There must be more to the Christian story. In this engaging narrative, James Choung weaves the tale of a search for a Christianity worth believing in. Disillusioned believer Caleb and hostile skeptic Anna wrestle with the plausibility of the Christian story in a world of pain and suffering. They ask each other tough questions about what Jesus really came to do and what Christianity is supposed to be about. Along the way, they discover that real Christianity is far bigger than anything they heard about in church. And the conversion that comes is not one that either of them expects. Join Caleb and Anna on their spiritual journeys as they probe Christianity from inside and out. Get past old cliches and simplistic formulas. And discover a new way of understanding and presenting the Christian faith that really matters in a broken world. First published in 2008, True Story introduced Choung's groundbreaking approach to explaining the gospel. Now with a new preface, it is part of the IVP Signature Collection, which features special editions of iconic books in celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of InterVarsity Press. A new companion Bible study guide is also available.

This study addresses a fundamentally new feature of the contemporary world economy: the simultaneous buildup of very large public deficits and debt positions in virtually all of the advanced high-income countries. The recent global financial crisis sharply accelerated this fiscal deterioration, but it was already well underway in some countries, including the United States, where demographic prospects had posed extremely worrisome trajectories for a number of years.The book has three basic objectives. First, it projects the global fiscal outlook to 2035. Second, it asks whether the combination of deficits and debt in a large number of countries at the same time produces an impact on the world economy that is qualitatively different from the more traditional emergence of such problems in one or a few countries in any given period. Third, it analyzes the effects of the fiscal prospects on key economic variables including global interest rates and growth rates.The analysis finds that the current public debt profiles in most advanced economies will grow to dangerous and unsustainable levels over the next couple of decades unless major changes are made in projected spending and revenue levels. The authors conclude that the United States and Japan, in particular, need to start planning now for significant future budget cuts to minimize the risk of a crisis. Acting soon enables the adjustment to be phased in over an extended period, which cushions the inevitable adjustment costs, while avoiding the potentially enormous pressures that could be levied by markets if correction is delayed too long.

The Happiness Coloring Book features 20 illustrated nuggets of happy-making wisdom pulled from Gretchen Rubin's entertaining exploration of happiness, changing habits and personal growth she has detailed in her bestselling books. Printed on sturdy art board, each image can be colored in, pulled out, and hung for inspirational display. Artist and hand-letterer Clairice Gifford has designed each image to create surprising, serenity-inducing coloring pages that will be beautiful to behold.

Keep-anywhere handy mini-notepads for messages, notes and reminders - in a tray of four cute designs.

Keep-anywhere handy mini-notepads for messages, notes and reminders - in a tray of four cute designs.

Despite her spoiled upbringing, twenty-year-old Lenore Fulcher isn't pretentious. She simply believes a marriage should be built on true love. Her father, however, thinks she's wasted enough time searching for the perfect husband. He wants to marry her off to one of his business partners--who is seventeen years her senior--an idea that is out of the question for Lenore. Kolbein Booth, a young lawyer from Chicago, arrives in Seattle looking for his headstrong sister, who he believes may have answered an advertisement for mail-order brides. Sick with worry, he storms into the Madison Bridal School, demanding to see his sister, only to learn she isn't there. But Lenore Fulcher is, and something about her captures his attention. Is this the man Lenore has been searching for? She may not have long to find out...

