"...Therefore, the most important and most profound question of the Christian faith must be, how and from where did death arise, and why has it become stronger than life? Why has death become so powerful that the world itself has become a kind of global cemetery, a place where a collection of people condemned to death live either in fear or terror, or, in their efforts to forget about death, find themselves rushing around one great big burial plot?"- Alexander Schmemann, Radio Liberty Broadcast In this brief collection, Father Alexander Schmemann does not have the luxury for platitudes and pleasantries on the most difficult of life's ultimate questions. Taking us to the heart of Christian revelation and anthropology, he leads us unequivocally and directly, as only he can, to discole why the apostle Paul calls death the "last enemy" (1 Cor. 15:26) and Christ's decisive answer to this enemy. Father Alexander Schmemann (†1983) was a prolific writer, brilliant lecturer, and dedicated pastor.I: I Believe...

    He has been held back five years in a row; he was exposed to nuclear radiation as a child; he was raised in the woods by bears. So went the many assessments of Ben Jackson by his sixth-grade peers. Over-sized and under-niced , Ben was the school bully. As the school year begins, new student Scott stands up to Ben, and as a result, becomes Ben s new daily target. From the annoying comments to the humiliating pranks, Ben assures a day doesn't pass without making Scott's life miserable. But in this story of forgiveness, tolerance, and unconditional love, both Scott and Ben make a remarkable transformation that will leave you with a fresh understanding of the meaning of Christmas in your life.

    So what happens when a person has doubts? Questioning is not the problem, according to authors Terryl and Fiona Givens. After all, they write, the Restoration unfolded because a young man asked questions. The difficulty arises when questions are based on flawed assumptions or incorrect perceptions, which can point us in the wrong direction, misdirect our attention, or constrain the answers we are capable of hearing. This insightful book offers a careful, intelligent look at doubt at some of its common sources, the challenges it presents, and the opportunities it may open up in a person's quest for faith. Whether you struggle with your own doubts or mostly want to understand loved ones who question, you will appreciate this candid discussion. You'll come away feeling more certain than ever of the Lord's love for all of His children.

    Featuring lessons taught through scripture, Church leaders, and personal experience, this inspirational book highlights the eternal strength inherent in and available to every woman. Readers will laugh, cry, and feel supported as they live their earthly missions with renewed peace and confidence. From the innate beauty of daughters of God to the gift of self-acceptance to the transcendent power of Christ's grace, sisters in every stage of life will be inspired to live more freely and fearlessly by learning to embrace their eternal potential and realize they are already more than enough--they are magnificent."--

    Once again, now with her daughters, she offers a treasure trove of good and practical updated how-to advice to homemakers of all ages and situations. But this is much more than a book about housekeeping. The heart of her message is that the specifics and techniques of "keeping house" are only the means to a more important end. Unlike other books you may read on home management, this one is built on eternal principles which, if applied, will help establish your home as a "house of glory and a house of God."Although Daryl is a virtuoso in the art of homemaking, to whom these ideas apparently flow with ease, almost any woman will find encouragement and suggestions to help her in her own quest to establish an eternal home. Even those who seem to find themselves "congenitally challenged" in the home management arena will find helpful tips on moving forward, one step at a time.As an added dimension of value, this book also addresses some of the pressing challenges facing today's family. The book, a celebration of the divine role of motherhood and the eternal significance of the family, is a message of hope and good cheer from the heart of an author who has always celebrated and cheered for women who are devoting the best of their lives and efforts to the ultimate career.

    An encounter with young Sydney tattoo artist Kira leaves him with a permanent tribute to the soldier, but it is a meeting that will change the course of his life. What he isn’t expecting is a campaign of retribution from the soldiers who blame him for the ambush and threaten his career. With his marriage also on the brink, his life spirals out of control. Years later, Phelan is surprised when Kira re-enters his life seeking refuge from her own troubles and with a young son in tow. She finds a way to help him make peace with his past, but she is still on the run from her own. The War Artist is a timely and compelling novel about the legacy of war, the power of art and the possibility of redemption.

    At first, unsure of Free Creek, he slowly learns to lean on its residents as family. There’s Aunt Easter, who is always filled with a sense of foreboding, bound to her faith above all; quiltmaking Uncle Paul; untamable Evangeline; and Alma, the fiddler whose song wends it way into Clay’s heart. Together, they help Clay fashion a quilt of a life from what treasured pieces surround him. . . .

