Six studies, based on Eugene Peterson's classic on Christian commitment, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, encourage you to continue in the path Christ has set before you.

100 meditations from the Book of Job. The trials of life come to us all, often when we least expect them. And when these unwelcomed guests w ill not go away, we can quickly become physically, emotionally and spiritually handicapped.

This is the comprehensive story of NASA’s pioneering Mars 2020 mission, which at this moment continues to break ground on the surface of the Red Planet. The book takes readers through every stage of the Mars mission, describing its major goals and objectives, the cutting-edge technology and instrumentation onboard the Perseverance rover and other spacecraft components, and the members of the scientific team who steered the mission along the way. Mars 2020 is the first to actually take samples of the Red Planet and prepare them for subsequent return to Earth. The chapters therefore delve into how and why Jezero Crater was selected as the optimal landing and sample collecting site to meet the mission objectives. Featuring dozens of high-resolution images of the mission, this book gives readers a deeper understanding of the technology underlying Mars 2020 and why its work is so important for planetary science and space exploration.

In this instant New York Times bestseller, Angela Duckworth shows anyone striving to succeed that the secret to outstanding achievement is not talent, but a special blend of passion and persistence she calls “grit.” “Inspiration for non-geniuses everywhere” (People). The daughter of a scientist who frequently noted her lack of “genius,” Angela Duckworth is now a celebrated researcher and professor. It was her early eye-opening stints in teaching, business consulting, and neuroscience that led to her hypothesis about what really drives success: not genius, but a unique combination of passion and long-term perseverance. In Grit, she takes us into the field to visit cadets struggling through their first days at West Point, teachers working in some of the toughest schools, and young finalists in the National Spelling Bee. She also mines fascinating insights from history and shows what can be gleaned from modern experiments in peak performance. Finally, she shares what she’s learned from interviewing dozens of high achievers—from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon to New Yorker cartoon editor Bob Mankoff to Seattle Seahawks Coach Pete Carroll. “Duckworth’s ideas about the cultivation of tenacity have clearly changed some lives for the better” (The New York Times Book Review). Among Grit’s most valuable insights: any effort you make ultimately counts twice toward your goal; grit can be learned, regardless of IQ or circumstances; when it comes to child-rearing, neither a warm embrace nor high standards will work by themselves; how to trigger lifelong interest; the magic of the Hard Thing Rule; and so much more. Winningly personal, insightful, and even life-changing, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that—not talent or luck—makes all the difference. This is “a fascinating tour of the psychological research on success” (The Wall Street Journal).

During any rapidly changing situation, loss of daily routine, isolation, and uncertainty can lead to anxiety, fear, depression, and loneliness. Dr. Stephen Bond, a Social Studies teacher at Wilson Preparatory Academy in Wilson, North Carolina, spoke with his students via email and text during the COVID-19 crisis that ended the 2020 school year and discovered many were feeling these emotions. Dr. Bond let them know that it was OK to be upset. He encouraged them to come to him and their parents with any new questions about the virus, and he asked his students to express their feelings. This phenomenal book, jam-packed with challenging activities like word searches, crossword puzzles, and colorful drawings by the talented Illustrator Anthony Mercer, covers what Dr. Bond's students had to say and more.

In the wake of his father’s death, the speaker in Raymond Antrobus’ The Perseverance travels to Barcelona. In Gaudi’s Cathedral, he meditates on the idea of silence and sound, wondering whether acoustics really can bring us closer to God. Receiving information through his hearing aid technology, he considers how deaf people are included in this idea. “Even though,” he says, “I have not heard / the golden decibel of angels, / I have been living in a noiseless / palace where the doorbell is pulsating / light and I am able to answer.” The Perseverance is a collection of poems examining a d/Deaf experience alongside meditations on loss, grief, education, and language, both spoken and signed. It is a book about communication and connection, about cultural inheritance, about identity in a hearing world that takes everything for granted, about the dangers we may find (both individually and as a society) if we fail to understand each other.

