Living in the Family Blender by Clark Rich Burbidge and Leah Dee Burbidge

About the Book:

Blended family issues impact the vast majority of Americans. Yet, society often side-steps the topic while literature leaves a bleak landscape nearly void of practical advice from those who have lived in the trenches.

With over 68 combined years of direct blended family experience, including 14 years with their own family of 10 children, authors Clark and Leah Burbidge are uniquely qualified to fill the void. Their combined autobiographical/how-to guidebook weaves a humorous, tender, uplifting, and critically insightful fabric of 10 foundational principles upon which any family may confidently build. Every blended family can have happier, more fulfilling lives where teamwork, progress, and overcoming-oriented achievement replace disruption, disorientation, and contention.

Living in the Family Blender provides practical guidance upon which any family may build better relationships and a life filled with joy and purpose. Join them in their personal journey and discover glorious possibilities in your own lives. Everyone lives in a blended family.

About the Authors:

Clark and Leah live in the high mountain valleys of the Rockies where they enjoy their ever-expanding blended family of ten children and six grandchildren. They enjoy travel, hiking, road and mountain biking, and serving in their community and church. Clark received a BS in Finance from the University of Utah and an MBA from the University of Southern California and spent 35 years traveling the world as an investment banker, bankernd Chief Financial Officer. Leah earned an Associate Degree from Ricks College and what arguably could be considered a doctoral-level experience in blended families. Clark and Leah treasure their blended wild ride of 14 years together, firmly believing that any challenge is manageable when you have someone you love to walk beside.

You can buy your own copy HERE and HERE!

The Long Goodbye REVIEWED

I read and reviewed Kara Tippett’s book The Hardest Peace in October of 2014.  To see this documentary become a reality is both transformational in its power, and profoundly sad in the loss it represents.  But the sadness, although I know the Tippett’s family will walk in a measure of this all of their days, I know the reality of what God can and does do for families impacted by illness and chronic disease.

I am a member of a family that was born out of this type of loss.  My Dad buried his first wife at the tender age of 25 – a melanoma metastasized to the brain – and was a single Dad to two very young children before he was 30 years old.  Now, my parents have celebrated more than 55 years of marriage, and I’m the first of two children from that marriage – a blended family that now overflows with grandchildren and great grandchildren.

I have seen my Mom put flowers on the grave of Dad’s first wife as recently as this past Christmas.  I can’t fully fathom this type of love.  I know this is the legacy that Kara Tippetts left behind for her family and friends.  Her books bear testament of God’s power, grace and faithfulness through some of life’s darkest moments.  The bravery to be so transparent though this entire journey amazes me, but I’m so incredibly grateful for the Tippetts family for sharing this with us.

For the believer, death is still a sad, dark valley to walk through, and yet the hope that we have through Christ does, indeed, take away the crippling pain of eternal separation.  To view this film encourages me not to waste a moment of life – to live every day to its fullest – and love those who share my life better and more transparently.  This film left me feeling hopeful instead of sad, and I think that is what Kara would want. 

This is a great testimony of God’s power and grace found in the moments they are needed most.  He is faithful!  So incredibly faithful!!

Best-selling Documentary THE LONG GOODBYE: THE KARA TIPPETTS STORY Launches on Netflix June 23rd

