Blog Archives
God Is For Us and Not Against Us
A New Song is a deeply personal, spiritual, and practical guide to reviving love and connection within a Christian marriage. Why was this an important book for you to write?
I wrote this book to dig into my life to rediscover and clarify my experience of the Lord’s work in my life and marriage – what He had taught, and was continuing to teach me about myself, and how He had worked, and was continuing to work in my marriage. We go along from day to day, and it is easy to lose the details of the past. It can be important to go back and recapture and articulate them not only for ourselves, but to share them with others. I had completed a certification program to be a life coach. I wanted to focus on helping Christian women who were struggling in their marriages, as I had. I had always wanted to write a book. This was the perfect opportunity.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you wrote your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
The hardest thing for me to write about was probably my mother’s death and its impact on me. It was very personal, but its impact was so strong and far reaching, I couldn’t leave it out. Our past shows up in our present giving us an opportunity for healing.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The three most important ideas for me to share in this book were the three main topics. The first was that we create our own reality – the reality we experience – by how we think and what we focus on. The second was the importance of releasing everything, including our spouse, to God. Letting go, getting out of the way and trusting Him fully to work. The third was to then focus on our self and our growth – to become more and more the person God is calling us to be in our life and marriage.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your story?
I hope readers take away that there is hope. That God is for us and not against us and that if we release our relationship to Him, He will do amazing things!
Author Links: Facebook | Facebook 2 | Website
Do you love the Lord and seek to follow Him in all areas of your life, including your marriage? In A New Song, Miriam Hampton outlines a path to God’s peace, love, and harmony in your relationship with your spouse.
Are you wondering what went wrong after your marriage began so well? If you’re feeling alone, frustrated, unloved, or unsupported, A New Song shares a message of faith for your life. Using biblical principles, this book will guide you to refocus, release, and renew your central relationship.
In your journey through the pages of A New Song, you will discover how to be the catalyst for new love and life in your marriage by:
Returning to love through refocusing
Abiding in the peace of God’s presence, letting go, and letting Him work in ways you could not imagine!
Growing into the fullness of who God made you to be and keeping your marriage growing
Author Miriam Hampton, a certified life coach, has fifty years of experience in her own marriage. Walking with God through Christ, she has seen their marriage grow from a codependent/alcoholic relationship to the happy, healthy one it is today.
Bring new life into your most important relationship today!
Available in Kindle and paperback. Click ‘Look Inside’ to begin reading now.
Not For This Life Only
Irvin Stapf’s Not For This Life Only is a heartfelt and theologically rich exploration of Christian spiritual maturity. Framed as a devotional guide, the book challenges readers to see life not as an end in itself, but as a preparation for eternity. Drawing from Scripture, personal anecdotes, and traditional Christian teachings, Stapf argues that our time on Earth is an “apprenticeship for rulership” — a training ground for the eternal responsibilities and relationships we’ll carry into God’s Kingdom. He stresses the need for Christ-centered values, patient endurance, and above all, the development of agape love, the kind of selfless love God shows us and asks us to reflect.
I found the sincerity of Stapf’s writing both moving and compelling. There’s an honesty in the way he addresses life’s harsh realities — suffering, injustice, disappointment — and how they are not only unavoidable but essential to Christian growth. His style is warm but firm, often sounding like a wise, steadfast pastor speaking to someone he truly cares about. When he tackles moral relativism, the decay of modern values, or the compromises of the Church, he does it with conviction, not arrogance. He invites repentance, not condemnation. The writing may not be flashy or literary, but it’s soaked in conviction.
The book returns often to key themes — like obedience, spiritual warfare, and the training of the soul — and while these ideas come up repeatedly, the repetition feels purposeful. It’s as if Stapf, like a seasoned teacher, knows how important these truths are and how easily we let them slip from view. His steady reminders help anchor the reader, reinforcing the message in a way that builds depth and clarity over time.
I would recommend Not For This Life Only to believers who are hungry for more than just spiritual comfort. This book is for people who want to grow, who are willing to wrestle with themselves and their faith, and who know deep down that easy answers just won’t cut it. If you’re looking for a soft, feel-good devotional, this isn’t it. But if you’re ready to be challenged, encouraged, and maybe even humbled, then pull up a chair. Stapf has something worth reading.
