The writer states, "My book describes a lifetime of abuse and its consequences. I was physically, verbally, emotionally and sexually abused throughout my entire life up until I was almost 46. It culminated in my being brutally beaten, stabbed approximately 30 times, and left for dead. God and my young sons, 8 and 10, saved my life. Following a recounting of that incident in 2003, via flashbacks, it takes you from my early life up to the start of healing." She uses the pen name of Michaela MacKenzie.

This is a story through the eyes of a special needs person who grows from childhood to adulthood, as well as a tribute to all mothers who continue to love unconditionally. The writer states, "I grew up in a loving family with two younger siblings who were both affected with a recessive genetic disorder that left them with significant learning challenges. I saw and lived through the impact that these children had on our family life, and through the years I have seen how their lives shaped who I am today. I also saw the great love, as well as the stresses, that my parents endured as a result of parenting these special needs children. My book was written in part as a tribute to mothers throughout the world and their acts of selflessness and love for the children that were given to them, even those that some would consider of little value. I also wanted to show how the world is a better place because of the lessons we learn through special needs children and adults." There is potential for value-added artwork.

The manuscript shares a message of hope and courage to persevere through any health challenge because "God is bigger than any sickness!" Each chapter provides workable plan to achieve spiritual freedom from any physical illness with a chapter theme that parallels phases in the rain cycle. The author highlights the spiritual principles of hope, trust, faith, and the authority to speak victory as the prescription for healing. A significant lesson the author employs is that spiritual freedom is far greater than physical deliverance. This book offers a way of escape from struggle. It's the perfect get-well companion. With humor, scriptural examples, and prayers, this book is sure to lift the spirit.

The true story of an imperfect woman and a call from God that would change lives forever. The story chronicles a call from God through ten years of trials and frustrations to the joyful fulfillment of his challenge. Hilda Hellums Baker did not expect to hear God's voice on a hot afternoon at a youth retreat in South Texas. A mother of three working on her third marriage, Hilda returned home from that retreat knowing exactly what God needed from her yet had no idea how to accomplish it. His guidance came in many forms - sometimes in a gentle whisper but more often in a flood of tears, sweat, disappointments, disillusionment and grueling hours of hard work - yet she has never experienced greater happiness.

This true story demonstrates God's faithfulness to an Amish couple. Simon's refusal to submit to the Amish rules stresses his marriage. The bishops demand that Susan, his wife, must obey the rules she promised to keep and to shun her rebel husband. Who was she to obey, God or man? Together they become a perfect team to set their family free from the bondage of "religion." The story is told by their daughter, Naomi, born to them after they leave this close-knit community. These heartbreaking and joyous stories are life-changing and proclaim the mighty truth that God continues to care for and work in the lives of the simple, the wounded, and the brokenhearted. Naomi shares how she came to see the rich, deep, powerful beauty and value in the "silent years" of her mother's life, who courageously lived a broken life for the sake of her divine inheritance, hidden in her earthly inheritance, a basket full of broken dishes.

The writer summarizes, "After a desperate search for answers to her peculiar behaviors, doctors diagnosed my daughter with a life-shattering brain disorder known as 'classic autism.' Then God answered my prayers suddenly one afternoon as Farema found a new life in figure skating. That day, as she emerged from her cocoon of autism to spread her wings and fly, was just the beginning, culminating in a performance for Olympic champion, Scott Hamilton. But the dream was not to last. Our stories are interwoven into a heartbreaking tragedy, and yet God has been faithful. My story will offer encouragement and authentic hope in the face of overwhelming confusion and grief as it points readers to the source of that hope--the Anchor of our souls who holds us steady when our lives have been turned upside down."

The writer states, "This book gives accounts of first hand miracles I experienced when I decided to step out on faith and start my own business. . . . There are simple, practical steps at the end of every chapter that outline what we have to do to help God. The book is simply written, includes humor, inspires consistently, and outlines practical steps. It holds your attention, short enough to get through it, and it has a journal at the end of the book to allow people to document the miracles God will do for them when they decide to step out on faith and run on water! Sample miracle: I received a $100,000 business loan with no income and no collateral in 2005."

