Destined To Live Despite Me, by Yolanda Shanks was an Award Winner at the “USA BEST BOOKS 2011”

By Paula Pinto

New York- Destined To Live, Despite Me - was recently awarded “Winner” of the “2011 USA Best Book Awards” in the Christian Inspirational category. This powerful book, which offers scriptural truths to address the many painful questions that attempted suicide survivor’s face in regard to shaking their feelings of guilt, is quickly being deemed as number one in this category. Earlier this year Destined To Live, Despite Me, was nominated as a “Finalist” in the Motivational/Inspirational category in the “2011 International Book Awards” and also in this same category was honored as “Recipient” of the “Bronze Award” in “The Living Now Book 2011 Awards”.

Author, Yolanda Shanks, attempted suicide survivor and Bible study teacher, is very pleased with the reaction of her audience. Although Shanks fully understood the importance of being transparent and sharing her own personal experience in overcoming suicide, she wasn’t too sure of the reception to expect because of the social stigmas associated with her topic. However, she refused to allow such fears to prevent her from writing on this important topic and set out to help millions of others who are struggling to pick up the pieces of their lives after they have obtained the needed medical counseling.

Shanks answers important questions in relation to spiritual healing; Why me? Does God still love me? Will this pain last forever? How can I shake the embarrassment, guilt, and shame from my past? What’s needed to rebuild my life from here? Shanks, clearly is determined to continue to help attempted suicide survivors who are afraid to break free from the stigmas by encouraging them to use their testimony to help others, and by finding the lasting joy, peace, hope, and freedom, which comes through a meaningful, and deliberate relationship with Christ Jesus. Shanks, attributes much of her book’s success to her editor Paul Hawley, who she states meticulously, took her raw manuscript through an extraordinary metamorphosis!

To add to her streak of recent accomplishments, Shanks website was also recently chosen by Pixelita.com as one of the "Top Ten Inspirational Websites." Yolanda extends a well deserve thank you to Karin A. Bilich, Founder and President of SmartAuthorSites.com for the wonderful design and development of her site.

Shanks book, can be ordered at Amazon and Borders Books, as well as on her website at www.YolandaShanks.com. Her website offers enormous help and hope to its readers.

In closing, Shanks wrote these powerful words on her site, “I share with you the treasures I have found through walking in an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. No longer do I seek the affirmation of others to confirm who I am. No longer do the shadows of my past actions burden me with embarrassment, guilt, and shame. No longer am I carrying baggage that weighs me down emotionally; no longer is there a void longing to be filled in my soul. Truly I have been set free, and you can be too!"