Why am I passionate about this?

I have a passion for helping people move past the pain of divorce because I’ve been there myself. As a counselor I knew what I needed to do to cope and heal but I also quickly realized the importance of making prayerful decisions and trusting God. It’s my joy to walk you through steps you can take to cope now and move to a brighter future. My education, career, faith, and experiences have resulted in my book Peace after Divorce being recognized as an exemplary Christian self-help book by the Illumination Book Awards. 


I wrote

Peace After Divorce: Choosing Concrete Actions Rooted in Faith

By Renee Smith Ettline,

Book cover of Peace After Divorce: Choosing Concrete Actions Rooted in Faith

What is my book about?

Divorce hurts! And, it’s normal to feel a range of negative emotions such as anger, resentment, guilt, fear, sadness, and…

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life

Renee Smith Ettline Why did I love this book?

I love this book! Setting boundaries can help you break old relationship patterns and reclaim yourself as an independent person. Knowing how to set healthy boundaries can help you with a range of situations from negotiating your divorce settlement, to claiming your own identity, to working out parenting issues. Not only that but the Boundaries book also helps you to set limits and still handle your divorce in a Christian way.

Boundaries isn’t specifically a book about divorce but knowing how to set boundaries is a game-changer for the divorced and divorcing. You can learn about setting divorce-related boundaries in my book Peace after Divorce but I recommend the book Boundaries to anyone who wishes to dig deeper. They always come back with a positive review.

By Henry Cloud, John Townsend,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Boundaries as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Join the millions who have learned how to take control of their lives by setting healthy boundaries with their spouses, children, friends, parents, coworkers, and even themselves, in order to live life to the fullest.

Do you feel like your life has spiraled out of control? Have you focused so much on being loving and unselfish that you've forgotten your own limits? Do you find yourself taking responsibility for other people's feelings and problems? In Boundaries, Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend teach you the ins and outs of setting the boundaries that will transform your daily life.

Boundaries, a…


Book cover of Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind

Renee Smith Ettline Why did I love this book?

There’s a reason this book has sold over 1 million copies. All of us, divorced or not, benefit when we learn how to recognize damaging thoughts and keep them from coloring our lives. This is especially true when dealing with the negative and haunting thoughts that can come with divorce.

Your thoughts can determine whether you grieve forever or find a new life full of peace and joy. Like Chapter 6 in my book, Peace after Divorce, this book embraces the concept of Proverbs 23:7; “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Learning to win the battles in your mind represents one component of healing from divorce.

By Joyce Meyer,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Battlefield of the Mind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Our actions are a direct result of our thoughts. If we have a negative mind, we will have a negative life. If, on the other hand, we renew our mind according to God's Word, we will prove out "the good and acceptable and perfect will of God" for our lives.' Worry, doubt, confusion, depression, anger and feelings of condemnation - all these are attacks on the mind. But take heart! Joyce Meyer has helped millions to change their lives by changing the way they think. Joyce Meyer's all-time bestselling book: * Shows you how to control the thousands of thoughts…


Book cover of Don't Call It Love: Breaking the Cycle of Relationship Dependency

Renee Smith Ettline Why did I love this book?

I often see people who believe they need someone else to make them whole. This is especially true when someone has been emotionally or spiritually abused. Emotional abuse is when someone consistently belittles and dominates you dismissing your value and making you feel less than. In addition to addressing emotional abuse, Don’t Call it Love also delves into the issues of spiritual abuse, something I have seen all too often in my ministry. It’s a travesty when your mate distorts scripture to manipulate and control you or to make you feel less than. If you have experienced emotional or spiritual abuse this book can help you understand your true value in the eyes of God and give you insight into how to avoid continuing to land in abusive relationships.

By Gregory L. Jantz, Tim Clinton, Ann McMurray

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Don't Call It Love as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"You complete me" may be a romantic line in a popular movie, but it's not a healthy basis for a real relationship. Unfortunately, many people are drawn into relationships that are unfulfilling precisely because they are looking to other people to fill in the places where they are lacking--they are looking for a person who will "complete" them. At the heart of relationship dependency is a person's belief that he or she alone is not enough. But using others to provide wholeness simply does not work, because while we are made to be relationship dependent, it is God we must…


Book cover of The Truth about Children and Divorce: Dealing with the Emotions So You and Your Children Can Thrive

Renee Smith Ettline Why did I love this book?

If you have children, this book is a great follow-up to the parenting section of my book Peace after Divorce. Based on his professional experience as a therapist and researcher Dr. Emery shares important steps you can take to see that your children become well-adjusted and thrive. I’m impressed with the depth of his insights and feel that parents who read this book will be better able to navigate the tricky pitfalls of parenting through and after divorce. Stories of families illustrate his points and make this book an interesting read as well as a rich resource for those who want to minimize the negative impact of divorce on their children. This is the only book on my list not from a Christian perspective but it is good for parents.

