"Halo Found Hope" by Helo Matzelle

A rare brain tumor, swelling of her brain, being packed in ice, waking and seeing two of everything, and the list continues. These are part of the real life story of Helouise, a young mother of three who was suddenly confronted with the fight of her life. This is her story.

Clinical procedures and medical machinery became part of Halo's life when she received the diagnosis of a rare brain tumor. But she was young and had a husband and three children to care for! How could she deal with this devastating news? Even with a crack medical team and superior neurosurgical help, the tumor would attack her. Once, she was packed in ice to relieve the swelling. When she woke up eight weeks later, her life was so different. No one but God understood her discouragement and fear. Come and read this story of hope and courage. 

What an inspiring book! Helouise tells her story so well, drawing readers in with honesty and fact. You will read how she and her family fought to bring her back; how an illness with all of its trauma and turmoil can lead to hope. I recommend this book to anyone who loves true stories, to those fighting a devastating diagnosis and their families, and to anyone who enjoys reading about God's miraculous work. I received my review copy in exchange for an honest review in the blog tour.

Halo Found Hope

Halo Found Hope    Machines beeping, the blur of medical staff running, a crash cart whizzing into an ICU room, was there any hope? A young woman lay, packed in ice, as doctors attempted to somehow stop the swelling in her brain that threatened to take her life... and her family waited. Six days turned into eight weeks. She awoke to discover that she was not the same. She saw two of everything, couldn't feel half of her face, couldn't hear from one ear, and could not speak. She couldn't even tell anyone that she felt hopeless... or could she? HaloFound Hope is the story of a beautiful, busy wife, and mother of three whose life changes instantly with the diagnosis of a rare brain tumor. An exceptional ENT, a brilliant neurosurgeon and a dedicated medical team tackle the tumor, setting off a series of unbelievable miracles. Helo's story is not one of survival, or of salvaging a life through a broken body. It is not about endurance through pain, but victory because of it. While the family heard her silence, God heard her prayer. Helo's story is simply this: Wherever you are and whatever you are going through, God is right there. He doesn't need to be recognized by you, to be there for you. He can replace fear with courage and discouragement with determination, if you let Him. Helo did, and that is how shefound hope." Advance Praise "Readers will find in these pages a powerful testament to the power of faith in dark times, and even agnostics will be uplifted by the joie de vivre of this remarkable woman." ~ Kirkus Reviews   Books are available to US and Canadian bloggers and ebook everywhere --- please sign up in the sidebar.

Meet the Author

Helouise "Halo" Matzellewas born in the city of Delft, Holland.  Three months after her birth, Helo immigrated to the United States with her parents. Helo graduated from the University of Washington where she met her best friend and husband, Rich.  Formerly in marketing for a major pharmaceutical company, Helo became a stay-at-home mom after the birth of her daughter, Lauren. Later the Matzelles were blessed with two sons: Jordan and Austin. Helo led a charmed life until receviing a shocking diagnosis in 2011 of a rare brain tumor sitting over the main artery in her brain. She details her painful dignosis, risky surgery and miraculous recovery in her memoir, Halo Found Hope. Helo's passion is helping those who face various challenges and afflictions discover where true hope is found. She resides in Redmond, Washington with their three children: daughter, Lauren, and two sons, Jordan and Austin. Find Author online: website, Facebook, Twitter

"Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe" by Max Lucado

Chelsea Chambers is on a mission. Her marriage ended in disaster and she wants nothing more than to remove herself from the world of her former NFL star husband. Her idea is to re-open her mother's coffee house and fill it with hopes and dreams, hospitality and prayers. But, looming on the horizon is an attack by evil. Will Chelsea rely on prayer to get her through? Will she ever be able to forgive Sawyer and move on?

Divine help is what Chelsea needs. Her marriage was destroyed by adultery and she needs a new start. What better way than to make a happy life for herself with a business that is uplifting and enjoyable; a place where people can go to lay down their burdens for a little while and enjoy a great cup of coffee and some great pasteries. She re-opens her mother's coffee, hires Manny to work for her, and prepares for the opening. Chelsea doesn't know that an attack is coming and that darkness is surrounding her and her new life. She also can't shake her ex-husband and all the pieces that go with it. Chelsea needs to trust, pray, and work to make everything happen. Will she? Why not grab a cup of coffee and open this new book by Max Lucado.

This is a wonderful book that will grab the attention of most anyone. It is a work of fiction and is easy to pass along. I liked the characters very much and was pulling for Chelsea the whole time.If you enjoy fiction with a good story and great lessons, this book is for you. I received my review copy for participation in the LItfuse Blog Tour.

Book info

About the book: Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe (Thomas Nelson, February 2015) What if you could ask God anything? What would you ask? And how would he answer? Chelsea Chambers is on her own. After a public split from her NFL superstar husband, Chelsea takes a bold step out of the limelight and behind the counter of the Higher Grounds Café, an old-fashioned coffee shop in dire need of reinvention. But when her courage, expert planning, and out-of-this-world cupcakes fail to pay the bills, this newly single mom finds herself desperate for help. Better yet, a miracle. Then a curious stranger lands at Chelsea's door, and with him, an even more curious string of events. Soon, customers are flocking to the Higher Grounds Café, and not just for the cupcakes and cappuccino. They've come for the internet connection to the divine. Now the café has become the go-to place for people in search of answers to life's biggest questions. When a catastrophe strikes and her ex comes calling, Chelsea begins to wonder if the whole universe is conspiring against her quest to make it on her own. After a shocking discovery opens her eyes to the unseen world around her, Chelsea finds the courage to ask, and heaven answers in a most unexpected way. Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1EaivpU About the author: More than 120 million readers have found comfort in the writings of Max Lucado. He ministers at the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Denalyn, and a sweet but misbehaving mutt, Andy. Find Max online: website, Facebook, Twitter

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Landing page: http://litfusegroup.com/author/mlucado

"Duck Commander: Devotions for Kids" by Korie Robertson and Chrys Howard

Based on the principles of the Robertson family from "Duck Dynasty" comes this new devotional for children. Kori and Chrys are a mother and daughter writing team who present the daily thoughts with wonderful clarity. The devotions are based on family events, so the reader knows the stories and activities work. Each devotional has Scripture, a lesson, a prayer, and an action (Duck Commander in Action). The illustrator, Holli Conger, does a great job making the pictures fun and colorful. Some of the lessons are: "Be YOU!" "Buried for Us," Everyone is Important," and "Learn to Wait." At the end of the book, they encourage the children to bring their questions about God to their parents, youth pastor, or pastor. There is a lot of wisdom in these pages.

I really like this book and plan to buy copies to give as gifts. The illustrations are wonderful accents to the devotional content, and I love the Duck Commander Actions. If you are a parent, grandparent, or children's ministry worker, you will enjoy this book. I recommend it highly. I received my review copy from the BookLook program in exchange for an honest review.