You Can TRUST Him When Your Life is Spinning Out of Control
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The disruption and difficulties of 2020 also uprooted our time with the Lord when churches closed their doors and our daily routines changed dramatically. Many people lost their jobs or lost their loved ones, despite praying diligently for different outcomes. As we adjust to a new normal, now is the perfect time to reestablish our faith and rebuild our trust in God.
Joan E. Murray’s inspirational new book, You Can TRUST Him: Anchoring Your Hope in God During Difficult Times, is filled with powerful reminders that God is always working in our favor, even when it seems that he hasn’t heard our prayers.
“We get disappointed with God because our expectations of what He should have done when we prayed is not what He actually did,” Joan said during a recent interview with Prayer on Purpose. “We have to recognize that delays are not denials. They’re simply holding patterns while God is working on the situations in our lives.”
You Can TRUST Him takes an in-depth journey into inspirational, personal and Biblical stories that reveal trust truths in the midst of hardship. Joan takes us into the lives of many people who were unsure they could survive their painful struggles: Hagar, Jeremiah, Caleb, John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene and Leah, just to name a few. She shares how even when they struggled with trusting God, He showed up powerfully in their lives and provided victorious outcomes. You Can TRUST Him brings the Bible alive and aims to help us trust His Word, trust His timing and trust that He will help us navigate through the painful seasons of life.
Author Joan E. Murray is the founder and CEO of Joan Murray Ministries and Seeds of Hope Worldwide Missions. She is an international Bible teacher, pastor, speaker and missionary who loves the Word of God and desires to see people experience freedom, wholeness and victory in all areas of life. She has 25 years of experience in management, counseling and in providing help and humanitarian aid to those who are struggling in life.
She serves the veterans in Houston, provides annual back-to-school outreaches and serves as an advisor to several churches and ministries, locally, nationally and internationally. Joan has travelled the world, sharing the gospel message and serving the needs of vulnerable populations.
Joan has been featured on TBN, Daystar, TCT Network, Destiny TV and on international television networks and in various magazines and newspaper articles. She can be heard daily on BPNRadio.com and weekly on Wilkinsradio.com. You Can TRUST Him is her 16th book.
For more information, please visit www.joanmurrayministries.org, or follow the author on Facebook (Joan Murray or Joan Murray Ministries/Seeds of Hope Worldwide Missions); on Instagram (jmmcontactus); and on Twitter (@jmmseedsofhope). You can also visit her YouTube channel, Joan Murray Ministries.
You Can TRUST Him: Anchoring Your Hope in God During Difficult Times Publisher: Xulon Press/Salem Media Group ISBN-10: 1632216183 ISBN-13: 978-1632216182 Available from Amazon.com, BN.com, Xulon Press, Apple Books, Joanmurrayministries.org and other retailers
Trish Stevens Alice Newbury Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
True Story of Survival Opens Minds and Dialogues about Mental Health
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Mark Henick stood precariously on the wrong side of the railing on a crumbling, concrete overpass. The bridge spanned two realities and, for Henick, had become a symbol of escape — in one form or another. A voice behind him tried to help. A crowd gathered. Siren lights flashed in his peripheral vision. Surrounded but still alone, Henick let go.
So-Called Normal: A Memoir of Family, Depression and Resilience from Mark Henick is a vital and triumphant story of perseverance and recovery by one of North America’s foremost advocates for mental health
Henick’s near-death experience on the overpass that night would alter his emotional orbit just enough that his exit from a psychiatric ward following that suicide attempt in 2003 would be his last. His transformation didn’t happen overnight — it was a gradual process punctuated with new challenges and setbacks — but slowly, his patterns reversed and he began a profound, “upward” spiral toward recovery.
So-Called Normal chronicles Henick’s youth and the events that led to that fateful night on the bridge and the experiences and transformation that followed. It is a vivid and personal account of a boy who had to deal with the breakdown of his parents’ marriage, an abusive stepfather, bullying and trauma — all while trying to navigate his progressively worsening mental health. In the backdrop is a community that didn’t talk about mental illness, one where silence and maintaining the comforts of “normal” was paramount. So-Called Normal is not a “misery memoir” about suicide — it’s a gripping, inspirational story of survival.
Author Mark Henick’s TEDx talk about being saved from death by a stranger is one of the most watched in the world and has been viewed millions of times. His search for “the man in the brown jacket” whose bravery and strong arms kept him from falling to his death went viral around the world (and was successful!). Henick has been on television and radio and has written many articles on mental health. He has hosted more than 60 intimate conversations about mental health with notable public figures and celebrities on his podcast, So-Called Normal, and has executive produced and hosted the Living Well podcast for Morneau Shepell. Henick has served on the board of directors for the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and was the president of a provincial division of the Canadian Mental Health Association — the youngest person in either role. He has worked as a frontline clinician, a program manager and the national director of strategic initiatives for CMHA. Currently the CEO and principal strategist for Strategic Mental Health Consulting, Mark Henick is in high demand as an international keynote speaker on mental health recovery.
