Here is the first ever book about the place of silence in today's church services. Little real attention is given to silence during corporate worship in most churches, though the Bible is replete with admonitions to be quiet or still or silent before the Lord. Many Christians practice quieting themselves before the Lord in their private devotions but silence seems to have gone missing from corporate worship. It is important to keep things moving along in a church service, so silence can be a tough call for pastors who are trying to lead their congregation into a place of hearing from the Lord. The temptation, freely acknowledged by the author, is to err on the side of maintaining good tempo. Awkward Silence, gently written by a senior pastor, is intended to help church congregations listen for God's "still small voice" (1Kings19:12) without interrupting but enhancing services in a most godly way. Included are "how to do it" suggestions from dozens of other pastors and worship leaders.

Curiosity has consequences... It can cost you your childhood-if it doesn't kill you. For the new African country Zambia, 1964 heralds a joyous and turbulent time: celebration of its independence from Britain. But for thirteen-year-old Rianna and ten-year-old Lukas and Anthony, life on Madzi Moyo-a tucked-away Mission station-is idyllic. Their biggest concern is remembering to wear a hat against the searing sun and surviving the housemother's purple cabbage pie. That changes when the trio stumbles upon two hidden AK-47s, and is caught by Mavuto, the guns' owner, a staunch African nationalist. He abducts them on the spot: afraid they will telltale and jeopardize his private plan to ensure his country's independence. Over the course of a single night and morning, a race and rescue mission ensues, which, as the hours pass, becomes more violent and out-of-control. About the Author Danie Botha was born in Zambia and grew up on Mission stations similar to the ones depicted in the novel. He completed his school education and medical training in South Africa. He lives in Canada. Interview with the Author Q - What makes the Be Silent series unique? A - Several things. It is a mini-series, but the books can be read as stand-alone novels. Be Good (a novella), is the prequel to the novel Be Silent. The third and final book in this series is scheduled for Spring of 2017. I wanted to create novels that reflect and paint images of the places and people I grew up with in Africa or came in contact with or read about but never had the opportunity to meet. (Although, keep in mind-the stories are all made up.) In fiction, I read and enjoy different genres-from literary to contemporary to historical fiction. What best describes this series is: a 20th-century historical action adventure. Be Good and Be Silent are indeed mixtures of many genres, which bring homage to the complex nature of the emancipation of the Southern African region and its peoples, following centuries of colonialization, ethnic conflict and political turmoil. Q - Is there any particular order to read the books? A - No. I first wrote be Silent, although Be Good takes place several years earlier. But you will still enjoy Be Good, even if you first read Be Silent. Q - Why should readers bother with this mini-series? A - Readers who enjoy more modern (contemporary) historical fiction, interspersed with immersion into the 1950s and 1960s Southern Africa, spiced with multiculturalism and fast-paced action adventures, will enjoy these "rollercoaster rides." Thank you for reading! Be Silent Mini-series Categories: Historical Fiction Series 20th-century Historical Fiction Series 20th-century Historical Action Adventure Mini-series Historical Action Adventure Novels Historical Fiction Action Adventure Novels

Twenty years ago, not one nation on earth had legal same-sex marriage. Now, access to same-sex marriage is increasingly seen as a basic human right. In a matter of less than a generation, western cultures have experienced a moral revolution. Dr. R. Albert Mohler examines how this transformation occurred, revealing the underlying cultural shifts behind this revolution: the acceptance of divorce culture, liberation of sex from reproduction, the prevalence of heterosexual cohabitation, the normalization of homosexuality, and the rise of the transgender movement. He then offers a deep look at how the Bible and Christian moral tradition provide a comprehensive understanding upon which Christians can build their personal lives, their marriages, church ministry, and cultural engagement. Dr. Mohler helps Christians in their understanding of the underlying issues of this significant cultural shift and how to face the challenge of believing faithfully, living faithfully, and engaging the culture faithfully in light of this massive change.

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What if prayer could be simple rather than strenuous? Anxious, results-driven Christians can never pray enough, serve enough, or study enough. But what if God is calling us not to frenzied activity but to a simple spiritual encounter? What if we must merely receive what God has already given us? In Flee, Be Silent, Pray, writer and contemplative retreat leader Ed Cyzewski guides readers out of the anxiety factory of contemporary Christianity and toward a God whose love astounds those quiet long enough to receive it. With helpful guidance into solitude, contemplative prayer, and practices such as lectio divina and the Examen, Cyzewski guides readers toward the Christ whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light. Ready to shed the fear of the false self and the exhaustion of a duty-driven faith? Flee. Be silent. Pray.

The women have something to say. Are you listening? In this powerful and needed collection, editor Angela P. Dodson brings together the voices of more than thirty-five accomplished women writers on the topic of violence and injustice against Black men. These writers are journalists, authors, scholars, ministers, psychologists, counselors, and other experts. They are also wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunties, and friends. Each lends her voice to shine a new light on the injustices and dangers Black men face daily, and how women feel about the vulnerability of our sons, husbands, brothers, fathers, uncles, friends, and other males we care about as they navigate a world that often stereotypes and targets them. Contributors include: -Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, poet, and author of The Light of the World -Brenda M. Greene, founder and executive director of the Center for Black Literature, director of the National Black Writers Conference, and professor of English at Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York -Goldie Taylor, former US Marine, MSNBC contributor, author, and an editor at large of The Daily Beast -Isabel Wilkerson, Pulitzer Prize winner, National Humanities Medal recipient, and author of Caste and The Warmth of Other Suns -Charisse Jones, award-winning journalist and coauthor of eight books, including Shifting: The Double Lives of Black Women in America and the New York Times bestselling memoir of Misty Copeland, Life in Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina -Audrey Edwards, former executive editor of Essence magazine and the author of seven books, including the award-winning American Runaway: Black and Free in Paris in the Trump Years -Michelle Duster, author, public historian, and great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells -Sonya Ross, managing editor of Inside Climate News, founder of Black Women Unmuted, AP's first Black woman White House reporter, and first Black woman elected to the board of the White House Correspondents Association -Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, contributing writer at The New Yorker, Leon Forrest Professor of African American Studies at Northwestern University, author of Race for Profit, and editor of How We Get Free -Donna Brazile, endowed chair of the Gwendolyn and Colbert King public policy lecture series at Howard University, member of USA Today's Board of Contributors, Fox News contributor, and author of Hacks: The Inside Story of the Break-ins and Breakdowns That Put Donald Trump in the White House -Darnella Frazier, citizen journalist awarded a Pulitzer citation for her role filming the murder of George Floyd The catalyst for a national conversation, this collection offers historical context that is often missing from public discussions and media coverage, while demonstrating an ongoing pattern of demonizing Black men that is rooted deep in the history of our nation. The essays in this book engage with the emotional toll anti-Black violence takes on women in particular and cast a vision for future activism.