each of my poems in Midnight Musings, there is a story to be told and experienced."

Starting out in life as a young wife and mother, you never imagine the ways your hopes and dreams might be completely shattered. For Jessica and her husband Jason, a series of unrelenting heartbreaks struck, beginning with their baby's diagnosis with a life-changing disability. Just a few short years later, thirty-three-year old Jason lay in a hospital bed, battling a Glioblastoma brain tumor. And within the span of six years of marriage, Jessica became a widow left alone to care for their four young children, including one with special needs. But the story doesn't end there. In the midst of storm after storm, Jessica stubbornly clung to God, and she found him to be faithful. Enter Ryan Ronne, a young widower and father of three. Ryan had also lost his spouse to brain cancer-in fact, around the same time Jessica's husband, Jason, had succumbed to the disease. Just as the idea of sunlight burning at midnight sounds impossible, so it seemed unlikely anything beautiful could arise from their devastation. But a new love story emerged, along with a combined family that now numbers eight children. As featured on the Today Show, theirs is an inspiring and encouraging story of faith. Here, Jessica Ronne tells her riveting story of finding hope amid havoc, and of the surprising ways that pain often commingles with joy.

“Once upon a time, there was a little girl who wanted to be somebody, but she was always told that she was nothing.” The writer in Juanita Gaskin remained dormant as depression and life circumstances held her back. Renaissance Dreams refers to the rebirth of passions delayed and of hope to come. Juanita reinvented her place in life by not letting fear or the disapproval of others determine her path. She walked through dark times and managed to walk into the light. This book is a reflection of her life in poetry and photography. Through poetry, Juanita wrote of her depression; it was her form of therapy and gave her the strength to push beyond the madness to find the inner woman that was lost. Writing was her way of releasing the pain and finding comfort. She awoke to a new beginning. It’s a battle with the self, when you reach for a goal with no one there to help you through or cheer you forward. You wonder whether you have the strength to keep fighting—but you must believe in yourself. It takes a positive mind to get you where you truly belong. Juanita hopes that someone out there will read her book and find the courage to hold on just a little longer. Keep strong, because hope is on the way.