Never Ever Give Up Hope

John DeDakis began writing fiction in 1995 while working as an editor at CNN , seeking a creative outlet. His work draws on personal experiences , including a fatal car-train accident he witnessed as a child , his sister's suicide, his son's fatal heroin overdose , and more.       A former White House correspondent and editor on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer ," John is now a writing...

After 22 years as a technical instructor in the corporate world—and another layoff—Zander Sprague hit a low point. He asked , "Why am I teaching other people's material when what I want to do is teach my own ?" How many of you have had a similar experience?     Zander was devastated by the murder of his sister , Lucy , but he did not want to add to his parents' burden during their profound grief....

After becoming deeply involved in New Age practices, Karla Callan hit rock bottom and resolved to leave that life behind. Overwhelmed by despair and living in fear, she called on God. After eighteen years of involvement in witchcraft and four years in New Age practices, Karla Callan found freedom. She has since written seven books and now hosts two podcasts.   "I've faced two moments of deep hopel...

Alicia Rush was in crisis and had reached the point where she no longer wanted to live. She gathered  her medication and headed  toward  the woods, but then  remembered  it was her  son's  birthday  — a moment that interrupted  her  plan and helped pull her back. It was not the only time Alicia felt that level of hopelessness. After thyroid cancer left her living with a tracheostomy, she felt isol...

At age 14,  Nick was in a life-threatening snowboarding accident,  and his  parents were told he might never walk, talk, or eat on his own again.  Against impossible odds, he fought back — and less than 90 days later, he ran out of the hospital. Today, Nick is a nationally recognized motivational speaker and  three-time  best-selling author. He created the S.T.E.P. System — Support, Trust, Energy,...

Andy Campbell is a resilient survivor and inspiring author who has overcome some of life's most devastating challenges . From enduring childhood sexual abuse and bullying to losing his mother at a young age and becoming estranged from his father, his journey has been marked by profound hardship. He has also faced stage 4 pancreatic cancer and the heartbreaking loss of his youngest son to suicide....

In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam during World War II, young Hendrika de Vries witnessed extraordinary courage.  Her family hid a Jewish child in their home, and she watched her mother join the Dutch Resistance and withstand interrogation at gunpoint after the child was discovered and taken away. These experiences would shape a lifetime devoted to resilience, hope, and helping others find their strength....

Dorsey Ross' birth was a surprise. Dorsey's parents were in their forties, had two grown daughters, and were considered past child-bearing age.  When Dorsey was born, the doctors believed he wouldn't survive due to his life-threatening disability.    Dorsey was born on January 16th, 1977, with a congenital disability known as Apert's Syndrome. His forehead was pushed outward, his nose and mouth we...

At 16, after seven years of isolation, pain and physical and emotional abuse Christine Sadry reached a breaking point. She was battered, bruised, and could no longer see a way forward. In that moment of deep despair, she attempted to take her life. As she was slipping into unconsciousness, something deep within her stirred — a spark of life that refused to go out. She called a friend just to thank...

Shigeko Ito is an author, educator, and mental health advocate with a PhD in Education from Stanford University. Drawing on her cross-cultural experience and academic insight, she writes about intergenerational trauma, the lasting effects of childhood emotional neglect, and the healing process. Her memoir,  The Pond Beyond the Forest: Reflections on Childhood Trauma and Motherhood , tells the stor...

David Ask states boldly that everything rises and falls on men leading well. When men fail to lead—or to love well—everyone loses. But when men lead with courage, nobility, and kindness, everyone wins.   David Ask is an entrepreneur with products in over 3700 retail stores, including giants like The Home Depot and Lowe's. David collaborates closely with Dr. Andy Garrett as the Lead Coach for the t...

Before the COVID‑19 pandemic, Julie Marty‑Pearson spent nearly 20 years working in higher education. While she built a successful career, the demands of her work began to take a toll on her health. After being diagnosed with kidney disease, she lost her father six months later. In 2019, she stepped away from her role to undergo surgery. When the pandemic began shortly thereafter, higher education...

