Think about your favorite teacher? Have you communicated that to him or her? As a tribute to the many conscientious educators in our world, this book is written to say THANK GOD for your servant-leadership.

The Ache of Sorrow is very deep, but the Presence of God is very real. What do you do when your world turns upside down and inside out? How do you respond when you lose someone or something that is precious to you? The loss of any person, position, or thing that we value triggers grief. This book is not just for those who are grieving because of the death of a loved one. It is also for those suffering loss from a broken marriage, rebellious children, betrayal, financial downfall, unemployment, chronic illness, or any other kind of situation that shatters one's hopes and dreams. What if you are so distraught that you cannot even pray? You breathe. Breathe a single word to the One who promises to hear every word. Breathe in God's presence. Breathe out your fears and anxieties. Say a breath prayer. Then be still and know that God is God, and let His Spirit renew your spirit. Be Still and Know is a book of breath prayers written by Lois Hoogeveen during her first year of life after her husband's death. This book contains fifty-two breath prayers, giving you the option to focus on one word each week for one year. Space is provided at the end of each chapter for you to write a personal breath prayer. The comfort, strength, and solace of these prayers provide hope for anyone who struggles with any kind of loss.

This devotional offers a general framework for developing Scripture reading, prayer focus, and Christian discipline for each month of the year. It was written and designed by teachers and educators who have witnessed the results of God's mighty hand in their schools, students, co-workers, and communities as they prayed.

This book is written with the objective of reasonably addressing the need of Muslim gays and lesbians for a life which involves intimacy, affection and companionship within the confines of a legal contract. Contemporary conservative Muslim leaders unreasonably promote false marriages with straight spouses, failing which they prescribe the "solution" of permanent celibacy as a "test." This book delves into an extensive scholarship on the same sources that conservative Muslim leaders draw on-the Qur'an, Hadith and jurisprudence. It is argued that the primary sources of Muslim knowledge addressed sexual acts between the same gender in the context of inhospitality, exploitation, coercion and disease, but not true same-sex unions; past Muslim scholarship is silent on the issue of sexual orientation and Muslim same-sex unions. The arguments of contemporary conservative Muslim leaders are deconstructed and the case for Muslim same-sex unions is made based on jurisprudential principles and thorough arguments from within the Muslim tradition.

An accessible, practical Advent study that guides readers to look deeper at the meaning of Advent by focusing on a single word and prayer method each week.

Christian joy is the constant awareness of the loving presence of Jesus, the Son of God, in our hearts. Advent is a time when we open our minds and hearts to search for the light of love, compassion, and peace in the Word of God. It is a time set aside for more intentional reading of the Word of God-reading that leads to personal reflection, prayer, contemplation, and humble service to others. Advent challenges us to remove the barriers of arrogance, sadness, selfishness, and greed that hinder us from welcoming Christ with joy and living in communion with him and our brothers and sisters.

--From the introduction

The true meaning of Advent and Christmas finds its voice in Joyful Meditations for Every Day of Advent and the 12 Days of Christmas. From the First Sunday of Advent through Christmas and Epiphany for each liturgical year (A, B, and C), this book will help prepare for and deepen our experience this holy season.

Opening each daily reflection is a Scripture quote from the day's readings. The reflection then reaches out to us in our busy lives to consider what God's Word has to offer us during the holidays. Next, a thought to ponder brings home the message for you-to really apply the reading and reflection to your life. Now say a Prayer, an offering and petition to the Lord in our anticipation of his arrival; finally a practice, a chance to change your daily routine in simple ways to bring God's love to your life this joyous season.

Rosen offers Westerners an easy-to-read introduction to a sacred text, demystifying its considerable philosophy in a user-friendly way. This is not yet another translation, merely reiterating what the Gita itself has to say. It is rather an attempt to "culturally translate" the text, making use of concepts and categories to which Western readers are accustomed. By engaging familiar motifs--such as issues of modernity, pop-culture icons, and well-known philosophers in the West--the author brings the Gita into focus for non-specialists and scholars alike. Through a series of contemporary news references and insightful summaries, readers will finally understand the facts and personalities that make up the Bhagavad Gita. Using his many years of Gita-centered research, Rosen unlocks the mysteries of the text's spiritual underpinnings. He provides an overview of the Gita's narrative and teachings alongside documentation of its traditional application and more modern ways in which the text can be understood. Subjects discussed include: * Violence in the Gita * The Gita and the Atom Bomb * Gita in the Workplace * The Goal of Yoga * The Soul: Who Am I? * Star Wars. Students and scholars alike will rejoice in how well this book lays bare the culture and the context of the Gita, resulting in a reader's deep familiarity with this most sacred of all the world's wisdom texts.