In my fictional memoir, entitled "Revelation Road," my existence could end with two possible scenarios: a hopeful reality defined by romantic love or a hopeless reality characterized by poverty and unregulated mental illness. Poverty acts as an escape mechanism or a coping mechanism, depending on person, environment, and social conditioning; in my case it was a coping mechanism to confront reality. During the formative years of my childhood development in the suburbs, dysfunction, pain, and trauma molded me into an unhealthy adult with a manipulative personality who lacked self-sufficiency and functionalism-two components of a rational man existing in any environment. My destructive personality was composed of two dysfunctional attributes: a lack of trust and a defensive personality. Writing became a form of therapy which helped me confront reality. In Florida, I embraced a rural reality at a family sanctuary which had healed me before.

Rock Bannon has a heart as big as the Rocky Mountains that surround his quiet home, but he's always known that romance wasn't in the cards for him. Instead, the big man does his best to see that others around him are happy and safe. A man riding for the brand doesn't have time for silly things like love. Mary Ellen Bigsby is off on an adventure to the home of her favorite writer. She knows it is a frivolous journey, but she wants this one trip before she's too old to travel. Having given her youth to the classroom, she's ready for a change but unprepared for what she finds at the end of the trail. Francis has been accepted by the people of Biders Clump, but the father of the girl he loves is set against him. The young Indian brave will do anything to win the hand of Matrice and start a happy home of their own but can't seem to overcome her father's resistance. When Matrice suggests running away together, Francis has to make the hardest decision of his life. Will true love win the day or will two young people be pulled apart by one man's stubbornness? What revelations await the quiet cowboy when a tiny teacher arrives in Biders Clump?

The life and times of the New Testament’s most mystifying and incendiary book Few biblical books have been as revered and reviled as Revelation. Many hail it as the pinnacle of prophetic vision, the cornerstone of the biblical canon, and, for those with eyes to see, the key to understanding the past, present, and future. Others denounce it as the work of a disturbed individual whose horrific dreams of inhumane violence should never have been allowed into the Bible. Timothy Beal provides a concise cultural history of Revelation and the apocalyptic imaginations it has fueled. Taking readers from the book’s composition amid the Christian persecutions of first-century Rome to its enduring influence today in popular culture, media, and visual art, Beal explores the often wildly contradictory lives of this sometimes horrifying, sometimes inspiring biblical vision. He shows how such figures as Augustine and Hildegard of Bingen made Revelation central to their own mystical worldviews, and how, thanks to the vivid works of art it inspired, the book remained popular even as it was denounced by later church leaders such as Martin Luther. Attributed to a mysterious prophet identified only as John, Revelation speaks with a voice unlike any other in the Bible. Beal demonstrates how the book is a multimedia constellation of stories and images that mutate and evolve as they take hold in new contexts, and how Revelation is reinvented in the hearts and minds of each new generation. This succinct book traces how Revelation continues to inspire new diagrams of history, new fantasies of rapture, and new nightmares of being left behind.

Arline Zatz has writtenthe first guidebook to everything equine in the Garden State: Horsing Around in New Jersey. This accessible, easy-to-use volume is essential reading for the novice who yearns to go horseback riding but doesn't know how or where to begin; for the experienced equestrian seeking new trails and campsites; for anyone wishing to attend an equestrian event; and for those seeking a job in the equestrian field, which already employs nearly 6,000 New Jerseyans. The industry generates more than 650 million dollars in annual revenue. Millions of people attend equine events in New Jersey each year. The U.S. Equestrian team makes its home there, and New Jersey's state animal is the horse. Zatz tells readers--including those with disabilities--where they can take lessons, rent a horse, and prepare for riding. She includes safety and first aid tips. Horse history and breeds common to New Jersey are discussed, as are health concerns, including diseases, preventative medicine, and emergency care. The book showcases New Jersey's eighty-five equestrian trails and covers information on where to obtain riding permits and their accompanying rules and regulations. There is advice for both new horse owners and renters, including recommendations on tack and clothing, stable management, and horse adoption. The book acquaints readers with year-round equine entertainment opportunities, and offers dozens of suggestions on where to watch or participate in sports on horseback. Zatz lists equine education programs for all ages, and outlines numerous employment opportunities within the equine industry. The book concludes with a glossary of common horse industry terminology, a listing of national equine associations and breed registries, equipment sources, and equine publications for further reading.

Reproduction of the original: The Making of the New Testament by Benjamin W. Bacon

Shows how to discern the theological and homiletical message of the book of Revelation through narrative analysis.