Showing results by narrator "Ann Richardson" in All Categories

In the US, more than half of households have a pet - usually more than one. They’re usually considered members of the family, and some of us even call them our “furry children”. The strength of the human-pet bond tells us as much or more about ourselves as it does about our pets, and in this audiobook, we look at why dogs and cats behave the way they do and what makes our bond with them so strong.

In too many organizations, great ideas and unusual solutions can be suppressed, ignored, or attacked. Departments defend their turf, and people choose what is safe over what is better. Bad ideas move forward and good ideas die, which can lead to disastrous results - financial or otherwise. Luckily, there is a workable path out of this dysfunction. Kim Barnes’ process of constructive debate shows how to establish conditions that encourage the free exchange, discussion, and development of ideas and eliminate conditions that prevent potentially useful ideas from getting heard.

In this sequel to The Two Ruths, we observe how this closeted lesbian couple moves through the 1960s and more tolerant 1970s, although for employment purposes, they must remain closeted. Their relationship grows and deepens as they face some very difficult times, still knowing they were meant to be together. With humor, courage, and this belief their relationship was destined to be, their life together is something to admire, whether gay or straight.

In 1950, after her father passes away, Ruthie Stein knows she will continue to take care of their family's dairy farm while also looking after her mother. But when her mother falls and breaks her hip less than two years later, Ruthie soon finds she cannot get by on her own. Her neighbors, the Packers, recommend that their cousin Ruth, who is single and unemployed, come and assist Ruthie with her mother in exchange for room, board, and a small amount of money. The two women soon become close friends and then discover that their relationship goes even deeper than friendship.

Searching for God in the detours of life? Faith journeys are unpredictable–sometimes smooth but often rocky. Open the door to new inner growth as you experience healing and hope. Lisa Are Wulf, award-winning devotional author, guides you on a sacred trek. Trace your spiritual footsteps as you explore God’s path for you.

Few of us know how to navigate the territory of traumatic loss successfully. Sweet Sorrow shows how we can respond and grow stronger from loss and suffering.

We are all so busy nowadays, and tackling all those to-do lists can leave us drained, worn down, and lacking energy. When you take a deeper look inside, you will also discover patterns, old habits, and past events blocking self-growth. Life coach extraordinaire, KJ Landis, helps identify how, why, and where we got stuck in the first place, and how we can utilize past trauma and drama as a springboard to becoming our most authentic, vibrant selves.

As a wife, you have an incredible amount of influence in your husband's life. He needs things only you can supply (not just sex!) - and some simple choices on your part can bring about big changes in your husband's heart. As you learn how to show your husband you love him in everyday ways, you'll make room in your marriage for deeper connection and lasting satisfaction. The joy you used to dream of finding someday can be yours today as you invest in a happy marriage!

We all face seasonal changes. The passing years take us on journeys of change - whether we want it or not. In Courage for the Unknown Season, Jan Silvious acts as a wise guide for those who find themselves in new seasons of life, offering perspective and practical insights to encourage the soul and offer hope. Anyone facing an unexpected change in life or relationship will be drawn to this book as a guide for walking through the shifting seasons. They can make it through this time with courage, strength, and yes, even joy!

Everyone suffers disappointment, rejection, injustices, and losses, perhaps even traumatic ones. The spiritual pain born of such suffering can paralyze us, leaving us broken inside and barely getting by with the motions of life. Whether we remain stuck or move forward is determined in large part by our resilience.

Sometimes life just hurts. Whether it's the sting of a current loss or a long-standing heartache, let God's love enfold you and restore the wounded places of your soul. Award-winning author Lisa Are Wulf invites you to embrace your inner healing within the sacred space of your heart. She offers encouragement, compassion, and strength for the journey. Enfolded in God's Arms features 40 reflections, comforting bible verses, and prayers, plus a quiet time with God. Experience new insights and perspectives as hurts are eased and life moves forward, all within God's gentle embrace.

A handsome stranger. A whirlwind trip to India. A life forever changed. For Daly English, life is a series of one disappointment after another. Rather than dealing with the fallout, she locks herself in her studio and works tirelessly toward completing her art school portfolio. Unfortunately, fate isn't done with Daly quite yet. Time and time again, a handsome stranger refuses to be ignored, forcing her to come to grips with the loss she's been harboring for years and to trust herself to love again.

Want to see your church's kids transformed for Jesus? Struggling to get the whole church on board? Know what you want to see happen, but not how to make it happen? Leading KidMin is about what it takes to achieve big-time change. Moving past the "why" and getting straight to the "how," Leading KidMin provides tools and strategies for actually leading, influencing, and implementing change on a local church level - all from the vantage point of the children's ministry director.

Parenting with Scripture is an easy-to-use topical resource for parents who want to make the most of teachable moments with their children. It is a guide to help you train your children in how to think and apply God's word in the day-to-day.

Packed with stories and anecdotes from Jayme's experience as both a mentor and mentee - plus sprinklings of wisdom on balance, purpose, and change - Face to Face speaks to the heart of young Christian women eager to grow. In her warm, personable style, Jayme offers expert advice on how to journey well with someone further along.

Ready for more of Aura and Eve? Here they are: Aura Corinne Speltzman and Eva Antonella Simona Tamatha von Brandt, ready to share their latest adventures with you. What is Grandma Maria's big secret? Why is Brad Pagliaro such a bully? How do you ice skate when you're stuck in bed? And what's that howling noise in the middle of the night? Find out! Listen on!

They're back: Aura Corinne Speltzman and Eve von Brandt return with more exciting adventures. Join the friends for more mystery and fun. Meet troublemaker Kiara Ratcher, who does her best to make life difficult for Aura and Eve. Is Old Man Morse really a monster? Someone is burning circles in the woods. And where there's smoke, there's fire.

Aura Corinne Speltzman has two problems: the kids at school and the sudden disappearance of her only friend, an invisible zebra named Harold. But everything flips upside-down when Aura's new best-friend-to-be arrives on a thunderbolt in the middle of the night. Squinting through the storm from her bedroom window, Aura watches a family drop out of the lightning into the empty house across the yard.

Their lives are perfect, if only from the outside. At first glance the residents of Herald Springs lead charmed lives. But behind the dazzling smiles and inside the large brick homes, they all have their secrets. Most are harmless, but then again Annabeth King never did quite fit in. This newest neighbor is harboring a special secret of her own, one that could prove deadly. Will the members of the "drink and gossip" club figure out what Annabeth's working so hard to hide before disaster comes knocking?

Food writer and Culinary Institute of America director Sophie Egan takes listeners on an eye-opening journey through the American food psyche, examining the connections between the values that define our national character - work, freedom, and progress - and our eating habits, the good and the bad. Egan explores why these values make for such an unstable and often unhealthy food culture and, paradoxically, why they also make America's cuisine so great.