Books published by publisher Inspiring Voices

In 1995, during her senior year in high school, Brandy Martin tragically passed away following a routine surgery. Devastated and heartbroken by the death of her only daughter, Connie Martin was left struggling with the will to live, questioning her own religious faith, and grasping for answers. Love Never Ends is her personal account of an extraordinary journey that begins when a close friend reveals that Brandy has visited her with a message from the other side. Over the next fifteen years, Brandy continued to find ways to communicate with her mother through people and events in ways that her mother could never have imagined. Connie's quest to understand her experiences and her belief that her daughter's spirit lives on has helped her to realize that even death cannot stop love. In the process, she regained her own will to live and discovered a passion to love others who struggle with grief and loss.

Leehym is a tiny caterpillar with big dreams. But as he looks around him, he realizes sadly that the world is filled with talent and that he is just an average caterpillar. After he recognizes that he cannot play soccer, sing like his mother, and grow beautiful wings like his father, he feels very small and insignificant. Leehym cannot help but wonder if everyone has talent but him. But soon Leehym learns that he does not need a talent to be special. He just needs to be himself! In this heartwarming children's story, a tiny caterpillar with a giant spirit discovers that all he needs to succeed in the world is patience, confidence, and the belief that there is no one else in the world just like him.

Once upon a time, there was a young dragon named Elvin. He was a beautiful dragon, with colors that shimmered and gleamed, and his scales looked like beautifully painted glass that sparkled. The most wonderful thing about Elvin, though, was that he was just as beautiful on the inside as on the outside. But Elvin had one big problem. He had stinky feet, really stinky feet. In fact, his feet smelled so smelly that none of the kids would play with him, and his nickname became Stinky Feet. That made Elvin very sad. His mom, who loved Elvin so much, gave him a special gift that allowed him to play with his friends again. Stinky Feet, the Dragon, a picture book for children, tells the story of a special young dragon who discovers that problems don’t have to control your life. With the help of family and friends, life’s little issues can easily turn into rainbows.

As a six-month-old infant, Linda Christianson was diagnosed with poliomyelitis, a highly contagious disease that crippled thousands of children and adults before a vaccine became available in 1953. In her memoir, she now shares the intimate story of her struggle with the disease and of learning to approach her life in as normal a way as possible. She details the struggles that she faced growing up and the challenges that she handles each day of her life. Because she contracted polio at such a young age, Linda was never able to enjoy the carefree childhood of skipping, dancing, and jumping that other children, including her sister, were able to experience. She had to learn how to live with her disease and to carve out a productive life for herself. Today, she approaches tasks with planning and much forethought. She works within the limitations of her disease but still finds joy and accomplishment in each day. All the Steps I Have Taken presents the chronicle of her life, which has given her a magnificent family, a superlative set of friends with whom she shares her life, and her beloved home. " . . . a remarkably moving story of one woman's courage and resilience. It is a real inspiration for us all" -Barb Blome "Anyone who has never been stricken with polio will give thanks for what they have been spared, yet may wonder why another is not so lucky. This story makes one realize how God works in their life through their adversity. It brings back the footprints in the sand quote "during your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you" "A true inspiration" -Vikki Wacek

Shadow is a kind and friendly little groundhog. He loves to wake up early so he can visit his secret place before the day begins. Today, Shadow pops out of his hole and heads toward his secret destination. On the way he visits a short while with Mrs. Robin. He's careful of the delicate flowers, basking in their beautiful aroma as he rounds the pond. It's at about this time that Shadow gets to thinking. As he makes his way to his secret place, Shadow recalls a very important verse from the Bible. It is Psalm 91, and it says, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty." What does it mean to abide in the shadow of the Almighty? Shadow works hard to unravel the mystery of this verse all the way to his destination, and eventually finds something even more special than his secret place. What could it be?

I remembered Papa bringing me to the general store as a child. I could still see the potbellied stove with its chrome footrests on all sides, circled with old oak chairs where the old-timers sat exchanging stories and jokes This was the gathering place for the farmers and old-timers in the area. Papa was the only educated veterinarian for miles around. He knew, when he went into the store, he would be giving free medical advice to anyone who asked. The storm intensified. The rain came down in sheets. The wind became a whirling, threatening monster, tearing at our little frame house. Lightning split the sky open, followed by loud claps of thunder. When lightning flashed, it lit up the whole yard and barn, and I could see Papa climbing the ladder of the windmill. The huge blades flopped wildly in the wind and I could hear the loose chain hit the metal framework. I was so frightened, I could scarcely breathe.

