Poetry. Literary Nonfiction. In WINTER: EFFULGENCES AND DEVOTIONS, Sarah Vap documents the obstacles to writing a single poem over a twelve-year period. Her account becomes a confrontation with the insidious, radiating, pliant character of late capitalism. She encounters it as a rootless system, an airborne contagion, a toxin in the walls of our homes. Pursuing her distractions across the years, Vap makes certain commitments: to remember the wars that her country is waging, which are meant to be invisible to her; to mourn the deaths of whales by sonar; to hear though she is deaf; to be present for the loss of winter, as she knows it, from earth; and to herself, a profane and multifarious creature who possibly has a soul. Reeling from the nonstop "competition" that sustains the anthropocene's profiteers, Vap offers an unapologetic case study of encroachment, susceptibility, tenderness, porousness and endurance.

Winter. It’s a season of celebration. A season of beauty and anticipation. A season of snow flakes and scarves, and watching flames dance in the fireplace. We spend time enhancing relationships with family and friends, sharing meals and attending parties. We exchange smiles with strangers and gifts with loved ones. This 90-day devotional will encourage you to spend some time with God, celebrating the gift of his Son. Experience his life, joy, and peace during the busyness of the celebration season.

In those cold winter months when life is still and quiet, rest assured that God is actively at work in your life. Meditating on the Word of God in this book will bring peace and comfort to your heart.

This 40-day devotional deals as much with God’s absence as His presence, for it is about the spiritual season of winter—a time when the light of faith has dimmed and the warmth of love has cooled. Written with a mystic’s heart, a scholar’s mind, and a poet’s pen, Winter with God is a profound meditation on the opportunities and challenges we face when our relationship with God seems dormant, endangered, or simply one-sided. Suitable for both longtime pilgrims and the newfound faithful (or faithless), this rich and compelling devotional about winter with God—a season through which every soul must pass—shows how the hardest season to experience can also be the most rewarding to endure. Discover hope for your spirit and strength for your soul.

This is a book that addresses real life experiences for young adults while pointing to Jesus as the Source of hope in difficult times. See some of the following excerpts: Dont you ever talk to me that way again! Tinas mother scolded her angrily. You just dont understand, retaliated Tina Bret faced the crowd with sweat breaking out on his temple We need to stop this! Two rival gang members were fighting each other Sometimes being fifteen seemed to be the hardest thing a person could live through He said he loved me! Jeannie mumbled to herself. Yeah, right! Bruce walked away from the grave site. The family was still gathered sorrowfully around the casket How could Johnny have done this to the family? Thomas felt so lonely sitting at the back of the room by himself. Being the new kid all the time made adjusting and finding new friends so difficult Serena looked down at her stretching belly, feeling the little growth inside her. She was too young for this just barely a junior in high school. Candace walked to the window and watched the kids down below playing together. She had come upstairs for a moment of peace the bruises on her upper arms no one could see Jennifer coasted her wheelchair over to the lunch line. She hated this time of day!

If you are coping with loss, experiencing confusion and doubt, or simply feeling overwhelmed, these beautifully formed devotions will ignite the hope that God is with you in even the winter seasons of life. Winter is a time of waiting, a time of questioning. Yet a promise lies buried beneath the snow--a seed waiting to spring to life. These brief meditations will touch the hidden places of your heart, comfort your spirit, and renew your strength through the open invitation to deeper reflection and more attentive listening to God's still small voice. Author Ken Gire illustrates how God is with you yesterday, today, and forever.

Winter. It's a season of celebration. A season of beauty and anticipation. A season of snow flakes and scarves, and watching flames dance in the fireplace. We spend time enhancing relationships with family and friends, sharing meals and attending parties. We exchange smiles with strangers and gifts with loved ones. This 90-day devotional will encourage you to spend some time with God, celebrating the gift of his Son. Experience his life, joy, and peace during the busyness of the celebration season.