Becoming a Christian at a young age is common in many sects of Christianity. Andrea Hovet lived a destructive life under the assumption she was a Christian. Through abuse, hardships, and self-hatred, she blamed her misfortunes on God. She strayed form His path and became lost in the abyss of her sorrow.

This story is based on the journal kept during the year she learned how deeply God loves her. This is her story. It portrays the grief as well as the joy and love she discovered when she finally laid her doubt and self-hatred before the Lord. She went from being a nonbeliever living in sin to committing herself to God's holy name. The changes she went through and the changes in her perspective on life are just a few of the different ways God healed her brokenness.

"Facing the Waterfall" is the metaphor God gave her in order to help her visualize the love He is pouring over her each and every day. All she need do is lift her face and allow Him to fill every crevice of her heart and soul with His unwavering love.

Like so many bright and beautiful baby boys, Tom Anderson was a child of great promise. Being sexually violated at a young age by an older man who presented himself as a father figure, Tom's life was dramatically changed. With divine grace, God reached into Tom's drugged and lonely life during his late teen years, and led him down a path that touched thousands of lives with the compassion and humility of Jesus Christ. As an outstanding medical doctor, Tom ministered to the sick, the elderly, and the mentally ill. In spite of his successful practice, he was haunted every day of his life by the physical, emotional, and psychological damage perpetrated against him as a child. Yet, it is not for these struggles that we remember him; but, for "His love for his family, his humble service and hospitality to his fellow man, and his commitment to God." In the end, Jesus won.

From 1326 to 1402, Bursa, known to the Byzantines as Prousa, served as the first capital of the Ottoman Empire. It retained its spiritual and commercial importance even after Edirne (Adrianople) in Thrace, and later Constantinople (Istanbul), functioned as Ottoman capitals. Yet, to date, no comprehensive study has been published on the city's role as the inaugural center of a great empire. In works by art and architectural historians, the city has often been portrayed as having a small or insignificant pre-Ottoman past, as if the Ottomans created the city from scratch. This couldn't be farther from the truth. In this book, rooted in the author's archaeological experience, Suna Cagaptay tells the story of the transition from a Byzantine Christian city to an Islamic Ottoman one, positing that Bursa was a multi-faith capital where we can see the religious plurality and modernity of the Ottoman world. The encounter between local and incoming forms, as this book shows, created a synthesis filled with nuance, texture, and meaning. Indeed, when one looks more closely and recognizes that the contributions of the past do not threaten the authenticity of the present, a richer and more accurate narrative of the city and its Ottoman accommodation emerges.

Japonica F. Edmonds Smith is a seasoned writer of poetry, prose, and inspirational short stories. In God's now latter blessings rain I shall continue to seek the Father in order to give His people divine revelation in their thoughts as well as in their walk within their lives. It is the Father Jehovah that inspires us spiritually to draw the reader inward, in order to have an intimate walk within our heart to walk with Him. It is without question that it is God who awakens one's heart to seek His son, Jesus. It is He that wants His plan and purpose to be fulfilled in our lives and to show us that in the midst of life trials, there is still a word from the Father. God has always been concerned about you, the saints of God in Christ Jesus. He loves you with an everlasting love. He showed humanity His agape love, when He thought it not robbery to give His Son, Jesus, to take our place, by being on the cross. That was designed for the sins of humanity ... each and every one of us individually Thank God for His Son We have been redeemed by His blood IT IS FINISHED His immeasurable love raised Jesus from the dead. Hallelujah For He sent forth His Son that we might have life and life that more abundantly, so that we will have true intimacy, fellowship, communion, and relationship with Jesus. After all is said and done, after we have repented, we shall have true forgiveness from our sins, thereby receiving healing, growth, and restoration for ourselves as we restore love to one another with forgiveness With the sword of the spirit in my mouth, I decree as well as command, that I am a victorious woman of God, without any constraints to do the will of the Father Jehovah in Jesus' name. Amen It is God's will for all the saints of God to seek and to save those who are lost-to teach the found to go after the lost, so that all shall be saved and none perish.

