As well as sharing an insight into the preparation and life of a Geisha, the novel explores the seldom known life and training of a Buddhist monk within Tibet's monasteries. Two souls born thousands of miles apart. Together each shall follow a similar path.Japan, 1876: A girl is born, her life path to become the famed Geisha she is destined to be. Tibet, 1876: A boy is born, ordained to be the revered Lama he is recognised as. San Francisco, 1900: At the dawning of a new century fate brings them together, a lifetime away from all they have ever known.

    Rockefeller Sr. all have in common? They all changed the world--and they were all Christians. Now the little-known stories of faith behind twelve influential people of history are available in one inspiring volume.They Were Christians reveals the faith-filled motivations behind some of the most outstanding political, scientific, and humanitarian contributions of history. From the founding of the Red Cross to the family crisis that drove America's favorite president to his knees and cracked his religious skepticism, the fascinating stories of these faithful history-makers will inspire, encourage, and entertain readers of history and biography.

    All experience has the potential to be revelatory, and God is singing one unending song seducing each of our hearts. So the call is to listen, to attune to the words God utters in the world."--from the AfterwordBreak open this ancient contemplative practice of listening deeply for God's voice in sacred texts. Drawing on her own experience as a monk in the world, Christine Valters Paintner introduces the foundations for a practice of lectio divina. She closely examines each of the four movements of lectio divina as well as the rhythm they create when practiced as a process. She then invites you to expand your practice beyond traditional sacred texts to a sacred reading of the world through image, sound, nature and life experience.Whether you want to start a contemplative prayer practice or deepen your experience of lectio divina in new ways, you are invited to savor the gifts lectio divina has to offer your heart and spirit.

    These get mentioned everywhere from popular literature to your local church. But there are other stories in the Bible that preachers and Sunday school teachers tend to skip over because . . . well . . . because they seem crazy—the kind of stories that make us change the subject quickly when children bring them up, because we don’t know why they’re in the Bible or what they could possibly mean. You want examples? There's the time a prophet calls a couple of bears out of the woods to maul a gang of rowdy teenagers. There's also a story about a woman who dresses provocatively and tricks her father-in-law into getting her pregnant. And their son ends up in the genealogy of Jesus! What are we to make of these strange, sometimes cryptic, sometimes even off-color stories? What are they doing in the Bible? In Crazy Stories, Sane God popular author and teacher John Alan Turner takes us on a wild and unpredictable ride through the weirdest and least familiar stories in the Bible. Through it all, Turner shows us how even these odd episodes reveal important things about the character and nature of God and, consequently, what they mean for us today.

    He needs to go into hiding until he can afford the surgery to get a new face. All the cash he had left, he invested to buy a hacked virtual reality collar off the black market. For a wanted man such as himself, this is the only way to make any kind of money without further jeopardizing his location and identity. There’s a problem though. When he first logs into Eternal War Online and chooses his faction, the network detects his unauthorized device and generates a bunch of critical errors. Immediately, there’s a hotfix that is applied and which erases all his selections. John is sent into the Eternal Battlefield, the highest level PvP area of the game—obviously, with no chance of survival. Limited to one character by collar, John finds himself in a dire situation. With no faction to back him up, he’s a free target for everyone. And with no fighting skills and no gear (except for a pair of cotton briefs), he’s no match for any of the players. John will keep dying and respawning in that impossible location. But as he tries to keep to the shadows and stay alive, he will soon find that his strange predicament is not without benefits. For one, his lack of ties to any faction allows him to loot every corpse—which will lead him to unlock secret classes, like: Salvager and Smuggler. Secondly, while every faction has its own language that prevents players from different groups from talking to each other, he’s not restricted by that constraint and can understand everyone. Unable to join the fight, as every blow sustained results in his instadeath, John will discover that his only chance to start earning some cash will be to partner up with the criminal underworld in the game and set up a salvaging operation. For a fee, he will loot you and return your soul-bound items—allowing you to skip the 6 hour waiting period before they materialize back in your inventory. Also, he will experiment with crafting and creating weapons and enchantments that will start to shake things up in the game. Obviously, not everyone will take kindly to his bold moves and John will attract the wrath of a few powerful players. But then, you can’t expect to please everyone when you’re making a name for yourself as a Merchant of Death!

    But when a stranger offers him an unusual coin, he begins to understand alchemy a little better, and suddenly thinks that it could be a way to make a living after all.Marco’s problem is that fate doesn’t plan for his life to fit that plan, at least not at Algornia’s shop in the Lion City. An evil force is rising, and sending its destructive energy out to scour kingdoms and cities for some unknown purpose. Marco becomes an inadvertent pawn in the machinations of the evil, when he is caught up in the violence and drama of a Corsair raid, and taken away from everything – the Lion City, Algornia’s shop, even Constance the model.There are undreamt of allies and friends and opportunities though, and escape is possible. Starting over a new life is not quite as easy however, as Fate starts to hunt Marco down, demanding that he live up to the challenges that are thrown his way, as a champion begins to emerge to face the brunt force of evil.The Gorgon’s Blood Solution is the first volume in Alchemy’s Apprentice, a new fantasy series by Jeffrey Quyle.

