I had always believed in the healing power of our Lord, and viewed my life as one of service to Him via the practice of medicine. But, in retrospect, I had a deeper trust in the power of modern medicine and science than I did in Jesus Christ and His fully accomplished work on the Cross. My thinking was flawed, but, as I grew in my walk with the Lord and meditated on Scripture more fully, I began to see the superiority of faith over the limited interventions modern medical science had to offer, and that this interplay between faith and science was not mutually exclusive, but complimentary, for the spiritual aspects of our lives illuminate and empower the carnal aspects of intellect and physical senses. I began jotting notes to myself related to this interplay of faith and healing and science, and just filed them away...for years. IThen, in December of 2017, a baby was born to a first time mother of mine, his little body riddled with the most fulminant form of acute lymphoblasic leukemia, almost always fatal. His absolutely miraculous healing was the impetus to start putting these thoughts into writing, in the form of weekday morning emails entitled “A Christian Doctor’s View of Healing, Faiith, and Science”. It was soon made clear to me that these writings were to take the form of a year long devotional book, comprised of short weekday messages that are intimately linked, such that they can be read through as a book. And that book was to paint a picture, and that picture was to be of a face, and the face was to be that of Jesus, for He is the source of all healing

Internet readers of the Daily Reflections with Fr. Don Talafous have long urged the author to publish selections in book form. Here is such a collection offering hope and encouragement in the face of the sadness and suffering of our world. While they come from the mind, heart, and PC of a Catholic Benedictine, the topics of these reflections appeal to church-going Christians, readers of a skeptical bent, and even those of no or minimal relation to any organized religion.

Originally published in 1984, this extraordinary work has until now been available only in an expensive library edition. The present edition has been completely updated and redesigned, and includes an extended new introduction by Marcus Borg that relates the book's central arguments to subsequent Jesus scholarship. A foreword by N.T. Wright characterizes the book as one of the foundational works in the "third quest" for the historical Jesus. In the book, Marcus Borg argues that conflict between a politics of holiness and a politics of compassion, and their implications for Israel, resides at the center of Jesus' activity and teaching. He emphasizes several features that have since become central to Jesus scholarship: the importance of Jesus' inclusive meal practice, a non-apocalyptic paradigm for understanding Jesus, and Jesus as a social prophet and boundary-breaker. Marcus J. Borg is Hundere Distinguished Professor of Religion and Culture in the Philosophy Department at Oregon State University. He is the author of nine books, including Jesus in Contemporary Scholarship, also published by Trinity Press.

Pastor and Bible teacher Randy McCracken offers an intimate look at lesser-known members of 1 and 2 Samuel's four main families--those of Samuel, Eli, Saul, and David. Examining characters unfamiliar to many Bible readers, he reveals important lessons for today.

When it comes to authenticity, is being fully yourself always worth the risk? From the author of Blue Like Jazz comes New York Times bestseller Scary Close, Donald Miller's journey of uncovering the keys to a healthy relationship and discovering that they're also at the heart of building a healthy family, a successful career, and a trusted community of friends. After decades of failed relationships and painful drama, Miller decided that he'd had enough. Trying to impress people wasn't helping him truly connect with anyone--and neither was pretending to be someone he wasn't. He'd built himself a life of public isolation, but he dreamed of having a life defined by meaningful relationships instead. At 40-years-old, he made a scary decision: he was going to be his true self no matter what it might cost. Scary Close tells the story of Miller's difficult choice to impress fewer people and connect with even more. It's about the importance of knocking down old walls to finally experience the freedom that comes when we stop playing a part and start being fully ourselves. In Scary Close, Miller shares everything he's learned firsthand about how to: Deconstruct the old habits that no longer serve us Overcome the desire to please the people around us Always tell the truth, even when it's hard Find satisfaction in a daily portion of real love Risk being fully known in order to deeply love and be loved Apply these lessons to your everyday life If you're ready to drop the act and find true, life-changing intimacy, it's time to get Scary Close.