From writer and veteran columnist Jennifer Grant comes an unflinching and spirited look at the transitions of midlife.

When Did Everybody Else Get So Old? plumbs the physical, spiritual, and emotional changes unique to the middle years: from the emptying nest to the physical effects of aging. Grant acknowledges the complexities and loss inherent in midlife and tells stories of sustaining disappointment, taking hard blows to the ego, undergoing a crisis of faith, and grieving the deaths not only of illusions but of loved ones. Yet she illuminates the confidence and grace that this season of life can also bring.

Magnetic, good-humored, and full of hope in the sustaining power of the Spirit, this is a must-read for anyone facing the flux and flow of middle age.

The story of the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes it brought into our homes, schedules, and social lives, with journal pages to record your own memories. Children and adults alike will be processing the shock, loss, and disappointment of the COVID-19 pandemic for years to come. This beautiful keepsake picture book captures the joys and sorrows of this time and the underlying message to readers is that they can make it through difficulty. The illustrations celebrate love, family, and community as they were expressed all across the globe in a time that taught us the meaning of togetherness. It also includes journal pages to record your own memories about this unique and historic time and the effect it has had on your own life.

Fresh and imaginative ways for kids to pray using all of their senses. Prayer does not have to involve silence, sitting still, and solemnity. It can be active and engaging, especially essential for kids, who often enjoy movement and creativity. In an easy-to-use format with illustrations, the author connects scripture and biblical characters to dynamic prayer practices such as wrestling, singing, breathing, and dancing. Praying while using sign language, tracing a labyrinth, applying Band-Aids, planting a seed, eating something delicious, or riding a bike-these fun ideas are just some of the ways wiggly, tactile, and nonverbal kids will learn to reach out in love, gratitude, and need to God.

The definition and parameters of teacher education have recently been changed by the concept of mentoring. Supporters of the concept maintain that it is an effective technique for inducting and retaining new teachers, but who and what are mentors, and what attributes do they possess? Previous research has identified collaboration, enthusiasm, emotional commitment, and sensitivity as the necessary traits of an effective mentor. It has also been found that mentors are available, give immediate feedback, listen attentively, and collaboratively solve problems with mentees. Epistemological structures that best serve the mentor-novice relationship, gender issues between mentors and proteges, and moral development orientations within the mentor-intern relationship have also been investigated. Thus, mentoring is a complex activity that involves a mentor, an intern or novice, and a process within a predetermined structure. The articles in this special issue validate the fact that the terms "good mentor" and "effective mentoring relationship" often elude easy definition. However, a common theme emerges: The mentor-mentee relationship is a transformative one that can change the course of one's life.

A Stirring Memoir on Parenthood and the Invisible Threads that Bind Us to Those We Are Meant to Love

The obstacles, surprises, and moments of grace that Jennifer Grant experienced, working through the adoption process to bring home her daughter from Guatemala, forever changed her life.

"Love You More" tells Grant's deeply personal story of adopting her daughter, Mia. The process confronted her notions about what family means, pushed her into uncomfortable places, and--despite the waiting, adjustments, and challenges of a blended family--brought abiding joy.

Written for all parents but especially those interested in adoption, "Love You More" includes discussion questions, tips for prospective adoptive parents, and suggestions for readers on how to reach out in love and support for the world's most vulnerable people, including orphans.

"From page one of her courageously vulnerable, intoxicatingly funny memoir about faith and family, Jennifer Grant finds the God of grace in each pot of macaroni and cheese, sticky little hand, doctor's visit, late-night lawn mowing, and unlikely friend-turned-family-member that decorate her life."--Cathleen Falsani, author, "Sin Boldly"

"So much written about adoption seems to overlook this essential truth: adoption is about love. Jennifer Grant's story demonstrates this in every sentence and paragraph and on every page. She tells a story that is smart, funny, and brutally honest."--Jessica O'Dwyer, author, "Mamalita"

