How is it that this woman's breasts glimmer so clearly through her saree? Can't you guess, my friends? What are they but rays from the crescents left by the nails of her lover pressing her in his passion, rays now luminous as the moonlight of a summer night? These South Indian devotional poems show the dramatic use of erotic language to express a religious vision. Written by men during the fifteenth to eighteenth century, the poems adopt a female voice, the voice of a courtesan addressing her customer. That customer, it turns out, is the deity, whom the courtesan teases for his infidelities and cajoles into paying her more money. Brazen, autonomous, fully at home in her body, she merges her worldly knowledge with the deity's transcendent power in the act of making love. This volume is the first substantial collection in English of these Telugu writings, which are still part of the standard repertoire of songs used by classical South Indian dancers. A foreword provides context for the poems, investigating their religious, cultural, and historical significance. Explored, too, are the attempts to contain their explicit eroticism by various apologetic and rationalizing devices. The translators, who are poets as well as highly respected scholars, render the poems with intelligence and tenderness. Unusual for their combination of overt eroticism and devotion to God, these poems are a delight to read.

Much of what happens in our lives is not what we planned, not what we expected, and certainly not what we would have chosen. At a young age, Jaci Velasquez’s singing career rocketed to stardom, and her marriage thrived—then both suddenly crashed. Losing her reputation, her record label, and even some of her most-treasured relationships, Jaci began a long, healing journey from thinking of herself not as a Christian music darling or a broken young woman but as a beloved child of God. Today, her renewed faith carries her through a resurrected career, the adventures of a second marriage, and the ups-and-downs of being a mother of a child who has autism. When God Rescripts Your Life is Jaci’s exploration of the lessons she’s learned living a story full of mistakes and grace, rejection and contentment, worldly success and spiritual rest. Drawing on lessons from biblical characters such as Aaron, Joseph, and Paul, as well as from illustrations from her own life, Jaci reminds us how God loves to rewrite pain and weakness into a glorious tale of redemption. The most difficult parts of life don’t need to be removed; they need to be rescripted.

This is a story about a man who had achieved success, but wasn't content. Ted had a vision for the world, a vision for all people to have an opportunity to learn about Jesus. Ted reasoned, "Why should some hear the life-giving message many times before some had the chance to hear it once?"Ted and his wife, Peggy, applied to become missionaries, but were declined. They were too old, had too many kids, and did not have the right education. All avenues for personal involvement in world evangelization seemed closed, so the Fletchers founded their own organization. Drawing on Ted's experience as a Marine and as a corporate executive, they stepped out in faith to send others to places in the world where missionaries were not welcome. Despite the odds, the mission grew beyond any of their expectations.This updated edition of When God Comes Calling includes two new chapters by Pioneers' cofounder, Peggy Fletcher, who writes about the growth of the mission among the unreached since the first edition was published in 2001 and since Ted's homegoing in 2003. 170 pages, 2010.

'Raising your consciousness to the 'God Winks' that often go by unnoticed, and recognising them as tremendously personal, will affirm that your existence is not random and that you have a role to play in life's grand plan' Squire Rushnell Have you ever thought about someone who hasn't crossed your path or mind in years and then bumped into them? Are there such things as coincidences? Do they mean anything? According to Rushnell, 'coincidences, like winks from God, are encouraging signposts along your universal path.' In WHEN GOD WINKS he explains that a 'God Wink' is a message of reassurance that comes our way whenever we need it and that coincidences are the best way for God to establish a presence in our lives. Rushnell shows how to retrace crossroads (a new job, a death, change in relationships) that took us in an entirely different direction, showing how to map the turning points made by coincidences that have guided us throughout our lives. Best of all, WHEN GOD WINKS shows us how to create our own coincidences and turn wishes into winks. He explains his compelling theory of coincidences through a series of incredible stories and motivational writing on how coincidences play a role in all facets of our life, including career, love, history, medicine, entertainment, sports and politics with telling comments from Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Streisand, Mark Twain, Kevin Costner and other celebrities. WHEN GOD WINKS is a fascinating bridge to self-discovery.

When God Shows Up at Work takes the reader from a definition of work through God's eyes and words to practical ways and real life stories of God working through His people in the workplace.

“A memoir … and a book of wisdom.” – Rev. Andy Lambkin “Brenda reminds us to live courageously in the face of adversity.” – Fr. Mark James O.P. What do we do when deep grief invades our lives? How do we negotiate the unwelcomed journey we find ourselves on? What do we do with our unspeakable pain? Even more, what do we do when we have asked God to spare the life of our loved one and he does not give the answer we hope for? In When God Says No, Brenda Smit-James tells the story of her journey with grief following the untimely death of her mother – a journey where she questioned God and his goodness, questioned whether Jesus was worth following, and questioned the relevance of the Christian life. In telling her story, Brenda shows us how grief can be engaged and not merely endured and how we can face the darkness of grief with quiet courage and, in so doing, find a way back into the light again.

When God Says No is a rare gift which grants the reader access into the very soul of a mother as she desperately tries to hold onto faith, while accepting the disabilities of her child, profoundly affected by autism and epilepsy. "He has rescued me from the edge when I was sure I would fall, crashing to a million pieces. I have spent hours in the darkness, sitting and rocking on the floor, fighting for my sanity. Wailing and moaning when too grieved to pray. I have felt the spirit of fear paralyze me. I met the spirit of suicide while driving over a bridge. I have carried the dark cloud of depression and experienced the suffocating breathlessness of anxiety. I have faced death on every level, the death of body, soul and spirit, each time rising again with the resolve to live another day." -Denise Wynn "These raw and naked writings reveal the unquenchable, patient love between a mother and her precious son. Within every page is fresh hope for the most difficult situation, and a gentle wind of grace to lift up the weary and carry one straight into the arms of the One who heals the broken and the hurting." -Nancy J. Grandquist, author and speaker