“The Scriptures tell us ‘righteousness exalteth a nation.’” —Abigail Adams in a letter to a friend “Education is useless without the Bible.”—Noah Webster Captivate students with American History through People Who Looked to the Lord, an engaging, hands-on workbook for Christian educators of children ages eight through twelve. Filled with puzzles, historical fiction, creative writing exercises, and more, this innovative lesson book focuses on the often overlooked role of Christianity throughout American history. Bible verses are included for each unit, and thoughtful questions stimulate research and critical thinking skills. Fiction stories and short plays bring history to life, while engaging facts of events ground the student in history. Row past British warships with George Washington’s army under a providential fog. Hear Benjamin Franklin call upon the Continental Congress to pray before writing the Constitution. Ride with fugitives on Levi Coffin’s Underground Railroad! Ideal for homeschoolers or Christian school educators, <i>American History through People Who Looked to the Lord</i> is a fun and lively tool to help you create a thoughtful dialogue with your students on how America can look to the Lord today.

This is a true story about a boy struggling in school with a learning disability. He makes it through his school days thinking about his dog, Gypsy. She was always there for him. One day after school, he races home to discover the gate open and Gypsy is gone. He is so upset that he cant think straight causing him to make some bad choices. The search takes many twists and turns. It has a very happy ending! The conclusion is very clear: God finds the lost even a young boy who feels alone.

A 2011 Department of Defense report approximates that 44 percent of military personnel have children. T. A. for Military Kids: The Awesome Military Kid's Guide to Feelings explains that it can be hard enough for kids to figure out who they are and how life works even under the best of circumstances, even more so when adding to the mix the unique challenges associated with being a military kid. This can include frequent moves, regularly adjusting to new schools and making new friends, absence of the military parent, increased family responsibilities, and re-establishing family roles when the deployed parent returns. A kid's perception of an event like deployment is often very different from an adult's. Depending on their age, kids may believe they are responsible for the deployed parent going away, while this thought would never enter an adult's mind. T. A. for Military Kids talks about the normal feelings all kids have and then explains the emotions experienced by military kids when faced with the events of everyday military life. This invaluable guide helps military kids make sense of their experiences and understand that all their feelings are normal and okay, even the challenging ones. For military parents, T. A. for Military Kids makes life a little easier by encouraging kids to talk about what's going on in their heads.

Travis gets to eat whatever he wants, and he only likes junk food. Because his mother is always busy, Travis often eats colorful foods from packages and take-out from his favorite restaurants. He never eats freshly cooked meals-not until he has to spend the summer with his grandparents, that is. Grandma and Grandpa live on a ranch far from any restaurants, and Grandma loves spending hours in the kitchen making nutritious, wholesome meals. On his first night, Grandma prepares a big, healthy meal from scratch. Yuck! This isn't anything like what Travis is used to eating, but there's nothing else to eat. Determined not to give in and eat his grandparents' food, Travis decides to go to bed without eating. Lulled to sleep by the rumbling of an empty tummy, Travis has an amazing dream. Transported through time, Travis dreams of Benjamin, a young Judean shepherd boy who shares his simple food with a very large group of people; Abigail, a young girl who lives during the time of the American Revolutionary War; Rylee, a hungry little girl who has to eat green beans day after day in a house full of sand; and many others. What's more, with each of children in his dreams, he sees a little wooden bowl. With the help of the little wooden bowl and stories of these children from the past, Travis may yet learn to be thankful for good, healthy food.

To all of his friends, Joe seems to be a happy-go-lucky caterpillar who always smiles and sings wherever he goes. But Joe isn't really happy. He spends his days searching for something missing from his life, even though he really doesn't know what it is he is searching for. One day Joe is suddenly struck with an intuition that makes him worry that his life is coming to an end, and Joe is very frightened. Not quite sure of what to expect, Joe decides to seek out the wise old owl for answers. The wise old owl only shares part of the secret of nature with Joe, leaving him still scared and questioning what his life is all about. After a rest and some inner work, however, not only is Joe's body transformed, but his entire outlook and life are changed. Is this transformation the elusive something he's been looking for? Can Joe finally be truly happy?