“Let the king know. Your servant kept his father’s sheep. There came a lion and a bear and took a lamb out of the flock. And when the lion arose against me, I caught the lion by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. I also slew the bear, my lord. This uncircumcised Philistine will be as one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God. The LORD God that delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.”The king’s eyes closed. “I fear to send you, my son. I fear what the giant will do to you. You have yet to witness his great strength.” He hesitated. “But I do believe the LORD is with you. I pray that He is. Our honor, our nation, our lives rest upon you, my servant. Go, and Jehovah be with you.”David left the tent, but only Jonathan followed him. The king’s son walked over to a pole that bore a flag of challenge. It had lain unused on the ground for these past forty days, but now Jonathan hoisted it high and slammed the butt hard into the earth to steady it. The red flag waved defiantly in the small breeze of the late afternoon.A roar of approval rose from the ranks of Hebrew soldiers, and from the valley below, Goliath beheld the challenge flag and beat upon his breastplate in pleased battle lust. He shouted, “Come then! Send me a man that we may fight!”David took a deep breath, eyeing the monstrous giant. Then he bounded down the slope to meet his fate and fulfill the duty of his anointing.

    For the next nineteen centuries, this list becomes one of the most disputed texts of the New Testament and the basis for one of the most important biblical secrets of all time. The 13th Enumeration is the key to that forgotten secret.Darius Zaridast, CEO of Aquarius Elemental Solutions, is on a quest to destroy those he believes are responsible for the death of his father and the status of his homeland, Persia, as a third-world dictatorship ruled by religious fanatics. Darius finds evidence that this group, which he calls the Order, is also part of a centuries-old conspiracy to keep the secret of the 13th Enumeration. This secret, he learns, is their greatest fear because it is the key to information that could destroy them.His research into this secretive group of people is compiled in a dossier he calls FILE-13. Darius believes some of history's most influential men are somehow connected to the secret:*Sir Isaac Newton, one of the most influential scientists of all time, spent a good portion of his life looking for a hidden biblical code.*Charles Thomson, one of only two signers of the original Declaration of Independence, was responsible for the most notorious symbol in American history. This symbol, known by only a few, is a key to the secret.*William Frishmuth, a German chemist and secret agent for Abraham Lincoln, was so valued for his services he was paid two hundred dollars from Abraham Lincoln's private purse. *William Colgate of Colgate/Palmolive, one of America's early entrepreneurs, owned a building which featured an unsolved brick symbol--a symbol which today is known as the "American Da Vinci Code." This cipher holds the key to the forgotten secret.*Sir Robert Anderson, commissioner of Scotland Yard during the Ripper murders, almost discovered the secret.*Benjamin Franklin, writer, inventor, philosopher, and statesman, may have been involved in guarding this ancient knowledge.As Darius's plot for revenge matures, he initiates the most devastating attack in the history of New York's financial district. With Manhattan Island a ghost town, Darius uses the ensuing events to perpetrate the greatest financial manipulation of all time. Just when he has the world convinced he is its savior, Darius Zarindast destroys his entire corporate empire, causing the largest financial meltdown in history. He has finally realized his revenge. The only bitterness in his cup of retribution is his inability to solve the secret of the 13th Enumeration.In this battlefield of revenge, conspiracy, and superstition, an archeological discovery is made in Capernaum, Israel--a discovery which will forever change the way the prophecies of the Bible are understood. Zane Harrison, a dig volunteer, and Rachael Neumann, daughter of the director of Israeli Antiquities, unwittingly stumble upon an incredible treasure of artifacts. Their find leads to the rediscovery of the 13th Enumeration. They soon learn their discovery is the key to a mathematical cipher found in the very first chapter of the New Testament, an ancient code which has profound implications regarding the status of Jesus Christ as the biblical Messiah. The unearthing of this ancient secret places them directly in the crosshairs of the Order. Will they be able to share their discovery with the world before the Order destroys the evidence and once again erases all knowledge of the 13th Enumeration from the pages of history?The 13th Enumeration is a thrilling page-turner which weaves little-known historical and biblical facts into a plot that could have been taken from today's headlines. The explosive conclusions of this story will leave the secular and Christian reader alike wondering if this is really a work of fiction--or the greatest discovery of our generation.

    These historical novels are told in high drama, but with great respect for God's word and for the people who translated it.