    In the chaos following World War III, the Patriarch of the Church of the Resurrection rebuilt Earth's society into a collection of over 500 independent city-states. With alien technology that gave him complete control over the Earth's orbital space, the Patriarch outlawed war, and introduced the Constructed Reality MMORPG Primacy Online. He only allowed the city-states to engage in military conflicts with one another inside of the game. City-state leaders that attempted to ignore Church Canon were destroyed, along with their armies, by the Church's orbital particle cannons. For more than a thousand years, there have been no wars fought on the Earth's soil. The release of Primacy Online VI: Legacy of Balor signals the beginning of World War IX. Each city-state will lock 50,000 draftees into cryogenic capsules and upload their minds into a character sheathe in the game. Until the armistice conditions have been reached, they will play Primacy Online in War Mode, with the death of the character sheathes meaning their real deaths, but this time there is a twist to the World War. Every still living perma-banned cheater from Primacy Online will be a special draftee for World War IX. They will be organized into a special contingent in the service of the Church of the Resurrection. Patrick Armagh is terminally ill. Like a large number of other Primacy Online players, he is afflicted with an incurable nervous system disorder. He has less than five years to live and should be exempted from the draft, but five years ago, he was given a permanent ban from Primacy Online for cheating. Along with the other perma-banned cheaters, he will be forced to play Primacy Online VI: Legacy of Balor in War Mode, but Patrick's actual method of cheating was never discovered. Morgan Danan, Speaker of the City of Mann, and the acknowledged number one player of Primacy Online has deal for Patrick. With her help and his undiscovered cheat, he has the chance to become a virtual God within Primacy Online. When you are already as good as dead, there is nothing better than the chance to spend your last days as a living god. What could possibly go wrong?

    Here he presents ancient Sufi teaching stories rooted in the Islamic tradition. With common sense and insightful wit, he addresses questions and problems of contemporary life and awakens our attention to the often overlooked moments that give importance and meaning to our lives. Through the re-telling of classical stories and his own commentary, a pattern unfolds that helps to distinguish knowledge from information, reality from imagination, and makes what seems to lie beyond our perception - understanding and brief - accessible. Our spiritual potential as human beings is realised in "When You Hear Hoofbeats Think of a Zebra".

    She is theirs to breed.As the daughter of an elder, Daya never expected to be given as tribute to the Kavari who protect her people... that is until she was stripped bare to be examined by the huge, handsome warriors.Her defiance during their intimate inspection earns her a humiliating spanking, and an even more shameful climax with her bottom still burning soon follows, but that is only the smallest taste of what she knows is in store for her when her new mates decide it is time to claim and share her.These fearsomely sexy brutes plan to breed her, yet as she is carried back to their village naked after she ran away it isn't the thought of what they're going to do to her that leaves her blushing...It's the fact that her body begs to be conquered.Publisher's Note: Conquering Their Maiden is a stand-alone novel which is the second entry in the Kavari Masters series. It includes spankings and rough, intense sexual scenes. If such material offends you, please don't buy this book.

    Dubbed Billionaire Bachelor Cove because of the resident's single status and income portfolios, The Cove is the perfect place to hide away from the world. But, as the residents soon find out, they can't hide from love. 
 Moonlight Serenade with the Billionaire In a world that’s constantly pushing the next new thing, Annie Reynolds finds beauty and inspiration in the past: history, vintage clothing, and a special love for big band swing music. As caregiver for an aging aunt, Annie finds herself championing a cause to protect Aunt Martha’s home in one of Seattle’s oldest buildings. Billionaire real estate investor Dexter Bolt loves nothing more than a city skyline dotted with cranes—a sign of a booming economy. With his eye on his great-grandfather’s fifteen-story “skyscraper,” Dex is hyped to gut and rebuild it, and he’s not going to let anything stand in his way. Trouble starts when Dexter discovers the elderly woman living in his building and goes head-to-head with her beautiful niece. When an iron-clad lease means his threats don’t work, Dexter takes a different approach to freeing up his building: romancing lovely Annie to his side of the construction line. While Dexter and Annie tour Seattle neighborhoods and beyond, Annie has a secret reason of her own for stalling Dexter’s plans. Will they distract each other long enough to move past their differences, and will a desire to be together prove strong enough to keep them from saying goodbye forever?

    She hadn’t given a second thought to running away with her soulmate. Life had been perfect, until tragedy struck.After waking from her coma, she can’t remember the man she had fallen in love with. She had no idea how she ended up in New York, or became pregnant. All she had left of him were teasing memories that played out in her dreams and an adorable little girl. Even after seven years, Hannah couldn’t help it, she was still in love with a stranger.