The definition and parameters of teacher education have recently been changed by the concept of mentoring. Supporters of the concept maintain that it is an effective technique for inducting and retaining new teachers, but who and what are mentors, and what attributes do they possess? Previous research has identified collaboration, enthusiasm, emotional commitment, and sensitivity as the necessary traits of an effective mentor. It has also been found that mentors are available, give immediate feedback, listen attentively, and collaboratively solve problems with mentees. Epistemological structures that best serve the mentor-novice relationship, gender issues between mentors and proteges, and moral development orientations within the mentor-intern relationship have also been investigated. Thus, mentoring is a complex activity that involves a mentor, an intern or novice, and a process within a predetermined structure. The articles in this special issue validate the fact that the terms "good mentor" and "effective mentoring relationship" often elude easy definition. However, a common theme emerges: The mentor-mentee relationship is a transformative one that can change the course of one's life.

In this follow-up to the award-winning Maybe God Is Like That Too, a young girl wonders how to be a good neighbor to the dozens of people in her apartment building, the people on the street, and the other kids at the park. With help from her mama, the girl discovers that all it takes is a little kindness and creativity to show love to neighbors near and far.

Welcome to Backyard Gardening and Home Cooking At GRuB, we believe that good food is a basic human right. Growing, eating and gathering around healthy food is a simple and powerful way to connect people to each other and to important work in our community. We hope you, your family, and your neighbors see your garden as the beginning of a new way to build connections with one another. As your seeds sprout and grow into hearty vegetables and you harvest the fruits of your labor together, you can look forward to cooking delicious meals using some of the fabulous recipes we've compiled in this cookbook. The proceeds from this book will go to support our work with low-income youth and families in our community. Happy Cooking Love, GRuB WHAT'S INSIDE: Overrun with zucchini? Too many tomatoes? Wondering how that innocent package of seeds or those vegetable starts turned into the bushels of produce filling your garden? Have no fear. GOOD GRuB will help you take advantage of your garden's bounty. Packed with 240 tasty recipes, the chapters are organized by vegetable families to make finding that just right recipe quick and easy. Try dishes like Arugula & Beet Salad, Summer Vegetable Pie, and Zucchini Lasagna. Warm yourself up with Pumpkin Caraway Soup, Creamy Carrot Soup, or North African Stew. Appetizers, beverages, breads, and desserts are among the recipes that round out the collection, all using fresh produce from the garden. There are also chapters devoted to fruits, herbs, and edible flowers, and one that will help you create gifts using garden ingredients. The final chapter, The Cook's Helpers, includes such helpful information as culinary terms, food equivalents, substitutions, and stocking the pantry. From Easy Tomato Sauce to Rhubarb Crumble, you are sure to find both old favorites and new winners in this collection.

Master's degrees have often been relegated to "second-class" or "consolation prize" status by administrators and faculty in higher education. But the first major study of master's education in more than thirty years recently made headlines by calling the degree the "silent success" of American higher education. In a lead editorial about the study, the Washington Post agreed that the master's degree is "academia's secret weapon" and an important "bridge to the rest of the world". In A Silent Success, Clifton Conrad, Jennifer Grant Haworth, and Susan Bolyard Millar present the results of their ground-breaking study of master's education in the United States. Basing their discussion on interviews with nearly 800 people in a variety of fields, the authors identify key decisions that shape master's experiences and develop a typology of master's programs. In doing so, they establish the surprising extent to which students, program alumni, faculty, and employers value master's education. They find widespread agreement about the positive outcomes of master's education: refined analytical skills, "big picture" perspectives, connections between theory and practice, and improved communication and professional skills. A Silent Success concludes with a discussion of the characteristics of high-quality programs and with specific recommendations for strengthening master's education. The authors urge administrators to recognize the importance of master's education and terminal master's programs. They call on state and federal policymakers to provide greater financial support for master's students - particularly in fields such as nursing, education, and environmental studies. They encourage employers toprovide flexible and supportive leave policies, as well as strong financial and in-house support. Finally, they invite students themselves to shape their master's experiences by joining student organizations, organizing colloquia, and nurturing collaborative learning experiences.