Patient safety in health systems has become more and more important as a theme in health research, and so it is not surprising to see a growing interest in applying systems thinking to healthcare. However there is a difficulty - health systems are very complex and constantly adapting to respond to core drivers and fit needs. How do you apply systems thinking in this situation, and what methods are available? National health authorities, international donors and research practitioners need to know the "how-to" of conducting health systems research from a systems thinking perspective. This book will fill this gap and provide a range of tools that give clear guidance of ways to carry out systems thinking in health, with real-world examples. These methodologies include: * System dynamics and causal loops * Network analysis * Outcome mapping * Soft systems methodology And many more. Written by an international team of experts in health research, this handbook will be essential reading for those working in or researching public health, health policy, health systems, global health, service improvement and innovation in practice.. "For those working in the health sector, the relevance and value of systems thinking as a concept is evident. However, operationalization of this concept has been a challenge. With this new book, health researchers have a detailed guide for applying system thinking tools in day-to-day operations to identify and solve issues related to health policy and systems." Ghaffar Abdul, Executive Director of the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, Switzerland "This book is the first to present practical options for applying systems thinking to understand complexity in health systems. The editors compile an essential collection of practical tools for understanding complex problems and framing research questions, as well as for determining and managing related solutions. Each tool is presented through an accessible summary of the method and the theory upon which it is based, as well as a real-world example. It will be a valuable resource for teaching and practice." Ligia Paina, PhD, Assistant Professor, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, USA "This keenly-awaited book offers a lucid and comprehensive discussion on how to research complex health systems. Health systems are facing a rapid change and increased complexity, with well-designed solutions often leading to unintended consequences. The book provides invaluable help in navigating this complexity and applying rigorous as well as pragmatic approaches to capturing dynamic interactions between system elements and causal loops. The authors operationalise systems thinking in an accessible style, presenting a menu of sophisticated methods and tools, and providing guidance on how to choose methods that fit the questions asked. This and the examples of practical applications of each method makes this book a key learning resource for health systems researchers, commissioners of research, programme implementers and equally, for any readers with interest in complex social systems." Dina Balabanova, PhD, Associate Professor, Health Systems/Policy, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, UK "Recognition of the need to enhance health systems around the world, instead of only focusing on diseases, has grown significantly over past decade or more. Consequently, production of health policy and systems related research also increased. However, going into an era of Sustainable Development Goals, studying and understanding how the national systems function from a systems perspective becomes even more necessary to find adequate remedies or policy solutions. This book will bring immense value to researchers and decision makers as it provides guidance not on "what to do" but rather "how to do" research from a systems thinking perspective. Systems thinking that emphasizes the context, complexity, interconnectedness, and adaptiveness of the health system resulting from feedback loops is gaining more traction within the health systems research field. Therefore, this book is timely to help equip individuals or researchers with practical tools that are expected to empower the field and facilitate greater and more relevant evidence production for better policy making in health." George Gotsadze, Director, Curatio International Foundation "To ensure that health system research responds to policy priorities and to promote the use of evidence in policy decisions, researchers and health system managers should apply system thinking methods to address problems. This methodological handbook includes variety of essential tools and provides excellent guidance for health system researchers and managers when investigating and resolving complex health systems problems. Given the interconnectedness between health and other systems, the application of the tools included in this handbook is even more important when investigating health systems problems that are linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)." Fadi El-Jardali, Professor of Health Policy and Systems, American University of Beirut, Lebanon

The ESV Student Study Bible, adapted from the ESV Study Bible, contains 12,000+ study notes, book introductions and timelines, 80+ maps and illustrations, 120 character profiles, 900 "Did You Know?" facts, 10 topical articles, and more.

Duhem's 1908 essay questions the relation between physical theory and metaphysics and, more specifically, between astronomy and physics-an issue still of importance today. He critiques the answers given by Greek thought, Arabic science, medieval Christian scholasticism, and, finally, the astronomers of the Renaissance.

A long history of biblical exegesis and theological reflection has shaped our understanding of the atonement today. The more prominent highlights of this history have acquired familiar names for the household of faith: Christus Victor, penal substitutionary, subjective, and governmental. Recently the penal substitutionary view, and particularly its misappropriations, has been critiqued, and a lively debate has taken hold within evangelicalism. This Spectrum Multiview volume offers a "panel" discussion of four views of atonement maintained by four evangelical scholars. The proponents and their views are: Gregory A. Boyd: Christus Victor view Joel B. Green: Kaleidescopic view Bruce R. Reichenbach: Healing view Thomas R. Schreiner: Penal Substitutionary view Following an introduction written by the editors, each participant first puts forth the case for their view. Each view is followed by responses from the other three participants, noting points of agreement as well as disagreement. This is a book that will help Christians understand the issues, grasp the differences and proceed toward a clearer articulation of their understanding of the atonement. Spectrum Multiview Books offer a range of viewpoints on contested topics within Christianity, giving contributors the opportunity to present their position and also respond to others in this dynamic publishing format.

