"What happens to our natural instinct, as a mother, to protect our child when he or she is ordered to one of the most dangerous places in the world? What gets us through the day? How do we survive?" Tracie Ciambotti Tracie's son, Josh, enlisted in the Army two days after he graduated from high school in 2005. Five months later he was on his way to Baghdad and the reality of war began to sink into the depths of Tracie's heart. She had no idea when or if she would ever see her son again. As the weeks passed, fear became the master of her days. Josh had received the best training in the world for his new job as a combat soldier with the United States Armed Forces, but Tracie had none for her role as the mother of a service member. While her son was fighting a war in Iraq, she was marching unaware and unprepared into her own battle at home. Battles of the Heart reminds us that freedom is not free. Every American needs to understand the sacrifices that military families endure for our freedom. Journey through two deployments and discover along with Tracie how to survive the challenges that military families face daily.

The limits of military power / Rob de Wijk / - The future of international coalitions : how useful? How manageable? / Paul Dibb / - Forging an indirect strategy in southeast Asia / Barry Desker / - The imbalance of terror / Thérese Delpech / - The new nature of nation-state failure / Robert I. Rotberg / - Democracy by force : a renewed commitment to nation building / Karin von Hippel / - Sierra Leone : the state that came back from the dead / Michael Chege / - Toward postconflict reconstruction / John J. Hamre and Gordon R. / - Building better foundations : security in postconflict reconstruction / Scott Feil / - Dealing with demons : justice and reconciliation / Michèle Flournoy / - Governing when chaos rules : enhancing governance and participation / Robert Orr / - Public diplomacy comes of age / Christopher Ross / - Deeds speak Louder than words / Lamis Andoni / - A broadcasting strategy to win media wars / Edward Kaufman / - Compassionate conservatism confronts global poverty / Lae ...

An inspirational journey from tragedy to triumph In 2003, nineteen-year-old Private J.R. Martinez was on a routine patrol when the Humvee he was driving hit an antitank mine in Iraq, resulting in severe injuries and burns on his face and more than one-third of his body. Out of that tragedy came an improbable journey of inspiration, motivation, and dreams come true. In Full of Heart, Martinez shares his story in intimate detail, from his upbringing in the American South and his time in the Army to his recovery and the indomitable spirit that has made him an inspiration to countless fans. J.R. Martinez always had a strong spirit. Raised in Bossier City, Louisiana, and then Hope, Arkansas, by a single mother from El Salvador, he was well known at school for his good looks and his smart mouth. At seventeen, showing an early determination and drive that would become one of his trademark qualities, J.R. convinced his mom to move to Dalton, Georgia, where he believed he would have a better chance of being recruited to play college football. His positive attitude earned him a spot on a competitive high school football squad, but when his college dreams collapsed, he turned to the U.S. Army. A few months later, he found himself serving in Iraq. When J.R.'s humvee hit a mine and exploded -- just one month into his deployment—he was immediately evacuated to a San Antonio medical center, where he spent the next thirty-four months in grueling recovery. Seeing his disfigured face for the first time after the accident threw him into a crushing period of confusion and anger. His spirits were low, until he was asked to speak to another young burn victim. J.R. realized how valuable and gratifying it was to share his experiences with other patients and listen to theirs. He’d found a calling. His fellow soldiers, along with the local and then national media, soon latched onto J.R.’s spirit and strength. His resilience, optimism, and charm were also noted by Hollywood and scored him roles on All My Children and Dancing with the Stars, where he was the season thirteen champion. Today, J.R. tours the country sharing his story and his lessons for overcoming challenges and embracing hope, lessons that abound in this book. Full of Heart is an unforgettable story of a man who never gave up on his dreams. After being injured in Iraq, J.R. Martinez became a motivational speaker, actor, and winner of season thirteen of Dancing with the Stars. Martinez lives in Los Angeles

The struggle over the fortified Confederate position known as Spotsylvania's Mule Shoe was without parallel during the Civil War. A Union assault that began at 4:30 A.M. on May 12, 1864, sparked brutal combat that lasted nearly twenty-four hours. By the time Grant's forces withdrew, some 55,000 men from Union and Confederate armies had been drawn into the fury, battling in torrential rain along the fieldworks at distances often less than the length of a rifle barrel. One Union private recalled the fighting as a "seething, bubbling, soaring hell of hate and murder." By the time Lee's troops established a new fortified line in the predawn hours of May 13, some 17,500 &8239;officers and men from both sides had been killed, wounded, or captured when the fighting &8239;ceased.&8239;The site of the most intense clashes became forever known as the Bloody Angle.&8239; Here, renowned military historian Jeffry D. Wert draws on the personal narratives of Union and Confederate troops who survived the fight &8239;to offer a gripping story of Civil War combat at its most difficult. Wert's &8239;harrowing tale&8239;reminds us that the war's story, often told through its commanders and campaigns,&8239;truly belonged to the common soldier.

