Many churches recognize the importance of the genuine spiritual hunger in our time and are attempting to bridge the gulf between traditional religious institutions and the contemporary spiritual quest by revitalizing and retooling ancient spiritual practices. This book suggests that it is possible to relish the spiritual quest while honoring tradition and theological inquiry through practices such as spiritual guidance. It presents a sociological analysis of contemporary spirituality, case studies of congregations with spiritual guidance ministries, and reflection on historical practices and Protestant theological roots to explore the strengths and pitfalls of nurturing the contemporary spiritual quest in the average congregation. The resulting vision for congregation-based spiritual guidance incorporates practices that attend to person, community, and mission.

Ever since she was a little girl, Angela Michaels, dreamed of her perfect wedding day. Now, as her marriage to philanthropist, Philip Evans, approaches to the one thing she wants more than anything is to have her father walk her down the aisle; whoever he is. Angela hires rough and warn ex-police detective turned private investigator, Richard Johnson, to track her father down, but when Philip is found murdered, Angela becomes the prime suspect. With the help of veteran police detective, Sam Davidson, Richard works to find the identity of the real killer before it is too late. As doors once locked shut begin to open, the past rushes forward bringing love, lust, jealousy, betrayal, and murder. The race is on to catch the real killer before everyone Angela knows and loves are killed.

A warrior princess with a dire future embarks on a perilous quest to regain her fallen kingdom. Eighteen-year-old Aofie's Mor is an outcast princess, hidden in the sacred forest of the centaurs. She's spent her life training for one purpose: to take back her kingdom from the dark angel. When she comes of age, the centaurs prepare her for a journey into Labraid to reunite with the humans. However, on the morning of her departure, she learns a horrific truth that leaves her questioning her true identity. Frustrated, but taught not to question the will of the gods, Aofie travels deep into the wild lands in search of her birth mother. Along the way she accidentally frees a dangerous goddess, befriends a mysterious iceman, and meets a magic-wielding nymph. But threads of betrayal and corruption run deeper than Aofie imagined. As she faces trials and tribulations, she begins to question everything she's assumed to be true. Will Aofie have the strength and courage to take back her kingdom? Or will she turn her back on fate and choose her own destiny? Welcome to the land of Labraid, a war-torn world where demons rise and the gods and goddesses toy with the desires of humans.If you like fierce heroines, treacherous royals, mischievous immortals, slow burn romance, wild plot twists and Celtic Mythology, buy Aofie's Quest today!

Dear Angela includes fourteen critical essays that examine the brief-lived but landmark television series, My So-Called Life (1994-1995). Tackling a broad range of topics_from identity politics, to music, to infidelity, and death_each essay builds upon a belief that My So-Called Life is a particularly rich text worth studying for the clues it offers about a particular moment in cultural and television history.

Scot McKnight's careful study of Jesus' relationship with his followers reveals that elements of all three contemporary models of conversion--the personal decision, the sociological, and the liturgical--are present within the Gospel accounts. But because the Gospel narratives themselves are insufficiently explicit to support only one contemporary model of conversion, McKnight suggests that an enhanced reading of the Gospels should engender an appreciation for each of the models in the church today.

Bluetune is a whale born on a cold winter night in the deepest trench of the North Pacific Ocean, and his life begins with a profound challenge from the very first day. This challenge, right from the moment of his birth, deprives him of the opportunity for an ordinary life and compels him to adapt to his unique circumstances. He spends his early years with his mother, who is his sole caretaker. She ingeniously strives to adjust their circumstances as much as possible while imparting life skills and responsibilities to her child. However, in his teenage years, Bluetune’s life is confronted with deep challenges. These challenges, one after another, push him into the abyss of despair and a sense of defeat. Nevertheless, he learns to gather his inner strength and boldly confront these adversities, methodically unraveling their knots. He learns that nothing is without purpose, and no problem is without a solution. Bluetune’s life story serves as a representation of the journey undertaken by all those who transform the challenges of their lives into victories.