    She’s in love with both her roommates. Satisfied to simply worship them from afar, she’s unprepared when they drop a bomb. Jon and Brian are in love with her, too, and they want her to choose between them. Their solution? She spends one evening with each of them, allowing them to woo her before she makes her decision. Will she be able to choose one over the other? Or will she be condemned to choosing neither, leaving all three of them miserable? Loving Eve is just one of the hot menage stories in this collection. Jill takes on two cowboys in Slow and Wet, Jane beds a musician and his best friend in Pianist Envy, and Erin is seduced by two lion shifters in Primal Instinct.

    As she uncovers layers of grime on what could prove to be a lost Flemish masterpiece, Rachel finds that layers of her own soul—layers that she would rather have kept hidden—are being stripped away.Imbued with historical and artistic detail, Unveiling will appeal to readers of A.S. Byatt’s Possession and Tracy Chevalier’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. Beautifully written, it brings the venerable city of Rome vividly to life and illuminates the power of art, imagination, and beauty to speak directly to the heart.

    For many people, their daily lives are a dark place with an even darker future, and John Edward shares how his belief in the power of prayer alone can help to illuminate a path for each individual to follow… using God’s gift of free will to chart our own course. Although he is quick to suggest this is not the fix to ‘find happiness’ in a material sense, the promise of living a more abundant life in general can be achieved. This book is divided into three sections. Section I deals with John’s overview of the process of prayer, his thoughts about writing on this subject matter, and the history of the rosary as authorized by the Catholic Church.   Section II is how he has utilized the power of prayer through the use of the rosary, and Section III is an audio CD that goes over the process of using the techniques of practical praying.  Includes a FREE BONUS Meditation CD!

    But the bombing is only the beginning. In a voice alive with grief, compassion, and startling humor, Incendiary is a stunning debut of one ordinary life blown apart by terror.

    But what if you realized you can experience true trust?Many women joke about having trust issues—laughing at their struggle because it feels common but secretly feeling there is no hope. Grace Valentine was one of them. In her twenties, she realized her trust issues were not humorous because, in reality, hers were trust issues with Jesus, her community, her family, and herself. And they were destroying her faith. Grace told herself she was simply being realistic, but the truth was, she was entangled with doubt and lies.In Grace’s second book, Is It Just Me?, she offers readers a new perspective by helping them find answers to five deeply felt questions:Am I the only one who is tired, overwhelmed, doubting, and fearful?Am I the only one who feels hurt and lonely?Am I the only one who still is struggling to find my purpose?Am I the only one struggling to trust that God is there?Am I the only one confused about how to be an adult?Grace’s personal story and perceptive insights show other young women that they are not alone and they can trust God in the middle of their hurts, doubts, and fears.

    She and her young brother find shelter in a Massachusetts Shaker community called The City of Hope. It is the Era of Manifestations, when young girls in Shaker enclaves all across the Northeast are experiencing extraordinary mystical visions, earning them the honorific of "Visionist" and bringing renown to their settlements. The City of Hope has not yet been blessed with a Visionist, but that changes when Polly arrives and is unexpectedly exalted. As she struggles to keep her dark secrets concealed in the face of increasing scrutiny, Polly finds herself in a life-changing friendship with a young Shaker sister named Charity, a girl who will stake everything--including her faith--on Polly's honesty and purity.

    That confrontation still reverberates in our lives today. Surely we can relate with the shame of the woman and her exposed sin. Unfortunately, we can also relate with the hypocritical crowd, reveling in the rejection of “the other.” But can we fully relate with Christ, the God who intervened to save her?  For those who’ve become wary of tired and sometimes even offensive Christian dogmatism, Carlos Rodríguez may be the spark that ignites the flames of faith in the true Jesus. He tells it like it is, with a desire to motivate those who feel ready to engage the world around them, not through political or religious agendas, but through grace and love. Drop the Stones invites followers of Jesus to drop their religious rocks, and, with open hands, engage in the rewarding lifestyle of a Jesus-styled love.

    " ReadingsA grieving daughter navigates the morning commute, her mind bursting with memories pleading to be shared.A man made entirely of well-cut suits and strictly enforced rules swims his regular morning laps and fantasises about his self-assured promotion.A young lawyer sits in a fluorescent-lit office, typing indecipherable jargon and dreaming of everything she didn't become.A failed news hack hides under the covers from another looming deadline, and from a past that will not relent its pursuit.And a young woman seeking asylum sits tensely on an unmoving train, praying that good news waits at the other end of the line...In this charming, moving and affectionate novel, Claire Varley paints a magical portrait of five ordinary people, and the sometimes heartbreaking power of the stories we make of ourselves.PRAISE FOR THE BIT IN BETWEEN"Tragic, mysterious, insightful, sometimes humorous and often heartbreaking." Daily Telegraph"Varley writes with confidence and brio, and her main characters are believable and loveable." The Age"Full of heart and humour." West Australian