This collection of adventurous and inspirational stories about professional, college and high school athletes focuses on the power of prayer and on enduring faith,. Each athlete shares a life-threatening accident or challenge. Stories include an AL batting champ who suffered a brain aneurysm, a high school soccer player held underwater for 45 minutes, a Pac-10 starting guard whose heart stopped, and a Pac-10 coach who had a gun held to his held by a gang banger. They all share their story about being saved twice.

Joseph, from the Old Testament, is the perfect type of Christ as revealed in the New Testament. In studying the life of Joseph we better understand the life of Jesus Christ. The more we understand about Jesus, the more we understand what it means to be a Christian.

As believers, we all have times when the pressures of a fallen world, or the rigors of day-to-day living, threaten to distort our relationship with the living God.  Like the ill-fated seed sown among the thorns, the circumstances of this world writhe around our hearts and minds and strangle joy from our Christianity.  In those times of suffocating distractions, the thin voice of our soul cries out for substantial answers.

To restore hope, Perfect Sense targets common disillusionments which pervert the foundational aspects of our beliefs.  Unlike an exhaustive study spotlighting a particular weakness, this book seeks to provide firm footing through a number of interconnected concepts.  Like successive toe holds, each chapter adds assurance that this faith struggle has legitimate and profound responses to our questions.

Divided into two sections, Part One girds our core beliefs by infusing confidence and substance into such things as hope, absolute truth, faith, and an engaged Creator.  It also clarifies our post-fall state with the need for the authority and authenticity of Scripture, the presence of sin, and the God-designed purpose for humanity.  Part Two shifts from these universal premises to pinpoint the sense in acting on our Christian beliefs.  It assures us that faith is reasonable even in forgiveness, pain, and testing, thereby turning potential stumbling blocks into stepping stones to a deeper understanding of the living God.

Although the book communicates deep theological truths, the tone is warm, engaging, and user-friendly, encouraging lay readers to run to an amazing God and truly trust Him.  Filled with spiritual insight from all corners of Scripture, it still reads lyrically and is sensory engaging.  Philosophical, poetical, and scriptural, Perfect Sense is a gentle hand with a firm grip reaching out to any Christian seeking to grow their faith. 

     It was supposed to be a simple 10-mile hike; 8-hours at the most.  He was in good shape and had studied maps and satellite images of his planned route

     So, what could possibly go wrong?  - How about everything for starters!

     He fancied himself a modern-day Indiana Jones and after a dozen trips to Peru his friends and family flattered him by calling him an expert on travel and adventure in South America.  That’s the problem with flattery – after a while you start to believe what they say about you – then, when you least expect it, something jumps up and bites you!  Well, he was bit – bit hard!

     What started as a simple 8-hour walk, turned into a 5-day life and death struggle for survival.  He faced treacherous terrain, serious dehydration, hunger and exhaustion.  Despite his decades of military training, experience and outdoor skills he quickly found himself out of options and facing certain death. 

     Then, as a broken man at death’s door he submitted to God’s will and began a new walk with the Lord.  Amazingly, through grace, divine intervention and startling miracles he was led out of the desert emerging 40 miles off course, 30 pounds lighter a with a renewed faith in our savior.

While there is good in the world and it is worth defending wherever it may be threatened, the struggle and the circumstance can be very unpleasant in the short-run.  As we noted earlier, if one looks across the arc of history, good has ultimately always triumphed over pure evil in the long-run. For example, slavery was vanquished, Hitler was defeated and communism failed, but it took the sacrifices of many good people to accomplish these ends.

Each of us need to realize that the decisions we make each day in the capacities in which we serve are important and do have consequences in the greater global sense. Just as we as individuals ultimately become the product of the ethical decisions we make or fail to make, so too is our nation shaped by those decisions. In truth, we each have a personal fiduciary responsibility for the fate of our faith, our nation and the culture in which we live. Edmund Burke taught us that society is in fact a partnership or contract “between those who are living, those who are dead, and those who are yet to be born” because a society’s goals can only be achieved over many generations.[1] Viewed in this light each generation is both a trustee for those who have come before and a custodian for those who come after. Both are sacred trusts and neither should be betrayed lightly.

