Thank God, I'm Free!


Book Description

Here is the touching and inspirational story of the author whose life was filled with confusion and bitterness, then a successful ministry, followed by burnout that led to a redirected ministry.




The Black Poets


Book Description

"The claim of The Black Poets to being... an anthology is that it presents the full range of Black-American poetry, from the slave songs to the present day. It is important that folk poetry be included because it is the root and inspiration of later, literary poetry. Not only does this book present the full range of Black poetry, but it presents most poets in depths, and in some cases presents aspects of a poet neglected or overlooked before. Gwendolyn Brooks is represented not only by poems on racial and domestic themes, but is revealed as a writer of superb love lyrics. Tuming away from White models and retuming to their roots has freed Black poets to create a new poetry. This book records their progress."--from the Introduction by Dudley Randall










Leviticus (ESV Edition)


Book Description

Leviticus is the message God spoke to his people through Moses as they prepared to depart for the promised land. It details regulations for holy living and sacrificial worship in Old Testament Israel. But does this book have anything to say to Christians today? Aware of how easy it is to get lost in the rules and rituals outlined in Leviticus, Kenneth Mathews focuses this commentary on the common themes between Old Testament life and the New Testament Christian's experience. His chapter-bychapter analysis illuminates the significance of ancient Israel's sacrificial system and symbols, drawing parallels to Jesus as their perfect, once-for-all fulfillment. This commentary will train you to see the foreshadowing of Jesus's sacrifice and the many ways a holy God atoned for our sin through Christ, so that you may teach and apply the truths of this foundational book with confidence.




I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly


Book Description

Twelve-year-old Patsy keeps a diary of the ripe but confusing time following the end of the Civil War and the granting of freedom to former slaves.




Redeeming America


Book Description

This balanced and comprehensive study of Christian conservative thinking focuses on the 1980s, when the New Christian Right appeared suddenly as an influential force on the American political scene, only to fade from the spotlight toward the end of the decade. In Redeeming America, Michael Lienesch identifies a cyclical redemptive pattern in the New Christian Right's approach to politics, and he argues that the movement is certain to emerge again. Lienesch explores in detail the writings of a wide range of Christian conservatives, including Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Phyllis Schlafly, and Tim and Beverly LaHaye, in order to illuminate the beliefs and ideas on which the movement is based. Depicting the thinking of these writers as a set of concentric circles beginning with the self and moving outward to include the family, the economy, the polity, and the world, Lienesch finds shared themes as well as contradictions and tensions. He also uncovers a complex but persistent pattern of thought that inspires periodic attempts to redeem America, alternating with more inward-looking intervals of personal piety.




Religions of the United States in Practice, Volume 1


Book Description

Religions of the United States in Practice is a rich anthology of primary sources with accompanying essays that examines religious behavior in America. From praying in an early American synagogue to performing Mormon healing rituals to debating cremation, Volume 1 explores faith through action from Colonial times through the nineteenth century. The documents and essays consider the religious practices of average people--praying, singing, healing, teaching, imagining, and persuading. Some documents are formal liturgies while other texts describe more spontaneous religious actions. Because religious practices also take place in the imagination, dreams, visions, and fictional accounts are also included. Accompanying each primary document is an essay that sets the religious practice in its historical and theological context--making this volume ideal for classroom use and accessible to any reader. The introductory essays explain the various meanings of religious practices as lived out in churches and synagogues, in parlors and fields, beside rivers, on lecture platforms, and in the streets. Religions of the United States in Practice offers a sampling of religious perspectives in order to approximate the living texture of popular religious thought and practice in the United States. The history of religion in America is more than the story of institutions and famous people. This anthology presents a more nuanced story composed of the everyday actions and thoughts of lay men and women.




Connecting with God


Book Description

Conversation starters to help us be still and know God. Fifty-two weeks full of prayers and reflections designed to still our minds and open our hearts to the presence of Love and Wisdom. From the author of more than 30 popular spiritual books, a one-of-a-kind armchair daily prayer-starter that can be used year after year.




Daughters of Destiny


Book Description

Throughout the centuries there have been Amazing American Women; women who rose on their strength of character, who overcame incredible obstacles to become outstanding in their own right. Women have created works of art and literature, founded businesses, fought in wars, led political and social movements, taught and inspired students, initiated social reforms and made discoveries in the sciences. Through their achievements they have become inspirations to generations of other women. Daughters of Destiny presents dramatic monologues of four of these amazing women, four who forged the way for others to follow. Performing these living biographies, the actress takes her audience on each womans journey to become memorable and remarkable people in their own right.. With stories and anecdotes from childhood through adult life, each woman speaks of the trials and tribulations that led to fame and recognition. Martha Washington withstood many personal tragedies to persevere and serve as a welcomed aid to the army during the Revolutionary War. Mary Todd Lincoln tolerated rumor and gossip to forward the career of the man she believed was destined for greatness. Sojourner Truth, a northern slave, overcame unspeakable hardships to rise as a prominent speaker for civil rights and Nellie Bly, through sheer determination and courage, became Americas first famous female newspaper reporter. These women possessed a determined spirit that will inspire all who hear their stories. Daughters of Destiny offers an opportunity to todays actress to perform dramatic monologues of real-life unforgettable women and to personify our past in an exciting entertaining format. These monologues can be used for performance in acting classes and as audition pieces. They can also be presented to young and adult audiences alike, creating an absorbing theatrical experience. Stage settings and props can be kept to a minimum thus making Daughters of Destiny easy to produce for any audience. The power of these dramatic monologues lies in the convincing true-to-life portrayals of each Amazing American Woman.