In a recent interview on Talking Books TV, Tom Anderson spoke to Michelle Vandepas about his book, Your Place in the World: Creating a Life of Vision, Purpose, and Service.

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether you are truly passionate about what you do or are simply trying to figure out your purpose in life, Tom Anderson’s book can give you some direction.

By all accounts, Tom Anderson was a man on his way to the top. With a degree in Finance and Real Estate, he thrived in a commercial real estate for and mortgage banking career. But when he was finally given the chance to have what he had long worked for–to be partner in his firm–Anderson realized that it wasn’t a place he saw himself spending the rest of his life devoted to. He explains, “I felt like I was living a life that was just too small.” With that, Anderson embarked on a vision quest that changed his life and is now offering the same thing to others.

In this book, Anderson uses his own vision quest experience as a spring board and shares his own insights on self discovery. He tells us that vision is the greatest dream you can dream for the word while purpose is a unique gift you have been born to embody, and service is the energy that combines vision and purpose when you live your life for something bigger than yourself. This inspiring story serves as a guide to discovering meaning and purpose for anyone who dares to respond to that tug at your heart you just can’t shake off. When you pick up this book, let it lead you to remember who you truly are and discover what it is that will make you happy.

About the Book

Tom Anderson’s Your Place in the World: Creating A Life of Vision, Purpose and Service is not only an account of his own heroic journey to purpose and service, but also a simple guide to help you create your heroic life. Through the old spiritual practice of the vision quest, Tom found his calling and this book is perfect for anyone who is seeking guidance to do the same.

About the Author

Tom Anderson wears many hats. He is a writer, inspirational speaker, workshop leader and vision quest guide. His former career in commercial real estate and mortgage banking gave him great success but he later realized that his passion lay in helping others find theirs. He resigned his position and devoted his time to his passions in writing, teaching and public speaking. His book, Your Place in the World: Creating a life vision, purpose and service reflects his belief in the ability of each person to “fuel a dream, create an abundant life, and even change the world”

Visit his website Live A Mythic Life with Tom Anderson  http://liveamythiclife.com

Michelle Vandepas interviews Jerry Jenkins about The Last Operative

In an interview with Talking Purpose, Jerry talks about the dynamics involved in writing, why he writes about places he knows,  and his latest novel,The Last Operative.

If you’re a fan of suspense novels and spy thrillers, you’re going to enjoy The Last Operative.In this book, Jordan Kirkwood is an NSA intelligence officer who is just about ready to quietly go into retirement.His wife has been supportive of his career but his assignments have kept him away so long that he barely knows his children. Just as he decides to take his wife on a long overdue vacation to Europe, he receives stunning intelligence information about the biggest threat to the country since 9/11. In a devastating turn of events, Kirkwood arranges to meet his wife at the airport, only to find her brutally killed along with a male passenger who resembles him.

After burying his wife, Kirkwood plunges headlong into another operation to untangle the web of deceit surrounding the threat to national security and his wife’s death. He suspects someone in the NSA is involved and the plot thickens when the undercover operation leads him to an old lover, a French woman he was once madly in love with. To succeed in his mission, he needs to unearth parts of his past he has long buried and figure out exactly who he can trust.

In this fast paced thriller, Jenkins effectively blends international intrigue, faith, family and patriotism as it follows the exploits of Jason Kirkwood. Readers easily gain sympathy for Kirkwood as he is torn between his love for his family and his commitment to his job. Jason Kirkwood is a worthy hero tormented by his cynicism and strained relationship with God as he struggles to step up to the challenges that lies before him. This is definitely a page turner that will have you at the edge of your seat from start to finish.

About the Book

The Last Operative is a book that has all the elements you look for in a suspense thriller–action, adventure, romance and intrigue. In the novel, Jordan Kirkwood is a man ready for retirement after a long career spent as an NSA Intelligence Officer. But his last assignment turns into a nightmare when he tragically loses his wife and must uncover an insidious plot against the country he’s committed his life to serving. But the risks are high as he goes into a quest for the truth when he suspects that there is a mole in the NSA. He begins to not only question his instincts but even his faith in God.

About Jerry Jenkins

Jerry B. Jenkins is the author of more than 175 books, including the best selling series Left Behind. He is a former editor and vice president for publishing of Moody Magazine and now serves as the chairman of the board of trustees for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.

His novel, Riven, was released in July 2008. He considers it his life’s work and received fantastic reviews. A movie adaptation of the book is slated for release in 2011. He recently collaborated  with Tim LaHaye is the The Jesus Chronicles novel series (John’s Story , Mark’s Story, Luke’s Story, Matthew’s Story) that are based on the Gospels. Another book with the working title The Brotherhood/ A Boone Drake Novel, is scheduled to be released in February 2011.

