"An energizing, mobilizing read!"--Dr. Robert Jeffress Test the Water, Take the Plunge and Turn the Tide of Culture If we were created to make an impact, why do most of us feel like we're drowning in problems and fears? Why does making a living feel like fighting the current? The answer, say pastors and culture-makers Christopher and Laura Harris Smith, is simple: You need to find your river of influence. With fresh revelation and contagious excitement, Chris and Laura introduce the groundbreaking twelve cultural rivers of influence. Full of hands-on assessments, thought-provoking questionnaires and dynamic Scripture teachings, this is your map to a river adventure like no other. Along the way Chris and Laura help you · discover your spiritual personality · discern your natural, acquired and spiritual giftings · channel your personality and giftings into your God-appointed purpose · identify--and jump into!--your river of influence · flow with God toward your future · and more! Don't let fear erode your purpose or ebb your eternal impact. It's time to dive in to all He has for you--and make your splash that turns the tides of culture and ripples into eternity. Features exclusive access to videos and BRAND-NEW spiritual personality and job placement tests.

In 2010 the first volume of Mike Jacob's enchanting memories of his railway childhood was published. Memories of Isle of Wight Railways combined personal reminiscences with accurate factual information. Readers are privileged to see Hampshire railways in the 1940s, the time as a child he first saw a sailor carrying bananas at Portsmouth station-without knowing what they were, a strange machine that turned out to be the Leader on a test run, and later still, visits to Eastleigh and interviews with the works manager, which revealed some interesting facets on Mr. Bulleid and his engines. The story continues with equally wonderful descriptions of visits from Kent across to Cornwall. This new title is copiously illustrated with new material, a lot of which has never previously published. Just like the first volume, this is a compelling book that once started, will be difficult to put down.

In 1945, Mike Jacobs visited the Isle of Wight for the first time, finding himself captivated by a railway system at the time innocently believed to be concentrated just at Ryde. Further visits followed, including trips on the Island line to Ventnor, Bembridge, Newport and Yarmouth. Already addicted to the charm of the Island system, it was fortunate indeed when in 1954 there came a house move to Ventor, after which began a daily trip by train to school, again which was only served to cement his already solid fascination with the railway system. Mike Jacobs' stories of railway life half a century ago and more, seen both as a regular passenger and as an enthusiast are almost certainly unique in the way he both recorded and now recounts the same. Written in a way that can only be described as having a wonderful warmth of feeling, the reader is immediately taken back to those same days: to a time already fast receding into the distance and to a way of life now almost alien.Fortunately not only did he record his memories in word form, but also with copious black and white illustrations, most of which have never been published previously, illustrating the scene both as it was then but also as it began to change. This then is a book that will be cherished, one to sink unto at quieter times; to do otherwise would certainly not do justice to the content.

This new book by successful author Mike Jacobs, is an unashamed exercise in nostalgia. Having left the Southern area in the early 1960s, Mike's life and his travels took him former GWR territory, where he freely admits he was surprised that some of the products coming out of Swindon and Paddington were really rather good! This was a time when change was gathering pace and so armed with his camera he travelled the Western region visiting as many places as possible and recording everything he could. The results make for what can only be described as 'joyous' reading.