Forgotten Wisdom is a primer for modern life in a secular age wrapped around a reaffirmation of orthodox evangelical Judeo-Christian theology, individual salvation and the values of Western civilization. It is not an angry populist book of Job or Jonah, but rather a thoughtful and encouraging book of hope.  Specific scriptural references and figures as diverse as George Washington, Sir William Blackstone, J.R.R. Tolkien, F.A. Hayek, G.K. Chesterton, Justices Stewart and Rehnquist and many others illuminate its pages with relevant wisdom making the book an interesting and engaging read covering the major components of a successful life.

(Working Title: Dirt Roads and a Little Chocolate Girl: Making the Best of Life’s Extraordinary Moments)

In this personal-development book, the author, an African-American female professional, imparts how life’s simplest moments and its challenges can create opportunities for one to become her very best for the Kingdom of God. Different seasons of the author’s life are detailed in short stories – each describing a “real” spiritual, personal, or professional scenario, her own personal consideration, and the divine wisdom gained from the experience.

These real stories range from the author’s youth to adulthood; from them, readers can extract parallels and develop implications for their own personal growth, career-work life, and family-home life. These stories will encourage and inspire readers – especially adult women – to examine their extraordinary life seasons—whether good, bad, simple, or complex—and focus on embracing the experiences to achieve all the great things God has in store for them.

             Cleve was an ordinary man living an ordinary life in an ordinary town. Then he discovered the large knot lying beneath the skin just below his rib cage. Presuming that the cancer was probably already at an advanced stage, Cleve quickly realized that he might soon be dead. He began to take stock of how he had spent his life and to make plans for what to do with the rest of it. His immediate regret was that he had not done more to share his faith with others. He resolved to use his remaining days to write an honest, warm and personal account of his own spiritual journey and of God’s extraordinary faithfulness to him. He planned to weave into the story reasoned arguments and analysis to support the claims of Christianity – the same sort of arguments he had made for years as an attorney.

            Days later, the doctor called with good news -- the knot was nothing to worry about. But by then, there was no turning back. Cleve was determined to write essentially the same book he envisioned when he thought he was about to die – a reasoned appeal on behalf of Christ presented in the context of the simple story of an ordinary man.

An atheist living in darkness and despair sits down with a book in a comfortable chair. A few hours later, he gets up cheerfully, confident he will live forever. This is the vision for The Eternal Source of the Universe. It is an evangelistic apologetics book that presents what skeptics claim they are looking for: an end-to-end compelling proof for God, the Bible, and eternal life. An intellectual basis for faith is presented, engaging the reason, desires, and imagination of the reader.

The book points out that only a willingness to examine eternity will lead us to reasonable conclusions on which to base our worldview. A relative and temporal approach to truth cannot lead to sufficient conclusions. The existence of God is proved based on an analysis of eternity-past, and several of God's divine attributes are also established. Evidence for the supernatural revelation of the Bible is then presented, based on many already-fulfilled prophecies that provide verifiable proof that the Bible is God’s written revelation. Several of these specific prophecies are examined in detail. 

Finally, the Bible is used to provide an examination of eternity-future and a presentation of salvation by faith in Christ.

The Other Side of Lonely is a collection of prayers and meditations written in the form of free verse poetry. These poems depict the struggle and success of one young man on his journey toward true intimacy with God. After wrestling for more than two decades with various kinds of addictions, broken relationships, and emotional turmoil, Russ Brunn has come to one single conclusion: that intimacy with Jesus is the one and only thing that is able to fulfill, the only thing in this world that has the power to heal everything that was broken and bring lasting transformation that produces a redeemed, fruitful life in Christ.

These prayers and meditations are written in simple, conversational, everyday language that every seeker of God and struggler in this life can relate to. They are organized in a sequence that clearly conveys the path from loneliness and emptiness toward a place of joy, fulfillment, and purpose, with the person of Jesus being the central theme and motivation in this journey.

Along with being extremely tangible and relatable, these poems offer hope to any reader desiring to be free of burdens and pursue deeper intimacy through a greater love relationship with Jesus.

