Resources for Christmastide to help you hear God's Word through the commercialism of the season, the propaganda of the times; and to glimpse the sacred in the secular.

Alejandro Zambra's Ways of Going Home begins with an earthquake, seen through the eyes of an unnamed nine-year-old boy who lives in an undistinguished middleclass housing development in a suburb of Santiago, Chile. When the neighbors camp out overnight, the protagonist gets his first glimpse of Claudia, an older girl who asks him to spy on her uncle Raúl. In the second section, the protagonist is the writer of the story begun in the first section. His father is a man of few words who claims to be apolitical but who quietly sympathized—to what degree, the author isn't sure—with the Pinochet regime. His reflections on the progress of the novel and on his own life—which is strikingly similar to the life of his novel's protagonist—expose the raw suture of fiction and reality. Ways of Going Home switches between author and character, past and present, reflecting with melancholy and rage on the history of a nation and on a generation born too late—the generation which, as the author-narrator puts it, learned to read and write while their parents became accomplices or victims. It is the most personal novel to date from Zambra, the most important Chilean author since Roberto Bolaño.

“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." â€"Matthew 2:1â€"2 This enchanting Christmas story by beloved author and preacher Barbara Brown Taylor follows the three wise men on their world-changing journey to Bethlehem. In this beautiful retelling of their adventure, Taylor captures the power of one very special star and gives readers a new perspective on the three wise men and their encounters with King Herod, Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus. Home by Another Way: A Christmas Story features breathtaking artwork from illustrator Melanie Cataldo and is perfect for gift-giving. Ideal for children ages 8-10.

Going Home Another Way tells a story a young girl who grew up in total dis-function in her home and religious upbringing. At the age of nine, she started having visions and vivid dreams. Then, she heard a Voice that guided her through many dangers and other hardships. After the death of her mother, her life changed. She had to rely on the Voice more than ever. Upon reaching adulthood, she became engulfed with the wiles of the world. She was lost and afraid. Much like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, who only had to click her heels in order to go back home, Mary only had to obey the Voice, pick up a pen and paper to write her way back Home. The pen is mightier than the Sword.

Book 1 of The Survivalist Series If society collapsed, could you survive? When Morgan Carter’s car breaks down 250 miles from his home, he figures his weekend plans are ruined. But things are about to get much, much worse: the country’s power grid has collapsed. There is no electricity, no running water, no Internet, and no way to know when normalcy will be restored—if it ever will be. An avid survivalist, Morgan takes to the road with his prepper pack on his back. During the grueling trek from Tallahassee to his home in Lake County, chaos threatens his every step but Morgan is hell-bent on getting home to his wife and daughters—and he’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. Fans of James Wesley Rawles, William R. Forstchen's One Second After, and The End by G. Michael Hopf will revel in A. American's apocalyptic tale.

Book 1 in the "John Matherson" trilogy.

The ministry of Isaiah, a prophet who lived more than 2,600 years ago, was defined by a life-changing face-to-face encounter with God, as described in the sixth chapter of the Book of Isaiah. This momentous event provides insights about God-directed, authentic worship. God is asking you and me to enter into the same worship experience that Isaiah knew: approach God in worship, surrender ourselves, experience God, and activate a living worship of God every day in every way.

A FREE RomanticWomen's Fiction Novel. The first in a series about how a young single mother, faced with the task of keeping an inn and winery going in Oregon wine country, becomes the matriarch of a family filled with love and unexpected surprises as the inn continues to grow into a well-known hotel. A family saga filled with love… In 1970, Violet Hawkins’ only wish at eighteen is to escape her life in the Dayton, Ohio, foster-care system and make her way to the west coast to enjoy a mellow life and find the love she’s been missing all her life. Lettie makes it to San Francisco, but soon learns she needs a job if she’s to live properly. A kind young man named Kenton Chandler offers her a sandwich and a job at his father’s inn and vineyards. With nothing to lose, Lettie takes him up on his offer and begins a whole new life in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. She immediately falls in love with the land and is fascinated with the idea of growing grapes to make wines. She, Kenton, and Rafe Lopez become friends as she learns about running the small inn on the property. At the same time she marries Kenton, a stroke kills his father. And then before she can tell Kenton she’s pregnant, he dies in an automobile accident. Heartbroken and burdened with the gift of the Chandler Hill Inn and Winery, she’s left with the task of making them a success. Struggling to raise a child alone while working to grow the business, Lettie makes a shocking discovery that changes everything. A love story of a family with heart… Be sure to read the other books in the series: Coming Home and Home at Last. And check out Judith Keim’s other series – the Hartwell Women, The Beach House Hotel series, the Fat Fridays series, the Salty Key Inn series, the Chandler Hill Inn series, the Desert Sage Inn series, and the Seashell Cottage Books that readers are loving. This is a women's fiction novel that deals with the strength of women, family, and the will to survive and live life with love. A great read with a glass or wine or anytime! Contemporary women's fiction, Contemporary Women's Romance, Friends Fiction, Family Saga, strong heroine, Finding love, Family Life Fiction, Mothers and Daughters Fiction, Friends fiction, Women's literary fiction, strong women face challenge, Oregon winery, Women's domestic life fiction, friends, country inn, hotel, vineyard, winery,

First published in 1998, this Darlington child care study looks at the return experiences of children looked after by local authorities. It shows that although the great majority of children go back to their families and home communities, little is known about the process. How can professionals and carers make the transition as easy as possible? The book takes forward ideas first reported in the Dartmouth publication, going home: The return of children separated from their families and tested in subsequent research. It charts patterns of separation and return, considers the experiences of those involved and highlights factors associated with the likelihood of return and its success. Because the factors described in the earlier research have since been confirmed in a blind prospective study they are among the most robust indicators available.

Journey with author Young as he goes from backpacking novice to seasoned newness in Christ. His passionate preparations coupled with tumultuous thoughts may broaden readers own horizons, too. (Christian)