Encouragement

Have you ever thought of the value of encouragement? Webster's definition is:to give courage, hope, or confidence to: embolden, hearten.
Discourage is: to deprive of courage, hope, or confidence, dishearten.How are we able to give courage? One way is to look at someone and tell them what you see in them. Sometimes people are so blind to their strengths that you need to be their mirror. Have you ever seen one of those plastic surgery shows where a beautiful girl comes in and is sure that her nose is awful? You look and can't figure out what is wrong but she has studied her "flaw" so long that she cannot see anything else.I am amazed at the need for encouragement in our day and time. People that you would think have all the confidence in the world need encouragement. It is one thing that we can give that costs us nothing. I think that sometimes we withhold compliments and things of that nature to keep our friend from "getting the big head". The trouble with that is that it is much harder to obtain courage than discouragement.

John Maxwell was speaking with Joyce Meyer on her show about his father and mother moving to a retirement trailer park in Florida. John had asked his dad to slow down on travel so his dad decided to begin a ministry of encouragement. John asked him who had put him in charge of this. His dad said that no one else was doing it so he might as well. After some time had passed John went back to see his folks. Their phone was ringing off the hook. People were calling in for prayer. His dad kept his cell phone with him and made his rounds in a golf cart. He visited his neighbors and was overseeing encouragers in dozens of senior trailer parks in the area. God bless that man! His ministry is so needed. Look at where you are. What can you do?

Today I am sending you the interview I did with Jennifer A. Carle. She has written a book that I think we could all learn from.
1. What is your name and the title of your book(s)?
Jennifer A. Carle~
Finally Winsome;
Face of Prozac;
Becoming Waldo

2. What is one thing you think your readers would like to know about you?I feel that if I have knowledge about something that I found particularly hard to deal with, it is my duty to share what I know so others don't have to go through what I have.

3. When did you know that you wanted to become a writer?
I don't think this is really my calling, but more of a path in the road to my final dream which is to create a foundation for injured domestic animals to be able to get proper medical care when the owners can't afford it. I don't think anyone should have to choose between caring for a pet or euthanizing it because of financial difficulties.

4. What are your strong points in your writing style or methods?
I write just like I speak. People who know me that read my books say they often feel as though they are sitting next me listening to one of my stories. I am very funny in an offbeat, self depreciating way which readers tend to identify with.

5. Are you a reader?
Yep!

6. What are you reading right now?
I'm doing research on Narcissistic Personality Disorder for book number 5. That stuff is so overwhelming and unsettling I need to unplug with trashy stuff like People magazine!

7. Do you have another book that you are working on and hasn't been submitted for publication?
Tell about it. I just, this morning, submitted a manuscript idea for a book on breaking the cycle of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. It can go on for generations. Interestingly enough, the daughter of the narcissistic mother says that she'll never be like her mom. The daughter becomes a mother and becomes narcissistic because that's all she knows to do. Whether she behaves like her mother or not is not really relevant. Interesting and powerful stuff that surely will not make me the favorite of my family, but I'm pretty used to that by now.

8. What are your biggest obstacles to writing and how do you overcome them?
Facebook addiction; lack of motivation; kids downloading songs on my computer. Walk my dog around the neighborhood for a couple of miles until an idea hits me between the eyes (or go on facebook and write about my laziness on my wall!)

9. Please put a description of each of your books here.
My book Finally Winsome is about a dog that I adopted from the SPCA that I thought was charming and sweet because of how she looked in her cage. She was probably abused and was very distrusting of others and extremely protective of me. Winn becomes protective of the entire family, and as she gets older, she begins to relax and need protection from me. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this book go to the Maryland SPCA or other shelters.
A Face of Prozac is about my journey through eating disorders, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder which is like PMS x a billion. No one diagnosed me for years with PMDD. I finally snapped and was looking for an inpatient program for myself at a local mental hospital. WebMD popped up with a questionnaire, and lo and behold, I diagnosed myself and found a terrific psychiatrist. For all of my diagnoses and issues, Prozac was the only thing that saved me (and continues to) from myself.
Becoming Waldo is a book about my new dog that I adopted from the SPCA. He seemed so laid back and comfortable with himself. I thought I could be a better person if I became more like my dog. As it turns out, Waldo and I are more alike than we ever would have guessed. 100% of the proceeds from the sale of this book go to the Maryland SPCA or other shelters.

10. How can readers contact you or purchase your books? Please put your website or blog here.
My website and blog are a work in progress; so for right now, use my email address: jacimac618@aol.com and put that you are interested in my book in the subject matter. Alternatively, I am on facebook, but I have no idea what the address is.