For many of us, our understanding of the Carmelites is limited to the lives and times of the sixteenth-century Spanish mystics, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. However, Wilfrid McGreal shows that if we want a way into Carmelite spirituality, we need to go back to its origins. How has the vision of the pilgrims and hermits who settled on Mount Carmel been sustained for some eight hundred years? What is the key to it, and how has it been re-imagined in different eras and cultures?

Presents the life of Edith Stein while going behind the well known labels--Jewess, philosopher, Carmelite nun, martyr of Auschwitz--to reveal the inner struggles of a truly inspirational person. Draws on her writings on prayer, some of which are not yet available in English.

Throughout the ages, the Saints have testified to the fundamental truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the unity of those baptized in him--we do not advance in the life of the Spirit and in him alone, but in union with all believers. Among the first to recognize and closest to the Son of God, was St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Head of the Holy Family. In this 33 Day Consecration, modeled on the names of St. Joseph from the centuries old Litany, through prayer, fasting and charity, we promise devotion to this beloved Saint and invite his aid that we may draw higher and closer to our Lord, Jesus Christ. Each days offers a short meditation in coming to know Joseph and the work that he continues to accomplish for the Church. The daily prayers are culled from the long tradition of devotion to St. Joseph and written by many of the Saints we know, and some we do not.By Consecrating ourselves to St. Joseph, we ask the man chosen to be the Foster Father of the Son of God to become our Spiritual Father, as Mary is our Mother and Mother of the Church.

Eight hundred years ago, Albert of Jerusalem gave the hermit-penitents of Mount Carmel a way of life to follow. Since then, this rule has inspired and formed mystics and scholars, men and women, lay and ordained to seek the living God. In The Carmelite Tradition Steven Payne, OCD, brings together representative voices to demonstrate the richness and depth of Carmelite spirituality. As he writes, Carmelite spirituality seeks nothing more nor less than to 'stand before the face of the living God' and prophesy with Elijah, to 'hear the word of God and keep it' with Mary, to grow in friendship with God through unceasing prayer with Teresa, to 'become by participation what Christ is by nature' as John of the Cross puts it, and thereby to be made, like Thérèse of Lisieux, into instruments of God's transforming merciful love in the church and society." The lives and writings in The Carmelite Tradition invite readers to stand with these holy men and women and seek God in the hermitage of the heart. Steven Payne, OCD, of the Washington Province of Discalced Carmelite Friars, is a member of the Carmelite Friars' formation team at the Monastery of St. John of the Cross near Nairobi, Kenya, and director of the Institute of Spirituality and Religious Formation (ISRF) at Tangaza College, a constituent college of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi. He is the past editor of ICS Publications and of Spiritual Life magazine and the author of several works in philosophy of religion, theology, and Carmelite spirituality. He is a member of the Carmelite Forum and of the Carmelite Institute in Washington DC, of which he is a past president. "

Tales of magic and wonder can be found in every phase of Jewish literature, from the sacred to the secular. The fairy tale in particular--set in enchanted lands and populated with a variety of human and supernatural beings, both good and evil--holds a very special place in the Jewish tradition. For in the fairy tale, where good and evil engage in a timeless struggle, we have a clear reflection of the Jewish world view, where faith in God can defeat the evil impulse. In Elijah's Violin, Howard Schwartz offers a sumptuous collection of thirty-six Jewish fairy tales from virtually every corner of the world. At once otherworldy and earthy, pious and playful, these celebrated tales from Morocco and India, Spain and Eastern Europe, Babylon and Egypt, illustrate not only their Jewish character but also their universality of themes. Invoking the biblical tale of David and Goliath, we read as King David defeats the giant by hovering above its spear in King David and the Giant. In the romantic tale of The Princess in the Tower, a variant of Rapunzel, we watch as the cautious King Solomon recognizes the vanity in trying to prevent Providence from taking place. And we see the religious nature of the quest for Elijah's violin in the title story. The successful completion of the king's quest enables the violin's imprisoned melodies, emblematic of the Jewish spirit, to be set free. Throughout this richly illustrated collection, one can find the quests and riddles of the traditional fairy tale along with the divine intervention that characterizes the Jewish fairy tale. Skillfully translated, these stories will captivate children and adults alike in which romance and magic become enchantingly entwined with faith, duty, and wisdom.

