Friday, October 10, 2025

Meet My Mother

   Picture of Mother


Meet My Mother


The author dedicated his true story, posthumously to the memory of his mother. He talks about what constitutes a "Quintessential Mother" by reflecting on the relationship between his mother and her adult children. He draws upon the seemingly endless love, admiration, and adoration for the importance of words his mother taught him and his siblings that we utter to friends and foe alike, and the immense power of prayers and forgiveness in our lives. He recalls how his "quintessential" Mother, who passed away at age 87, lived a life of remaining calm in the midst of raging storms. He recalls the Bible story they often read in the family devotion (while growing up in Nigeria), about Jesus and His disciples panicking and desperately fearful that the boat they were in with Jesus, (who was taking a nap at the time), was about to capsize as the raging storm battled them. You know the story so well, I am sure. Their panic awakened Jesus, who said to them: "O, ye, of little faith" and calmed the raging sea!" He recalls his mother's most powerful legacies to all her adult nine children. One such legacy is "Have you prayed about "it"? By this, she meant "Have you prayed and poured your heart to HIM about what is troubling your soul?" The other is that she reminded us of the Biblical injunction that says: " Be Still And Know That I Am God. He reminds people of all faiths, and creeds: Jews and Gentiles, White, Black, Hispanics, Muslims, Christians, Agnostic, Buddhists, etc., etc, that we are ALL brought to this terrestrial earth by women, adorable women, our mothers, who would rather lose the jewelry they wear around their necks, and the earrings that glitter in their earlobes than have their children's needs go unmet!. He puts it succinctly by telling this story: "My heart sank when I saw, recently on TV networks, a clip on the mother and father of their son, who was killed by the ruthless act of antisemitism and hate, by a group called ISIS, on a direct order by the president of the USA, "supposedly the greatest nation on earth". That clip reminded me that the love that that mother has for her adult child, who was killed, is, for lack of a better adjective, must be "consummate" love, next to God's redeeming love for comforting us in the midst of our sorrows!"

This is Dr. John Ayoola Akinyemi's true story about "Meet My Mother." He tells it compellingly well in a storytelling fashion that makes his readers feel like saying to him: "Been there, done that; " we know exactly what you are saying to us. This is the way that the author honors his "quintessential mother", whose job, like most mothers' jobs throughout the world, is never ending, never finished, very much unlike a conventional "job description" that most of us adhere to when we perform our paid jobs. What I am trying to say is: "You can never pay enough for what a mother does to her family. By default, and by way of applicability to the world at large, and quite frankly to humanity, we can NEVER pay enough money to recompense motherhood. So, I dedicate "Meet My Mother" to ALL MOTHERS, worldwide. KUDOS TO ALL MOTHERS! You are doing an amazing job!


Click here to get Meet My Mother on Amazon / Kindle


Picture of Dr. John

Dr. John Ayoola Akinyemi Honors His Mother in Meet My Mother

In Meet My Mother, Dr. John Ayoola Akinyemi dedicates a true and deeply personal story to the memory of his late mother, celebrating her as the embodiment of a “quintessential mother.” Through heartfelt reflection, he paints a portrait of a woman whose calm spirit, unwavering faith, and boundless love shaped the lives of her nine children and continues to inspire others beyond her family.

The book recalls how his mother lived a life of serenity even in the midst of raging storms, reminding her children through word and deed that prayer and trust in God are anchors of strength. One of her lasting legacies remains her gentle but powerful question: “Have you prayed about it?” With these words, she encouraged her family to bring their troubles before God, teaching them that faith and forgiveness can carry them through life’s most difficult challenges.

Interwoven with biblical stories shared during family devotions in Nigeria—such as Jesus calming the storm—Dr. Akinyemi connects his mother’s teachings to timeless lessons of courage and faith. Her guidance resonates not only within the family but also with readers from all walks of life, regardless of culture, creed, or background.

At its core, Meet My Mother is not only a tribute to one extraordinary woman but also to motherhood itself. Dr. Akinyemi reminds us that mothers across the world—whether Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, or otherwise—share a universal devotion that cannot be measured or repaid. He draws parallels between his own experiences and those of mothers everywhere, highlighting how their sacrifices and unconditional love sustain families and communities.

By honoring his mother, who passed away at the age of 87, Dr. Akinyemi extends his gratitude to all mothers worldwide. His story is both personal and universal, a testament to love that transcends time, faith, and culture. In his words, “KUDOS TO ALL MOTHERS! You are doing an amazing job!”




Thursday, October 9, 2025

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Teaching Academic Seminar with Purpose: A Practical Guide for Special Education Resource Rooms and Inclusive Classrooms

  Students and Teacher around computer


A Practical Guide for Special Education Resource Rooms and Inclusive Classrooms
Academic Seminar should never be “just a study hall.” At its best, it is a structured, intentional space where students with disabilities build executive functioning skills, grow in confidence, and achieve independence. Too often, however, it is left undefined—an open period without clear goals or consistent systems. As a special education teacher who turned a chaotic Resource Room into a launchpad for student success, Dr. Ryan Wydra reimagines what Academic Seminar can be. In Teaching Academic Seminar with Purpose, he provides educators with a clear framework for transforming Resource Rooms and inclusive classrooms into powerful spaces for growth. Drawing on years of classroom experience, research, and collaboration, Dr. Wydra offers more than theory. Inside, you’ll find: • Step-by-step routines and schedules to bring structure and clarity. • Practical strategies for teaching organization, time management, and study skills. • Tools for aligning instruction with IEP goals and monitoring progress. • Approaches to assessment preparation, remediation, and re-teaching. • Guidance for partnering with families and collaborating with colleagues. More than an instructional guide, this book is a call to action: to see Academic Seminar as a place where students are not just supported, but equipped to thrive—in school and beyond. Whether you’re a special education teacher, administrator, or general education partner, Teaching Academic Seminar with Purpose will give you the tools, confidence, and inspiration to turn potential into achievement.


