Be challenged by this collection of 150 devotional and reflective essays unlike most currently available devotional materials. Pastor Arnel focuses on a handful of dominant but recurring Bible themes, inviting us to interact. Topics in this collection include: Self-sufficiency, wilderness experience, brokenness, celebrating grace, being still, commitment to community. Moments of Grace is for men and women seeking fresh Bible insights to stir up their spiritual experience. Food for thought for established Christians, pastors, ministry heads and small-group leaders.

Moment of Grace tells the story of the American city in its remarkable heyday. Never before or after the 1950s were downtowns so exciting, neighborhoods so settled, or suburban dwellers so optimistic. Urban culture was at its peak: it was vital, urbane, conformist, and generating rebellion all at once. Capturing the mood of the '50s in superb historical photographs and mining delightfully varied sources—including urban critics, interviews with city residents, novels, songs, magazines, and newspapers—Moment of Grace brings alive the downtowns, the neighborhoods, and the suburbs of the era. A rich historical reflection on a singular decade, the book also portrays the '50s as a critical turning point in American culture and economy. Michael Johns shows us exactly why city life never could or would be the same again. Giving a vivid sense of the lived experience of the day, Johns explores the '50s in cities such as New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Oakland, writing about fashion (which demanded the highest heels and pointiest breasts in history), nightlife, architecture, literature, business and economic trends, and teenage culture. He tells us what was for sale in the stores, who lived in the neighborhoods, what life was like for women in the brand-new suburbs, and much more. And he confronts difficult issues head-on. What did the loss of city jobs and the simultaneous success of the civil rights movement mean for black neighborhoods? What were the profound consequences of the rise of the suburbs for family life? In contrast to the vibrant cities of the '50s, the streets of today's downtowns are often empty if not suffused with melancholy. Johns uncovers the seeds of the transformation from the '50s to today, and at the same time, he paints a memorable picture of the American past.

'A profoundly moving and impassioned account of a 28-year romance.' The Observer 'A Moment of Graceis one of the more beautiful books I've read- raw, gracious, candid and true. It is about the last 13 months of Nicola's life; from the ordinary London day she was diagnosed to the time she took her last breath. It manages to be an uplifting book about tragedy - because there is such romance in the mundanity of survival and such ferocity in the way this one little family love one another.' British Vogue How do you learn to live in the wake of death? Patrick Dillon and Nicola Thorold were together for twenty-eight years. Patrick was an award-winning architect and writer and Nicola a leading figure in theatre, awarded an OBE for her contribution to the arts at London's Roundhouse. Their two children were almost grown-up. Life was good. And then, in May 2015, Nicola was diagnosed with leukaemia. After several rounds of treatment, a bone marrow transplant and many waves of recovery and decline, she died thirteen months after her diagnosis. Six months later, at Christmas, Patrick started to write. A Moment of Graceis the searing, tender account of Patrick's life with Nicola and her illness, and his life after her loss. But it is more than a story of illness and unbearable grief- it is a book of memory, of home, of family. It is a tale of the transfiguring power of love. Heartbreaking, life-affirming and truly unforgettable, AMoment of Graceis one man's journey to find life after his wife's death.

Moments of Grace are Presents from the Universe In this book, over 250 beautiful souls - including bestselling authors Jodi Chapman, Dan Teck, Arielle Ford, Kristine Carlson, and Christine Arylo - each share a moment of grace they've personally experienced with the hopes of inspiring you to open to grace in your own life The 365 unique miracles shared in these pages include: near-death experiences, communicating with loved ones on the other side, healing from illness, a-ha moments, signs from the universe, and so much more While the experiences themselves vary greatly, each of these moments transformed the authors and connected them to something much bigger than themselves. These true-life stories (one page each - for quick inspiration ) were written with love and infused with the intention that you'll be on the lookout for moments of grace to show up in your own life...and that you'll be open to receiving them when they do Special Promotion: For a limited time, receive almost 100 soulful bonus gifts for free when you order our book (Some are downloadable directly and others ask that you enter your email to receive them. You can unsubscribe at any time, and you will still receive your gift.) Go to 365momentsofgrace.com after ordering to receive them.