An introduction to the ways in which ordinary Muslim Americans practice their faith. Muslims have always been part of the United States, but very little is known about how Muslim Americans practice their religion. How do they pray? What's it like to go on pilgrimage to Mecca? What rituals accompany the birth of a child, a wedding, or the death of a loved one? What holidays do Muslims celebrate and what charities do they support? How do they learn about the Qur'an? The Practice of Islam in America introduces readers to the way Islam is lived in the United States, offering vivid portraits of Muslim American life passages, ethical actions, religious holidays, prayer, pilgrimage, and other religious activities. It takes readers into homes, religious congregations, schools, workplaces, cemeteries, restaurants-and all the way to Mecca-to understand the diverse religious practices of Muslim Americans. Going beyond a theoretical discussion of what Muslims are supposed to do, this volume focuses on what they actually do. As the volume reveals, their religious practices are shaped by their racial and ethnic identity, their gender and sexual orientation, and their sectarian identity, among other social factors. Readers gain practical information about Islamic religion while also coming to understand how the day-to-day realities of American life shape Muslim American practice.

Unleash Your Potential: Put Any Foot Forward presents a clarion call for us to awaken the gifts within us. Everyone has a gift, and the truth is that if we don't use them, they will be taken away, and we lose the joy of fulfilling God's purpose in our lives. We must learn how to unleash our potential, to put any foot forward through motivation and encouragement. We have been crippled for so long by our circumstances, our fears, our past failures, and mistakes, but now, author Dr. Darlington I. I. Ndubuike encourages us to heed the command of the Lord to move ahead When God provides us with opportunities, we have to take that first STEP: Seize the opportunity. Take action by faith. Encourage ourselves in the Lord. Prayerfully follow God's lead. We cannot be intimidated by our circumstances. We must hold our heads up and keep our shoulders high. We must position ourselves to unleash our potential without losing focus, with the understanding that nothing good comes easy. It takes time and effort, but your dream is attainable."

Difficult situations occur every day, all over the world. They can occur in our homes, on our jobs, and even in our churches. As Christians, we must face these challenges and understand their roots in the spiritual world. We must also answer the call to witness Christ in everyone, especially those who cause us difficulty and distress. In "More than Conquerors II: They That Are with Us: A Believer's Guide to Overcoming Opposition and Ethical Dilemmas, " minister and author Thomas Randolph Wood Jr. shows through real-world examples how true victory over situations, circumstances, and difficult persons is available through Jesus Christ.The helpful, encouraging lessons of "They That Are with Us" offer answers to the hard and sometimes overwhelming challenges we encounter in our lives today. Perhaps we struggle with money, with relationships, with the future, or with faith; by sharing our stories and sharing the word of God, we can learn to honestly support each other in our walks both inside and outside the physical structures of our church buildings. Through this testimony and witness, we experience the true will of God for our congregations, for ourselves, and for our world.

There is a revolution happening right now all over the world as believers in Jesus Christ are rediscovering the words of Jesus: "I came to reveal the Father" (John 1:18). When you learn to live life with an awareness of and attention to the Father's presence, everything changes. Believers move from religion to relationship. Faith in God shifts from duty to an exciting journey.

Imagine you could live with a supernatural confidence that your Father in heaven loves you, is all-powerful, and is always with you How would that change your life? What if you also discovered you could hear His voice and feel His presence every day? This book was written to encourage every believer to walk in this reality.

The Father's Heart consists of personal stories from author Caleb Plumb's life. He details triumphs and mistakes of attempting to live on fire for God. He pulls back the curtain to his prayer life, dreams, visions, and supernatural encounters with a desire to inspire others to pursue the presence of God.

He writes in the spirit of Jeremiah 29:13: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart."

