God—The Adults’ Imaginary Friend


Book Description

In one way or the other, almost every person in the world communicates about God, or the word God. What does that word mean? In this book you may find out what the word God really means, in the Christian religion. This book is not a pleasurable novel. It is a fact base study of the earliest and the most intelligent writers of the first three centuries, some of whom were companions of Jesus and or the apostles, like Clement of Rome, referred to in the Bible, as having his name written in the book of life.




Imaginary Friend


Book Description

From a New York Times bestselling author, a young boy is haunted by a voice in his head in this "epic horror" novel, perfect for fans of Stephen King (Dan Chaon, author of Ill Will). Single mother Kate Reese is on the run. Determined to improve life for her and her seven year-old son, Christopher, she flees an abusive relationship in the middle of the night. At first, the tight-knit community of Mill Grove, Pennsylvania seems like the perfect place to finally settle down. Then Christopher vanishes. Days later, he emerges from the woods at the edge of town, unharmed but not unchanged. He returns with a voice in his head only he can hear, with a mission only he can complete: Build a treehouse in the woods by Christmas, or his mother and everyone in the town will never be the same again. Twenty years ago, Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower made readers everywhere feel infinite. Now, Chbosky has returned with an epic work of literary horror, years in the making, whose grand scale and rich emotion redefine the genre. Read it with the lights on. One of The Year's Best Books (People, EW, Lithub, Vox, Washington Post, and more)




Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend


Book Description

Imaginary friend Budo narrates this heartwarming story of love, loyalty, and the power of the imagination—the perfect read for anyone who has ever had a friend . . . real or otherwise Budo is lucky as imaginary friends go. He's been alive for more than five years, which is positively ancient in the world of imaginary friends. But Budo feels his age, and thinks constantly of the day when eight-year-old Max Delaney will stop believing in him. When that happens, Budo will disappear. Max is different from other children. Some people say that he has Asperger's Syndrome, but most just say he's "on the spectrum." None of this matters to Budo, who loves Max and is charged with protecting him from the class bully, from awkward situations in the cafeteria, and even in the bathroom stalls. But he can't protect Max from Mrs. Patterson, the woman who works with Max in the Learning Center and who believes that she alone is qualified to care for this young boy. When Mrs. Patterson does the unthinkable and kidnaps Max, it is up to Budo and a team of imaginary friends to save him—and Budo must ultimately decide which is more important: Max's happiness or Budo's very existence. Narrated by Budo, a character with a unique ability to have a foot in many worlds—imaginary, real, child, and adult— Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend touches on the truths of life, love, and friendship as it races to a heartwarming . . . and heartbreaking conclusion.




Invisible Companions


Book Description

From the US to Nepal, author J. Bradley Wigger travels five countries on three continents to hear children describe their invisible friends—one-hundred-year-old robins and blue dogs, dinosaurs and teapots, pretend families and shape-shifting aliens—companions springing from the deep well of childhood imagination. Drawing on these interviews, as well as a new wave of developmental research, he finds a fluid and flexible quality to the imaginative mind that is central to learning, co-operation, and paradoxically, to real-world rationality. Yet Wigger steps beyond psychological territory to explore the religious significance of the kind of mind that develops relationships with invisible beings. Alongside Cinderella the blue dog, Quack-Quack the duck, and Dino the dinosaur are angels, ancestors, spirits, and gods. What he uncovers is a profound capacity in the religious imagination to see through the surface of reality to more than meets the eye. Punctuated throughout by children's colorful drawings of their see-through interlocutors, the book is highly engaging and alternately endearing, moving, and humorous. Not just for parents or for those who work with children, Invisible Companions will appeal to anyone interested in our mind's creative and spiritual possibilities.




Answering Atheism


Book Description

Today's New Atheists don't just deny God's existence (as the old atheists did) - they consider it their duty to scorn and ridicule religious belief. We don't need new answers for this aggressive modern strain of unbelief: We need a new approach. In Answering Atheism, Trent Horn responds with a fresh and useful resource for the God debate, based on reason, common sense, and more importantly, a charitable approach that respects atheists' sincerity and good will, making this book suitable not just for believers but for skeptics and seekers too. Meticulously researched, and street-tested in Horn's work as a pro-God apologist, it tackles all the major issues of the debate, including: -Reconciling human evil and suffering with the existence of a loving, all-powerful God -Whether the empirical sciences have eliminated the need for God, or in fact point to him -How atheists usually deny moral laws (and thus a moral lawgiver) in theory




Summer of Night


Book Description

This masterfully crafted horror classic, featuring a brand-new introduction by Dan Simmons, will bring you to the edge of your seat, hair standing on end and blood freezing in your veins It's the summer of 1960 and in the small town of Elm Haven, Illinois, five twelve-year-old boys are forging the powerful bonds that a lifetime of change will not break. From sunset bike rides to shaded hiding places in the woods, the boys' days are marked by all of the secrets and silences of an idyllic middle-childhood. But amid the sundrenched cornfields their loyalty will be pitilessly tested. When a long-silent bell peals in the middle of the night, the townsfolk know it marks the end of their carefree days. From the depths of the Old Central School, a hulking fortress tinged with the mahogany scent of coffins, an invisible evil is rising. Strange and horrifying events begin to overtake everyday life, spreading terror through the once idyllic town. Determined to exorcize this ancient plague, Mike, Duane, Dale, Harlen, and Kevin must wage a war of blood—against an arcane abomination who owns the night...




