The Bible has a way of shocking us. If Americans could still blush, we might blush at the words, "Rejoice in the wife of your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts fill you at all times with delight; be intoxicated always in her love" (Proverbs 5:18-19).

But, of course, sin always tries to trash God's gifts. So we can't just celebrate sex for what God made it to be; we have to fight what sin turned it into. The contributors to this unique volume encourage you to do both: celebrate and struggle.

This book has something for all-men and women, married and single-from contributors like John Piper, C. J. and Carolyn Mahaney, Mark Dever, Al Mohler, Carolyn McCulley, and others.

Life among the stars in the year 2235. Captain Neil Avery, a Starfighter pilot of the Coalition of Planets, had climbed quickly through the ranks. Trogs are everywhere and killing them is getting harder. Every time Neil does his job, a little more of himself dies. Can one man bring sanity to a universe where nothing is simple, especially when reason and matters of the heart collide? Not alone, he can't. Capt. Avery, a mysterious spaceship, and a one-time enemy Troglodyte set out on a journey of discovery, intrigue, and the hope of a new life.

Life among the stars in the year 2249. Captain Teri Avery has assumed command of Celestria, the most advanced spaceship in existence. Her responsibilities mount quickly when she is caught between her enemies, a Coalition fleet, and her friends hiding in a secret outpost. Staying alive isn't easy, but what is a girl to do when there's no one else to turn to? Can she stall this huge contingency long enough for help to arrive? Not alone, she can't. Capt. Avery, her mysterious spaceship, and a one-time enemy Coalition officer set out on a journey of discovery, intrigue, and the hope of a new life.

There is no better place in all of Scripture than the Psalms to learn to be with God and see with the eyes of faith the face of the One who longs to form us fully in his image. The psalms often stretch and perplex as they teach, but they open a divine window on prayer. How could it be otherwise? The Psalms are God's prayer book, and they teach us to talk to God in his own language.
Features meditations for more than 75 psalms, arranged in numerical order, Scripture and topical indexes. Each devotional includes the complete text of the Psalm(s) from the New Living Translation, a "devotional window" (brief meditative thoughts and/or background on the Psalm), a prayer route (one or more key phrases or verses from the Psalm, followed by suggested ways to use the Psalm in prayer).

Waiting . . . In a dead-end career for a breakthrough . . . In an unhappy marriage for relief or escape . . . In a chronic illness for a ray of hope . . . In solitude for the loneliness to subside . . . In turmoil for peace to come . . . Sometimes we find our lives placed on hold. Deep questions begin to surface. How long must I wait? Is there any meaning to all this waiting? Can I trust God? We can't help but wonder what is happening--and why? InWaiting, Ben Patterson uncovers two cardinal virtues required for successful waiting--humility and hope. You will learn how humility teaches us we exist for God's sake, not for our own; and you will learn how hope assures us that there is something worth waiting for.

The Budget of the European Union - the "Common Market" which Britain joined in 1973 - will soon be back in the news. Decisions are to be taken later this year on how much the EU will be able to spend between 2014 and 2020, and how much British taxpayers will have to contribute.The EU's Budget currently totals over 140 billion or about 117 billion a year. But is an EU budget necessary? How large should it be? How is it decided and funded? And is it under proper control? These are some of the questions which Understanding the EU Budget seeks to answer.Even when decisions are not pending on the long-term, the EU's annual budgets are a perennially contentious issue. The UK is the second largest contributor; and at a time when national belts are being tightened, it is not surprising that the UK is not alone in calling for a freeze on EU spending. Yet some EU expenditure is essential - contrary to popular belief the size of the so-called "Brussels bureaucracy" is comparatively tiny. In addition, much EU spending genuinely adds value: more can be achieved when countries pool resources than when they go it alone. Whether the current pattern of spending - 40% on agriculture, for example - is the right one to stimulate Europe's lagging economies is, of course, another matter.Written by former Member of the European Parliament, and of its Budgetary Control Committee, Ben Patterson, 'Understanding the EU Budget' explores the historical background, including the Court of Auditors' reports on mismanagement by the Commission which led to the latter's resignation en bloc in 1999. It clarifies the opaqueness of the Budget's structure and of the procedures leading to its adoption, and explains the implications for the 2011 Budget and the likely future shape of those to come.