This is a book about Jesus written for people who need to know about His anger. Jesus' anger is an aspect of His love. Jesus' anger is different anger. His anger is part of His legacy to us. Unless we emulate His anger, we fail to imitate the fulness of the power of Jesus' character. Granted, sinful anger cannot achieve the righteousness of God, but godly anger can rouse a sleeping church. Godly anger sparks a flame that can set the Church ablaze with new energy and drive and determination. Without it we are likely to deny the wrath of God and forget about the reality of hell. Jesus expressed anger at least fifteen different times as described in the Gospel accounts. Yet few are the Christians who realize that godly anger cures sinful anger. Godly anger delivers us from evil. The right kind of anger can mobilize a movement of courageous loving Christians who restore integrity and share the truth of God's great faithfulness.

We are living in very exciting times. Never before have we been able to achieve so much with so many possibilities at our fingertips. Most Christians start out with a desire to do something great with their lives and achieve the impossible. However, too many believers today are lukewarm and spiritually apathetic to the things of God. They have no power, influence, or fruitfulness of any significant amount.

Examples abound of Christians who are too passive, hypocritical, self-righteous, or just simply unconcerned about the world around them. Instead of embracing the power of God and being transformed to change the environment they have been placed in, they live nominal lives of no significance.

In the midst of such a superficial faith, the time has come for a CRAZY Revolution. To make a stand in the faith no matter the cost. To turn over the tables in the face of hypocrisy and to take back what the enemy has stolen. This is the Jesus way. He left us His personal example to follow and requires us to do the same. For where there is much grace there is much expectation for faithfulness and obedience.  

Job. He's cloaked in mystery. His name is synonymous with persecution and perseverence. He's revered by Jews, Christians, and Muslims. He's the man who wanted to enter the presence of God boldly, like a prince, and his universal story is recorded in what is possibly the oldest and most avoided book in existence- a book that is revolutionary, exotic, and all too often misunderstood by those who can't see beyond the tragedy.

What is it about this ancient son of the East that is so intimidating, so controversial, so haunting? Who was the real person behind the flannel-board character, why was he unique, and what would he say to us if he were alive today?

TheFlavor of Favor is an inspirational story of a Nigerian immigrant and his journey from his country of birth to his dream country, the United States.

The author tells a gripping story of a child raised in an economically unstable environment in which his parents tried to shield him from the reality of the time by building his Christian faith at an early age. Yet, at the age of fourteen, he started seeking his way out of poverty by doing odd jobs without his parents\' knowledge.

By the age of twenty, he immigrated to the United States without a dime, but with determination to succeed and faith in God. He began the pursuit of the American dream by juggling mutiple jobs while also attending college full time.

He struggled to adapt in his new homeland as he lost one job after another, experienced prejudice and social isolation. The dreamland was rapidly becoming a land of nightmare. yet, he was grounded in his faith and comforted by the hope of a better future.

It is an inspirational story of faith, faithfulness, determination, discipline and survival in spite of the odds.  

The author is a girl who remembers struggling with her weight all of her life, as early as even 7 or 8 years of age.  This book takes a whole different approach to the issue of losing weight permanently.  The author writes for Spirit-led believers who have tried many diet and exercise routines only to lose the weight and gain it back again.  This book offers a step-by-step approach to tearing down the spiritual and emotional strongholds that have been developing over a lifetime to give the reader freedom in the area of food bondage.  As the reader works through this book chapter by chapter,  he or she will begin to ask themselves,  "Can it really be this easy?" When the Holy Spirit is your partner, the answer is, "Absolutely, a resounding Yes!" The author hopes that many will be released from the bondage of having their days focused on food and weight loss to walking in freedom forever.

No matter what your faith experience, you no doubt have wondered at least once if God is trying to communicate with you. This book was birthed from a lifelong pursuit of homing in on God's voice.

So what is a “voiceprint” and how does it relate to hearing from God? Think of it as a fingerprint for the voice. Every person has a unique set of voice characteristics and speech patterns that are captured in their voiceprint. Voice recognition technology is now being used in a growing number of applications. You no doubt have it in your smart phone.

Could it be that God has a voiceprint that we can study to better recognize Him when He speaks to us? Can we identify key features of His voice from the way He has spoken in the past? The answer is an emphatic yes!

