Being the son of counter-culture author William S. Burroughs is bound to be a trial. After all, the man who frequented lesbian dives and had a fascination with firearms couldn't possibly make that great of a father. Perhaps inevitably, William Jr. (called Billy) referred to himself as "cursed from birth" and in the book of the same name editor David Ohle collects parts of Billy's third and unfinished novel Prakriti Junction, his last journals and poems, and correspondence and conversations to recreate this tortured life. Endowed with the sufferings — but not the patience — of Job, Billy's life was often characterized by tragedy and frustration, although there were also pockets of success and levity. More than just the memoir of a casualty of the Beat Generation, Cursed From Birth provides rare insight in Billy's father, as well as his scene, friends, and times. It also provides an all-too-familiar story of familial difficulties that anyone with difficult parents can understand and appreciate.

Michael Abraham believes his life cant get any worse, as he moves from one dead end security job to another. When hes offered a job at Paul Brouchards metal parts fabrication factory, located on a stretch of land outside Montreal, Michael greatfully accepts. He soon finds himself part of a team, and hes quick to make friends with coworkers Mannie and the sexy Sue Young. When Mannie is critically injured, Michael begins to realize this factory job might not be as safe as assumed. Something dark wanders the halls of his new place of employment, and Michael must figure out what in order to save Mannie and possibly himself. Dodging the scrutiny of his uptight supervisor, Jean Claude, Michael investigates in secret. He soon suspects the perpetrator of the strange crimes at the factory is not human at all. Due to a curse, an average man apparently turns into a demon after nightfall, hungry for the souls of factory employeesbut how will Michael recognize the bad guy in the crowds of day workers? Michael is the person who can save the factory and the people who work there; if he cant stop this demon, they could all end up dead.

Under the Law of Moses, every firstborn son was predestined to receive the full inheritance and blessing from his father. The purpose of this book is to examine the Scriptures that explain why the firstborn son rarely received the father's inheritance and blessing. Our human birth is our first birth and when we are born again, it is our spiritual birth or second birth. We are born in the flesh, and then we are born again spiritually. Our first birth is cursed because we are all "shapen in iniquity; and (born) in sin" (Psalm 51:5) and because of this, we cannot receive the blessing of Father God. It is when our second birth occurs, that we are made in the image and likeness of God and have God's nature; this qualifies us for the full inheritance and blessing of God. Curse of the Firstborn will walk you from the Garden of Eden to Calvary, revealing how God's blessing was never given to the firstborn son because he represents the flesh. God's blessing was always given to the youngest son because he represents the Spirit.

Samantha King Holmes brings forth a raw, original perspective. A collection of poetry that breathes hope into the idea of love while mourning the human condition of seeking out connections, sometimes with the wrong people. Her verse takes the readers on an introspective journey of love, longing, and self-evolution. Born to Love, Cursed to Feel Revised Edition brings to life an answer to the many difficult questions involving self-love and the feelings we have for others. The book explores the need to connect and the way emotions can complicate our decision making. Ultimately this book is a poetic documentation of heartbreak, anguish, and redemption. A story told in hopes of reminding others that their mistakes do not define them and that the end is usually the beginning of something more. In this revised edition, new, never-before-seen poems are sprinkled throughout among beloved and refreshed pieces from the first edition.

Women are valued for their ability to bear children in many cultures. The birth process, though supposedly the most painful experience of a woman’s life, is seen as a necessary evil to achieve the end goal of children and motherhood. And yet, in the face of a typically masculinized Christianity that nevertheless professes that women are equally created in the image of God, shouldn’t childbirth—a uniquely feminine experience—itself shape Christian women’s souls and teach them about the heart of the God they love and follow? Drawing on her own experience of giving birth and motherhood—and the conflicting assumptions attached to them, by Christians and the culture at large—Aubry G. Smith presents a richly scriptural exploration of common conceptions about pregnancy and childbirth that will not only help mothers and soon-to-be mothers understand how to think biblically about birth, but also walks them through how to put the ideas into practice in their own lives. Along the way, she shows all readers how to see God’s own experience of the birth process—and how childbirth leads to a deeper understanding of the gospel overall.

The world is filled with messages for women about pregnancy. Popular books and well-meaning family and friends offer unsolicited advice about what to expect and how to stay healthy—sometimes resulting in joy and excitement but other times leading to discouragement and fear. The Bible, too, has a lot to say about childbirth—offering real hope that nothing in this world can match. In Labor with Hope, Gloria Furman helps women see topics such as pregnancy, infertility, miscarriage, birth pain, and new life in the framework of the larger biblical narrative, infusing cosmic meaning into their personal experience by exploring how they point to eternal realities. Women will see that only Christ can provide the strength they desperately need in order to labor with hope.