A junior graphic novel that explores fantastical dreams

Very few people in this country are comfortable talking about end-of-life issues, death, and widowhood. When this most transformative of life events eventually happens, how does one continue on past the lingering questions, the new plans, the change in perspective? One Foot Forward offers hope, solace, and the knowledge that you’re not alone. The insightful and powerful stories of the 20 widowed women and men in this book are woven together with beautiful portraits to document bereavement, acceptance, and perseverance in the face of the life-altering death of a spouse. Fox, herself widowed at the age of 50, interviewed people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures; people whose spouses died as a result of chronic illnesses and sudden deaths; people who were widowed in their 20s as well as those widowed in their 70s. The journeys through bereavement in One Foot Forward are as singular as the subjects’ relationships and lives, yet the grief and life-affirming determination to survive, and eventually thrive, are universal. Remarkably, most people do keep putting one foot forward, some to profound effect: many even construct new and often more meaningful lives. These are stories of resilience and triumph—of the human spirit finding a way to blossom after devastating loss. 100% of the author's royalties will be contributed to the National Hospice Foundation.

HOPE and COMPASSION for FAMILIES Beautiful Nate offers valuable insights into what went wrong in a dedicated Christian family and how things might have gone differently—giving parents direction for raising their own children in a troubled world. Exploring the differences between fear-based parenting, child-centered parenting, and healthy intentional parenting, author Dennis Mansfield shares hard-earned wisdom and powerful ideas on what children need. Whether you’re in the midst of parenting small children or have experienced the heartbreak of a child gone astray, you’ll find guidance and hope for your journey in this poignant, real-life story. *** Even when you follow all the rules, LIFE CAN GO VERY WRONG. . . Dennis Mansfield and his wife Susan planned for and expected every parent’s dream but instead lived every parent’s nightmare. This haunting memoir tells the story of a father who diligently followed all the parenting rules that he learned from conservative Christian “experts”; yet life with his son Nate went terribly wrong when the young man died at twenty-seven of drug-related causes. It wasn’t that the principles Dennis followed were faulty; it was that the promised guarantee turned out to be void. The author, a national leader in the pro-family movement of the 1990s, reveals what did and did not work in raising a child within the evangelical framework. But rather than losing his faith and abandoning the God he’d trusted, Dennis eventually found new joy and purpose—with a more compassionate and realistic view of the roles parents play and the rules they follow. As you read this sobering yet refreshing account, you will find direction for your own parenting style and encouragement after life’s disappointments. midst of parenting small children or have experienced the heartbreak of a child gone astray, you’ll find guidance and hope for your journey in this poignant, real-life story.

Whenever leadership emerges within a group, there will be resistance to that leadership. Discontent may manifest in a number of ways, and action will always be determined by factors such as resource, numbers, time, space, and the legitimacy of the resistance. What, then, turns discontent into mutiny? Mutiny is often associated with the occasional mis-leadership of the masses by politically inspired hotheads, or a spontaneous and unusually romantic gesture of defiance against a uniquely overbearing military superior. In reality it is seldom either and usually has far more mundane origins, not in the absolute poverty of the subordinates but in the relative poverty of the relationships between leaders and the led in a military situation. The roots of mutiny lie in the leadership skills of a small number of leaders, and what transforms that into a constructive dialogue, or a catastrophic disaster, depends on how the leaders of both sides mobilise their supporters and their networks. Using contemporary leadership theory to cast a critical light on an array of mutinies throughout history, this book suggests we consider mutiny as a permanent possibility that is further encouraged or discouraged in some contexts. From mutinies in ancient Roman and Greek armies to those that toppled the German and Russian states and forced governments to face their own disastrous policies and changed them forever, this book covers an array of cases across land, sea, and air that still pose a threat to military establishments today. The critical theoretical line also puts into sharp relief the assumption that oftentimes people have little choice in how they respond to circumstances not of their own making. If mutineers could choose to resist what they saw as tyranny, then so can we.

She was sure that his heart was Ute, but his heritage was all White man. Driven to escape his past and the demons who haunt him, Elk discovers a love he long thought dead. Set against the rugged beauty of the Colorado Rockies of the 1800s, Elks Resolve follows the travails and triumphs of Elk, the White Indian. Guided by the hand of God, he finds his true self and defeats the voices who demand his destruction. In Elks Resolve, Book II of the Nans Heritage Series, author Elaine Littau depicts characters who struggle with hatred, depression, loss, and fear. Full of passion, heartbreak, romance, rivalry, and hope, Elks Resolve will fascinate you from the first page.

For leaders of small organizations-churches and businesses-who do not have a regular, ongoing planning process, this book will be your guide to becoming an innovative planner for your group's future. Innovative Planning presents a solid process for developing complete organizational planning-from vision, to mission, to strategies. It also includes the day-to-day operations-the level at which the vision ultimately comes to fruition. Experienced pastor and certified leadership coach and consultant Bud Wrenn draws on his organizational experiences to help leaders become "four-dimensional" planners. Not everyone in your group, church, or organization think in visionary terms. But as an organizational leader, it is crucial for you to communicate the visionary message. Foreword by Rick Warren.