So-Called Normal: A Memoir of Family, Depression and Resilience Publisher: HarperCollins Release Date: January 12, 2021 ISBN-10: 1443455032 ISBN-13: 978-1443455039 Available from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Audible and others
Trish Stevens Teresa Hinojosa Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 832.569.5773 Direct 281.333.3507 Phone 800.854.2207 Fax [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com
Trish Stevens Claire Downing Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone 800.854.2207 Fax
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing)
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Code-At-Home Tech Toys Keep Girls Engaged, Away From Computer Screens, During COVID-19 School Closures
Are you looking for constructive ways to keep your children stimulated and engaged during the COVID-19 school shutdown? SmartGurlz founder Sharmi Albrechtsen beat out 40,000 other entrepreneurs on ABC’s Shark Tank and negotiated with guest “shark” Richard Branson, before closing a deal with Daymond John on her line of groundbreaking toys that use an award-winning robotics platform to teach basic coding skills to girls as young as 6.
“Many girls’ toys lag behind in the development of spatial skills, hands-on problem solving skills, and confidence with coding and computer science,” explains SmartGurlz founder Sharmi Albrechtsen. “These are exactly the skills that SmartGurlz aims to develop.”
The SmartGurlz line of unique, interactive, self-balancing robots and dolls are controlled with the SugarCoded™ App than can be downloaded onto an IOS or android phone or tablet that once downloaded requires no Wi-Fi, just Bluetooth.
A full, step-by-step tutorial teaches basic coding strategies so young girls can maneuver the toys around obstacle courses of their own design. With several levels of learning and chal-lenges, the toy keeps kids occupied several hours a week for 4-6 months.
The company is also offering a free weekly webinar for parents and kids affected by COVID- 19 that includes getting started, tips and tricks, and weekly home assignments.
Girls playing with SmartGurlz products learn three key concepts:
Spatial Reasoning. Girls learn how to direct/orient their robots in new environments and in-terpret maps.
Computer Programming. Girls learn to program their robots using our kid-friendly coding App called SugarCodedTM.
Storytelling & Problem Solving. Girls learn to tell stories and solve missions via coding.
The SmartGurlz product line also includes an e-book series available through the App that focuses on the everyday adventures of four talented young women studying at the fictional New York Institute of Technology — N.I.T.
We’re all adjusting to a new normal. You can use this extra time at home to inspire the female tech leaders of tomorrow with toys that integrate the power of play with the power of technology.
SmartGurlz CEO Sharmi Albrechtsen is a robotics aficionado, educator, author and mom with a passion for closing the diversity gap in technology.
In 2015, Sharmi started SmartGurlz after becoming frustrated with the lack of STEM toys available for her daughter. The SmartGurlz flagship product, Siggy, was the first robotics product designed specifically for girls. More than 30,000 girls have been educated with SmartGurlz. SmartGurlz partners include BlackGirlsCode, Girl Scouts of America and Morrison Mentors.
SmartGurlz recently expanded its product line to include Smart Buddies (a joint-venture with Pitsco Education), which features a diverse set of characters suitable for both girls and boys, targeted towards schools.
Sharmi was recently given AdWeek’s Disruptor Award in Championing Gender Diversity in Advertising and Tech. She has also been named Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 by the Asian Chamber of Commerce as well as named a Morgan Stanley Multi-Cultural Innovation Lab fellow. Sharmi has been featured in Forbes, Huffington Post, Financial Times, Fox Business News, Fox and Friends and CNN. She is also a featured TEDx speaker.
Trish Stevens Claire Downing Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] www.ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone 800.854.2207 Fax
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Code-At-Home Tech Toys Keep Girls Engaged, Away From Computer Screens, During COVID-19 School Closures
Are you looking for constructive ways to keep your children stimulated and engaged during the COVID-19 school shutdown? The line of groundbreaking toys from SmartGurlz Inc. uses an award-winning robotics platform to teach basic coding skills to girls as young as 6.
“Many girls’ toys lag behind in the development of spatial skills, hands-on problem solving skills, and confidence with coding and computer science,” explains SmartGurlz founder Sharmi Albrechtsen. “These are exactly the skills that SmartGurlz aims to develop.”
The SmartGurlz line of unique, interactive, self-balancing robots and dolls are controlled with the SugarCoded™ App than can be downloaded onto an IOS or android phone or tablet that once downloaded requires no Wi-Fi, just Bluetooth.