Democracy is deep peril in Latin America, as is U.S. policy in the region. Public support for democracy has declined dramatically since the impressive 'third wave' transitions to democracy in the 1980s and 1990s, and public opinion surveys show almost half of Latin Americans prefer 'strong government,' often a euphemism for authoritarianism. Meanwhile, U.S. policy toward Latin America has returned to far-from-benign neglect. The democratic gains of the last two decades are under threat, neither in Latin America nor in the United States do policymakers seem to have any viable alternatives or solutions to the present malaise. This balanced, clear study explores why democracy in Latin America is so troubled, and why U.S. policy in the area so often goes astray. Howard Wiarda argues that because Latin America was built on a different basis than the United States and has a different history, political culture, and social foundation, it cannot possibly imitate the U.S. model of democracy. Indeed, U.S. policy in Latin America goes astray not just through neglect but through misunderstanding. Ultimately, the author argues, it is only with a renewed and respectful U.S. policy approach-one that includes engaging with the myriad histories and cultures of the region-can the United States hope to encourage a strong and effective democratic tradition there.

Faith, though it is as small as a mustard seed, is all that is needed to move mountains.
Faith, though it is confronted with doubts, rebounds stronger than ever because of them.
Faith, though tested by the fieriest of trials, comes through shining like pure gold.
To put it simply, faith is extraordinary
The faith of a believer is much more than wishful thinking. Faith is a certainty. Faith is believing that no matter how things appear on the surface, God is in control. Faith is a constant assurance based on God's track record in our lives and in the lives of the faithful throughout generations past. Our world, the church, and our own lives are filled with the overwhelming evidence of the faithfulness of God.
Extraordinary Faith unfolds a fresh understanding of what faith is and what it is not. Join Sheila Walsh as she leads you through the lessons faith teaches.God spared nothing to show us He is faithfulThrough faith, the impossible becomes possibleFaith isn't about us, it's about who God isAll we need is faith for the next stepWrestling with doubts strengthens our faithFaith means trusting God even when nothing makes sense

The first in an entertaining new series of novels.

In Phenomena of Power, one of the leading figures of postwar German sociology reflects on the nature, and many forms of, power. For Heinrich Popitz, power is rooted in the human condition and is therefore part of all social relations. Drawing on philosophical anthropology, he identifies the elementary forms of power to provide detailed insight into how individuals gain and perpetuate control over others. Instead of striving for a power-free society, Popitz argues, humanity should try to impose limits on power where possible and establish counterpower where necessary. Phenomena of Power delves into the sociohistorical manifestations of power and breaks through to its general structures. Popitz distinguishes the forms of the enforcement of power as well as of its stabilization and institutionalization, clearly articulating how the mechanisms of power work and how to track them in the social world. Philosophically trained, historically informed, and endowed with keen observation, Popitz uses examples ranging from the way passengers on a ship organize deck chairs to how prisoners of war share property to illustrate his theory. Long influential in German sociology, Phenomena of Power offers a challenging reworking of one of the essential concepts of the social sciences.

What does rock art say about gender and how can our understanding of gender shape the way that we view rock art? A significant contribution to the relatively unexplored field of gender in rock art, this volume contains a wealth of information for archaeologists, anthropologists, and art historians interested in past gender systems. Hays-Gilpin argues that art is at once a product of its physical and social environment and at the same time a tool of influence in shaping behavior and ideas within a society. Taking this stance, rock art is shown to be very often one of the strongest lines of evidence avaliable to scholars in understanding ritual practices, gender roles, and ideologicial constructs of prehistoric peoples. Subsequently issues of representation and the people who made these forms of art are also discussed.