By Robert E. Emery,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Truth about Children and Divorce as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Nationally recognized expert Robert Emery applies his twenty-five years of experience as a researcher, therapist, and mediator to offer parents a new road map to divorce. Dr. Emery shows how our powerful emotions and the way we handle them shape how we divorce—and whether our children suffer or thrive in the long run. His message is hopeful, yet realistic—divorce is invariably painful, but parents can help promote their children’s resilience. With compassion and authority, Dr. Emery explains:

• Why it is so hard to really make divorce work
• How anger and fighting can keep people from really separating
•…


Book cover of The Emotionally Destructive Marriage: How to Find Your Voice and Reclaim Your Hope

Renee Smith Ettline Why did I love this book?

So many women have silently suffered abuse for years in the name of trying to do what they believe God would have them do. Sadly, their well-meaning efforts, and at times misunderstanding of the Scriptures, can actually feed the destructive cycle in their marriages. In this book, Leslie Vernick reaches out to the reader with practical strategies for recognizing emotional abuse and taking steps to break free of its bondage. She outlines what needs to happen for hope to be restored in a marriage and shares how to leave if the cycle of destruction continues. Many women I’ve worked with through my groups and Peace after Divorce Workshops have cited that this book literally saved their lives.

By Leslie Vernick,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Emotionally Destructive Marriage as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Something Has to Change…
 
You can’t put it into words, but something is happening to you. Your stomach churns, your heart aches, and the tension in your marriage is making you feel weary and a little crazy. The constant criticism, disrespect, cruelty, deceit, and gross indifference are eroding your confidence and breaking your spirit.    
 
For any woman caught in an emotionally destructive marriage, Leslie Vernick offers a personalized path forward. Based on decades of counseling experience, her intensely practical, biblical advice will show you how to establish boundaries and break free from emotional abuse. Learn to:
 
·         identify damaging behaviors…


Explore my book 😀

Peace After Divorce: Choosing Concrete Actions Rooted in Faith

By Renee Smith Ettline,

Book cover of Peace After Divorce: Choosing Concrete Actions Rooted in Faith

What is my book about?

Divorce hurts! And, it’s normal to feel a range of negative emotions such as anger, resentment, guilt, fear, sadness, and loneliness. Left unaddressed, these undercurrents of pain can last a lifetime. Fortunately, you can learn ways to move beyond the heartache.

Peace after Divorce is a practical and spiritual guide filled with a deep understanding of the emotions and battles faced while enduring divorce and its aftermath. Step-by-step strategies zero in on ways to cope with everyday issues while also helping you discover your God-given power to find healing, joy, and peace. Uplifting and encouraging with real-life examples, this book will help you navigate the trials and tribulations of divorce, while equipping you with tools to begin living a fulfilling life of purpose, meaning, faith, and hope. An Illumination Book Award winner, Peace after Divorce will help you leave the pain and sorrow behind and move toward a brighter future.

Book cover of Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life
Book cover of Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind
Book cover of Don't Call It Love: Breaking the Cycle of Relationship Dependency

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Today Was A Good Day: A Collection of Essays From The Heart Of A Neurosurgeon

By Edward Benzel,

Book cover of Today Was A Good Day: A Collection of Essays From The Heart Of A Neurosurgeon

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Edward Benzel Author Of Today Was A Good Day: A Collection of Essays From The Heart Of A Neurosurgeon

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Why am I passionate about this?

Author

Edward's 3 favorite reads in 2024

What is my book about?

My book is a collection of monthly Editor-in-Chief letters to the readership of World Neurosurgery, a journal that I edit. Each essay is short and sweet. The letters were written for neurosurgeons but have been re-edited so that they apply to all human beings. They cover topics such as leadership, empathy, vulnerability, stress, burnout, and on and on…. These essays are relevant for all who strive to craft a better version of themselves.

Life lessons learned by the author during his 40+ year neurosurgery career are shared and translated into real-life scenarios. Between the covers are many lessons that are…

Today Was A Good Day: A Collection of Essays From The Heart Of A Neurosurgeon

By Edward Benzel,

What is this book about?

About the Book
Today Was A Good Day: A Collection of Essays From The Heart Of A Neurosurgeon features many topics that pertain to how neurosurgeons interact with others and how each of us can use introspection to modify how we are using tools and strategies such as empathy, respect, stress management, and much more.
This book provides some insights into leadership, effective communication, and fulfillment from the perspective of a neurosurgeon, and it causes the reader to think about and consider many, many attributes of a leader.
We all want to have a good day. This book provides strategies…


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