A full, step-by-step tutorial teaches basic coding strategies so young girls can maneuver the toys around obstacle courses of their own design. With several levels of learning and chal-lenges, the toy keeps kids occupied several hours a week for 4-6 months.
The company is also offering a free weekly webinar for parents and kids affected by COVID- 19 that includes getting started, tips and tricks, and weekly home assignments.
Girls playing with SmartGurlz products learn three key concepts:
Spatial Reasoning. Girls learn how to direct/orient their robots in new environments and in-terpret maps.
Computer Programming. Girls learn to program their robots using our kid-friendly coding App called SugarCodedTM.
Storytelling & Problem Solving. Girls learn to tell stories and solve missions via coding.
The SmartGurlz product line also includes an e-book series available through the App that focuses on the everyday adventures of four talented young women studying at the fictional New York Institute of Technology — N.I.T.
We’re all adjusting to a new normal. You can use this extra time at home to inspire the female tech leaders of tomorrow with toys that integrate the power of play with the power of technology.
SmartGurlz CEO Sharmi Albrechtsen is a robotics aficionado, educator, author and mom with a passion for closing the diversity gap in technology.
In 2015, Sharmi started SmartGurlz after becoming frustrated with the lack of STEM toys available for her daughter. The SmartGurlz flagship product, Siggy, was the first robotics product designed specifically for girls. More than 30,000 girls have been educated with SmartGurlz. SmartGurlz partners include BlackGirlsCode, Girl Scouts of America and Morrison Mentors.
SmartGurlz recently expanded its product line to include Smart Buddies (a joint-venture with Pitsco Education), which features a diverse set of characters suitable for both girls and boys, targeted towards schools.
Sharmi was recently given AdWeek’s Disruptor Award in Championing Gender Diversity in Advertising and Tech. She has also been named Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2018 by the Asian Chamber of Commerce as well as named a Morgan Stanley Multi-Cultural Innovation Lab fellow. Sharmi has been featured in Forbes, Huffington Post, Financial Times, Fox Business News, Fox and Friends and CNN. She is also a featured TEDx speaker.
Trish Stevens Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing)
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This Beautiful Book Invites Readers To Experience The Bible As A Single, Unified Story
The most popular and influential book in the world is also the least understood. Its sheer volume of history, poetry, genealogy and mystifying prophecies can prove puzzling — even intimidating — for readers. And since the Bible is often taught or read in pieces, readers are left with mere fragments of what should be a vibrant, cohesive mosaic.
This Beautiful Book: An Exploration of the Bible’s Incredible Story Line and Why It Matters Today by Steve Green, founder of the Museum of the Bible, with contributions from Bill High, invites readers to freshly engage the Bible and to understand it as one amazing story.
Green takes readers on a journey through the many stories of the Bible, some familiar and others less so, highlighting themes woven throughout the ancient writings.
Drawing upon insights gained through developing the first world-class Bible museum, Green reveals the completeness and transformative power of Scripture. Green helps readers see the story within the story and makes the careful connections that help us appreciate the richness of the Bible as a single story. Each page will spark faith in a God who speaks to us across the centuries.
A truly captivating experience, This Beautiful Book will instill in readers a deep appreciation for Scripture and its profound connection to our own life stories.
Author Steve Green is the President of Hobby Lobby and along with his wife, Jackie, co-founded the Museum of the Bible. He grew up in Oklahoma City. At age 7, he glued picture frames together for the family start-up business. With his father (David Green) as CEO, Steve became the president of that little start-up business, which is now known as Hobby Lobby —the nation’s largest privately held arts and crafts retailer. Over the years, Steve has been on a journey to experience the Bible as one beautiful story.
Bill High practiced law for 12 years before becoming the CEO of The Signatry. His mission is to help others live a life of significance through family, legacy and generosity. He and his wife, Brooke, have four children, two sons-in-law and three grandchildren. He can be found at billhigh.com and thesignatry.com.
For more information, please visit www.thisbeautifulbook.com, or watch a video with the au-thor at https://video.foxbusiness.com/v/6107622437001/.
This Beautiful Book: An Exploration of the Bible’s Incredible Story Line and Why It Matters Today
Publisher: Harper Collins Christian Publishing/Zondervan
Release Date: November 12, 2019
ISBN-10: 0310356024
ISBN-13: 978-0310356028
Available from Amazon.com and Zondervan.com
Trish Stevens Anna Jones Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
(This press release may be reprinted in part or in its entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing.)
