Messages of Hope

Inspirational Writings from the Heart

Non-Fiction - Inspirational
80 Pages
Reviewed on 08/09/2017
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Messages of Hope: Inspirational Writings from the Heart is a collection of nonfiction stories and articles written by Christopher M. Meuse. Meuse is an author, certified hockey coach and retired public school teacher. His opening story: We Know There Is Hope: A True Story recounts the author’s realization that his addiction to alcohol was taking a toll, not only on his life and health, but that of his daughter and his family, and follows his recovery from both that addiction and brain surgery. In You Are Perfect, he discusses the pain that seems to be a universal human condition, feelings like “unworthiness, guilt, anger, shame and fear” that must be dealt with in a positive way rather than being suppressed. He discusses ways for people to “form positive rapport” as they learn to acknowledge those feelings and find their way to feeling safe, complete and perfect, including meditation. His article, Toughness vs. Love, discounts the value of the old tough-love approach to child-rearing in favor of a more supportive and loving parenting and teaching style. He shows how the old paradigm of preparing a child for the harsh realities of life can actually cause more dysfunction in that child’s development than good. Each of his writings is accompanied by illustrations and inspirational photographs.

I was already familiar with author Christopher M. Meuse from having read his most enlightening hockey novel, Hockey, Kids & Positive Coaching, when I began reading this collection. Meuse is an articulate and inspirational writer whose philosophy of life is aligned quite closely to my own. I loved reading Messages of Hope: Inspirational Writings from the Heart, and enjoyed learning more about the author and his outlook on life. I especially enjoyed the photographs he includes with this work and loved the interplay of ideas with scenes of beaches, rocky shorelines and endless ocean vistas. His articles and stories are inspiring, as are the poems which appear in this work. Messages of Hope: Inspirational Writings from the Heart is most highly recommended.