Carmelite history and prayer begin with Elijah on Mount Carmel. From Elijah has descended a long line of saints who have heard the voice of the Lord calling them to leave everything and come "drink from the stream". This book is an invitation for you to come and pray with the holy men and women of the Carmelite order. The prayers and meditations in this book will help the reader listen to and pray with the saints of Carmel throughout the ages, from Elijah through the twentieth century. In these prayers are stories of particular times, places, longings, sometimes suffering, at other times ecstatic joy. These prayers allow one to enter into the most intimate depths of the souls of Carmelite saints. How better to learn than from the masters themselves. This book is made up of the prayers and meditations of more than twenty-five saints, along with a short biography of each saint, and numerous illustrations. In addition to helping one with prayer and meditation, it also provides prayer for specific topics. Whether one is a beginner or highly advanced in prayer, there is a prayer suitable for nearly every occasion. These magnificent prayers echo from prison cells, hospital beds, battlefields, and even treetops. It gives special emphasis to the prayers and meditations of the three great Carmelite mystics: Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and Thérèse of Lisieux. But the other twenty-two saints include a wonderful variety, with Elizabeth of the Trinity, Simon Stock, Titus Brandsma, Edith Stein, and many more. Illustrated

DIV It illumines the Bible like a searchlight, pointing out the mysteries of God. There still is much confusion and misuse of the office and the responsibilities of the prophet and the intercessor in the Christian arena. John and Paula Sandford explain how prophets are called and trained. With a great passion and urgency, they challenge all intercessors to realize and understand their vital role in the world today and how closely they must work with the prophets. John and Paula Sandford clearly explain: What it means to be called and trained as a prophet or intercessor How to understand dreams and visions and hear directly from God Why it is important for the body to work in unity This book is filled with spiritual discoveries that will effect dynamic changes in every reader. About the Authors John and Paula Sandford have applied the principles of this book with great success in their parenting of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. The founders of Elijah House, the Sandfords are well known around the world for their contributions of teaching, counseling, writing, and leading in the fields of family living, inner healing, prophecy, social concerns, human behavior, and theology. They have written thirteen books. /div

The Promised Messiah(as) wrote Fountain of Christianity in March 1906, in response to the book Yansbi-ul-Islam, in which a Christian gentleman has tried to prove that the Holy Quran does not contain any new teachings and that the Holy Prophet(sa) merely copied the narratives from past scriptures-God forbid. The Promised Messiah(as) responded to this objection, first, by raising serious doubts about the authenticity of the Christian Gospels, and then went on to show how the Holy Quran is a unique and peerless book, how so many of its prophecies have been fulfilled, and how its blessings live on to this day. In this small book, the author also argues against the doctrines of Trinity and Atonement held by present-day Christians, and shows that these beliefs have nothing to do with the teachings of Jesus(as) himself. The second part of the book, or Epilogue, consists of a profound thesis on the meaning of true salvation. The Promised Messiah(as) describes salvation as "The abiding peace and happiness which man, by his very nature, hungers and thirsts for,and which is achieved through personal love and recognition of God, and through a perfect relationship with Him."

Identity Wars is a journey of self discovery. It's an invitation to learn your value in a purely relational context. Our lives are bombarded with a constant drone of messages telling us that success only comes from proving to ourselves and the world that we have what it takes, that we have the right stuff. It is a system that teaches us to only feel valuable and important when we achieve and perform to a certain standard. The results of this system are in and the evidence is not good. Millions are depressed and 100's of people a day ending their lives in despair. I invite you to learn the true nature of the war we are in - an identity war of what defines our value and worth. The stakes are high because it is life and death. This book contains my journey and the principles I learnt along the way. Freedom is a relative thing but this book documents my road to freedom.