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I am pleased Ellen Gable Hrkach of Full Quiver Publishing asked me to be part of a book-launch blog tour for Andy LaVallee’s book, From the Hub to the Heart. His new book  tells of a journey from “fast living to living the fast”. Although I have not read it yet, I can’t wait because  the reviews are fantastic. Others on this blog tour, who have read his book, love Andy’s warm, personal voice. They are riveted by his dramatic conversion and the power of both the Holy Spirit and Mother Mary in his life.

The following is the press release from Boston, Massachusetts February 11, 2015 /Christian Newswire

Andrew LaVallee lived the fast life.A man of extremes, LaVallee grew up in a tough neighborhood and he drank, swore and gambled his way through most of his adult life. He achieved financial and worldly success in his bakery distribution business.

After his conversion, LaVallee embraced the Catholic faith of his youth and felt God calling him to promote fasting. When he decided to write his story, he joined forces with writer Leticia Velasquez who writes, “This book tells the story of what happened when a movie star known for his portrayal of Jesus Christ in The Passion of the Christ, Jim Caviezel, looked into this successful man’s eyes one day and challenged him just as Christ challenged the rich young man. He dared Andy to visit Medjugorje, an obscure, poor village in Croatia, where for over thirty years it has been alleged that the Virgin Mary has been visiting earth and calling her children to live lives of prayer, penance and fasting. Andy’s reaction was predictable; ‘No way am I flying fifteen hours to pray a Rosary!’ But little by little, Our Lady’s call to Andy opened his heart and he boarded that plane, prayed that Rosary and his life has never been the same.”

Cardinal Sean O’Malley of the Archdiocese of Boston has high praise for Andy: “The past decade of Andy LaVallee’s life shows the power of Men’s Conferences, the impact of good Catholic friendships, the help of the Blessed Mother to draw near to Christ Jesus, the power of fasting, and the positive impact of Catholic social teaching in the workplace. We are fortunate in the Archdiocese of Boston to have leaders such as Andy LaVallee who actively reach out to invite others to experience the joy of living as a disciple within the Catholic community.”

Mother Olga of the Sacred Heart, Foundress of Daughters of Mary of Nazareth says, “In (Andrew’s) pilgrimage we each can experience the fullness of our conversion when the new life of faith from within intersects with the old world from without….writing and publishing this journey is yet a testimony of his desire to reach the fullness of his conversion not only for himself but to share its grace with others. May God’s Name be glorified and many people be inspired by this conversion pilgrimage and journey deeper into their own conversion through this book.”

This inspiring book is available in print and on Kindle via Amazon.com and is also available via the author’s website: livethefast.org

Contact: Andrew LaVallee, Live the Fast (phone number: 781-647-4644 x12)

Andy LaValle founded the Catholic apostolate www.livethefast.com, to bring back awareness to the practice of fasting, create nutritional fasting breads, and build a prayer community to support each other through prayer and fasting.