The author of Opening the Gifts shares essays inspired by nature and the life lessons she learned while pausing to reflect during rough points in her life. During a tropical storm. In the aftermath of chemotherapy. Amid marital discord. These are among the times author Charlene Costanzo found comfort, joy, hope, and healing in Sanibel Island’s botanical garden. She also learned a few things. Eventually she amassed a collection of wisdom from these experiences and now, she shares these insights with you. If you look closely, plants sprout with willpower and bloom with determination. Drawing from the beautiful nature of trees and flowers, Charlene crafts garden-inspired messages from her experiences with healing and understanding. Inside, find quotes, reflections, and even bonus material: Pen-and-ink line drawings with illustrations of flowers, leaves, and garden plants Charlene’s Twelve Gifts resource and lessons learned in the garden An epilogue from two other locales: Sedona, Arizona, and St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands Each gift-from-the-garden message asks readers to imagine walking in the author’s sandals—or at least by her side—and try to perceive as she did. The journey is sometimes whimsical, often idealistic, and always encouraging. Charlene hopes that this book will ultimately enrich and empower readers as they journey through life in their own shoes. Perfect for readers of Anne Morrow Lindbergh Praise for The Twelve Gifts from the Garden “With the wonder of a child, the introspection of a mature woman, and the wisdom of the elders, Charlene Costanzo inspires us to discover the hidden treasures of nature.” —Gloria Gaynor, Grammy Award–winning singer and author of I Will Survive: The Book and We Will Survive: True Stories of Encouragement, Inspiration, and the Power of Song “This book is a feast, a dream, a wondrous adventure.” —Sherry Richert Belul, founder of Simply Celebrate and author of Say It Now “A joyful read bursting with the beauty of nature and reflections of lessons learned in life . . . . Most mornings, reading her reflections gives me goosebumps because they are like having a cup of coffee with God . . . . This is a wonderful book to gift yourself and others!” —Gina La Benz, author of Anchor Moments: Hope, Healing, and Forgiveness

There is no more magical moment than when a newborn baby is laid in a mother's arms. What was for many months a dream and a mystery is now a miraculous new person at the threshold of a life filled with possibilities. Through a tender, inspiring tale, The Twelve Gifts of Birth reveals the birthright inheritance that all children receive at this moment. Wise women, otherwise known as fairy godmothers, announce the twelve gifts in the form of blessings and show how to use them to enrich one's life. This keepsake book encourages new parents to nurture and protect the wondrous qualities that have been bestowed on their tiny miracles. When shared with young children, this message helps form within them a strong foundation of values and self-respect. For teens and adults, this story offers healing and hope during times of diminished self-esteem and uncertain transition. It reminds all readers to see the dignity that is inherent in themselves and others.

A wonderful and compassionate illustrated gift book that will inspire readers to triumph over adversity of any kind. The author of The 12 Gifts of Birth has produced another beautifully illustrated book that will uplift and inspire all who turn its pages. Everyone goes through some sort of loss in life, and in The Healing Place, Charlene Costanzo provides words of encouragement that will help readers triumph over adversity of any kind--whether it is cancer, job loss, divorce, or just a bad day. The book will give readers a renewed faith in themselves. The Healing Place opens with a simple yet powerful story of a troubled woman searching for healing. The book then offers twelve healing aspirations that will reaffirm readers sense of peace and dignity, accompanied by beautiful illustrations and colorized photographs. The Healing Place is certain to become a cherished companion on life′s journey.

An inspirational, illustrated gift book offering a message of love and commitment for couples in all stages of matrimony. Anyone who's ever said ⇠do⟫nows that a successful marriage is not founded on love alone. It takes commitment, hard work, and patience to make the marriage work. Charlene Costanzo's latest book, The Twelve Gifts in Marriage, reminds us all what marriage is about and offers inspirational advice that couples of all ages will cherish. Like Charlene's first two books, Marriage opens with a parable: An elderly couple warns a young bride and groom that their life together won't always be blissful or easy, but that their love will grow deeper with time if they remember to practice twelve innate gifts栭ong them strength, faith, and compassion. The book then illustrates the twelve gifts with powerful and poignant hand–tinted photographs that offer an immediate, sensory connection to readers. Like Charlene's first two successful books, The Twelve Gifts in Marriage brings a hopeful, inspirational message to its readers, from newlyweds to couples celebrating their Golden Anniversary.

Explaining how to transform one's garden to provide year-round interest, an inspirational gardening handbook reveals how to add texture, color, shape, and beauty to the winter landscape, with suggestions for the best trees, shrubs, groundcovers, perennials, and grasses, as well as container plantings, holiday decorating tips, and more.

While on assignment in Eastern Europe, Claire, a U.S. journalist, learns of a local legend. The deceptively simple fable about the thirteenth gift has a profound effect on Claire, which soon transforms her marriage, her work, and the way she sees the world. The Thirteenth Gift is both a cautionary tale and an inspirational fable as it shows a way through the perilous consequences of greed, arrogance, and abuse of power to an uplifted state of consciousness and community. The Thirteenth Gift invites readers to renew their own sense of wonderment, which can lead to freedom from fear and a greater experience of hope, beauty, and joy in daily life. Like the message of the award-winning book, The Twelve Gifts of Birth, this novella from Charlene Costanzo reminds readers to see the dignity that is inherent in themselves and others.

What happens when we tap into rich resources we all have within us? Ordinary days sparkle with extraordinary moments and all areas of our lives are enriched. In this empowering book, Costanzo shares examples of triumphs, transformations, and healings that result from using our inherent gifts of strength, beauty, courage, compassion, hope, joy, talent, imagination, reverence, wisdom, love, and faith. Each story inspires us to stay in touch with our inner gifts, especially when fear, hurt, or anger has derailed us. How did Touchstone Stories come to be? In 2000, while promoting her bestselling book, The Twelve Gifts of Birth, Charlene traveled America in a motor home. It was then, while visiting schools, shelters, prisons, and places of worship, that Charlene began to watch closely for evidence of ?the twelve gifts? in herself and in others. This daily practice became a personal quest, one on which she invites us to join her. The stories within are intended to spark memories of using our gifts and to build our own collection of touchstones.