In this meditative spiritual memoir, Judith Valente, celebrated PBS religion journalist and celebrated poet, invites readers along on her transformative pilgrimages to Mount St. Scholastica monastery in Atchison, Kansas. The Benedictine sisters who invited Valente presented her with a view of monastic life and wisdom that brought spiritual healing to her fast-paced life--and promises to do the same for her readers. The first time Judith Valente arrived at Mount St. Scholastica monastery, she came prepared to teach a course on poetry and the soul. Instead, she found herself the student, taking lessons from the Benedictine sisters in the healing nature of silence, how to cultivate habits of mindful living, and the freeing reality that conversion is a lifelong process. With the heart of a poet and the eye of a journalist, she tells how her many visits and interviews with the Benedictine sisters forced her to confront aspects of her own life that needed healing--a journey that will invite readers to healing of their own. A beautiful and heartfelt work that crosses The Cloister Walk with Tuesdays with Morrie, Atchison Blue will resonate with readers of Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, Mary Gordon, and Anne Lamott.

"After decades of campaigning, with the help of activists and diplomats, in 2017 the United Nations in New York signed the Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty. This book covers the story of their collective activism-a story of courage and hope, as well as lessons learned, that will inform and inspire others working for social justice"--

As seen on The TODAY Show! Break out of that rut and fall in love with your life again by joining stand-up comic, SiriusXM host, and mom of six Jennifer Fulwiler in finding your blue flame. Every one of us has a blue flame--a special skill, a personal passion, a gift or talent. But when caught up in life's busyness, it's too easy to make a habit of suppressing our most joyful contributions to the world. As Jennifer learned, the secret to a life you love isn't necessarily jumping the track, quitting your job, or hustling to make your dream your full-time reality. Rather, it's about doing more of what makes you come alive in your actual life. Your Blue Flame is your upbeat playbook to rekindling your energy, sparking those meaningful "first loves" back to life again, and discovering the unique way each one of us can make the world a better, brighter place. With Jennifer's wit and straight-forward, practical insights, this helpful guide will show you: How to channel your blue flame's contagious energy Why your blue flame is both personally fulfilling and a sacred duty to others Tips and tricks to boldly make time for your passions How to rethink dreaming big for your actual life No matter where you are in life, you'll be inspired with stories of others who found their flames, like the couple who packed up their three kids and moved to a farm, the woman who discovered a passion for letter-writing at age ninety-five, and of course Jennifer's own story of self-producing her own stand-up comedy tour after being turned down by the entertainment industry establishment. It's been said that the glory of God is the soul fully alive. It's time to start chasing our spark, and Your Blue Flame will show you how.

This extraordinary celebration of the poet's craft opens the attentive reader's heart to the world of the spirit. Author/compilers Judith Valente and Charles Reynard, noted poets themselves, share elected poems that probe the classic themes of the spiritual life.

The true story of the author's four-year-old deaf son, Jeremy, who wandered away from his babysitter's home south of Atchison, Kansas, near the Missouri River, on February 18, 1977 and disappeared. The author details the five-day search for her son, which officially ended with the findings of an air scent dog team. The author describes the aftermath of her son's disappearance and presumed death and describes the grieving process as well as the peace and hope she has found.

The story of a little boy and his family as they wait and pray for their new arrival. God helps the boy discover that having a new baby in his home can be exciting and that being a big brother is a special job.

When his heiress fiancee Jenna vanishes, Mike McAfee falls under suspicion. When a tabloid trumpets his one-night stand with a co-worker, his world crumbles. His boss - Jenna's father - fires him. The police grill him. The media devour him. To escape the pressure, Mike retreats to his childhood home. When a news crew shows up on the doorstep, Mike assumes the worst. But when he learns that Jenna has been living a secret life with an old boyfriend, Mike's reality changes instantly. With help from some old friends who have secrets of their own, Mike works to plot a new future even as he dodges a ruthless cable TV host and persistent reality television producers, all while feeding coins to the vintage jukebox at a sandwich shop called Mellow Submarine. A funny and moving book, Mellow Submarine should appeal to fans of Nick Hornby, Jonathan Tropper and Tom Perrotta."

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This text describes the optical structures and optical properties of the human eye. It is divided into five sections, covering topics such as basic optical structure of the human eye and image formation and refraction of the eye.