The Voiceprint of God takes a fresh look at the topic of hearing God’s voice. It is written from a layperson’s perspective, using relatable personal stories packaged into short chapters with creative titles.  

          Has the Bible become an outdated book for the 21st century?

"American Bible Society's State of the Bible 2014," found that 88% of American households own a Bible, but 63% of Americans never read the Bible or read it less than once a week. Yet, 50% of all adults believe the Bible has too little influence in society. Also, the survey found that people who read the Bible, increasingly, come for answers and comfort. From this data, (and much more), it is apparent that people are failing to connect the Bible with everyday living and are not finding answers to life's questions in the Bible.

Walmart, Jesus and You illustrates the truths of Scripture by using personal, everyday experiences to show that the Bible is not an outdated book and how it relates to the challenges of life in the 21st century. Each chapter is independent and presented in three sections (an everyday experience, what Jesus says about the experience, and how the principle is applied to individuals' lives). With this presentation, the reader will be excited to find understanding and significance in Scripture and can relate their own personal experiences to the Scripture they are reading.

The general subject of this book is the role of all Christians as ambassadors for their Lord and Savior to this world, both in word and in deed. It is a collection of articles and real life stories of ways in which ordinary people have lived and spoken, which have been effective in flavoring the world with the very presence of Jesus, both for the people who are around them as well as in faraway places. It covers a wide variety of ways in which people have been successful along with many illustrations of how God has shown His helping hand. It is intended to provide the readers with a plethora of choices to make their witness more blessed and effective for the people around them, thus seasoning the world with God’s abundant love and changing their lives forever. Readers should also find help in leading a life of joy and fulfillment beyond their fondest dreams.

Does the God who created the universe and the billions of people who inhabit the earth really care about, love, and personally guide each individual who comes to him by faith?

The biblical answer is yes, as is powerfully illustrated in this true story of a young man and woman, separately aspiring to careers in science, whose plans were shattered when paralytic polio struck hard, leaving both with serious physical disabilities. Beyond any reasonable hope of getting an education on their own, both turned to the Lord in faith and then watched in astonishment as he made the impossible possible. Remarkably, he not only provided a way and the means for both to attend college but also to meet and marry, to manage a home, raise three children, earn PhDs, and enjoy long and meaningful careers. But, most significantly, through all of the daunting obstacles and challenges along the way, God also revealed his unwavering love and faithfulness, and his plans to give them hope and an eternal future (Jeremiah 29:11).

For most, Wednesday, April 6, 1994, was just another day.  But in a small country in Eastern Africa, smoke smoldered from the wreckage of the presidential jet carrying Juvenal Habyarimana, third president of Rwanda. Within twenty-four hours, thousands of bodies would lie motionless—severed and broken—on Rwanda’s dusty floor. That number would continue to climb, and in the next eighty-nine days, almost one million men, women, and children would join them.  This was the Rwandan Genocide.

One of the victims was a remarkable man named Alphonse Karuhije, my father. 

Kingdom Above Clouds is an epic story of a man who was brutally betrayed by fellow pastors of the Anglican church.  It is the thrilling story of a woman who marched on even after the loss of her husband, with five kids in tow, from Rwanda to Tanzania to Kenya and finally to Canada. Along the way she found the strength to go on, was accused of being a spy, stared her husband's killer in the eye, realized the power of forgiveness, and miraculously created a future for her kids. 

Her faith in Jesus Christ and His kingdom above the clouds gave her the ability to not only survive but thrive.

Turquoise Embedded in Gold is a series of reflections intertwined with the author’s own personal memoirs, gleaned from almost a decade of working in Afghanistan. It is an invitation for the reader to come along on a journey of spiritual self-reflection in a unique setting that has received worldwide attention.

When the author began to work in Afghanistan with an international NGO she stepped into a world vastly different than her western world view.  Her senses were assailed with images of pastures dotted with sheep, men plowing in fields, women in flowing head coverings, green tea being poured into glass cups, and fresh bread being smoked in tandoors.  It was an ancient land with antiquated rules. These experiences of encountering a pastoral society intertwined with the reality of the nation of Afghanistan having an international crisis at its doorstep. The author began to find truth and meaning that coupled with her faith through these everyday experiences.

