On Saturday, May 13, motivational speaker and author Eleanor Isaacson will visit Chestnut Level Presbyterian Church, 1068 Chestnut Level Road, Quarryville. Isaacson, who lives in Willow Street, will give a talk titled "Surviving Nazi Germany During WWII," and she will offer copies of her book, "Dancing From Darkness," for both purchase and signing. The event will be free to attend, but donations will be accepted.

Isaacson was born in New Jersey in 1934. In 1936, Isaacson's mother took her to Germany and returned to the United States without her. Isaacson grew up in Germany under Adolf Hitler's regime and weathered the chaos brought on by World War II. In "Dancing from Darkness," Isaacson describes what it was like to experience bombings and military occupation as a child in Germany, as well as how her faith in God helped her through difficult times. After the war ended, Isaacson returned to the United States at the age of 13 to be reunited with her mother. Although she had finally returned to the country where she was born, Isaacson faced new trials and hardly spoke any English.

Isaacson independently published "Dancing Fom Darkness" in 2017 after working on it for 60 years. A German publisher contacted Isaacson after the book's release to ask her permission to translate the book to German. The German translation of the book is now carried in stores across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Although the book was not officially published until 2017, Isaacson has been sharing her life story for the last 48 years as a motivational speaker.

"I want people who read the book to be encouraged and have hope," Isaacson said. "My goal is for people to trust God and move forward with a very positive attitude in life, no matter what has happened. Everything has a purpose."

Isaacson's experiences have also given her an opportunity to connect with many Amish communities in Lancaster. Isaacson often visits Amish schools and farms to share her story and give a history lesson to the children there. She added that she is able to comfortably speak with her Amish audiences due to her fluency in German.

In addition to being a motivational speaker and author, Isaacson has pursued many careers in her life, including competitive ballroom dancing, fashion design and modeling, home decorating and gourmet cooking. Isaacson also wrote a devotional titled "The Invisible Presence," which she adapted from "Dancing From Darkness." The devotional comprises meditations, prayers, Scripture passages and Isaacson's ruminations on her spiritual journey.

For more information, visit http://www.eleanorisaacson.com.