"John 1-10: I Am the Bread of Life "is an excellent way to introduce young adults to the book of John and the life-changing message of Jesus in this Gospel. As John sees it, we human beings need God. We need God's light in our lives, his power to energize us. But for the most part we are not very aware of this need because we spend our lives running around looking for one thing after another, preoccupied with meeting our material and social needs. We tend to see God as the provider of earthly blessings rather than the source of something much more important. And of course, we also tend to ignore God and instead work to satisfy our own desires. John tells us how God tries to break through the barrier of our earthly thinking by entering into our world personally. Designed as a guided discovery, Six Weeks with the Bible for Catholic Teens introduces high school students to different books of the Bible by integrating the biblical text with insightful questions to help youth discern what Scripture means for their lives today. The series provides students with a clear explanation of Biblical text, opportunities for prayer, and a means to enter into conversation with God.

This monograph examines the profound changes sweeping Michoac?n in recent years that have facilitated the rise and power of drug traffickers; the origins and evolution of La Familia, its leadership and organization, its ideology and recruitment practices, its impressive resources, its brutal conflict with Los Zetas, its skill in establishing dual sovereignty in various municipalities, if not the entire state; and its long-term goals and their significance for the United States. The conclusion addresses steps that could be taken to curb this extraordinarily wealthy and dangerous criminal organization.

Latin American states took dramatic steps toward greater inclusion during the late twentieth and early twenty-first Centuries. Bringing together an accomplished group of scholars, this volume examines this shift by introducing three dimensions of inclusion: official recognition of historically excluded groups, access to policymaking, and resource redistribution. Tracing the movement along these dimensions since the 1990s, the editors argue that the endurance of democratic politics, combined with longstanding social inequalities, create the impetus for inclusionary reforms. Diverse chapters explore how factors such as the role of partisanship and electoral clientelism, constitutional design, state capacity, social protest, populism, commodity rents, international diffusion, and historical legacies encouraged or inhibited inclusionary reform during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Featuring original empirical evidence and a strong theoretical framework, the book considers cross-national variation, delves into the surprising paradoxes of inclusion, and identifies the obstacles hindering further fundamental change.

"Describes and analyzes the economic, national security, political, and social systems and institutions of Cuba."--Amazon.com viewed Jan. 4, 2021.

For 10 years, kids have had fun learning about Scripture with The One Year Devotions for Kids series. Now The One Year Devotions for Kids, Volume 1 is available with a great look for a new generation of readers. Each day’s lesson focuses on a key theme from a Bible story. A contemporary story, application questions, a memory verse, and an action phrase combine to reinforce the theme for each day. A great way to help kids connect with God!