Some of the stories highlighted are about the following: drug smugglers, taxi-driving shepherds, a Buddhist monastery, treacherous road journeys, encounters with war-lords and suicide bombers, being a chicken-keeper, the struggles of modern Afghan women, a foreign cemetery, and Afghan weddings. 

     In Dante's classic Inferno, the inscription over the gates of Hell declares: "Abandon all hope, you who enter here."  We are in the midst of a society desperately seeking hope.  I recently reread some of the inspirational stories in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series; it was amazing how popular these brief tales of ordinary people had become.  So, I thought, why not write a book of short stories of hope based on Bible passages?

     Prisoners of Hope: 111 Inspiring Stories actually had its impetus several decades ago.  It was then that I, an ordained minister, rediscovered the meaning of Matthew 13:34: "Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; He did not say anything to them without using a parable."  Jesus was a master storyteller.

     The book holds more than one hundred stories of encouragement--some humorous, others moving, all inspiring.  The biblical promise for all God's children is that the best is yet to be.

One-Sided is a Christian humor memoir that tells the story of Stephen's search for acceptance, contentment, and purpose during his teenage and college years. As he desperately looked to escape an unfair life, he eventually came to find the joy and beauty that comes through the unfair gift of grace that comes from Christ. Using humor and satire, Stephen tells the honest story of a churched-but-not-saved teenager who tried to find contentment and fulfillment in the acceptance of people rather than grace. 

The audience for this book is made up of young people and millenials who may have experienced frustration and discontentment because of the unfair circumstances they have faced in trying to follow Christ, or even just trying to survive the teenage and college years. The goal is that this book help alleviates these frustrations by looking at them through the lens of humor and grace. The larger goal of this book is to help further develop the genre of Christian humor, as humor is a fantastic avenue for connecting with people and presenting truth through personality and creativity. 

This book is written to inspire you to worship God by sending up prayer, thanksgiving, and praise that creates spiritual clouds – metaphorical clouds – that will pour out blessings like rain over your life. And, to help you understand the mental, emotional, and psychological potentials of yourself that fortify this unwavering worship of God. You will achieve development of a solid sense of self-worth before Him as a believer, and strengthen cognitive skills to promote your calling in life. Many believers, for the most part, never expect much when they pray. It is typically a few mentions of bless this day and help me avoid foolish pitfalls. But, why would God call you to prayer and praise of His name unless there was more to it than just that? I propose to take a broader, deeper view of you as a spiritual and psychological being and teach you how to extricate processes from within you that will lead you into a life of pleasantness, purpose and wealth. God wants to bless and direct you – to provide a fulfilling life in every area. To enrich you with provision and treasure – unaccomplished without honoring Him first and foremost in your life. I have presented some analogies of clouds and rain to give you a foundation for understanding what I mean by these assertions. As well, to present ways in which you can help create your own future where God is at the center of all your aspirations and endeavors by engaging your psychological abilities.

Alexander Hamilton's transformation from forgotten founding father to cultural icon occurred with breathtaking speed. Lin-Manuel Miranda's unprecedented musical, Hamilton, brought Hamilton's story and life to the center of our cultural consciousness. The popularity and influence of his life can be seen everywhere one looks. Hamilton has reached a level of cultural significance rarely experienced by historical figures or Broadway musicals. Why has Hamilton's life so deeply connected with our culture? In The Gospel According to Hamilton, Pastor Kevin Cloud suggests one explanation: the spiritual nature of his story. Grace, brokenness, forgiveness, death, shame, and redemption all weave their way throughout Hamilton's life. In seeing these great themes play out in his story, we are reminded of the ways we encounter these same themes in our stories. The Gospel According to Hamilton weaves key moments from Hamilton's life with central themes from the Bible, to help readers apply these truths to their lives. The creative intersection of Hamilton's story, the story of Scripture, and the story of our lives will spur imagination and give birth to hope. Readers will experience new insights into the power of these core truths of the spiritual life.