    Jerked from a life of isolation with her mother, Willow learns what alone really means when she finds her mother still in her bed, never to awaken again in this life. From the moment Willow arrives in the police station with her startling announcement, Chad Tesdall fights the friendship he knows he can't avoid. This collection includes episodes fifteen through eighteen of Past Forward. In this volume, Chad and Willow start their life together. A surprise attack, Willow's first vacation, and a slow, gradual expansion of the farm brings more changes to Walden Farm. Follow as Willow's story unfolds past forward.

    Even as a young girl, she is aware of the way men look at her, including her half brother Abram. When Abram finally requests Sarai's hand, she asks one thing--that he promise never to take another wife as long as she lives. Even her father thinks the demand is restrictive and agrees to the union only if Sarai makes a promise in return--to give Abram a son and heir. Certain she can easily do that, Sarai agrees.But as the years stretch on and Sarai's womb remains empty, she becomes desperate to fulfill her end of the bargain--lest Abram decide that he will not fulfill his. To what lengths will Sarai go in her quest to bear a son? And how long will Abram's patience last?Jill Eileen Smith thrilled readers with The Wives of King David series. Now she brings to life the strong and celebrated wives of the patriarchs, beginning with the beautiful and inscrutable Sarai.

    It is written in a simple, clear style, making it suitable for younger readers as well as adults.In 1856 the Mormon pioneers trekked across the Great Plains in wagon trains and pulling handcarts to find a new home safe from persecution. This is the story of one 18-year-old young woman, Emma Girdlestone of the Willie Handcart Company, who faced starvation, frostbite, and death so she and her family could join their fellow Latter-day Saints in the Salt Lake Valley. This work of historical fiction is dedicated to the members of the Willie Handcart Company. These courageous pioneers displayed commitment and heroism in the face of unbelievably harsh and brutal conditions while en route to Zion. It is especially dedicated to Willie Handcart member, Emma Girdlestone, who left behind a legacy of bravery, fortitude, and faith; and who, 155 years later, managed to change the life of her great-great-granddaughter Lisa Dayley, the author of this book."A thrill to read, Lisa Dayley crafts a genuine pioneer story with just the right mix of fact and fiction. You’ll find this book hard to put down." ~Jay Lenkersdorfer, newspaper publisher and columnist

    While Colonel Tom physically and emotionally batters his family, Ma’am escapes the turmoil with alcohol. Their children, Percy, Sis and Oops, with no adult guidance, learn to sidestep their family minefields alone. Percy longs for a loving relationship with his father but is unwilling to compromise his aspirations of owning a motorcycle repair shop to win his father’s love. Sis wants a strong mother who will stand up to her abusive husband but finds herself in an abusive marriage, as well. Baby Oops escapes the chaos by teaching herself to read at three and retreating to her own world where abuse and parental neglect can’t reach her. Siblings Percy and Sis forge a loving bond that will sustain them through the most poignant and tragic of circumstances. Whether it’s eating an entire chocolate cake in one sitting, playing Cuss Scrabble, double dating to the drive-in movie, or stealing their father’s car to hotrod in the wee hours, the brother and sister find unbridled joy in their friendship, despite the dysfunction swirling around them. Told with captivating grit, humor, and insight, this tale of family discord carries the Albemarles through decades of turbulence until tragedy teaches them to forgive and understand by GETTING THE IMPORTANT THINGS RIGHT.

    Caleb Bender and his neighbors are arrested for neglect, with the state ordering the children be placed in an institution. Among them are Caleb's teenage daughter, Rachel, and the boy she has her eye on, Jake Weaver. Romance blooms between the two when Rachel helps Jake escape the children's home.Searching for a place to relocate his family where no such laws apply, Caleb learns there's inexpensive land for sale in Mexico, a place called Paradise Valley. Despite rumors of instability in the wake of the Mexican revolution, the Amish community decides this is their answer. Since it was Caleb's idea, he and his family will be the pioneers. They will send for the others once he's established a foothold and assessed the situation. Caleb's daughters are thrown into turmoil. Rachel doesn't want to leave Jake. Her sister, Emma, who has been courting Levi Mullet, fears her dreams of marriage will be dashed. Miriam has never had a beau and is acutely aware there will be no prospects in Mexico. Once there, they meet Domingo, a young man and guide who takes a liking to Miriam, something her father would never approve. While Paradise Valley is everything they'd hoped it would be, it isn't long before the bandits start giving them trouble, threatening to upset the fledgling Amish settlement, even putting their lives in danger. Thankfully no one has been harmed so far, anyway.

