Daniel L. Trotter became hooked on illegal drugs at a young age.  This—as well as addictions to alcohol, tobacco, pornography, and partying—continued to plague him throughout adolescence and young adulthood, leading where such vices inevitably will.  After numerous close calls, as well as a suicide attempt and stays in both jail and a mental facility, Trotter finally hit rock bottom.  Desperate to change his life, he took dramatic action.  Inspired by the Biblical story of Jesus' forty-day fast in the wilderness, Trotter embarked on his own journey.  He promised himself—and God—that he wouldn't emerge from the forest where he was camping until he had found the strength to transform his life.  For good.

A Different Kind of Strong is Trotter's story.  Although it describes a long struggle with debilitating addictions, the memoir is a short, easy read, making it approachable for even the most reluctant reader.  It's written in a casual, conversational style that marks Trotter as an Everyman, whose mistakes and challenges could be those of any one of us.  His yearning for God, which led to his eventual conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the faith which his family embraced, but he abandoned), shows that, with the help of the Lord, anyone can change.  Through an ongoing process of repentance, forgiveness, restitution, and turning to God, past mistakes can be made right and present challenges overcome.  Trotter is quick to point out that his life didn't immediately become perfect after his life-changing experience in the wilderness, but it did improve in ways he never could have imagined.

While A Different Kind of Strong doesn't feature the strongest prose, it's still a compelling, empowering memoir that offers help and hope to those struggling with addiction.  Overall, I enjoyed this fast, faith-promoting read.

In addition to being a writer, a personal trainer, a Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS), and a motivational speaker, Trotter is also a singer and songwriter of inspiring religious music.  His CD, also titled A Different Kind of Strong, can be purchased on his website or at Amazon.  The songs are also available for download on Amazon.

(Readalikes:  I don't read a lot of books like this, so no titles are coming to mind.  You?)

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Would you like to win a copy of A Different Kind of Strong and a $50 Amazon gift card?  Of course you would!  Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter the giveaway.  Good luck!


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Now that Halloween is over, it's time to focus on what's really important—Christmas.  Just kidding!  I love Thanksgiving and would never skip over it.  Even when my family begs to start decorating early, I refuse to put up my Christmas tree before Thanksgiving is over.  It's not too early, however, to start planning holiday outings, which is why I agreed to post about The Forgotten Carols today.

I'd never heard of The Forgotten Carols until 1994, when my college boyfriend (now husband) organized a trip to see the production in Provo, Utah.  At the time, the show was only a few years old, and most of the parts were played by Michael McLean, the well-known musician who developed the presentation. The two of us, along with a group of our friends, had a great time watching The Forgotten Carols together.  While I don't remember the details of the show now, I do recall enjoying the experience and feeling a sweet spirit of friendship and holiday cheer that added to the joy of the Christmas season for all of us that year.  A couple decades later, the show is in its 28th year of consecutive performances.  According to a press release, The Forgotten Carols has been "reimagined" this year.  In it, McLean is quoted as saying, "Fans will hear the same songs, see the same characters, but experience the story in a completely new way!"

Needless to say, when I was offered complimentary tickets to an upcoming performance of The Forgotten Carols here in Arizona in exchange for posting this promotional piece, I jumped at the chance.  I can't wait to re-experience the show and all the nostalgia that I'm sure will be part of it.

If you haven't heard of The Forgotten Carols, it's a warm, inspiring musical stage presentation that tells the story of Connie Lou, a hardened nurse who hasn't laughed or cried in three decades.  When she begins working with an elderly homeless man who's struggling with dementia, her life begins to change.  She is especially intrigued when the man, Uncle John, begins telling her the Christmas story through the eyes of his "friends"—the innkeeper, Handel, a shepherd, etc.  Although Uncle John can't possibly have been alive for over 2000 years, Connie Lou finds herself reluctantly caught up in his tale.  As she listens to him, her heart—and her life—is changed as the old man reminds her what Christmas is really about.



If you live in Utah, Idaho, or Arizona and are looking for a fun, family-friendly activity to touch your own heart, definitely consider attending a performance near you.  Click here for show and ticketing information.

Would you prefer to attend the show for free?  Of course you would!  Enter to win four tickets to the performance by using the Rafflecopter widget below.  Maybe I'll see you at the Tempe show on December 13 :)

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If you're a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you're no doubt looking forward to this weekend.  Twice a year, the LDS Church holds a General Conference, which takes place in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City and is broadcast all over the world.  My family loves going to church in our pajamas (we watch Conference on our t.v. at home), eating traditional foods (French toast for breakfast is a Conference must), and, most of all, listening to inspired counsel from our Church leaders (glorious!).  I always come away from the experience feeling closer to my family and to God.

Of course, Conference wouldn't be Conference without the world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  In between the talks, the 360-person, all-volunteer singing group performs songs of faith and devotion, which always bring a special spirit to the proceedings.

While watching the choir on t.v. is powerful, it's nothing compared to seeing the group perform live.  If you happen to be in Salt Lake City, you can catch free performances every Sunday during the taping of the Music and the Spoken Word program.  Weekly rehearsals are also free and open to the public.  There are additional concerts throughout the year.  Information about all of these events can be found on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's website.

Even if you can't catch MoTab live, you can still listen to its music.  Check out the commercial-free, 24/7 music stream at the Mormon Channel, for instance.  You can also find CDs at Amazon, Deseret Book, and other retailers.

If you love the choir's rich, inspiring music, you'll definitely want to check out its newest CD, Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Friends.  The album features eleven tracks from the choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square, seven of which are from standout concert performances over the last 15 years; the other four were created specifically for this CD.  Each song stars a guest artist or two, from Yo-Yo Ma to James Taylor to Angela Lansbury to Santino Fontana.  The tracks range from African-American spirituals to songs from popular movies to old favorites like How Can I Keep From Singing?  It's a soothing, sometimes rousing collection that can be enjoyed by listeners of all ages.  Seriously!  My favorite track on the album is "Through Heaven's Eyes" (from The Prince of Egypt), which happens to be the movie song my 8-year-old sings most.

Released in May, the album quickly reached No. 1 on Billboard's Classical Crossover Chart, the 12th time that a Mormon Tabernacle Choir album has done so.  It also earned the No. 2 spot on the Classical Overall chart.

If you've got a MoTab lover on your Christmas list this year, definitely pick up one of these babies.  Also, keep in mind that Deseret Book stores across the nation will be hosting Ladies Night on Saturday, September 30.  Almost everything in the store will be 20% off, making it a perfect night to get a Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Friends CD of your very own.

*To the FTC, with love:  I received a free Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Friends CD in exchange for an honest review from the generous folks at Deseret Book.  Thank you!