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Veteran Political Analyst Examines Key Forces That Led To Trump Presidency
What political, social and cultural forces led to the election of President Donald Trump? Polit-ical analyst Bradford R. Kane explores 10 dynamics of American politics and society that played a role in the 2016 presidential election and continue to influence our politics in his ground-breaking book, Pitchfork Populism: Ten Political Forces That Shaped an Election and Continue to Change America. Some of these dynamics have deep historical roots, such as the cultural divide between those who define our national identity in terms of rugged indi-vidualism versus those who emphasize community collectivism. The author notes that these opposing viewpoints helped craft our national identity as far back as the 1700s. He also con-siders the consequences of changing demographics, which will have a profound effect on community relations and politics.
Kane foresees a return to established policy processes and governing principles after the Trump presidency, as opposed to rule based on a president’s personal interests. He anticipates greater empowerment of the electorate as more demographic groups are increasingly enfranchised. Kane also forecasts the potential impact of recent developments on the 2020 election and beyond. Other topics discussed are the role of the media, accountability, globalization, the future of bipartisanship and more.
Bradford R. Kane has served in the US Congress as Legislative Counsel to Congresswoman Cardiss Collins; as Counsel to the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Consumer Protection; and as a member of President Clinton’s Task Force on Health Care Reform. Thereafter, he served the State of California as Deputy Controller, Legislation, and subsequently, as a Deputy Secretary of Information Technology. He was also a member of the Nielsen Media Research Task Force on Television Measurement; created the Bipartisan Bridge (a public policy initiative to advance bipartisanship in American government); and developed environmental and economic equity initiatives. In the global arena, he was CEO of the International Commission on Workforce Development, a Strategy Council member of the United Nations Global Alliance on ICT & Development, and Director of Strategic Initiatives and Director of International Development at TechSoup Global.
To connect with Bradford Kane, please visit his website at: www.pitchforkpopulism.com.
Pitchfork Populism:
Ten Political Forces That Shaped an Election and Continue to Change America Release
Publisher: Prometheus Books, an imprint of Rowman & Littlefield
Release Date: October 15, 2019
ISBN-10: 1633885828
ISBN-13: 978-1633885820
Available from all major online retailers
Trish Stevens Rena Gills Ascot Media Group, Inc. Post Office Box 2394 Friendswood, TX 77549 [email protected] ascotmedia.com 281.333.3507 Phone
(This press release may be reprinted in part or entirety by any print or broadcast media outlet, or used by any means of social media sharing)
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Accomplished Entrepreneur Shares Secrets To Business Success
Earl B. Heard is living proof that faith can triumph over adversity. The successful entrepreneur and faith-based movie producer began at rock bottom before building a life that brought him genuine fulfillment.
Thirty-five years ago, he founded BIC Alliance, one of the nation’s largest multi-industrial, multi-departmental strategic marketing firms and publisher of Business and Industry Connection (BIC) Magazine. Heard’s rise up the business ladder came with faith, good old fashioned hard work and kindness toward others. He shares his remarkable insights, gleaned throughout decades of professional and personal ups and downs, in the re-release of his inspirational book, It’s What We Do Together That Counts – The BIC Alliance Story.
The updated edition of his book includes 11 Earl’s Pearls of Wisdom; 100 tips for achieving peace, happiness and success; plus Success Secrets from the Experts.
Readers will learn by Heard’s example how to overcome challenges and realize their own goals; how to inspire others by example; how to lead with empathy and understanding; and how to put God first.
Heard’s story is a testament to one man’s enduring faith in God, himself and mankind. Drawing upon 63 years of life experiences, Heard proves through his words and actions that any form of adversity can be overcome through faith, perseverance and kindness.
Author Earl B. Heard is the CEO and Founder of BIC Alliance, which publishes BIC Magazine, North America’s largest multi-industry, multi-departmental energy and construction publication. He has 40-plus years’ combined experience in industry and marketing, having served as an industrial training manager and buyer for Ethyl Corp. in Baton Rouge, La., before founding BIC Alliance in 1984. Having spent the past 30 years helping grow industrial service companies through marketing and training consultation, mergers and acquisitions and executive recruiting, Heard has a wide range of contacts in petrochemical, refining, construction, environmental and other sectors. He founded BIC Media Solutions in 2005.
In his role as an ambassador, Heard is active in helping BIC Alliance marketing partners and readers of BIC Magazine and hopefully others find greater faith, hope, peace, happiness and success through BIC Media Solutions, where we fund and co-produce meaningful media and events. These activities include funding, co-producing and promoting inspirational, entertaining, and faith/family-friendly books, movies, TV shows, a speakers bureau and events that help enhance lives and create better relationships at home, work and in our community.
For a video about the book, please visit https://vimeo.com/361396324/886d376c1e.
It’s What We Do Together That Counts – The BIC Alliance Story Publisher: BIC Media Solutions Release Date: October 1, 2019 ISBN: 0-9768310-0-7 Available from https://bicmediasolutions.com/shop/, Amazon.com and Audible.com