Pages: 140 | ASIN : B0F3G2GVBQ
Millionaire Janitor: Unlocking the Hidden Wealth in Everyday Choices
The Millionaire Janitor is a modern-day rags-to-riches story centered on Horatio Alger Jefferson, a humble and hardworking janitor, and his journey from poverty to financial stability. Set against the backdrop of gritty South Chicago, the novel follows Horatio and his partner Melody as they navigate the harsh realities of life with grit, old-fashioned values, and a relentless focus on wise financial decisions. It blends a narrative style with life lessons and financial principles, using Horatio’s fictional rise as a metaphor for the real-world potential of the average American to build wealth through discipline, sacrifice, and perseverance.
What struck me first was how charmingly simple the prose is. Bergstresser avoids flashy language and highbrow metaphors, opting instead for straightforward storytelling laced with warmth and earnestness. This isn’t literary fiction; it’s closer to an extended parable with heart. The writing may come across as a bit heavy-handed at times—some might say even moralistic—but it works within the context. There’s a homespun, almost old-school feel to it, reminiscent of stories your grandpa might tell at the kitchen table. The characters are endearing. Horatio, in particular, is drawn with such gentle sincerity that I found myself rooting for him early on.
Where the book really earns its keep is in its ideas. Bergstresser uses fiction to deliver practical, no-nonsense financial wisdom. There are detailed lessons here—how to budget, why modest living matters, and the magic of compound interest. It feels like The Millionaire Next Door had a baby with The Pursuit of Happyness. I appreciated how the story elevates the ordinary and dignifies blue-collar work, especially in a time when that’s not always the message young readers hear. There were moments where the tone crossed from encouraging to sermonizing. Still, I admire the author’s guts in taking a stand for values that aren’t always in vogue.
I’d wholeheartedly recommend it to teens and young adults starting out in life, especially those facing tough odds. It’s also great for parents and teachers looking for a clean, values-rich story that teaches life lessons without being dry. If you’re someone who likes your inspiration with a dose of practicality, you’ll enjoy this. It’s full of heart, full of hope, and packed with the kind of wisdom that never really goes out of style.
Pages: 162 | ASIN : B0DZW5HVYB
The Great Exchange
The Great Exchange is Aneasa Perez’s deeply personal and spiritual memoir that explores her journey from trauma, deception, and religious bondage toward a more authentic relationship with God. Through candid storytelling, she walks the reader through childhood neglect in Trinidad, manipulation by false prophets, abusive relationships, and ultimately, emotional and spiritual healing. Her message is clear: God is not found in ritual or human institutions but in truth, freedom, and love. This book is not just a testimony—it’s a warning, a lament, and a triumphant cry all at once.
Reading this book felt like sitting across from someone baring their soul without a filter. Aneasa’s writing is raw and emotional, sometimes scattered, but always sincere. There’s a kind of aching in her words that hit me hard, especially when she described feeling invisible as a child, or the chilling recount of abuse cloaked in religion. Her voice is tender and broken in places, yet unwavering in its hunger for God. At times, I wished for a bit more structure, but then I realized that this is about a heart cracked wide open. And that’s what makes it stick with you.
What really struck me was her critique of religious institutions. She doesn’t just point fingers, she names names, churches, and systems that exploit the vulnerable. And yet, her goal isn’t to burn it all down. It’s to call people back to Jesus, stripped of theatrics and power games. I found myself nodding, grieving, and even angry at how often good people are led astray under the guise of “serving God.” There’s something incredibly brave in how she wrestles with guilt, shame, and the idea of divine punishment, only to find mercy waiting for her every time.
The Great Exchange is a book for those who’ve been burned by the church, but still believe in God. It’s for anyone who has loved and lost, trusted and been betrayed, and still dares to hope for healing. Aneasa Perez writes not from a pedestal, but from the trenches, and that makes her story all the more powerful. I’d recommend this to spiritual seekers, survivors of religious abuse, and anyone wondering if grace still has room for them.
Pages: 98 | ASIN : B0DKQVJS49
A New Song
Miriam Hampton’s A New Song is a deeply personal, spiritual, and practical guide to reviving love and connection within a Christian marriage. Drawing from her own journey through addiction, depression, and the slow rebirth of intimacy with her husband, Hampton delivers not just advice, but lived experience. The book is structured around three powerful phases: Refocus, Release, Renew, each meant to bring clarity, healing, and transformation. It’s not your usual “how-to” manual. It’s more of a heart-to-heart, with God right at the center.