    But she knows he’s off limits—someone like him would never get involved with someone like her, not when she comes from a family of troublemakers.After the pair kiss at a masked ball, Marin is left wanting Rocco more than ever, but knowing it can’t happen, she has to protect her heart even as she risks breaking his.Rocco can’t help but wonder what life would be like if he was with the beautiful Marin, but he also knows that her family’s status wouldn’t go over well with his parents or with the pack. Choosing Marin as his mate could mean giving up his birthright as the pack’s alpha. And he can’t give up everything to be with Marin. Can he?Books in this paranormal romance collection:Dragon’s EnchantmentFae DreamsWarlock PrinceWolf’s TroublesContent warning: Explicit love scenes and lots of sexy shifters. Intended for mature audiences.

    Grab the first three books in the Shadow and Light series for only 99¢! *** SALE ENDS APRIL 28, 2019 Broke and living in a one-bedroom apartment the size of a closet is not what you’d expect from an elite Hunter like me. But Hunting demons and half-breeds isn’t your average nine-to-five job with benefits. The hours are long and the pay usually sucks. I didn’t think I was going to make rent again until the Council, the group of angel-born who’d shunned me all those years ago, offered me a job—a paying one. I could either tell them to shove it, or take the job. So what’s a gal to do? Take the gig, of course. Everything would have worked out fine if the Council hadn’t forced me to work the case with Jax—an angel-born warrior who happened to be way too pretty to be legal. Turns out Jax has an agenda of his own and is determined to make my life hell, but I’m stuck with him. For now. And things went downhill from there when I found out the demon I’m Hunting is a Greater demon. And yeah, it’s Hunting me too. Swell. *Recommended for mature YA+ due to language The Shadow and Light series are sassy, fast-paced urban fantasy filled with demons, angels, vampires, werewolves, witches, fae, leprechauns, jinn, and shifters. If you enjoy urban fantasy books with a kick-ass heroine and plenty of action, suspense and humor, then you’ll love reading the Shadow and Light series. Grab your copy today! "Dark Hunt is a thrilling paranormal story, which will have you reading late into the night. I devoured it, and I couldn’t stop." "Dark Bound is thrilling, exciting and one of the best paranormal series I’ve read." “Dark Rise is a nail-biting, thrill ride. Welcoming you into a whole new world of Paranormal.”

    His unemployed accountant father is an outspoken critic of the recent default on the crushing national debt, which brings on most of their problems with the law. But his mother is the real complication when it comes to bringing potential girlfriends over to the house. She’s a fanatical prepper. Though Zach can’t see the imminent danger, his parents whisk his family away to the Great Smoky Mountains in case the entire country crumbles into martial law. When the drones circle like buzzards and the bombs start falling, someone has to be the resistance....

    He needs the land the inn sits on to impress his boss. Neither one of them will give an inch. But will they give each other their hearts? Alissa Heartwood captains a fishing boat and is the pastry chef for her family owned and operated empire on the island of Carter's Cove. With the arrival of summer and all the festivities on the island, she feels lonely and left out. If only she had a boyfriend to waste her afternoons with... Shawn Newman used to be exactly that boyfriend. Sure, they were together in high school eighteen years ago, and he's only going to be on his hometown island for a few weeks anyway. He just needs to get the Heartwoods to sell their land...and maybe he needs to kiss Lissa under the bright South Carolina moon. But the Heartwoods aren't interested in selling, and Alissa is resistant to his reappearance in her life. As Shawn rediscovers the beauty of the island where he grew up, Lissa confesses that she isn't looking for long-term, and he agrees to a few weeks of "fun." Nothing serious. As they spend more time together, Alissa thinks she might have made a mistake... Can Shawn and Alissa take their relationship out of the fun zone and into something more serious? Find out in this new enemies to lovers romance series by USA Today Bestselling author Elana Johnson! Read all the Carter's Cove Beach Romance novels: 1. Boyfriend By Mistake 2. Accidental Sweetheart 3. Bodyguard, Not Boyfriend 4. Not Her Real Fiancé 5. She Loves Him...Not Clean Beach Club Billionaire Romance: 1. The Brainy Billionaire 2. The Brawny Billionaire 3. The Bashful Billionaire 4. The Brazen Billionaire 5. The Billionaire's Bodyguard 6. The Billionaire's Boyfriend 7. The Brave Billionaire 8. The Belated Billionaire Hawthorne Harbor Second Chance Romance: 1. The Paramedic's Second Chance 2. The Chief's Second Chance 3. The Firefighter's Second Chance 4. The Officer's Second Chance 5. The Soldier's Second Chance 6. The Captain's Second Chance Brides & Beaches Romance: 1. The Helicopter Pilot's Bride 2. The Billionaire's Bride 3. The Prince's Bride 4. The Doctor's Bride 5. The Rockstar's Bride 6. The Carpenter's Bride Forbidden Lake Romance: 1. The Professor's Secret Crush 2. The Lumberjack's Secret Guest 3. The Owner's Secret Client 4. The Billionaire's Secret Flame 5. The Rockstar's Secret Weakness 6. The Biker's Secret Girlfriend Stranded in Paradise Romance: 1. Stranded with the Hidden Billionaire 2. Stranded with the SEAL 3. Stranded with the Quarterback 4. Stranded with the Cowboy Billionaire