I never intended for this book to see the light of day. As a matter of fact I published a book last year thinking that I would never publish another. When I suffered my stroke in 1991 I kept a diary of my thoughts and feelings. After about six years I sat down and wrote about my stroke. Recently, I was walking at the park as my cardiac rehabilitation therapist had recommended after my heart attack and bypass in 2009. I was talking to a therapist who works at one of the hospitals and also teaches a class at the local college. She asked me if I would speak to her class about my thoughts and feelings when I had my stroke. I agreed heartily, but also remembered I had written this manuscript. As I read this manuscript those feelings came back. I said to myself that all therapist and those in training should understand those feelings I was having. So here it is... I would like to share with you, the reader, my story. It's a story of tragedy and pain, recovery and hope, of a world shattered and broken, and the road to health and wholeness. It is my story. I'm going to try to share the feelings of lying in a hospital, not being able to move, needing help to go to the bathroom. Hating to call the nurse and having to admit my helplessness. Me, a minister, one who always prided himself on being in control of every situation. Here I lay; my whole world had fallen around me. Would my wife stay with me or would she just go away? Could our marriage of thirteen years take the stress? And what of Philip, our nine year old son, could he take the ribbing from the other children about his brain dead dad? Would Philip be embarrassed to be with his father who walked with a limp? What would all those people say since I had made my living keeping people at arms length all these years? How would I face them, or better yet, could I face them? These questions and many others would pop up in the next few weeks, months and years. I learned real quick what depression was and how it would grip me almost any time of the day. This is my story. I am proud of myself because now I can share it with you. It is said the first sign of recovery is when you can talk about it. I have faced a lot of monsters in the past ten years. There is a story of a young man named Shea. He lived in a small town called Shady Vale. One day a wizard named Allanon came to see him. Allanon told Shea that he was chosen to defeat the dark lord who was destroying the world. Shea was to find the Sword of Shinara and go to mount doom and defeat the dark lord. Well, on the way he meets the elves and dwarfs. He was attacked by the dark lord's underlings. One day he finally reached Mount Doom with the sword of Shinara. There he came face to face with the evil dark lord. Shea to his amazement faced the evil one. The sword reflected his doubts, fears and hopelessness (The Sword of Shinara). You see, the monster that Shea faced was himself. This story consoled me at times. When I was asked to do something I would have "no" on my lips. Then I would ask myself, "what monster are you fighting? Will you give up and give in?" My grandmother told me I was a hard headed person. I'll buy that.

Calluses, calabash-big, are on my feet. Sugar in my veins sweetens my life. Salt preserves my flesh in this unrefrigerated land. I am woman Woe I am. Ise woman. In this mythical-poetic collection of verse, seasoned poet Horace Goddard shares vivid imagery and energetic language as he offers a bold, refreshing, yet introspective glimpse into an African Caribbean mans search for a home in the diaspora. As migratory man travels from place to place and establishes ties to the land, he nurtures a perpetual yearning for the land of his origin and often wonders, Where is home and how will I get there? In this new collection of poems, often penned in fable-like style, Goddard questions what home means, what culture means when a person is transplanted, and what race means in a country that is predominantly black or white. As Goddard offers a memorable lyrical journey from Africa to the Caribbean and finally to Canada, his poetry invokes emotions and nostalgia as he explores the differences in cultures and details his experiences as a traveler. It is through this celebrated poets eyes that many will truly understand what it is like to journey home.

She was a kind-hearted, intelligent young girl with a future full of promise, but the radiant smile that so often graced her innocent face had faded. She was only sixteen, yet she had awoken from a coma to the news that she was pregnant. But how? Confused, forsaken, lost and broken; was there light at the end of this long, dark tunnel?

Hosea has been charged by God with a difficult task--marry a prostitute in order to show God's people the nature and depth of his love for Israel. When Hosea goes to Israel to proclaim God's message, the prostitute God tells him to marry turns out to be his childhood friend Gomer. He finds her broken and abused, unwilling to trust Hosea or his God. But when marrying Hosea becomes her only choice, Gomer does what she's good at--she survives. Can Hosea's love for God and God's love for Israel heal Gomer's broken spirit? With her potent combination of in-depth research and masterful storytelling, Mesu Andrews brings to life a complex and fascinating biblical story of the power of love and forgiveness in the face of utter betrayal.