One of the most striking aspects of Hampton’s writing is her unflinching honesty. From the very beginning, she invites readers into the idealistic early days of her marriage in the 1970s, an era of creativity and youthful optimism. Yet, she does not shy away from revealing how swiftly those dreams were tested by the realities of addiction, emotional isolation, and personal despair. Her vulnerability is both poignant and powerful. In the chapter titled “Our Past in Our Present,” Hampton recounts a moment so raw, admitting she sometimes wished her husband wouldn’t return home due to his drinking, that it’s impossible not to feel the weight of her anguish. And yet, the transformation that follows, born of faith, reflection, and persistent emotional work, feels deeply authentic and profoundly moving.
I also really loved the section about “refocusing.” Hampton goes deep into the psychology of our thoughts and emotions, especially our brain’s negativity bias. She writes, “What we focus on expands and creates the reality we live in.” It’s such a simple truth, but she explains it with warmth and clarity, not fluff or preachiness. The example she gives, where she catches herself in a negative thought pattern and instead chooses to respond with love, was practical and made me feel like I could do it too.
What surprised me was how seamlessly Hampton mixes neuroscience, scripture, and practical coaching tools. In “Your Brain and You,” she breaks down how subconscious programming affects marriage dynamics without sounding like a textbook. Her conversation around “ANTS” (Automatic Negative Thoughts), inspired by Dr. Daniel Amen, was spot on. I found myself underlining whole paragraphs, especially when she described the spiritual tug-of-war for our focus and how affirmations and gratitude can help us rewire our reactions. It’s the kind of stuff you want to stick on your fridge or journal about.
A New Song is as much about personal transformation as it is about marriage. I’d recommend it to anyone, especially women, who feel like they’re stuck in relational patterns that keep repeating. It’s faith-based, no doubt, but even if you’re not Christian, the emotional truths ring clear. This is for people ready to stop pointing fingers and start looking inward. It’s honest, hopeful, and filled with grace. It gave me not just insight, but courage.
Pages: 208 | ASIN : B0BRBKWP9N
Washing The Inside Of The Cup
Cheryl Lynn’s Washing the Inside of the Cup is a heartfelt, faith-driven memoir chronicling her spiritual transformation from a life scarred by emotional and spiritual abuse to one rooted in unshakeable peace through total surrender to God. Through deeply personal stories, scripture, and divine encounters, Lynn walks readers through the trials she endured, the grace she embraced, and the vision she ultimately received. Her central message is clear: a life wholly committed to the Lord—mind, body, and spirit—can be one of supernatural peace, clarity, and divine intimacy.
What struck me most about this book was its raw honesty. The account of her abusive marriage is especially poignant. Her decision to surrender her whole heart to God—not merely attend church or read the Bible, but to give herself completely—marks a powerful turning point in the book.
But the most unforgettable part, by far, was her vision of Jesus. She describes being surrounded by blessings and then hearing the Lord speak behind her: “Remember, your eyes belong to me, not on the blessings.” That moment was so vivid. Her description of falling to her knees in awe—unable to even look at Him—transcends the page.
While I enjoyed the memoir, the writing can feel repetitive at times, and the pace occasionally drifts, especially when recounting numerous personal miracles. But these are easy to overlook in light of Lynn’s sincerity. Her voice is clear and kind. She’s not preaching at you—she’s talking to you, like a big sister who’s been through fire and came out glowing with grace.
I would recommend Washing the Inside of the Cup to anyone walking through pain, especially Christian women facing spiritual exhaustion or abuse. It’s also a beautiful guide for anyone curious about what it means to truly “walk in the Spirit.” If you’ve ever asked, “Can God really speak to me?”—this book says yes. Loud and clear. And with love.
Pages: 79 | ASIN : B0D8S1KZ7G
What Does It Mean To Be Free?
Russell Chappell’s What Does It Mean To Be Free? is a deeply personal exploration of what freedom truly means, not just in the literal sense, but as a way of living, thinking, and experiencing the world. Through a mix of personal anecdotes, reflections, and philosophical musings, Chappell breaks down the elusive concept of freedom, touching on self-expression, fear, personal growth, and the courage to embrace life fully. Whether recounting his skydiving adventure, childhood dreams, or moments of struggle, he weaves a narrative that is both unique and relatable.