The spirit of an overcomer is preserved within these pages for you to discover. Yet this book is not just about the author's life. It is about the hope that brought him through various hardships – some that are common and others that are not so common.

The author was born and has lived with forms of blindness, and that uncommon experience is the foundation for his perspective on what it means to persevere. But we all can relate to desiring a hope that is not defined as “wishful thinking.” The author learned very well what hope truly means, and he wants to provide an opportunity for you to find the hope of life that is for everyone who seeks it.

Hannah was just fourteen when her father wrote and dedicated this book for her. He lovingly wrote every word with her well-being and future in mind.

You are holding a piece of Hannah’s inheritance; her father presented this special gift for her to open when she needs a boost. But the overall message from this father and first-time author is for everyone. He wrote each chapter to renew and encourage the reader with hope.

The day I told my Dad that I had embraced Christianity, he said, “If you were younger, I would put you over my knee and spank you.” At 37, I had insulted my Jewish family and every generation preceding them. Remarkably, over the last 30 years, I have assimilated faith with my personal identity and have resumed a peripheral involvement in Jewish life.  

Life began to unravel when, our nine-year-old son Michael developed sudden and inexplicable emotional problems. For 35 years, he has struggled to overcome depression, drug addiction, and an eating disorder. During his long travail, our family experienced every grievous emotion imaginable. For decades, an impossible secret, a rogue piece of the puzzle, hung in the air like a pernicious ghost. Four years ago, he revealed that a traumatic event in his childhood precipitated his many problems. 

When the poison of spiritual despondency settled into my soul, I confronted it head on by looking for answers.  I rested in Jewish understandings for a time, beforerealizing that the Christian worldview held the only promise of creating meaning out of our grim reality. 

However, change --even good change-- can lead to internal trembling. During the time my faith was incubating, I experienced crushing anxiety due to conflict and indecision. Reflecting on how I came to resolve my doubts, I see a pattern of dissonance and renegotiation. I will always understand the Jewish sensibility—that of a minority group trying to protect itself. 

Paradoxically, as I contemplated leaving a civilization always on the edge of survival, pride in my identity became strengthened and chiseled--honed as if on a rough-edged stone. Without pretense, I can state that the Jewish mystique, with its timeless unfolding in the blood stream of history, is writ large upon my psyche.

          Over the 15 years during which I guarded my privacy, I grappled with my new resolve and attended to my inner life by writing, reading, praying, and meditating. I attained what the mystics call joy--a contentment richer and more fulfilling than anything the world could offer. Cultivating a faith of my own apart from culture war extremes, I came to view myself as “a congregation of one.”  What makes my story unique is that I’m the “unexpected Christian,” the kind that religious people have a hard time with. Yet, this is just the kind of person that Jesus draws in, time and again, in the Gospel accounts. 

If we read to stave off loneliness, my words, familiar as they are to me, have the potential to embolden those who’ve encountered what Shakespeare termed “the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” As readers engage with me and identify with my paradoxical and often challenging path, my transformation will encourage them. They will see how the Christian message answers the deep yearning within each of us to resolve human suffering. 

What does holiness look like?  Do we see ourselves as holy, or is that just a bridge too far?  Any life lived with dignity and purpose is holy in God’s eyes.  Christianity is a “Come as you are” faith.  We don’t need to do anything “extraordinary” to be holy in the eyes of God – We just need to be who we were meant to be.  Holiness is found and lived in the ordinariness of our daily lives.

It’s often our image of God that holds us back in the spiritual life.  Our perception of God can easily become distorted through various influences from our past.  These distortions need to be challenged if we’re to see God and ourselves in a whole new light.

This book attempts to unravel some of the distortions of our faith that can often turn it into a “worthiness contest,” rather than the good news of a loving, compassionate, and merciful God.  It’s time that we “re-learn” how to celebrate the good news of the gospel in our lives. 

Most teachers desire to love their students, but it's much easier said than done. What does it really mean to love our students with the kind of transformational love with which Christ loves us? This book explores the different facets of love as defined in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, looking at the descriptors and considering how each characteristic can manifest in the life of a teacher. 

A contemporary presentation of the ancient story, this summary retelling of the life of Christ generates connection to modern living, and new space for perception, answers, and personal reflection: A engaging, comfortable read for anyone drawn to the title. 