Keeping Faith


Book Description

“A triumph. This novel’s haunting strength will hold the reader until the very end and make Faith and her story impossible to forget.” —Richmond Times Dispatch “Extraordinary.” —Orlando Sentinel From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult (Nineteen Minutes, Change of Heart, Handle with Care) comes Keeping Faith: an “addictively readable” (Entertainment Weekly) novel that “makes you wonder about God. And that is a rare moment, indeed, in modern fiction” (USA Today).




Imaginary Companions and the Children Who Create Them


Book Description

Many parents delight in their child's imaginary companion as evidence of a lively imagination and creative mind. At the same time, parents sometimes wonder if the imaginary companion might be a sign that something is wrong. Does having a pretend friend mean that the child is in emotional distress? That he or she has difficulty communicating with other children? In this fascinating book, Marjorie Taylor provides an informed look at current thinking about pretend friends, dispelling many myths about them. In the past a child with an imaginary companion might have been considered peculiar, shy, or even troubled, but according to Taylor the reality is much more positive--and interesting. Not only are imaginary companions surprisingly common, the children who have them tend to be less shy than other children. They also are better able to focus their attention and to see things from another person's perspective. In addition to describing imaginary companions and the reasons children create them, Taylor discusses other aspects of children's fantasy lives, such as their belief in Santa, their dreams, and their uncertainty about the reality of TV characters. Adults who remember their own childhood pretend friends will be interested in the chapter on the relationship between imaginary companions in childhood and adult forms of fantasy. Taylor also addresses practical concerns, providing many useful suggestions for parents. For example, she describes how children often express their own feelings by attributing them to their imaginary companion. If you have a child who creates imaginary creatures, or if you work with pre-schoolers, you will find this book very helpful in understanding the roles that imaginary companions play in children's emotional lives.




Finding God in a Galaxy Far, Far Away


Book Description

Nothing in Your Life Is Ordinary Your present world isn’t supposed to be this small. You were made for something much bigger. And no, you don’t have to be an astronaut, or even a Star Wars fan, to live it. Finding God in a Galaxy Far, Far Away is not about space travel, or even a movie. It’s about rediscovering your sense of wonder—something we adults have successfully squelched from our everyday lives. But God never meant it to be that way. Timothy Jones, by way of an astounding, eye-opening study of the spiritual parallels found in the Star Wars saga, will make you a kid again. You’ll be marveling at the mysterious, laughing anew at life’s “coincidences,” and remembering above all the Creator for which you were made. May the True Force Be with You Remember when Star Wars first captured your imagination? How your longing for adventure propelled you to distant worlds and transformed you into a Jedi knight faster than you could say, “Luke, I am your father”? This same longing, once sparked by John Williams’s triumphant score and fanned by Darth Vader’s sweeping black cape, is your ticket to life’s greatest adventure. Join Timothy Paul Jones on an astounding, eye-opening exploration of the spiritual themes in the Star Wars saga and the truth will become clear: Like young Luke Skywalker, you were also made for more—much more. Rediscover awe. Revel in the wonder of every moment. And pursue all you were meant to be. It is your destiny. "The Force is strong with this one. I could not recommend it more." Joshua Griffin, Editor/Owner, TheForce.Net Manager, Purpose Driven Youth Ministry “If you own a lightsaber—or a Bible—you’re sure to benefit from reading his book.” Kevin Miller, author and reviewer HollywoodJesus.com “‘Awe-some’ reading that both delights and challenges us. A fun and thoughtful book for Christians who consider and enjoy popular culture and media.” Robert W. Pazmino Valeria Stone Professor of Christian Education, Andover Newton Theological School Story Behind the Book “The night I first saw Star Wars from the backseat of my parents’ Ford Pinto was the first night I experienced awe. It sent me on a quest that continues today. There is, in every one of us, a longing to touch ‘the forever,’ to sense the magnitude of the vastness in which we live. This universal longing explains why we ride roller coasters and tell scary stories. This universal longing for awe also explains why, after nearly thirty years, the popularity of the Star Wars saga shows no sign of subsiding. I wrote this book to inspire readers to relish awe and wonder because God did not only create us to long for awe, but also to live in it!” —Timothy Jones