Through poems, stories and prayers the author describes the thoughts, feelings, questions, and dreams of those who gathered around that manger of long ago, as well as the faces that have been there since. Original.

From the author of Faces at the Manger comes another delightful collection of prose and poetry. In J. Barrie Shepherd's book, Faces at the Cross, the visages are of persons in Jerusalem during Holy Week and at the scene of the Crucifixion. As you meet Mary, Peter, Pontius Pilate, Simon of Cyrene, and others, their dramatic sketches will engage you as they tell of their encounters with Jesus. In addition to monologues, Faces at the Cross is brimming with readings appropriate for congregational or family worship. It provides monologues and poetic verse for Lent and Easter.

Profiles Jesus Christ as the human face of God, taking into the account the multiple ways his life has been viewed and retold, and dramatizing the transformation from a man to a myth.

A cricket, grouchy about being awakened by strange noises, makes his way to their source--a manger in which a very special baby waits to hear his song.

A child born in an east European Jewish community retains his memory of life in Paradise in this novel based on Yiddish folklore.

The biggest barrier to faith is life itself. Divorce. Cancer. Infertility. Death. There are times in our lives in which God seems very far away. We don't understand His silence. We only feel the intensity of our pain and the echoing question of 'why?' The Bible declares that God is good, but can we still believe this when our lives are falling apart? In Keep Believing, Dr. Pritchard affirms what the Bible declares: that God is good and His mercy endures forever. This is true regardless of our moment-by-moment experience. God has provided comfort in our times of struggle and healing in our times of hurt through the balm of His Word. You believed in the light of day; will you still believe at midnight? Search the Scriptures with Dr. Pritchard for words of encouragement and hope. Put your confidence in the God who sorrowfully watched His Son suffer at Calvary for your benefit. Know that the same loving heavenly Father has everything completely under control. He is with you and longs to comfort you as you struggle through your hard times. Take a tell-tale look at your devotion to the Lord and His never-ending love and commitment to you in Keep Believing. You served God in the sunshine; will you now serve him in the shadows?

Mothering is messy. Our joy and hope in raising children doesn’t change the reality that being a mom can be frustrating, stressful, and tiring. But just as God is using us to shape our children, God is using our children and motherhood to shape us. In The Better Mom, author Ruth Schwenk, herself a mother of four children, encourages us with the good news that there is more to being a mom than the extremes of striving for perfection or simply embracing the mess. We don’t need to settle for surviving our kids’ childhood. We can grow through it. With refreshing and heartfelt honesty Ruth emboldens moms to: Find freedom and walk confidently in purpose Create a God-honoring home environment Overcome unhealthy and destructive emotions such as anger, anxiety, and more Avoid glorifying the mess of mom-ing or idolizing perfection Cultivate life-giving friendships At the heart of The Better Mom is the message that Jesus calls us to live not a weary life, but a worthy life. We don’t have to settle for either being apathetic or struggling to be perfect. Both visions of motherhood go too far. Ruth offers a better option. She says, “It’s okay to come as we are, but what we’re called to do and be is far too important to stay there! The way to becoming a better mom starts not with what we are doing, but with who God is inviting us to become."