            The non-fiction narrative is entirely Gospel-based and referenced.  There is commentary by the author to expand or illuminate, but not to interpret.  (As a layperson and book-lover I feel almost as related to the reader as to the writing).  I have shaded those paragraphs which are “my own” (First person singular is not used, however), to distinguish those brief interludes from the Bible-based narrative, and as connection with readers.  Framed sidebars (17 among 10 chapters) correlate historical content with current worship and tradition, including: “Baptism Then and Now,” “Who was Mary Magdalene?”, “The Tradition of Foot-Washing,” and a poem about Joseph that shines new light on the earthly father of the Christ.  A few sidebars are mostly contemporary and meant to encourage thought.

            A significant feature is the application of the British hymn “Lord of the Dance” (permission obtained) to introduce chapters, and subtle use of music and dance terms throughout.  Each chapter is organized with sub-titles for clarity and convenience for the reader.

Hope Travels is an inspirational coffee table book, filled with stunning photos of Australia and inspirational words from the Bible and key authors. There is also a number of stories/ reflections that inspire and challenge people to carry on in tough times.  It is a glimpse of the journey I have gone on as I travelled around Australia on sabbatical this year, seeking God for healing and respite during a difficult time.

Working Title: Tucker, Ellie, and Grace Tucker whined at me through the chain link fence of an animal shelter enclosure. Ellie was running on the bike path next to a busy road. I rescued them and they rescued me. Their lives are stories of grace and have illustrated much of what God intends for us: love, joy, obedience, dealing with fear, running with the pack, and handling suffering.  The relationships our family has formed with them mirror much in our relationships with God.  After all, "dog" spelled backwards is "god," and the actions of these sweet, goofy dogs illustrate very simply some key spiritual elements for believers.

Has God ever asked you to do something utterly outrageous? Were you excited to take on His challenge or did you tremble with fear and doubt before deciding what to do next? Completely bored after retiring from a long and satisfying career in federal law enforcement, author and former Special Agent Carleen Watts desperately longed to be back in her chosen field preforming the work she was born to do. She prayed to God, asking Him to find her a position that would fulfill all of her professional skillsets and personal needs. God answered her prayer with the perfect job offer, however, it came with an unexpected condition. The position was located in Kabul, Afghanistan. Past experience taught Carleen to depend on her faith and follow the Lord’s path no matter where it might lead. This time it would take more than just her faith to follow; this time it would take Courage to Follow God’s Will. Join Carleen as she depends on the Lord for strength and endurance during her great adventure to Kabul, Afghanistan.

In an age of tribalism, division, anxiety, and despair, Writing a Life that Counts offers a refreshing solution by challenging readers of all political, economic, and denominational stripes to focus on what matters most - relationships. Part I focuses on the importance of living a life that matters. It points out that while most people say they want their lives to count, they often live in ways that do not align with what they tell others they believe. Part II offers practical ways to invest in seven key relationships Jesus prioritized during his time on earth. These include investing in our relationships with God, family, friends, disciples, the unseen, doubters, and partners. Part III addresses some of the primary challenges Western readers face and offers readers practical ways they can apply what they’ve read to their contexts.

You may be coming to this book because you are in active addiction or have a loved one or friend in addiction. You may be coming to it because your struggle with sexual identity and decision to follow Christ have left you conflicted. You may be coming to it because you are agonizing over a friend or a loved one trapped in these bondages and wonder if your prayers will ever bear fruit. LifeTimesTwo takes the reader on the personal journey of a woman headed for success – a Ph.D. in literature and faculty positions at universities - while increasingly bound by drug addiction and her own homosexuality. A near fatal overdose in 2019 sends her to a faith-based treatment center in the hills of Tennessee. While there, she finds Christ - all the while living with a cast of characters whose stories and struggles are also humorously and compassionately told here. But ultimately, this book is not just about addicts and alcoholics or those struggling with identity. Despite our differences and circumstances, which can appear extreme, these stories can describe the path of all followers of Christ. The stumbling blocks are the same for each of us: shame, pride, unbelief, disobedience. But so is the solution: Jesus