“Bruised, bloody, and barely dressed, she knew it was over. She had no doubt the Vikings would search for her if she tried to run—especially now, with their companion lying dead. It would be dark soon, and she had no idea where she could go or hide. Jilliand knew they would come for her. The Vikings were not likely to let this go—especially it being an attack by a woman. She was defeated. Weak and shaking, she stared at the man’s body. I think tonight I die.” ​Clare Gutierrez is a registered nurse who grew up on a cattle ranch in rural Colorado as one of four children. After living in Carlsbad, NM, for twenty-eight years, she now lives in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. She and her husband, Dr. Beto Gutierrez, host first-class photographers from the world over at Santa Clara Ranch, a 300-acre wildlife sanctuary. Jilliand is her third novel.

Growing up alone with no siblings, Betsy always felt alone. She always wanted a big family, but that wasnt going to happen. When her best friend moved away, she was devastated. She never could imagine that losing her parents as well was going to take a big toll on her life for the bad and the good. She would find further in life that she could be happy again and that dreams do come true. She always dreamed of owning a horse and competing with it. All she ever wanted to do was to be an equestrian. Later she would understand and believe that angels do exist and that there were some watching over her. Finding true love was going to be a blessing in disguise for her and finding it was just around the corner. Things happen for a reason, and miracles do come true.

In Matthew, Disability, and Stress: Examining Impaired Characters in the Context of Empire, Jillian D. Engelhardt examines four Matthean healing narratives, focusing on the impaired characters in the scenes. Her reading is informed by both empire studies and social stress theory, a method that explores how the stress inherent in social location can affect psychosomatic health. By examining the Roman imperial context in which common folk lived and worked, she argues that attention to social and somatic circumstances, which may have accompanied or caused the described disabilities/impairments, destabilizes readings of these stories that suggest the encounter with Jesus was straightforwardly good and the healing was permanent. Instead, Engelhardt proposes various new contexts for and offers more nuanced characterizations of the disabled/impaired people in each discussed scene, resulting in ambiguous interpretations that de-center Jesus and challenge able-bodied assumptions about embodiment, disability, and healing.

Gender identity and sexuality play crucial roles in the educational experiences of students, parents, and teachers. Teacher education must more directly address the ways that schools reflect and reproduce oppressive gender norms, working to combat homophobia, transphobia, heteronormativity, and gendered expectations in schools. This volume examines teacher candidates’ experiences with gender and sexuality in the classroom, offering insight and strategies to better prepare teachers and teacher educators to support LGBTQ youth and families. This volume addresses the need for broader, more in-depth qualitative data describing teacher candidates’ responses to diversity in the classroom (including gender, sexuality, race, class and religion). By using pedagogical tools such as narrative writing and positioning theory, teacher candidates explore these issues to better understand their own students’ narratives in deeply embodied ways. This book calls for schools to be places where oppression, in all its complexity, is explored and challenged rather than replicated.

In this second volume of her memoir, Dorinda Vollmer continues her life story following her departure from the Roseau River Indian Reserve in southern Manitoba in June, 1981. Settling in Ontario, she established her ministry in small rural towns first in Grand Valley and Monticello and then in New Liskeard, Warsaw, Millbrook and Orono United Churches. Sometimes she found herself mired in conflict and controversy because of her progressive and inclusive views of society. Using compassion and persistence, she fought to build her role as a community leader and, in the process, learned a great deal about how we handle ourselves when we are frustrated and angry. This is the story of one woman’s lifelong dedication to faith, justice and humanity. It is also the story of those strong and balanced people around her who continue to live their faith and help to lift us all up and support others---in whatever form their worship takes. It is a reminder to all to be more careful, kinder and more respectful of others, especially those who have no voice. These are stories that can translate into any life situation, whether at work, at school, at home or in our social encounters. It is a story about reconciliation and transformation when we bring out the best in ourselves and in others.