Thomas yearns to believe in Papa's angels, to see the unseen, hear the unheard, touch that which lies just beyond the ether of understanding. Yet, he is afraid that to do so will plunge him into the same deep place of madness that afflicted his father""seeing angels in the olive trees, and imagining the boy, Jesus, emerging from the caves along the dead waters. Even after he becomes a disciple of the itinerant preacher from Nazareth, and sees the glorious miracles, hears the stories of healing and comfort, he holds back, afraid to commit, afraid to lose himself in Jesus's calling to unconditional love. In the end, Thomas realizes that while his struggle for understanding matters, salvation demands acceptance of the persistent doubt that beats within the heart of faith.

"Designed for use with Reading for Christian schools 6 and for the reading enjoyment of children of comparable ages."

A luminous novel in verse from the author of the Jefferson Cup award winner ALL THE BROKEN PIECES. Serafina hasa secret dream. She wants to go to schooland become a doctorwith her best friend, Julie Marie. But in their rural villageoutside Port-au-Prince, Haiti,many obstaclesstand in Serafina’s way--little money,never-ending chores,and Manman’s worries. More powerful eventhan all of theseare the heavy rainsand the shaking earththat test Serafina’s resolvein ways she never dreamed. At once heartbreaking and hopeful,this exquisitely crafted storywill leave a lasting impressionon your heart.

When a child is conceived from sexual intercourse between a married, heterosexual couple, the child has a legal father and mother. Whatever may happen thereafter, the child’s parents are legally bound to provide for their child, and if they don’t, they’re held accountable by law. But what about children created by artificial insemination? When it comes to paternity, the law is full of gray areas, resulting in many cases where children have no legal fathers. In Papa’s Baby, Browne C. Lewis argues that the courts should take steps to insure that all children have at least two legal parents. Additionally, state legislatures should recognize that more than one class of fathers may exist and allocate paternal responsibility based, again, upon the best interest of the child. Lewis supplements her argument with concrete methods for dealing with different types of cases, including anonymous and non-anonymous sperm donors, married and unmarried women, and lesbian couples. In so doing, she first establishes different types of paternity, and then draws on these to create an expanded definition of paternity.

What family does not have a collection of stories that are passed down in oral tradition from one generation to the next? You know the ones. They become the lore shared around the dinner table or at family gatherings seated around a crackling fireplace. You laugh. You cry. You tell them over and over again. No one ever seems to tire of hearing them. These stories are the legend of Lowrey Davis a.k.a. Papa. The names have not been changed to protect the guilty. Who could make up stories like Papa's Sad Christmas or Uncle Bear's Little Secret? Just when you think you have read it all, there is Papa and Peanut. Of course, you will not want to miss reading Papa's Favorite Story. Papa's kids and grandkids all beg to hear these stories time after time. Join the fun! Adults and kids alike, climb into bed and pull up the covers as Papa shares his favorite bedtime stories. Lowrey Davis is a husband, father and grandfather. He and his wife, Deborah, have been married 35 years and have three grown children and five grandchildren. Lowrey serves as Administrative Pastor at Bear Creek Baptist Church, Katy, Texas. Lowrey has authored numerous articles and curriculum lesson plans for LifeWay Christian Resourc

After her father leaves the family farm on Lost Mountain to be General Lee's guide, Addie finds ways to remember him--even when he does not return at the end of the war.

2014 MIDWEST BOOK AWARD GOLD MEDAL for CHILDREN'S FICTION. Listed among 2014 BEST BOOKS FOR GIRLS by A MIGHTY GIRL. ODIN'S PROMISE is a historical novel for middle-grade readers, a story of the first year of German occupation of Norway in World War II as seen through the eyes of a young girl. Eleven-year-old Mari grew up tucked safely under the wings of her parents, grandma, and her older siblings. After Hitler's troops invade Norway in Spring 1940, she is forced to grow beyond her "little girl" nickname to deal with harsh new realities. At her side for support and protection is Odin, her faithful elkhound. As the year progresses, Mari, her family, and her neighbors are drawn into the Norwegian underground resistance movement. "Readers will cheer for Mari as she discovers her inner strength - and the courage to help celebrate Norway's spirit of resistance." - Kathleen Ernst, author of American Girl's Caroline Abbott series and Chloe Ellefson Mystery series. "Beautifully written, emotionally taut novel of one girl's coming of age during war time." - Gayle Rosengren

From the moment Pope Francis stepped on to the balcony of St Peter's, people around the globe sensed that not only the Catholic Church, but the world at large, could be entering a new spiritual, political and social age. The pomp and circumstance that had characterised the Vatican for as long as most people could remember evaporated as Francis asked the throng gathered in the square to "pray over" him before he gave his first blessing. Not since John XXIII, had a new Pope opened the windows of the Church so widely to let in some much needed fresh air. This biography of Pope Francis charts Jorge Mario Bergoglio's formation as a priest and bishop against the dramatic backdrop of Argentina's turbulent politics and the challenging principles he adopted as a member of the Jesuit order. It examines critically the extent to which his social conscience was influenced by the legacy of the country's controversial president General Peron and his wife Evita, and questions his moral standing during the Argentina military junta's ‘Dirty War' when he was accused of not having done enough on behalf of the victims, including fellow Jesuit priests. Few Vatican elections have generated as much interest as that of Cardinal Jose Bergoglio. Francis, Pope of Good Promise, the first detailed biography to include an analysis of Pope Francis's first year at the Vatican, will appear just as he makes his first visit to the US.