Discover your story, learn how to tell it, and watch God perform miracles in your life as you fall more in love with your Abba Father. God uses cracked pots and broken vessels to tell His story: “And they overcame … by the power of the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony …” Revelation 12:11 KJV. God doesn’t waste anything or anyone. He takes the scars and pain of your life and turns you into the vessel of His glory you were created to be. Nothing surprises God. He has a plan to redeem you, save you, and let His light shine through you. Many Christians walk in bondage for failure to know and follow the Word of God. The Bible is Christ’s love letter to you, an instruction book to guide you through all of life’s difficulties. Who better to direct you through uncertain times than the one who knows of the best plans for your life? Yet Christ says his people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. God’s Word rightly applied to the strongholds in your life can help you live the abundant life Christ died to give you and set the captives free. It is not just a matter of salvation, but rather growth in Christ—the sanctification process—that leads you to the rich and abundant life Christ died to give you. What is your testimony? It isn’t just your story of salvation. Tell of your journey and how the Lord allowed the Scriptures to come alive in your life. Tell of the living Jesus.

Andre Dubus is celebrated for his ability to depict the subtlest of human emotions in his characters, and when he turns to nonfiction, the resulting insights are no less illuminative. Especially moving are his descriptions of his children, his wrenching account of the 1986 automobile accident that cost him his leg, and of the ensuing struggle for his spiritual and physical survival. Broken Vessels is a book that, in its scope and sympathy, its grace and courage, never fails to startle with the sudden impact of quiet truths, passionately felt and powerfully expressed.

Quentin Jacobson has spent a lifetime loving Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life - dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge - he follows. After their all-nighter ends, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo has disappeared.

The cracks are not showing, or you may not know that they are there. But if you have ever said any of these words, -I am not 100% ok-I get so angry, but I cannot justify my anger-I am stuck-I suck at relationships-I am emotionally drained... then you will greatly benefit from this light-hearted, yet thought-provoking and deeply spiritual book. Using relatable anecdotes from her experiences as a missionary and pastor, author Edith Kariuki reveals unique insights into the causes of inner wounds and the reasons for being stuck. But she doesn't leave it there, she also provides a step by step guideline on the process of recovery and healing.Have you ever wondered what your purpose is? Or felt confused about this topic? This book demystifies the subject of God-given purpose and empowers you to live a purpose-filled life every day. Your struggles and challenges are real. And this book offers you practical, real-life solutions. Each chapter provides you with an opportunity to decide what you will do today to change your life; and what you must commit to doing tomorrow and every day thereafter. Get this book today and begin the process of becoming and being

In this time of ecological crisis, all that is holy calls us into a more intimate partnership with the diverse and beautiful beings of this earth. In Finding Our Way Home, Myke Johnson reflects on her personal journey into such a partnership and offers a guide for others to begin this path. Lyrically expressed, it weaves together lessons from a chamomile flower, a small bird, a copper beech tree, a garden slug, and a forest fern, along with insights from Indigenous philosophy, environmental science, fractal geometry, childhood Catholic mysticism, the prophet Elijah, fairy tales, and permaculture design. This eco-spiritual journey also wrestles with the history of our society's destruction of the natural world, and its roots in the original theft of the land from Indigenous peoples. Exploring the spiritual dimensions of our brokenness, it offers tools to create healing. Finding Our Way Home is a ceremony to remember our essential unity with all of life.

"Resourceful and easy-to-use, Going to Wait! is a ground-breaking book designed to assist worship leaders and musicians of the Black church in their ministries. Authors Rev. Dr. Linda H. Hollies and Dr. James Abbington have created an indispensable guide to Sunday worship preparation for between Pentecost and Advent, calling congregations to celebrate the cycle of the Christian year and follow the suggested scripture readings of the Revised Common Lectionary. Going to Wait! is a companion volume to Waiting to Go! (GIA), which covers Advent through Pentecost. For each Sunday and other holy days, scripture references are given along with suggested altar and banner colors. Rev. Dr. Hollies includes prayers, a short focus essay with sermon ideas, suggestions for visual art, and more. Dr. Abbington brings his expertise in music to the planning. Based on seven major African-American worship hymnals, he suggests appropriate hymns, as well as anthems, spirituals, gospel songs, and organ music for each service. Sure to compliment the traditions of all types of congregations, Going to Wait! is an excellent reference for all who lead African-American Christian worship today!"--Back cover.