“A masterly and elegantly told story that weaves together the Iraqi past and present.” —New York Times Book Review “A first-class investigation…that tells the reader more about the tensions of living close to power in Saddam’s dictatorship.” —Washington Post The Weight of a Mustard Seed is an unprecedented and intimate account of Iraqi life under Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime, revealed through the tragic story of one of the dictator’s loyal generals. Journalist Wendell Steavenson writes thrilling nonfiction with a novelist’s flair, offering a new perspective on life inside a totalitarian regime that is as moving, compelling, and dramatic as The Kite Runner and The Bookseller of Kabul.

“A masterly and elegantly told story that weaves together the Iraqi past and present.” —New York Times Book Review “A first-class investigation…that tells the reader more about the tensions of living close to power in Saddam’s dictatorship.” —Washington Post The Weight of a Mustard Seed is an unprecedented and intimate account of Iraqi life under Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime, revealed through the tragic story of one of the dictator’s loyal generals. Journalist Wendell Steavenson writes thrilling nonfiction with a novelist’s flair, offering a new perspective on life inside a totalitarian regime that is as moving, compelling, and dramatic as The Kite Runner and The Bookseller of Kabul.

C.S. Lewis likened hard times to "God's megaphone," a season when the Creator's ways are made clear and proven merciful. Mustard Seeds author Lynn Coulter agrees, writing here across fifteen essays about the natural graces and "God signs" that emerged during a three-year period of hardship and sustain her faith today. From personal events (her parents' deaths, a job loss) to universal cripplers (stress, worry), Coulter's fresh anecdotes unearth the little daily markers of God's love and care while staying rooted in Scripture. Her writings fuse the observational strength of Anne Lamott's nonfiction with the warm delivery of Sue Monk Kidd's devotional books and are sure to be passed around as tools of encouragement and faith strengthening among friends. Chapters include "Used People," "Deep Healing," and "Nothing without Joy." Endorsements Starred review. Coulter, a magazine journalist, takes the familiar biblical story of faith the size of a mustard seed to illustrate how God can use even the most horrendous "lifequakes" as faith-builders. Coulter opens her compilation of life essays with a personal story from her childhood, when the concept of mustard seed faith was first planted after a teacher offered the class mustard seed charms as an attendance reward. Though Coulter eventually lost the charm, she never forgot its message. Years later, after the death of her parents, her husband's job loss, financial setbacks, and her own shattered shoulder, the author's faith was in pieces. She wrestled long and hard to regain closeness with God. In each of these tender topical chapters, Coulter uses everyday happenings from nature, parenting, work, illnesses, and church to reaffirm a single lesson: God is intimately involved in every aspect of life and he cares with a watchful affection. Readers will find strength from Coulter's story and solace in God's promises regarding faith and grace. --Publishers Weekly "Reading Mustard Seeds feels like time spent conversing with a dear old friend over a cup of coffee. Lynn's honest story of how she renewed her faith in Jesus will be a blessing and a source of encouragement." --Mickey McLean, Web Managing Editor, WORLD Magazine "A sensitive, thoughtful book, filled with new beginnings, hope, and the wonder and beauty of the search for God." --Amy Blackmarr, author of Going to Ground: Simple Life on a Georgia Pond

The 366 daily devotions in A MUSTARD SEED will inspire readers to grow their faith so that they can walk in the fullness of what God has prepared for His children.

It's a new era of fiction; Urban Islamic Fiction that is! Stepping up out into the spotlight is Jameelah Salih. Jameelah is a 27-year-old Muslim woman born to what appears to be one of the inner-city's stronger blended American Muslim families. She works as a hair stylist with her two best friends in the city's only Muslim women's owned and operated hair salon, Covered Pearls. On appearance and material possessions alone Jameelah seems to be doing big things; she has a loving family, owns a fly car, she has her own apartment and she's not too far off from getting her second degree. What most don't know is that she is one traffic jam away from losing control of her life. Being a single Muslim woman isn't easy plus post 9/11 stresses still seem to haunt her. Jameelah prays for a change, but what will she do if change actually comes? When a prominent Imam proposes marriage to Jameelah she feels as if it's the blessing that she has been waiting for from Allah. She knows marrying him will change her life, but when an unexpected family crisis erupts and secrets are exposed, Jameelah is forced to make hard choices and put her complete faith in the only One unable to break it.