The diaries of Mary Davis Brown offer a rare glimpse of times past in the rural community of York County, South Carolina, during the nineteenth century, a time when faith in God and the good earth were still the pillars of family life. Born on March 21, 1822, Mary began poignantly recording her thoughts, poetry, prayers, and daily activities in 1854 upon the death of her eight-year-old son. She continued her writings through the Civil War years and until late 1901 when she was almost 80 years old. Fortunately, these diaries have survived for over a century and a half and, because of their delicate condition, now rest in a fireproof, humidity and temperature controlled vault in the South Caroliniana Library on the campus of the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Oil In Our Lamps is the culmination of many years of painstaking effort by the descendants of Mary Davis Brown. Her diaries, more than worthy of publication, can now be enjoyed by modern-time folks who will find them enlightening, enriching, and heart-warming.

Mother Teresa said, "To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it." Most women are so busy filling the lamps of the people they love that they let their own lamps run low. They spend so much time and energy taking care of their children, husbands, aging parents, friends, neighbors, bosses, coworkers, and others, that they often neglect themselves. Awareness is the first step toward solving a problem. So the first section of this book is devoted to helping us acknowledge the problem and understand the reasons for it. Chapter 1 looks at how girls are socialized, growing up to be women who put others first. Chapter 2 examines the values women have adopted in the past 50 years, beginning with the feminist movement - leading us to believe that we can have it all - all at once. And Chapter 3 explores the corresponding myth that we can DO it all.

The NIV is the world's best-selling modern translation, with over 150 million copies in print since its first full publication in 1978. This highly accurate and smooth-reading version of the Bible in modern English has the largest library of printed and electronic support material of any modern translation.

Near the turn of the twentieth century, the mass production of affordable lighting forever changed how we work, play, and live. This tectonic shift is directly related to the availability of cheap petroleum-based oil and the refinement of the kerosene lamp. Author Catherine Thuro devoted years of research to compiling a record of these formerly ubiquitous lighting devices. Oil Lamps is her first masterpiece: a comprehensive, invaluable resource. With over 1,000 lamps shown in detailed studio photographs, clearly reproduced illustrations from catalogues and trade journals, this book is the definitive visual compilation of kerosene lamps and accessories. The clear photography is also matched by detailed and engaging explanations about the origins of lamp styles. Thuro places the kerosene lamp in cultural and historical context, discussing the revolutionary large-scale production of these luminaries, the wide array of raw material used, and the far-reaching consequences of a society literally brought into the light on a massive scale. For both historical and comparative information, this is a must-have reference for collectors.

Jesus: His Story in Stone is a reflection on still-existing stone objects that Jesus would have known, seen, or even touched. Each of the seventy short chapters is accompanied by a photograph taken on location in Israel. Arranged chronologically, the one-page meditations compose a portrait of Christ as seen through the significant stones in His life, from the cave where He was born to the rock of Calvary. While packed with historical and archaeological detail, the book’s main thrust is devotional, leading the reader both spiritually and physically closer to Jesus.

This reference work explores the images, symbols, motifs, metaphors, figures of speech, and literary patterns found in the Bible. With over 800 articles by over 100 expert contributors, this is an inviting, enlightening and indispensable companion to the reading, study, contemplation and enjoyment of the Bible.