“The impact of her life was huge. I’m blessed to know her.” - Joanna Gaines

Los Angeles, CA - THE LONG GOODBYE: The Kara Tippetts Story, a heartfelt story a woman thrust into the national spotlight through a terminal cancer diagnosis, will be available on Netflix Sunday, June 23. The film spent time at the #1 spot on the Amazon Documentaries chart, and remained in the Top 10 for over 6 weeks after it’s release.    Kara Tippetts was a pastor’s wife, mother of four young children, and creator of a popular mommy-blog focused on parenting with kindness. Kara already had a loyal following when, at just 38 years old, she began facing and processing a cancer diagnosis on the site. Her blog and subsequent best-selling books became hallowed ground as people around the world were touched by her faith, honesty, and candor.    With this incredibly raw documentary, Kara allowed the world to walk with her as she chronicled first what it meant to be a young wife and mother battling a disease, and then ultimately what it meant to live and die with love and dignity.   Shot in real-time and featuring Kara’s own vlogs and cell phone videos, this film offers an intimate, vulnerable look into a dying woman’s last days. The film also features Kara’s friends-including Ann Voskamp, Joanna Gaines, Ellie Holcomb, President of Focus on the FamilyJim Daly, Dianne Derby from KKTV, and bonus features with Joni Eareckson Tada.       During her journey with cancer, Kara wrote and published three books, includin g Just Show Up: The Dance of Walking Through Suffering Together, And It was Beautiful: Celebrating Life in the Midst of the Long Good-Bye and The Hardest Peace: Expecting Grace in the Midst of Life’s Hard, which won the 2015 ECPA Inspirational Book of the Year award.    Additionally, Kara was thrust into the spotlight when a letter she penned to Brittany Maynard went viral.  In the letter, Kara asked Brittany to reconsider her choice to move to Oregon to participate in an assisted suicide. Kara’s was a gentle, hope-filled message that could only be shared between two young women whose lives would end too soon.    Kara’s vulnerability had an incredible impact on tens of thousands of people and grew that community of support in surprising ways.  Faith influencers from around the globe began to find ways to assist Kara by sharing her posts, sending personal messages, serving the family’s needs, as well as just becoming her friend.     This included filmmakers Jay and Sofia Lyons, who discovered Kara’s story through a facebook note from a friend. The couple simply felt led to do something for her. Sofia states how God led them down a path to create the film by a series of ‘breadcrumbs’, “First, we just wanted to do something special for Kara and her family. This evolved into creating a 7-minute video about her life, which ultimately opened up a conversation about fully documenting her last few months on earth.”   THE LONG GOODBYE also showcases footage from a house concert performed by Ellie Holcomb, a new arrangement of one of Kara’s favorite hymns by Selah, and an original song by Travis Cottrell. Additionally, one of the filmmakers, Sofia J., contributes 2 original songs written for the film including “I’ll See You Again.”    In association with Freely, THE LONG GOODBYE: The Kara Tippetts Story was created by Jay Lyons Productions and is distributed through Ocean Avenue Entertainment.  THE LONG GOODBYE will be available June 23 on Netflix. http://karatippettsdocumentary.com/   About Ocean Avenue Entertainment:  Ocean Avenue Entertainment, Inc. is the destination for productions that offer hope to audiences looking for inspiration in entertainment. Ocean Avenue is committed to releasing inspiring and redemptive films and television programming. Its distribution strategy optimizes each release platform to find the widest possible audience theatrically on VOD, DVD and ultimately on streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime. For more information, please visitwww.oceanave.tv.    About Freely: Freely specializes in projects that touch the human spirit.  Freely is building content across all platforms including film, TV, live events, digital media, and has recently launched a talent management division. www.freely.com   About Jay Lyons Productions: Jay Lyons Productions is a boutique production company specializing in creating soul-stirring content for television, film, and digital media.  JLP has produced for most major networks, including MTV, CBS, TLC, NBC, Spotify, and Discovery. www.jaylyonsproductions.com

Former NFL Player Releases Debut Title; Available Today #REHABTIME GLOBAL INFLUENCER TRENT SHELTON

#REHABTIME GLOBAL INFLUENCER TRENT SHELTON INSPIRES PEOPLE TO FACE REALITY,

RELEASE NEGATIVITY AND DISCOVER LIFE’S PURPOSE IN NEW BOOK, “THE GREATEST YOU”

Los Angeles, Calif. (May 7, 2019) – Trent Shelton, former NFL wide receiver turned one of the most impactful and influential voices on positivity of today’s generation, releases his debut book “The Greatest You: Face Reality, Release Negativity, and Live Your Purpose” today via Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins.

A college football standout, Shelton seemed to have it all together -- until everything fell apart. Life seemed without hope until he discovered the secret to finding promise in the darkest times. “Becoming the greatest me became my mission, and I dedicated myself to becoming nothing less,” says Shelton. “Taking my life to the next level was no longer an option; it was a must.”

As he continued to work on himself, Shelton started tweeting about it with the hashtag #RehabTime, recording his transformation through two-minute videos under the same name. The engaging, hard-hitting, yet always uplifting messages seemed to resonate with people across the globe and quickly gained popularity, earning him the largest following of any motivational speaker on social media with a weekly online audience of 50 million plus and over 1 billion video views to date. Now, for the first time ever, Shelton is putting those messages in writing with “The Greatest You.”

“Even though your story may have some bad chapters in it, it can still end well,” says Shelton. But you’re going to have to be real with yourself before you can discover the best version of yourself, the version you were meant to be. It all starts with you.”

“The Greatest You” provides a revolutionary tool kit for transforming life and reaching goals and provides necessary steps to help others face the reality of their circumstances and find their purpose in life. From breaking free from toxic environments and forgiving others - including yourself - who have harmed you, “The Greatest You” addresses the significant need to reexamine life and learning how to guard against the pitfalls of life. Key sections include You’ll Never Win Your War by Running from Your Battles, Forgiveness Is Not For Others -- It’s For You, Protecting Your Peace, and What Kind of Legacy Do You Want to Leave, among others. 

“This book is a promise,” says Shelton. “A promise to walk with you side-by-side, meeting you  where you are as I help you navigate the up’s and down’s of life and propel you to live out your purpose. It’s RehabTime…let’s get it!”

For more information, visit:

Website – www.trentshelton.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/LikeTrentShelton

Twitter – https://twitter.com/TrentShelton

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/trentshelton

About Trent Shelton

Trent Shelton is a former NFL wide receiver (having been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins) that is now considered one of the most impactful speakers of this generation. He reaches over 50 million people weekly through his various social media outlets and non-profit RehabTime organization. A global speaker, Shelton travels the world sharing his message of creating lasting change in life. He and his wife Maria live in Fort Worth, Texas, with their two children, Tristan and Maya.

