Cities across the world celebrate Mardi Gras with colorful parades and over-the-top parties. Then Ash Wednesday arrives … Sigh. Lent has begun. You hear about devout friends giving up seemingly innocent things like chocolate or stressing out as they try to live a more perfect life during six grueling weeks—for reasons you don't completely understand. Sermons about penitence are preached, and guilt soaks the congregation. Sound like a good time?! It's time to rethink Lent. Or at least see it for the positive opportunity it offers. It's spring cleaning for the soul! Lent offers you time to pause, consider, and renew your relationship with God—an altogether hopeful (not dreary) experience. "To arrive at newness of life, we first name parts of our lives that are shrouded in darkness," writes Parsons. "To put it very dramatically,… your first order of business is to break your heart for God. We walk through some muck so that we can leave it behind and find Easter joy beyond…. With God's help we will clear the darkness away and begin to experience greater joy and newness of life." Sure, there's work to be done during Lent, but it's the gentle, gradual work of opening one's heart and mind to grace. A Clearing Season will move you week by week from "wilderness to holy ground," using a personal tone that will stir and challenge personal reflection. Parsons includes exercises for small groups, as well as questions at the end of each chapter for individual reflection. Also included is an appendix of spiritual practices for Lent. This Lent, clear away the obstacles that block you from God, and experience spiritual renewal.

Two women... two enemies. One deadly terror threat. One jealous sister. One true love. What could possibly go wrong? An MI6 shadow assassin and a beautiful terrorist are thrown together in the midst of a terror threat, the like of which London has never seen before. This is ‘Jealousy’, the third episode of the Red Mist series. The shocks keep coming for Madeline. As yet more people enter the tangled web her life is turning into, it becomes clear her enemies have an agenda she could never have imagined. Her friends continue their desperate search, but others are one step in front, and Madeline begins to discover she’s just a pawn in a deadly game of chess, each move played out against a devious and ruthless opponent. Then, she’s left in no doubt that jealousy has green eyes. Travel with Madeline and Zana as they follow a life-threatening, perilous road, taking them to a place neither believes can exist. Killing someone isn’t meant to be this hard. Neither is falling in love. “Romantic Suspense at its finest” Imagine a TV drama with eight episodes over two seasons, telling a complete story, and bringing you a host of unexpected twists and turns along the way. Red Mist is that gripping serialized drama, in book form. It will keep you page-turning, and episode reading! (Each episode is its own story, but very much leads into the next one... so to get the full effect please do read the volumes in order!) Do check out the Red Mist series, and everything else we do, on the rtgreen website. And enjoy!