Clarence E. Hodges has helped students, administrators, mayors, senators, and even presidents accomplish their goals and objectives. Now, in this guidebook to living your dreams, he shares how moving forward through both good times and bad can help you get to your desired destination. More than just an autobiography of an exciting life devoted to service, this is a manual that guides you from family and community successes through city and international issues, economic development, job creation and preparation, Indian reservation and inner-city revitalization, bitcoins, social services, faith relationships, and changing the world from a kitchen office, a corporate complex, Capitol Hill, or the Oval Office of the White House, you can be inspired to succeed by Hodges' achievements and lessons of perseverance. An admirer of Dr. King, he successfully worked to achieve fairness and freedom for sanitation workers in Indianapolis and was praised by Coretta Scott King for his service as chairman of the Dr. M.L. King Holiday Commission's International Affairs Committee. A believer in the philosophies of Nelson Mandela, he worked at the State Department and in South Africa to help achieve freedom for Mandela and all South Africans. An advocate for full and quality employment, he provided leadership in St. Louis and Indianapolis for training, retraining, and employment opportunities for the unemployed and underemployed. He achieved by persevering.

"This is Lama Zopa Rinpoche's commentary on perseverance (virya in Sanskrit; tsöndrü in Tibetan), the fourth of the six bodhisattva perfections and the subject of the seventh chapter of Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life (Bodhisattvacharyavatara), which was written about 1,300 years ago. Rinpoche would often use the text to emphasize how we need to overcome our attachment to the samsaric pleasures of this life-what are called the eight worldly dharmas or worldly concerns. These are our big addiction and the reason this realm we live in is called the desire realm. Our senses constantly reach out for pleasurable objects: sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and so forth. As long as chasing our desires dominates our life, we not only have no freedom to become a better person but we are also assuring ourselves (and our planet) great suffering in the future. Breaking this addiction is not easy. We need great determination, great perseverance. This is the subject of Shantideva's seventh chapter, where he explores in detail the effort we need to move from a selfish nonvirtuous attitude to one that serves others. Of A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, Rinpoche says, "The whole of Shantideva's wonderful text is like an elaborated commentary on the lamrim [the graduated path to enlightenment]. In the monasteries, A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life is not used much as a text for debating, but students constantly refer back to it, quoting from it often. Many great teachers, such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, quote extensively from it for many different subjects. It is so practical that we can use whatever Shantideva says as everyday advice, showing us how to conduct our lives.""--

Final Thoughts on Embracing Patience and Perseverance in Your LifeStep into a world of self-discovery and transformation with "Perseverance Through Patience: Overcoming Life's Challenges." This comprehensive guide is designed to assist you in understanding the crucial roles that patience and perseverance play in tackling life's many challenges. It meticulously unpacks the art of patience, providing helpful insights on how to develop and incorporate it into your day-to-day life. As you delve into its chapters, you'll explore step-by-step guides on how to build patience, employing techniques such as deep breathing and mindfulness. Practical advice on fostering patience in everyday circumstances will become your new arsenal. Gain a deep understanding of perseverance as the book expounds its meaning and origin, and reveals the profound impact it has on success.Mastering perseverance is within your reach as this book guides you through the process of developing mental toughness and cultivating a habit of perseverance even through failures. Discover the fascinating interplay between patience and perseverance and tap into the transformative power that both can bring about in your personal growth.The book extends its teachings to your personal relationships and career, helping you understand how to use your newfound skills of patience and perseverance to enhance your connections and succeed in your profession. Benefit from a compassionate exploration of the associated challenges in cultivating patience and perseverance. Those inspiring pages filled with infamous historical tales of patience and perseverance will leave you inspired and motivated. The book also connects these concepts with elements of spirituality and navigates their role in today's digital age, a fitting discourse for our fast-paced times."Perseverance Through Patience: Overcoming Life's Challenges" transcends its affinity with self-help as it seeks to make a substantial contribution to your overall well-being, especially stress management and mental health. It guides you through a transformative journey offering you not just patience and perseverance as virtues, but as essential life skills. Let this book be your compass, guiding you through the often thorny paths of life armed with patience and perseverance. Start the journey today.