In two classic tales of Regency-era romance from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh, the vagaries of love have a way of challenging the most convenient arrangements. THE TEMPORARY WIFE Miss Charity Duncan has no illusions about Lord Anthony Earheart’s proposal. The arrogant aristocrat has made it painfully clear what he wants: a wife who will enrage the father he despises and then disappear from his life. In exchange, Charity’s family will receive the money they desperately need. But after Charity agrees to this mockery of matrimony, she soon discovers a startling fact: She has fallen for Anthony, and breaking their marriage vows may also break her heart. A PROMISE OF SPRING Grace Howard has every reason to be devoted to Sir Peregrine Lampman. After all, the gallant gentleman rescued her from poverty by making her his bride. Even more nobly, he did not withdraw his affection after she confessed to a youthful folly that had compromised her virtue. But Grace did not tell the whole truth about the handsome lord who betrayed her—and now the one thing she’s kept from Perry threatens to destroy her last chance at true love.

Raymond Roger Kane is the king of New Redlands – one of five kingdoms in Vorhaven, ruled by five different kings. When the king of another land, Tayyab Khurrabh, takes offense to a particular sighting of Raymond’s dragon, he does the unthinkable and attacks Raymond in a fit of rage. Parallel to this, in New Redlands, wedding bells ring as the princess of New Redlands gets a proposal from another kingdom – Pagria’s Deary, to keep an old promise. Raymond finally agrees to the wedding, but the groom’s family have a dark agenda of their own that could result in the death of thousands. The days and nights keep turning and brings with it surprises for Raymond and company as they ultimately have to fight to stay alive. When the dust settles, Raymond is forced to become a part of a dark and vile promise.

Daily Bible Study is a great companion to the quarterly Adult Bible Studies or as a stand-alone study. It is presented in quarterly segments. Bible-based, and Christ-focused, it coordinates with the lesson themes of Adult Bible Studies. Each daily reading includes a one-page Bible study for each day of the quarter, along with introductory reflection questions and commentary on the daily Scripture passage, life application, and a concluding prayer. Daily Bible Study Spring 2022 Theme: Follow The lessons this quarter are confined to two units so that we can observe the season of Lent. Authentic discipleship involves imitating Jesus, and we must begin with an understanding of Jesus as Messiah and the kingdom to which he invites us to belong. We soon discover as we follow Jesus that his kingdom turns our expectations totally upside down. As we walk with Jesus, we must admit that we sometimes totally miss the mark. Yet Christ forgives us, restores us, and equips us to live into our identities as Christ-followers. As his followers, we have responsibilities and opportunities to help grow the kingdom. One way is through stewardship, a concept that is much broader than we may think. Our role involves using not only our physical resources but indeed our very lives as grace-filled cohabitants in God’s marvelous creation. Unit 1: The Mark You Make Discipleship in Mark’s Gospel is often described as the way of the cross because of the repeated emphasis upon following Jesus on the way to Jerusalem and the command to take up one’s cross and follow Jesus (Mark 8:34). In this season when we commemorate Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem, we give our attention to various aspects of discipleship we find in Mark’s Gospel. Scriptures: Mark 8:27-38; Mark 9:38-50; Mark 10:35-45; Mark 11:12-14, 20-25; Mark 13:5-8, 28-37; Mark 14: 27-42; Mark 16:1-8 Spiritual Practice: Reflection and self-examination Unit 2: The Steps You Take Creation care has become a prominent topic of discussion in Christian congregations and seminaries during the last couple of decades. While disagreement exists about human responsibility for climate change and to what extent we should limit human activity for the purpose of preservation of endangered species and habitats, Scripture makes clear that God takes pleasure in creation and that our role as stewards requires that we appreciate creation and take our responsibility as stewards seriously. Scriptures: Psalm 104; Leviticus 25:1-13; Deuteronomy 14:22-29; Job 38:4-11; Joel 2:18-26; Romans 8:19-22; 2 Corinthians 9 Spiritual Practice: Nurture and care of all creation

Do you desire intimacy with Jesus? He desires it with you. A look at the Song of Solomon confirms that. Just as with a husband and wife, intimacy-real oneness with Him-requires above all else, love and selflessness, and must include determination, time, and faithfulness. So it is with our Bridegroom Jesus Christ. Is your path of life difficult? He says "This is the way, walk in it." Learn to read and follow His road map, as you grasp tightly to His hand and follow Him, through the seasons of life. Be encouraged as the author shares years of personal experience and life lessons. Learn some of the most essential elements required to abiding in Christ-moment by moment consciously aware of, and present to, His presence. Spanning the seasons of life with a variety of subjects, the author speaks to the heart of all readers. Wherever you are in your Christian walk, WITH MY HAND IN HIS will arouse in you a new desire for a deeper relationship with Christ. Be astonished at what God accomplished in a young woman's life because she never gave up hope in Him. In WITH MY HAND IN HIS, I am reminded that God is who He says He is, and we can confidently rely on Him through all the seasons of our lives, if we keep our hand in His and believe that hope lives on. Little did I know (but God knew), when the author asked me to help her edit her writing, I would be in deep need of the encouragement found in her book. -Helen Nordquist, With My Hand in His editor

I was trying to save myself. Not be a hero. But she left me no choice. My friends call me Jenks. My enemies call me Roman Mathers. And me? Right now, I call myself a monster. Some people would call me a hero. A protector. But I know better. I might be an undercover cop, but I’m no saint. I’ve done bad things. And I’ll keep doing them until I put my enemies behind bars, or they put me in a body bag. That was my plan. Burn their whole world to the ground or die trying. Until her. Livvie Brooks. She was glitz and glamour. Not gang-life, guns, blood and broken bones. She was supposed to be disgusted by the monsters. Not attracted to one of them. But she didn’t listen. She stepped out of the shadows, blew up my life, and then she saved it. Saved me. When she should have been saving herself. From me. My life. All of it. She chose to save me. But there was a cost. Isn’t there always? But who was going to pay? Her? Or me? Life or death. For a woman I’ve only known a day. One day. One day, one second, one moment in time can change your life. It sure as hell changed mine. He told me to do anything and everything to save myself. I would do and endure anything and everything to save him. They say life can change in an instant. One second, one moment, one breath, one heartbeat. One look. It happened to me. The moment my eyes locked onto him that was it. He needed saving. And my life needed purpose. I didn’t know what stepping out of the shadows would mean for me. The threat to my life. The changing of it forever. I stepped out of the shadows. And into the pit of hell. Knowing what I know now I still would’ve done it anyway. Because it was him. I wouldn’t have done anything different. I would still want to be right here with him. He calls himself a monster. Because of what he’s done. What he still has to do. But all I see is Matt Jenks. And that might be my downfall. I stepped into his life and irrevocably changed my own. I didn’t know it then. But I know it now. It’s only been a few days and I know I’ll never be the same again. I saved him. But will he save me? Truth or lies. Good or evil. Life or death. Giving up … or going all in? We’ll just have to wait and see.