Chappell’s writing style is conversational, almost like a long heart-to-heart with a friend who’s figuring things out as he goes. This makes the book easy to engage with but some passages feel repetitive, circling around ideas that were already well-explored a few pages earlier. His storytelling, however, shines in sections like his skydiving experience. You can feel the nervous anticipation, the rush of the freefall, and the emotional release when his feet touch the ground. These moments are where the book really comes alive, when Chappell isn’t just talking about freedom but living it.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is its honesty. Chappell doesn’t try to present himself as a self-help guru who’s figured it all out. Instead, he openly wrestles with his past mistakes, like the tension with his family over his choices, his fixation on costumes, and the realization that some of his pursuits weren’t about freedom at all, but escapism. The way he gradually pieces together a more grounded understanding of freedom, one that’s less about external thrills and more about internal growth is compelling. The chapter where he compares his obsession with wearing a Morphsuit to his dream of skydiving is particularly insightful. He realizes that while the suit gave him a temporary sense of detachment, true freedom comes from facing fears, not hiding from them.
At times, the narrative meanders, with certain points being hammered home repeatedly. The structure also feels loose, as if Chappell is thinking out loud rather than building a clear, progressing argument. This isn’t necessarily a flaw if you enjoy a stream-of-consciousness style, but if you prefer a more structured philosophical or self-help book, you might find yourself wanting more focus.
In the end, What Does It Mean To Be Free? is for those who enjoy reflective, deeply personal narratives about self-discovery. If you’ve ever felt stuck in life, struggled with self-doubt, or searched for meaning beyond the daily grind, you might find parts of Chappell’s journey speaking directly to you. It’s not a book that hands you a neatly packaged definition of freedom, but rather an invitation to explore what it means for you. And that, in itself, feels like a step toward the kind of freedom he’s trying to define.
Pages: 157 | ASIN : B0CFM7RBJT
Tell Me About Your Scars
Struggle Bus: The Van. The Myth. The Legend is more than just a memoir; it is a source of amusement, reflection, and a testament to having faith. How did your Craigslist ad for a van manifest into this inspirational book?
I learned long ago that one of the best “ice breaker” questions to get a group of people to start talking/interacting is this: “Tell me the story of one of your scars.”
Scars are painful in the moment but often provide a lifetime of stories—sometimes painful, sometimes hilarious, sometimes both, always memorable. It dawned on me that our viral Craigslist ad was essentially a long list of our van’s scars. I thought it would be fun to tell all the fun stories (in gory detail) of our van’s many scars—as much to preserve the stories for our family as to give others something to laugh about. I think my ridiculous little book did just that.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
The stories of our kids’ medical issues were easily the hardest things to write about. Even though there’s a dose of humor in many of the stories, reliving the moments brings back sort of an echo of the extreme parental fear, panic, and dread each of those moments created. I physically winced retelling many of the stories. That said, I think it was oddly therapeutic to write about all our moments—good and bad. I’d recommend it to any parent.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
I can’t remember where I heard this quote (and I’m probably butchering it…sorry), but there’s some truth in it:
“In your twenties, you’re constantly worried about what everyone else is thinking about you.
In your forties, you stop caring what others are thinking about you.
In your sixties, you realize that no one was thinking about you the whole time.”
Basically, I wish I would have spent less time caring so deeply what other people think. Of course, young Josh Wood probably wouldn’t have listened had anyone given him the advice to stop caring so much about what other people are thinking. I will never be smarter than I was at 20-years-old. Oh, to be young and stupid.
What is one thing you hope readers take away from your story?
First and foremost, I hope readers take away the peace, hope, joy, and genuine fun that faith in Jesus infused into the messes of my life. Additionally, I hope parents both A) embrace some new ways to engage with their kids…and engage their families as a whole with the world around them; and, B) feel some grace and solidarity for not being the perfect parent. Life is too short and too hard to hold yourself to an impossible standard. Embrace the messes of life (both self-inflicted messes and those out of your control), stumble forward, and try to laugh along the way.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website
This one-of-a-kind literary adventure you are about to embark on is about more than a viral van. It’s about managing the wonderful chaos of a family of 11. It’s about parenting. It’s about marriage. It’s about success. It’s about failure. It’s about faith. It’s about fun. It’s about a van becoming a metaphor for life as it is given a fun-filled beatdown for the ages.
As you roll along with the Wood family, you just might feel driven to:
• connect a little more with the God who made you.
• give yourself a little more grace when you fail.
• smile and laugh a little more—both at the Wood family’s expense and your own.
Hop in, buckle up, hold your nose, laugh, and join the Wood family to explore one of life’s fundamental truths: the struggle is real.”
LITERARY TITAN 