Seedlings is a touching story of an American family over the course of forty years. Each chapter is a snapshot in lifes photo album. Told through the eyes of the family patriarch, William Carter, each chapter introduces one of the fruit of the Spirit that serves as a point along the timeline and as a lesson for growth of character as he seeks Gods guidance in leading his family. Although Seedlings portrays a fictional familythe moments of lifes celebrations, sorrow and beauty through grace mirror that of any family. Seedlings is about raising children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord while enjoying the sometimes humorous and often unpredictable branches that sprout up. Seedlings will encourage parents of any age as they nurture their own seedlingswatch them grow and see the leaves change color as they adapt to different seasons of life that God brings. Doug Carr is the founder of Seedlings Family Resourcesa forthcoming e-commerce bookstore specializing in books and products that support the closeness of the family. Carr, who holds a BA in Elementary Education and a MA in Educational Leadership has served as an elementary school teacher and as a school administrator. He currently lives in Virginia with his wife Janet and their two sons, Hudsonage four and Cooperage three.

God has been revealing to me that writing is an effective way for me to share my heart with Him; I feel encouraged to use it as a way to share his love and my faith in him with you. I have spent the majority of my life searching desperately for the missing piece to complete my life puzzle. The discovery of my life has been made....Jesus. From the bottom of my heart to the top of the highest mountain, I would like to proclaim to everyone who is alive, ?God loves you God wants to be close to you You are created for HIM He his waiting with open arms and unending love for you God forgives you We can approach God with confidence in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The idea of this book grew from a seed planted in my heart on November 9, 2012. While reading II Kings, God revealed to me an important role in my Christian life. God tells of King Hezekiah, who was aware of God's presence in past events, had a personal relationship with God via a powerful prayer life, and trusted in God's help for current events in his life. One thing he lacked was his concern for future generations. God convicted my heart that I was lacking this as well. Not sure what to do, I prayed that God would show me. A book. Since I will not be around forever to share my faith with future generations, I can share my faith through a book. This is the first and possibly the only book I will write; I will leave that up to God. This is a collection of prayers and writings regarding some truths God has revealed to me. An invitation to you...to draw near, speak to God about what is on your heart, then be still, and know that He is God. This is the sacrifice God wants from us. He wants us to share our heart with him and trust him and his word to guide our lives. Talk to God about anything you would a family member, best friend, co-worker, etc. God wants us to come to Him first.

Life lessons from the Word is a book of Bible Study outlines that will assist the Bible teacher in rightly dividing the word of truth. The lessons in this book were written to help everyday people to overcome everyday problems. This is a must have book for the serious Bible Teacher, Christian Education Director, Minister and Pastor. The subects in this book range from Christian Doctrine to the mind of Christ to Overcoming. The are lessons for Adults, Teenagers, and small children. There are lessons for Married couples and single parents. This book will help equip the equipper. You will be blessed as you experience "Life Lessons from the Word."

Why have multiple mega-church leaders-Ted Haggard and Bishop Eddie Long, for example-committed acts of sexual misconduct? This book discusses the reasons in depth and examines how these acts are impacting the future of megachurches. Mega-churches-churches with congregations that number in the thousands of worshippers-are growing in popularity in America and around the world. Shockingly, a growing number of megachurch leaders have committed acts of sexual misconduct. While these scandalous crimes have received much attention through the media, literature that examines the topic in detail has been lacking. This book examines the various aspects of sexual misconduct by megachurch leaders, providing a comprehensive review of the topic that discusses the direct and indirect reasons for these crimes. The book provides unbiased, factual coverage of megachurch sexual abuse cases, covering issues surrounding the victims in specific cases, the role of the church, and notable ministers, such as Ted Haggard of New Life Church, Colorado Springs, CO; Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Lithonia, GA; and Joe Barron of Prestonwood Baptist Church, Dallas, TX. The author also discusses how these incidences have impacted societal perceptions of religion, and large churches, and religious organizations, and provides recommendations to curb future cases of sexual abuse within megachurches.