Awakening Courage: Stories of Grit, Resilience, and Toughness depicts the gifts and talents of people residing in a rural southeastern Ohio community nestled in the Appalachian foothills. But it could very well be any community in America. The author writes insightfully of the real lives of individuals and groups who transformed their communities. He does this with a clever mix of spirit, storytelling, and practical application strategies which he includes at the end of every chapter in the form of Points to Ponder, Questions for Discussion, and Applications to Community Development. You will be introduced to ‘gritty’ people who refused to take no for an answer and learned to rise above challenges and adversity and achieve prosperity in the process. They are people of character, humility, integrity, and passion. They are mentally tough, accountable to a cause bigger than themselves and “walk the talk” daily in their journey toward becoming all that they were meant to be, not what someone else said they should be. As you read this book, you are encouraged to examine your heart, your mind, and your experience about your place in any community - family, neighborhood, school, workplace, church, city or village. You will learn how people can bring their very best efforts to the present moment - which is the only time we have. So get comfy and grab your favorite brew and be prepared to learn more about the core qualities and traits of change-makers who were not born of privilege, genius, or wealth. They were just ordinary people who seized the opportunities given to them and made a difference and impacted their community along the way.