A new Advent family devotional from the author of Jotham's Journey! Fourth in a set of Advent adventure books for families, Ishtar's Odyssey follows the ten-year-old son of a Persian wise man as their caravan follows a star across the desert. Ishtar would just as soon stay in the comfort of the palace, but slowly he learns that there's much to see, do, and learn in this world that can't be experienced in school. He eventually meets Jotham, Bartholomew, and Tabitha as he follows his father and uncles in their search for a newborn king. Arnold Ytreeide's family advent devotionals have become a much-loved Christmas tradition, enjoyed by multiple generations. With over 100,000 in print they include Jotham's Journey, Bartholomew's Passage, and Tabitha's Travels. - See more at: http://www.kregel.com/childrens-story-books/ishtars-odyssey/#sthash.UaTgkA6T.dpuf A new Advent family devotional from the author of Jotham's Journey! Fourth in a set of Advent adventure books for families, Ishtar's Odyssey follows the ten-year-old son of a Persian wise man as their caravan follows a star across the desert. Ishtar would just as soon stay in the comfort of the palace, but slowly he learns that there's much to see, do, and learn in this world that can't be experienced in school. He eventually meets Jotham, Bartholomew, and Tabitha as he follows his father and uncles in their search for a newborn king. Arnold Ytreeide's family advent devotionals have become a much-loved Christmas tradition, enjoyed by multiple generations. With over 100,000 in print they include Jotham's Journey, Bartholomew's Passage, and Tabitha's Travels. A new Advent family devotional from the author of Jotham's Journey! Fourth in a set of Advent adventure books for families, Ishtar's Odyssey follows the ten-year-old son of a Persian wise man as their caravan follows a star across the desert. Ishtar would just as soon stay in the comfort of the palace, but slowly he learns that there's much to see, do, and learn in this world that can't be experienced in school. He eventually meets Jotham, Bartholomew, and Tabitha as he follows his father and uncles in their search for a newborn king. Arnold Ytreeide's family advent devotionals have become a much-loved Christmas tradition, enjoyed by multiple generations. With over 100,000 in print they include Jotham's Journey, Bartholomew's Passage, and Tabitha's Travels. - See more at: http://www.kregel.com/childrens-story-books/ishtars-odyssey/#sthash.UaTgkA6T.dpufA new Advent family devotional from the author of Jotham's Journey! Fourth in a set of Advent adventure books for families, Ishtar's Odyssey follows the ten-year-old son of a Persian wise man as their caravan follows a star across the desert. Ishtar would just as soon stay in the comfort of the palace, but slowly he learns that there's much to see, do, and learn in this world that can't be experienced in school. He eventually meets Jotham, Bartholomew, and Tabitha as he follows his father and uncles in their search for a newborn king. Arnold Ytreeide's family advent devotionals have become a much-loved Christmas tradition, enjoyed by multiple generations. With over 100,000 in print they include Jotham's Journey, Bartholomew's Passage, and Tabitha's Travels. - See more at: http://www.kregel.com/childrens-story-books/ishtars-odyssey/#sthash.UaTgkA6T.dpuf

In this widely popular, exciting story for the advent season, readers follow ten-year-old Jotham across Israel as he searches for his family. Though he faces thieves, robbers, and kidnappers, Jotham also encounters the wise men, shepherds, and innkeepers until at last he finds his way to the Savior born in Bethlehem.

The Odyssey's larger plot is composed of a number of distinct genres of myth, all of which are extant in various Near Eastern cultures (Mesopotamian, West Semitic, and Egyptian). Unexpectedly, the Near Eastern culture with which the Odyssey has the most parallels is the Old Testament. Consideration of how much of the Odyssey focuses on non-heroic episodes - hosts receiving guests, a king disguised as a beggar, recognition scenes between long-separated family members - reaffirms the Odyssey's parallels with the Bible. In particular the book argues that the Odyssey is in a dialogic relationship with Genesis, which features the same three types of myth that comprise the majority of the Odyssey: theoxeny, romance (Joseph in Egypt), and Argonautic myth (Jacob winning Rachel from Laban). The Odyssey also offers intriguing parallels to the Book of Jonah, and Odysseus' treatment by the suitors offers close parallels to the Gospels' depiction of Christ in Jerusalem.

Curious, competent, and courageous Tabitha is the daughter of a shepherd who is taking his family on caravan to his birthplace. Along the way, she meets and becomes friends with Jotham and Bartholomew, watches as Romans take her father prisoner, spends time with Zechariah and Elizabeth, helps Mary and Joseph just before Christ’s birth, and ends her travels at the stable in Bethlehem.

An exciting series that provides students with direct access to the ancient world by offering new translations of extracts from its key texts.

Contains readings for each day of the Advent season that describe the fate of young Bartholomew after Roman soldiers attack his village and he must travel across Israel in search of his family; and provides candle-lighting instructions.

Sixteen-year-old Amon has been part of some incredible things in his short life, especially in the last three years. Jesus has ascended to heaven, Saul has seen the light, and the church in Jerusalem is now well organized. It's finally time to make his own life his most exciting mission. But every time Amon thinks he's getting close to being able to build a family and a future, something gets in the way. One of the apostles needs help with something. A Roman tries to stir up trouble. His father volunteers him for something without asking. Amon is becoming convinced that he will never have a normal life. But maybe a normal life isn't part of God's plan for him after all. What Amon doesn't realize is that he's an eyewitness to some of the most thrilling times in the life of the early church. He's about to learn that God has a reason for everything and will turn Amon's challenging circumstances into blessings. Arnold Ytreeide's beloved characters from his hugely popular Christmas and Easter series are back in this story set within Acts. Full of adventure, friendship, and exciting biblical history, Amon's Mission is perfect for families to read together at any time of year, bringing the setting of the New Testament to vivid life.

Another family "read together" story from popular author Arnold Ytreeide

Ishtar is the first book dedicated to providing an accessible analysis of the mythology and image of this complex goddess. The polarity of her nature is reflected in her role as goddess of sexual love and war, and has made her difficult to characterise in modern scholarship. By exploring this complexity, Ishtar offers insight into Mesopotamian culture and thought, and elucidates a goddess who transcended the limits of gender, divinity and nature. It gives an accessible introduction to the Near Eastern pantheon, while also opening a pathway for comparison with the later Near Eastern and Mediterranean deities who followed her.

Donna Marcellini travelled across Europe,strutting the atwalks of London, Paris and Milan-but she had become bored with her chosen career. She had diverted her interests instead to ecoming one of London's most sought after courtesans. Her participation and enjoyment of London's infamous BDSM scene had also guaranteed her popularity amongst the rich and famous. Her skills and intelligence were soon recognised by superintendant Emerson of Special Branch who recruited her to act as a decoy in the pursuit of the Russian Mafi a to break their hold on the white slave trade. Russian and East European girls were being smuggled into the U.K. in ever increasing numbers; deceived into believing they could land lucrative jobs in the West they were naively press ganged into prostitution. The plan was simple. Donna, because of her sexual prowess and fl uency in the Russian language, was to act as a Russian girl, looking for an easy way to get to the West. She was an obvious choice in aiding Interpol and the British police to track her on her journey through Europe. But the plan went horribly wrong and what was to be a simple tracking operation became a rescue mission and a chase that went half way across the world. Donna faced abuse and death on an almost daily basis and it wasn't the easy mission she had been promised it would be.