Before the COVID‑19 pandemic, Julie Marty‑Pearson spent nearly 20 years working in higher education. While she built a successful career, the demands of her work began to take a toll on her health. After being diagnosed with kidney disease, she lost her father six months later. In 2019, she stepped away from her role to undergo surgery. When the pandemic began shortly thereafter, higher education...

Ronald 'Zion' Roseboro's life was upended when he was falsely accused of assault, resulting in five years of incarceration despite his efforts to prove his innocence.  At the time, he was the primary caregiver for his grandmother, who had Alzheimer's disease, and was a single father raising his daughter. The experience left him facing profound personal loss and emotional hardship.  Released from t...

Ronald 'Zion' Roseboro's life was upended when he was falsely accused of assault, resulting in five years of incarceration despite his efforts to prove his innocence.  At the time, he was the primary caregiver for his grandmother, who had Alzheimer's disease, and was a single father raising his daughter. The experience left him facing profound personal loss and emotional hardship.  Released from t...

After several years spent working for the federal government, Amy L. Bernstein's soul was completely crushed by the lack of creativity in the work. She was working incredibly hard—and feeling numb and demoralized. She realized she needed to make significant changes to her life or fall into a serious depression. Amy had to identify her wounds and learn to heal them, to be honest with herself and ot...

Cancer is a club you never want to belong to, but you find the most amazing people when you do. Erica Campbell has a group of women who bonded over their breast cancer journey. Together they know what it means to face illness head-on -- to confront mortality, search for strength, and build the resilience required to move forward. As a breast cancer survivor who also lost her mother to the disease,...

When Jenna Udenberg was fifteen, she had a suicide plan due to tough medical issues and severe physical pain from her arthritis. She lived in bed. But she pulled herself from those very dark, tough times to become an inspiration to many who suffer from disabilities. Jenna Udenberg is a former music educator of 19 years. She has used a manual wheelchair since the age of eight due to Juvenile Idiopa...

The average person can keep a secret for forty-seven hours. Babs Walters held the  worst kind of secret for nearly seventy years.  Beginning at the age of eleven, Walters suffered childhood sexual abuse at the hands of her father. His edict, "Children should be seen and not heard," defined her childhood and groomed her to silence.  But despite the cycle of generational trauma and abuse that haunte...

In 2018, Andrew Davie  survived a ruptured brain aneurysm and hemorrhage.  Now…he recently graduated with a clinical mental health counseling degree, practices as a Licensed Graduate Professional Counselor LGPC, consults for James Mason University about brain injury assessments, and, before her passing, cared for his mother while she had ALS. He learned how to turn a terrible situation into someth...

Mia Hanks had a rude awakening when she realized something was 'not normal' in her marriage. The worst part was that she could not see a way out. Narcissistic abuse is a bondage that has only recently been exposed as mental and physical abuse.    Narcissistic abuse is somewhat of an epidemic, and it seems many victims don't know how to escape it.  Mia Hanks is an award-winning author who brings aw...

One day, Troy Karnes drank too much and missed his wife's birthday dinner (that he had planned).  To show her he could change, he put $10k into their joint bank account and told her he wanted to use it for a dream vacation a year later. If he messed up, she could take it. He didn't last a month. She kicked him out of the house that afternoon. When he woke up in a hotel the next day, he watched the...

Lori Pappas plodded with a slow, heavy pace against resistance in her youth. Her parents had her committed when she was 16 years old because they could not control her. She  was rebellious, and her mother, a religious fanatic, was convinced she was possessed by the devil. While there, she heard rumors that she was scheduled for shock treatments. She devised a plan and escaped - armed with only her...

Randy Adkins, Jr suffered the tragic loss of his 19-year-old younger brother over 20 years ago. Although that was devastating and a time of feeling helpless, it was also a time filled with questions that caused him to self-reflect and make life choices.        Randy creatively weaves his experiences as a corporate consultant, ordained minister, community leader, and distinguished toastmaster into...

At 13 years old Sandra Schnakenburg was hit by a car traveling 100 mph while riding her bike. In addition to having her face reconstructed, she suffered a traumatic brain injury long before such injuries were widely understood. Her parents struggled to cope with her forgetfulness and memory loss, and they gave up trying. Thus began her 10-year struggle with bulimia, which shaped her in profound wa...