from my own life and family. All of these stories are true; they are
not composites that we created to exaggerate or embellish a story.
I have found truth to be more transformative than fi ction, so only the
names have been changed. I commend those who have shared
their stories for “ showing up ” for themselves and choosing to “ make
a difference ” with their lives. I am forever grateful to everyone
who bravely shared his or her truth with the hope and intention of
helping others, who in turn will pay it forward and inspire yet more
people to embrace the health rewards of the Rice dieta.
Many sojourners who are gifted in healing and various practi-
tioners of energy medicine have graced our grounds and my life; my
appreciation for them is beyond measure. It is one of my greatest
joys and marvels to experience and share in what has been called
inner healing, or the healing of memories that affect not only our
past but also our future health. Special thanks to these gifted souls,
from Reverend Tommy Tyson to Karen Winstead, Todd Brazee,
Larry Burk, and Carolyn Craft. Although my spiritual mentor
described his healing abilities as a gift of healing from God, I have
personally witnessed and benefi ted from other practitioners who
call their energetic approaches to healing axiatonal therapy, breath
therapy, emotional freedom technique, and Hakomi therapy. The
multisensorial approaches to healing that have come into my life
during this book ’ s gestation have greatly blessed me; I ’ m sure that
Little Windows ’ music and Wendy Whitson ’ s paintings will touch
you deeply as well. Sharing in these two creative processes was
indeed among the highlights of the last few years for me.
Every book, like every newborn, has a unique conception,
gestation, and delivery — unlike any other that has come before. This
book, my fourth, illustrates this metaphor almost comically. The
breadth of this book ’ s being was so vast that it became clear that
all preconceived notions were just that! But thanks to my agent,
Loretta Barrett, and my editors, Christel Winkler, Tom Miller, and
Kimberly Monroe-Hill, the book was birthed as it was meant to be
and right on time. Praise be to God!
Last and foremost, I will forever be grateful to my husband and
my son, who allow me the fl exibility of keeping an unpredictablex acknowledgmentsflast.indd xflast.indd x 5/28/10 6:28:11 AM5/28/10 6:28:11 AM