Jenkin’s other books include non fiction motivational book Game Plan for Life: Your Personal Playbook for Success which was written with NFL coach Joe Gibbs, and a slew of as-told-to autobiographies such as the best selling books about Orel Hershiser and Nolan Ryan. He has also written for Time, Reader’s Digest, Parade, Guideposts and serves a contributing editor to Writer’s Digest. He also wrote the sports comic strip, Gil Thorp, from 1996-2004.

Jerry Jenkins owns Jenkins Entertainment (www.Jenkins-Entertainment.com), an LA-based filmmaking company that produces critically acclaimed films such as Hometown Legend and Midnight Clear, a 2007 Cinequest Film Festival “Best First Feature” awardee. He also owns the Christians Writer’s Guild (www.ChristianWritersGuild.com), an organization that is geared towards training future professional Christian writers worldwide.

He is a sought-after speaker and humorist and he currently lives with his wife Dianna in Colorado. They have three grown sons and five grandchildren. Visit his website http://www.jerryjenkins.com and his blog http://jerryjenkins.blogspot.com

In an interview with Michelle Vandepas on Talking Books TV, renowned Bhakti Yoga exponent Radhanath Swami talks about his autobiography The Journey Home: Autobiography of an American Swami.

In the 1970s, Radhanath Swami was Richard Slavin and he was a young man looking for direction. Even at such a young age, he felt that there was something missing in his life and was looking for the meaning of his existence. This yearning led him to travel to Europe, the Middle East, Asia and finally, India. It was in India that he met the man who eventually became his guru, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

The Journey Home is a remarkable read because Radhanath Swami writes about his search for inner truth and meaning with honesty, clarity and detail. As his story unravels, we see him grow in both experience and realization as he lets go of his ego and allows the “invisible hand of destiny” to lead the way. He meets spiritual personalities like Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama, takes risks and survives near death experiences—all to reach his spiritual goal of Bhakti or devotional mysticism. Then when he does so, he makes the decision to turn his back on a peaceful life as a recluse to return to the world and share what he has learned. This American Swami has since become one of India’s greatest spiritual leaders and his story will undoubtedly serve as both a guide and a source of inspiration for anyone who wishes to have a spiritual awakening and discover their calling in life.

In the interview, Radhanath Swami says, “If we are sincere to follow the calling in our life, then magical things happen. Sometimes those things are not what we want. Sometimes they are way beyond our expectations of what we want and in some cases, I believe the trials and the beautiful experiences bind us closer to our calling if we don’t lose hope and don’t lose faith. Indeed, this memoir shows us that being on a spiritual path will be a challenge, it will not be easy but it will definitely be worth every struggle.

About the Book
The Journey Home: Autobiography of an American Swami is a rare tale of adventure and spiritual enlightenment that follows a young man’s journey for truth and meaning in life. American Richard Slavin travels from America to Europe, the Middle East and India, learning about different faiths and spirituality and fighting past numerous trials to emerge as one of India’s spiritual leaders, Radhanath Swami.

About the Author
At 19 years old, Richard Slavin left his home in America in search of adventure and meaning in his life. He finds himself trekking across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, until he reached India. It was in India that he found his guru and discovered the spiritual enlightenment that he had been looking for. He emerged as Radhanath Swami and returned to society with a strong desire to share what he’s learned about the rewards of living a life devoted to God. Since then, his devotional yoga tradition has led him to guide community development and social action programs in Mumbai, including missionary hospitals, eco-friendly farms, schools and Midday Meal, an program that feeds vegetarian food to indigent children daily. His memoir,The Journey Home, chronicles his incredible experiences and is a must read for anyone who is yearning to embark on their own spiritual journey.

Visit his website at http://radhanathswami.com

A World Free of Violence

Possible? Edward Jones not only knows this, but sees it coming. (He doesn’t believe it, but proclaims it!) His book about the New Consciousness explains how we must give up our personal violence.

Isn’t PEACE what we all want? What we dream about?  Not so fast, not everyone is willing to pay the price of truth telling – at the expense of crushed ego’s, no Santa Claus and personal exposure.  This no nonsense totally captivating author, explains how Peace really does begin with each one of us.  He has been ‘born again’, but not in the way you’d expect. What we might call a meltdown, Edward calls an embracing of source or power, or all that is. What would you call it? Do you agree?  Edward Jones, has written a powerful message behind his new book; A New Consciousness Born – You are the Source.   Please watch this interview – it make be a bit longer than my usual ones, but it is worth it. Edward will make you think about yourself, the world and the nature of the universe.