Front and back cover of book





 



Tuesday, October 7, 2025

The Generational Algorithm: Rewriting the Emotional Code Passed Down Through Generations

    Silhouette of Family agains computer background



Rewriting the Emotional Code Passed Down Through Generations
In the age of social media, we all understand how algorithms decide what we see—but few realize that our families run their own invisible algorithms, programming how we love, trust, and respond to the world before we can even speak. In The Generational Algorithm, therapist Francisco Castillo, LMFT, uses the relatable metaphor of a “social media feed” to reveal how patterns of trauma, silence, and survival get passed down like outdated code.
Blending real-life stories, neuroscience, and practical therapeutic tools, Castillo guides readers through his DECODE method—a 90-day process to detect inherited patterns, challenge outdated programming, and rewrite their emotional feed. With warmth, cultural awareness, and a down-to-earth style, this book offers hope, clarity, and a concrete plan for anyone ready to stop repeating painful family cycles and create a healthier emotional legacy for future generations.



 



Monday, October 6, 2025

The Butterfly Diary: A Journey of Coming Home to Myself

 Young Woman on Paddle Board near Bridge


The Butterfly Diary:

A Journey of Coming Home to Myself 


Noelani Lee has everything she always dreamed of. A successful restauranteur husband and a pampered housewife lifestyle with quirky and interesting friends. Then her husband of twenty years vanishes with her inheritance money. Divorced, unemployed, and uncertain about the future, Noelani contemplates how to rebuild her life and move on from a shattered marriage. With her best friend’s encouragement, Noelani returns to Hawaii to jumpstart her life. She feels an ancestral tug toward something she doesn’t understand. A summons to come home. The islands hold more than a rekindling of an old childhood friendship, there is something more powerful brewing along the pristine ocean shores. The ancestors are guiding her down a byzantine journey of self-discovery that is both unsettling and empowering. Through a series of mysterious dreams and shamanic signs, Noelani realizes something is beckoning her to explore the unknown. She discovers there’s more to her ancestral home than she could ever have dreamed of and a supernatural heritage she could never have imagined.








Book Contest

Declaring the Dawn in the Midst of the Night: 30 Days to Reclaim the Beautiful Future Destined for You

    Book Title on Cloud covered book background.




Even in the midnight hour, His promises still stand. Will you dare to believe He has not forgotten you? Declaring the Dawn in the Midst of the Night is a 30-day spiritual invitation to those navigating doubt, disappointment, or silence from God. This is not a book of trite reassurance – It is a deeply honest journey into Scripture, prayer, and the possibility that the Father’s hand has been guiding you all along. Written by A. L. Schilling – a seasoned diplomat who spent most of his life far from faith – this book speaks not from theory but from a hard-won testimony. Despite years of skepticism, personal loss, and spiritual resistance, grace found him. Now, Schilling offers readers the same space he was given: 30 days to test and see if the Word is true. Each day presents a brief meditation grounded in Scripture, a heartfelt prayer, and a quiet challenge to take one more step forward. From Psalm 27 to Mark 10, from the wilderness journey of Exodus to the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel, these pages invite readers to encounter God – not through blind belief, but through scriptural engagement and honest conversation. If you have felt forgotten, overwhelmed, or unsure how to begin, this book will meet you where you are. You don’t need to fix yourself before coming. “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” – Lamentations 3:22–23 Come walk these 30 days. The dawn is already breaking.




Book on Desk



 



Sunday, October 5, 2025

I The Black Poet Comes

 Skull colored in American Flag



I The Black Poet Comes

By James M. Moten


I, the Black Poet, come—not with vengeance, but with vision.


In I, The Black Poet Comes, James M. Moten offers a stirring, unflinching collection of poems drawn from a lifetime of trials, triumphs, and spiritual truth. These verses are not mere reflections—they are declarations. The voice that rises from these pages is both deeply personal and undeniably universal, capturing the soul of a man who has walked through fire and still dares to speak light into the world.


“I bleed words that were never taught in schools / that were lost in chains and cotton fields.”


From poems that explore loneliness, sacrifice, and the generational scars of racial injustice, to those that exalt love, womanhood, and faith, Moten’s words hit like a steady drumbeat—rhythmic, raw, and rooted in something sacred. He writes with the conviction of a man who has lived through war (literally and metaphorically) and emerged with poetry in his hands.


A bold, unapologetic symphony of life, pain, love, and Black identity, delivered through verse that stirs the soul and commands remembrance. - MainSpring Books


As the collection unfolds, readers journey with Moten through stories shaped by family, service, and a relentless pursuit of dignity. His poetry elevates the everyday into the eternal, transforming hardship into testimony and silence into song. There’s humor here too—unexpected and human—and a deep spiritual undercurrent that threads grace through every grief-stricken line.


“If I could tell my younger self one thing—it would be: write anyway. Sing anyway. Love anyway.”


I, The Black Poet Comes is not just a poetry book—it is an offering. To those who know the weight of struggle, the ache of erasure, and the joy of being seen—it is a mirror and a beacon. Moten’s verses remind us that to speak one’s truth is a revolutionary act. And to put it in print, a legacy.