Guys Aren't the Only Ones Fighting a Battle for Purity The world you live in promotes sex as the answer to just about everything. The pressure to go along with the crowd is greater than ever before, and it's easy to compromise in little ways that are a lot more harmful than they seem. You and your friends may become caught up in destructive relationships or sexual activities without even knowing how you got there. You just want to be normal–to fit in, to be liked, to look attractive to the opposite sex. But are you paying too high a price? This counterpart to the award-winning Every Young Man's Battle can help you: · learn how the sexual battle begins in your heart and mind · understand your hunger for attention from guys · recognize and avoid the potential pitfalls awaiting young women on the journey toward adulthood and possibly marriage · find out how the media, novels, fashion, internet chat rooms, and body and beauty obsessions influence your sexual choices–and what you can do about it · guard your mind, heart, and body against sexual and emotional compromise · develop a deeper, more satisfying level of intimacy with God Whether you have so far protected yourself emotionally and sexually, feel that you've been robbed of your purity, or have given in to temptation in some way, this book can help you achieve or reclaim sexual integrity. It can also guide you through the temptations and pressures of young adulthood while demonstrating how you can live your life to the fullest–without regrets. Includes a comprehensive workbook for individual or group study.

The Bible uses the word "heart" to describe the inner you-the critical part of your existence, the part that lives forever. It is where your intellect and will shake hands, make friends and make moves. It is the part of you that is you. It the seat of your soul. And, it is exactly what we are discussing in this series. The "throne" is used metaphorically to refer to your heart. And, pressing the metaphor further, we will bring in some elements of medieval war that serves as illustrations of our fight against sin, the sufferings we endure, the weapons of war, and the people who support and hold us up in battle. Each chapter, including the introduction and closing, tells as complete story with you as the main actor. For this reason, it is best for you to read each in order. The introduction will set the stage for the story. The lessons carry you along the story plot-by-plot. And finally, the story comes to an end with a summary in the closing chapter. So journey through the story of the War and the Great Throne. Get caught up in the story and most importantly, let the King, who has established His throne in the heavens and rules over all, search your heart and help you wage your war against the enemy of your soul.

Jesus spoke about the matter of the heart. The heart is the seat of the soul's emotions. He is looking at the very condition of your heart. You need to sound the alarm and put on your war garment. It's war and it's for your heart. The Devil wants your heart in order to do all kinds of evil. He has assigned many demons to cause your heart to become hard and callous. He wants to give you a heart attack in the natural and in the spiritual. Apply the Blood of Jesus over your heart- win the fight, walk in total health, love, peace, and forgiveness. You have the keys to unlock your heart and to set yourself free. I pray this book will bless your heart, give you wisdom and understanding to the condition of your heart. Be Blessed God's Precious Jewels!

On February 17, Landing Craft Infantry 449 was among a dozen gunboats helping to prepare the area for their invasion two days later. From the towering slopes of Mount Suribachi, Japanese forces opened fire, forcing the U.S. commanders to recalculate battlefield plans. They shelled and bombed the newly discovered enemy positions. It was a move that saved countless lives two days later, when tens of thousands of Marines stormed the beach at the Battle of Iwo Jima. Mitch Weiss' The Heart of Hell is the untold story of the crew of Landing Craft Infantry 449.

In July 1883, just a few days after the twentieth anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, a group of editors at The Century Magazine engaged in a lively argument: Which Civil War battle was the bloodiest battle of them all? One claimed it was Chickamauga, another Cold Harbor. The argument inspired a brainstorm: Why not let the magazine’s 125,000 readers in on the conversation by offering “a series of papers on some of the great battles of the war to be written by officers in command on both sides.” The articles would be written by generals, Union and Confederate alike, who had commanded the engagements two decades earlier—“or, if he were not living,” by “the person most entitled to speak for him or in his place.” The pieces would present both sides of each major battle, and would be fair and free of politics. In commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, the most enduring entries from the classic four-volume series Battles and Leaders of the Civil War have now been edited and merged into one definitive volume. Here are the best of the immortal first-person accounts of the Civil War originally published in the pages of The Century Magazine more than a hundred years ago. Hearts Touched by Fire offers stunning accounts of the war’s great battles written by the men who planned, fought, and witnessed them, from leaders such as General Ulysses S. Grant, General George McClellan, and Confederate captain Clement Sullivane to men of lesser rank. This collection also features new year-by-year introductions by esteemed historians, including James M. McPherson, Craig L. Symonds, and James I. Robertson, Jr., who cast wise modern eyes on the cataclysm that changed America and would go down as the bloodiest conflict in our nation’s history. No one interested in our country’s past will want to be without this collection of the most popular and influential first-person Civil War memoirs ever published.

The world is obsessed with power. However the Bible reveals the most awesome power of all: Kingdom authority. Rogers shows readers how to become a part of the awesome power of God's working in the world to build His Kingdom.