Listen and download the audio  version here:

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You can find out more about Edward, the events which led up to the writing of his new book, and more about the book itself by watching my author interview with him and clicking over to his site http://www.ophadophaluspublishing.com/

About Edward Jones

Edward was born in to a difficult family, and experienced a number of traumatic events including neglect and bullying. He joined the navy, got married and had a child. Through events such as losing his job and getting divorced, Edward gained a vast amount of life experience which informs his current work.

Edward has developed a way to approach the action of self-transformation by using truth as the springboard. We each have the ability to be 100% responsible for ourselves thereby creating a new way of being. By observing our thought processes and making no thought invented changes, we move our self out of the known and into the unknown. Edward suggests that we can be empowered to Transform our life by our self with no one ‘helping. By Transforming ourselves, we will be able to Transform or world.

“Small Pleasures Finding Grace in a Chaotic World”

by Justine Toms (of New Dimensions Radio)

In this inspirational video with Justine Toms,  she shares just a snippet of the wisdom inside of her heart.  She has learned a thing or two as co-founder of New Dimensions Radio – she and her husband Michael Toms have interviewed and hosted scores of personal growth and spiritual leaders – just about everyone except maybe the Pope .  Justine shares her thoughts of how we are loosing our intimate connections – that we spend less time with people and therefore don’t have a good reflection of ourselves in the world.

Justine leads life purpose workshops and has written this cool little book (Small Pleasures Finding Grace in a Chaotic World)to help us all relax, calm down, and be at peace in today’s wild wild of life.

I loved interviewing this inspirational women who has traveled the world and inside her soul.

We’d both love your comments about staying calm in this crazy world. What do you think? What are the tools you use again the chaos?

Small Pleasures: Finding Grace in a Chaotic World

More about Justine Toms

Small Pleasures is a collection of forty-nine short meditative essays that help readers to turn aside from their chaotic lives for a while to experience grace and possibilitiy in the small, critically important things in life. Author Justine Willis Toms divides the book into five sections, each with eassays that draw upon her many connections and her wealth of experiences. Justine Willis Toms is Co-founder and Managing Producer of New Dimensions Media/World Broadcasting Network and New Dimensions Radio, a not-for-profit, educational organization whose primary work is the production and distribution of the “New Dimensions” radio series heard worldwide, and is a vortex for launching new trends, revealing timeless wisdom, and pushing the boundaries of form, language, and spirit.

The Key of Life – Randy Rogers on Metaphysics

Past lives, regression therapy, numerology, symbolism – anything metaphysical and this book has got it all! Author Randy Rogers went from successful film maker and producer, to author during this incredible journey of searching for answers about life and the beyond.

Randy and I talked about past lives, future lives, parallel live and before lives. We talked about knowing each other and agreements made before we were born. We talked about no space and no time. The conversation was mind boggling , interesting and stimulating. Won’t you watch?

The book is about his inspirational life, and this video discusses it and The Key of Life with Randy Rogers.

The Key of Life; A Metaphysical Investigation

From Randy’s site:

The Key of Life: A Metaphysical Investigation… is a very personal and life changing experience. We emerge from it… enlightened and inspired. Congratulations, what an accomplishment!

Maria Shriver, First Lady of CA, Author of Just Who Will You Be?: Big Question, Little Book. Answer Within.

Neale Donald Walsch – A Video Interview Book Review

Neale Donald Walsch is best known for his Conversations With God and he’s known as a modern day spiritual messenger.

His newest book, When Everything Changes, Change Everything: In a Time of Turmoil, a Pathway to Peace ,  is the subject of our interview today, but we also went much further in the discussion, even to the point of learning about Soul Agenda. He asks what your Soul’s Agenda?  Do you know yours?  Mine is teaching, learning and service for sure.

I’d love to hear your thoughts – so please leave them below – and include your thoughts about the meditation and your Soul’s Agenda.

He  says all change is good, – do you agree?  Watch this inspirational video to find out why.  I was blessed to be part of an almost ‘quick fix’ instant healing meditation.  It was a surprise to go through it ‘on the fly’ but I most grateful and loved the experience of the healing energy – all the way across the internet waves.

Here’s the book:

When Everything Changes, Change Everything: In a Time of Turmoil, a Pathway to Peace

More about Neale Donald Walsch:

Here are two  of his many products available:

.                                                     Conversations With God

Neale Donald Walsch on his official website

More articles about Neale Donald Walsch from Corinne Edwards

Wen Everything Changes book review from Jenny Mannion – Heal Pain Naturally

Thank you to Neale Donald Walsch for being on Talking Purpose. I’m looking forward to having him back soon and sharing more sacred space with this gentle and wise man.