About Thomas Nelson 

Thomas Nelson, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., is a world-leading provider of Christian content and has been providing readers with quality inspirational product for more than 200 years. The publishing group provides multiple formats of award-winning Bibles, books, gift books, cookbooks, curriculum and digital content, with distribution of its products in more than 100 countries. Thomas Nelson is headquartered in Nashville, TN. For additional information, please visit www.thomasnelson.com.

New children's book details why author and humanitarian has been going barefoot for over eight years

(Conifer, CO)— Recent headlines have brought awareness to human trafficking, but Dr. Jeff Brodsky, founder of Joy International, has been living totally barefoot since July 2010 to do the same. Both domestically and internationally, Brodsky has gone barefoot in solidarity with impoverished and trafficked children. Most of the time, he speaks to adults about the staggering statistics of child sex trafficking, but in his first children's book entitled "Why Are You Barefoot?," Brodsky seeks to educate elementary children about the human trafficking epidemic. The book is based on an actual presentation Brodsky gave in person to a school full of children. 

“I was asked to speak at an elementary school and I had to find a way to explain to these children why I was barefoot,” says Brodsky. “Of course, I couldn’t tell them what I would normally share with a group of adults about the child sex trade, so I had to find a way to make them aware of child trafficking by telling them a story in a way they would understand. When I finished speaking the school Principal came up to me and said, ‘That was fascinating. What you just showed these students would make a great children’s book.’ That’s what this new book details.”
 
Human trafficking has overtaken arms trafficking to become the second-largest black-market industry behind drug-running. It is also the fastest-growing global industry. According to a recent study funded by the Department of Justice, the average age of young girls forced into the sex trade in America is approximately sixteen years old. Though estimates vary, as many as 21,000 child sex slaves, or children who are trafficked, may exist in the United States alone. According to the FBI, girls that are trafficked for sex have an average lifespan of 5-7 years, typically dying of disease, suicide or murder.  It was these facts, along with an encounter at a garbage dump in Cambodia, that first motivated Brodsky to begin his barefoot journey which is chronicled in his memoir, “The Least of These: One Man’s Remarkable Journey in the Fight against Child Trafficking.”
 
 “I was with a co-worker who had a program feeding impoverished children who lived in the dump. These children are at high risk of being snatched by predators and sold into brothels.” says Brodsky. “The smell was nauseating. The children live there because that’s where the freshest food is for them. As the group of a dozen or so children were eating a bowl of rice with chicken, I noticed they were all barefoot. I could not imagine walking barefoot among the trash and sludge. I even had a difficult time walking in there with shoes, tip-toeing across the garbage. When I got back to my hotel room that night, I could not get the picture of those bare feet out of my mind. I was also aware that brothel owners would take shoes away from children brought to the brothels to make it more difficult for them to run. I had a talk with God and felt He was impressing on me to go barefoot for one year in solidarity with those children, and with trafficked children around the world.”
 
Brodsky and his team have rescued thousands of children from sex trafficking—some as young as four-years-old— as well as conducted various undercover operations to aid law enforcement. The efforts of Joy International have helped to move Cambodia from a Tier 3 country (no efforts against trafficking) to a Tier 2. The U.S. is considered Tier 1 due to its aggressive laws and enforcement against trafficking. Joy International employs a Director of Global Police Training and Tactical Operations who was trained Special Forces Anti-Human Trafficking Police and SWAT teams. Their training techniques for airport personnel to spot potential human traffickers recently resulted in the rescue of a 9-year-old in the parking lot of an Alaskan airport. 
 
“People often turn a blind eye to human trafficking —similar to the three monkeys,” says Brodsky. “They don’t want to see it, hear about it or speak about it. It’s easier to look the other way. When any society becomes permissive instead of protective, that society is in the throes of moral decay. That is unfortunately America and our world today. Awareness is good, but awareness without action is apathy.”

A few years ago, a youth group in Ohio where Brodsky spoke organized a fundraiser called The Barefoot Mile which has since been embraced by groups, churches and organizations around the globe. Brodsky says these events have offered communities a chance to stand with him in solidarity with victims of human trafficking.

About Dr. Jeff Brodsky:

Dr. Jeff Brodsky is the founder of Joy International, a non-profit organization which exists to be involved in, or help to coordinate, the rescue, restoration, reintegration, and prevention of the commercial sexual exploitation of children, teens, and young women, both domestically and internationally. For over 37 years, to raise funds and awareness, he has performed as Snuggles the Clown, ridden a bicycle solo from California to New York City, led ten, 101-mile walks across Death Valley, and spoken in 50 nations. He and his wife, Gail, live in the foothills above Denver, Colorado and have three children and eight grandchildren. For more information, visit http://www.joy.org or http://www.thebarefootmile.org.