    Mother of three, Sarah Glen, loses her life under unusual circumstances when her car is forced from the road in what appears to be a random act of road rage.What follows is a breathtaking story of adventure and excitement as Sarah explores the limitless wonder of her new home, Paradise.The Throne Room, New Jerusalem, departed loved ones, all these and more are unveiled in this thought provoking tale.While Sarah's remaining family and friends struggle to come to terms with the passing of the popular mom, angels, good and evil, fight for supremacy in the age-old battle between the kingdoms of darkness and light.

    As a young shepherd girl, she accompanied her father to a Bethlehem stable where she held the baby Jesus. She watched Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt, met the strange visitors from the East who’d followed a star to Bethlehem, and saw Herod’s soldiers kill the children of her village.You can experience life in Roman Judea as the Jewish people struggle under the burden of Caesar's armies and Herod's cruelty. Watch false Messiahs rise and fall and see the fatal retribution that followed. Feel the pain of the innocent bystanders left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.Meet Shemu’el, the young man Rivkah believed God destined for her. But Rome tore them apart. Divided by fate, united by love, these two young people grow to separate adulthood, each with their dreams and desires unfulfilled, while the world of Rome and conquest moves inexorably on.Then, many years later, Rivkah finds herself in Jerusalem during the Passover. Trapped in a crowd, she is forced to watch three men being led to their execution. Her stomach drops when she realizes one of the men is Yeshua, the babe she held so many years before.Witness it all through the eyes of one who lived it.

    Also left behind is Abishag’s betrothed, Joseph, who has already waited many months to claim his bride. Now, he must wait until Israel’s king no longer needs her. Torn from the comfort of her small village, Abishag is thrust into a world of unfamiliar customs, royal expectations, and palace intrigue. She is greeted suspiciously by the king’s concubines, warmly by Queen Bathsheba, and reluctantly by King David himself. Adonijah, the king’s son, is bitter over his father’s choice of Solomon as Israel’s next king. He determines to ruin Abishag to prevent her from being given as a prize to Solomon at their father’s death. Suffering personal losses, as well as scorn from much of the royal court, Abishag begins to question God’s goodness in placing her in the king’s service. Can she find someone there who understands that one who comforts the king is in great need of comfort herself? Will Abishag’s time with the king end in despair or joy?

    Anna Meridian—an archaeologist and woman of faith—uncovers the find of a lifetime: ancient documents dating to the time of the apostles, confessions that the early Christians are perpetrating a falsehood. She decides she must keep the documents' existence a secret, but word eventually leaks out. Many turn from their faith as another earth shattering discovery sheds more light on the validity of the manuscripts. The archaeologist searches for meaning in it all—why did these manuscripts come to light and what is her part in God's plan?

    Her close friends can see that she is keeping busy to avoid her pain. But no amount of cooking, baking, volunteering or late-night games of Yahtzee with her BFF can bring her any peace. When Jack Bartolomucci walks into her life, he challenges Angela to face her demons head on. What follows is a poignant, sometimes hilarious tale of hope and healing.

    Living conditions are about as cozy as a cardboard box, on account of his alcoholic father who can find nothing better to do than argue relentlessly with him. When Drake thinks he can’t take another blow, he is reminded daily of his mom who vanished twelve years ago. And now there’s a dead body. After a terrible accident turns into a protected secret, a twisted string of events brings Drake miles away from home to an elderly man’s front door. Every promising opportunity also brings new doubts and temptations to run away—this time for good. When the secret he has kept locked away threatens to reveal itself, Drake knows he must shield it with his very life, even if the love he has been shown undeservingly is about to be destroyed.

    And sometimes, mercy comes at the worst possible moment. At least, Lucy thinks so.After the death of her parents, sixteen-year-old Lucy Richter struggles to keep a promise to her father--to save what remains of her family. Lucy fails tragically but won't allow her dwindling family to disappear. She shanghais her twin siblings, Goody and Mercy, from a Wisconsin orphanage to a Colorado peach ranch and an aunt who is a less-than-welcoming stranger. Lucy is prepared to keep the peace with her aunt, but will her sister's gifts draw unwanted attention and crush Lucy's dream of family?And World War II rages on. Absent men strain the running of Honey Sweet Ranch and force alliances of the most intriguing and unlikely kind, including German POWs. Within these relationships, Lucy is given the chance to discover an unfamiliar and healing faith.With her defining style, Patti Hill tells a story of love and loss with one of America's darkest times as a backdrop. Hill's characters resonate, and her descriptions draw the reader into a drama that is perfectly paced and infused with a wondrous hope.