Messages and prayers for those facing life-threatening illness, preparing for dying, or meeting other transitions.

Graceful Passages provides an atmosphere of relaxation, fresh insight, and a renewal of faith for anyone dealing with grief from the loss of a loved one.

"Sarah Kaufman offers an old-fashioned cure for a modern-day ailment. The remedy for our culture of coarseness is grace…This is an elegant, compelling, and, yes, graceful book." —Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive In this joyful exploration of grace’s many forms, Pulitzer Prize–winning critic Sarah L. Kaufman celebrates a too-often-forgotten philosophy of living that promotes human connection and fulfillment. Drawing on the arts, sports, the humanities, and everyday life—as well as the latest findings in neuroscience and health research—Kaufman illuminates how our bodies and our brains are designed for grace. She promotes a holistic appreciation and practice of grace, as the joining of body, mind, and spirit, and as a way to nurture ourselves and others.

This book by distinguished end-of-life care activist Mona Hanford prepares you and your family to ask the right questions, to face the reality that we all die, and to find real hope and faith in a loving God or within your spiritual beliefs. You will learn to consider outcomes, avoid the trap of false hope, and remain steadfast in your faith as you navigate the noisy machines and complex medical procedures that too often inflict pain and suffering and block the natural graceful exits given by God. You will discover the comforts and support of hospice care in your home, and learn to make wise choices that lead to a graceful exit for you or your loved one.

Events in our lives, both good and bad, form rings in us like the rings in a tree. Each ring records memories that affect our feelings, our relationships, and our thoughts about God. In this classic work, David Seamands encourages us to live compassionately with ourselves as we allow the Holy Spirit to heal our past. As he helps us name hurdles in our lives—such as guilt, poor self-worth, and perfectionism—he shows us how we can find freedom from our pain and enjoy the abundant life God wants for us.

Traces the development of American attitudes toward the desert using case studies from many writers over the years.

For David Cowart, Thomas Pynchon's most profound teachings are about history- history as myth, as rhetorical construct, as false consciousness, as prologue, as mirror, and as seedbed of national and literary identities. In one encyclopedic novel after another, Pynchon has reconceptualized historical periods that he sees as culturally definitive. This book offers a deft analysis of the problems of history as engaged by our greatest living novelist and argues for the continuity of Pynchon's historical vision. -- from Back Cover