Mexico City assumed its current character around the turn of the twentieth century, during the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz (1876-1911). In those years, wealthy Mexicans moved away from the Zócalo, the city's traditional center, to western suburbs where they sought to imitate European and American ways of life. At the same time, poorer Mexicans, many of whom were peasants, crowded into eastern suburbs that lacked such basic amenities as schools, potable water, and adequate sewerage. These slums looked and felt more like rural villages than city neighborhoods. A century—and some twenty million more inhabitants—later, Mexico City retains its divided, robust, and almost labyrinthine character. In this provocative and beautifully written book, Michael Johns proposes to fathom the character of Mexico City and, through it, the Mexican national character that shaped and was shaped by the capital city. Drawing on sources from government documents to newspapers to literary works, he looks at such things as work, taste, violence, architecture, and political power during the formative Díaz era. From this portrait of daily life in Mexico City, he shows us the qualities that "make a Mexican a Mexican" and have created a culture in which, as the Mexican saying goes, "everything changes so that everything remains the same."

In sections devoted to faith, courage, family, friends, self-love, dating, marriage, and work, Patrice Gaines reveals how she and others who have redeemed their lives arrived at their personal moments of grace. 192 pp. Author tour. National print ads & publicity. 50,000 print.

Praise for Moments of Grace “The Bible tells us that ‘the testing of [our] faith produces perseverance’ (James 1:2-4). You won’t find many people who demonstrate perseverance the way Janae Hofer does. Her story is inspiring, humbling, and at times gut-wrenching—but it will give you insight into the mind and heart of an amazing young woman.” —Jim Daly, President, Focus on the Family Unaware of her hidden turmoil, many are impressed with Janae Hofer’s unrelenting drive to open her own law practice despite needing assistance with every physical task because of cerebral palsy—a disability hindering her every movement. But her life is more than physical struggles. It’s also joy and sorrow, laughter and pain, victory, and defeat. In Moments of Grace, Hofer narrates her story, through her human lens, calibrated to God’s grace. This reflective focus reveals glimpses of the golden thread in all of life’s moments. She tells how God provided her with a loving Christian family and carefully cultivated friendships. Preserving her life despite suicide attempts, God granted her strength to persevere when continual underestimation by colleagues and bosses built a steel coffin around her. This memoir shares the contrast between Hofer’s hopeless feelings at different moments and her grateful perspective as she now looks back. Through her story, she encourages you to use the recalibration questions to make your perspective on your own life one of gratitude and humility. She prays this book will be one tool God uses to point you toward a deeper understanding of his unfailing grace in every moment—past, present, and future.

In J. R. R. Tolkiens desire to create a mythology for his homeland, he actually made one for every person, every land, and every age. The Lordof the Rings is a catechism of spiritual warfare cleverly disguised as a fantasy. The struggle against evil that takes place inside its pages is the same one that occurs even now within the soul of each person. As we cannot leave the field of battle until death takes us from it, we should learn as much as we can about how to fight from those who have labored before us. Certainly the Red Book of Westmarch is one source to use. We may not have to sacrifice ourselves as does Gandalf, but we can learn from him and his wise counsels and from the others who he taught. Frodo guides us as well, as he makes his torturous journey to Mount Doom and endures the Rings unceasing temptations. With him, we see that sometimes we overcome our temptations, and at other times they overwhelm us. We also learn, as he and Boromir do, to get back up and start the struggle anew. Sam shows us the height of hope and the depth of devotion. In fact, everyone in the tale, good as well as evil, has something to teach us. Anne Marie Gazzolo hopes that you will find inspiration within to apply to your life.

Before Ginny Kubitz Moyer became a mother, she spent a lot of quiet time with God. But the moment she became a mom, those deeply meaningful times of serenity all but disappeared, raising a critical question: How do you maintain an active spirituality when your life is consumed by the nonstop mayhem of motherhood? In Random MOMents of Grace, Moyer helps mothers realize that their spiritual lives don’t have to stagnate even though most of their time is now spent in a world of play dates and playgrounds. In fact, Moyer contends that all that wiping of noses and reading of bedtime stories can lead to some pretty amazing spiritual growth. For any mom wondering if it’s possible to be fully engaged in the lives of her children without sacrificing her spirituality, Random MOMents of Grace offers a definitive “yes” as it shows moms how to see God’s grace at work in even the silliest, messiest, and most frustrating moments of motherhood.