Ulster, in the north of the Kingdom of Ireland underwent resettlement in 1609. Defeated by the British Army in the Nine Years War, Gaelic chieftains fled, and parliament, under approval by King James implemented the Plantation of Ulster. Thousands of acres, confiscated and newly surveyed were granted to London Companies, landed gentry - people with social standing and wealth, and servitors - those favoring the king with loyalty and administrative or military service, and trade groups and churches. Scottish and English settlers migrated to Ulster, entering into land leases with the new landlords. By the mid-1700s, Ulster Scots, today known as Scots-Irish in America, and those with English and Irish ancestry, sailed from the ports of Londonderry, Newry, Portrush, Larne, and Belfast to North America. Famine, escalating lease payments, and Penal Laws designed to limit or deny political participation resulted in religious persecution, driving the descendants of the plantation settlers from their homeland. In 1785, two years following the end of the American Revolution, thousands left Ulster, lured by reports of land suitable for farming west of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. The phrase "look before you leap," derived in Ulster marketplaces, suggested one should investigate overseas prospects before selling possessions and leaving Ireland. On July 9, 1785 a captain from Limavady together with a crew of twelve set sail on his newly acquired three-mast ship, Faithful Steward, departing the quay at Londonderry destined for New Castle, Delaware then Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. James McIntire, age 22, from Ardstraw Bridge, County Tyrone believed he was sailing to a land where heroes live. Simon Elliott, age 65, together with Sarah (Lee) and a family of five, anticipated meeting their son John, having left Donegal in 1784 on the Lazy Mary, migrating to Pennsylvania. James Lee, age 78, and Isabella (Boscawen) and a family with relatives numbering more than four-score, left Ardara and Killybegs in Donegal for the wilds of western Pennsylvania. Merchant Gustavus Colhoun, age 19, and his older brother Thomas, a mariner and supercargo, combined their wit and experience to deliver a mysterious cargo to one of the wealthiest men in the newly formed United States. Passengers, reported to total 249 boarded Faithful Steward. Everyone's life was destined to change and forever be altered, close to the shore at Coin Beach, north of the Indian River Inlet on September 1, 1785. It was Delaware's worst maritime tragedy.

R. Scott Rodin unpacks a theology of the abundant life, which encompasses our world, life and possessions, and appropriately begins with the very being of the Creator.

"The Faithful Steward: Or, Systematic Beneficence an Essential of Christian Character" by Sereno D. Clark is an example of a self-help book aimed at Christians. Through Clark's words, Christian men and women are meant to get a better understanding of what it means to live true to one's faith. It takes biblical concepts and makes them easier to read and more digestible for the average church-goer,

Christians are called to be good stewards of time, talents, and treasures. Jon Hirst also urges believers to steward knowledge, an abundant resource few of us handle well. "There have been plenty of books and sermons telling Christians WHAT to think," says Hirst. "We need to explore HOW to think, and how to steward the knowledge we have to reach more people for Christ." "The Calling of the Knowledge Steward" introduces readers to Christian leaders who proactively steward knowledge today, as well as to ancient stewards found in the Bible. "Knowledge stewards excel at something all of us were created to do," says Hirst, "know and be known." Drawing on ancient spiritual disciplines and current best practices in business, Hirst issues an invitation and a challenge: "Christ is calling some of us to wade in where others fear to go, to master the mass of information, and to use it to address some of the important challenges we face."

The Guide You Need to Read Theology Well. Too many Christians avoid reading theology for fear they won't understand it or out of a misconception that it's only meant for the academic elite. Similarly, students in introductory theology classes can feel overwhelmed by the concepts and terminology they encounter. Yet theology can be read with enjoyment and discernment. In How to Read Theology for All Its Worth, professor, author, and devoted reader Karin Stetina introduces students to the basic skills of intelligent reading, applied especially to theological works. Anyone who'd like to read theology well, whether a formal student or interested layperson, will benefit from the simple steps Stetina outlines. Steps include: Identifying genre Becoming acquainted with the author and the context out of which he or she wrote Determining a thesis and main arguments How to Read Theology for All Its Worth will equip readers not only to understand theology but also to insightfully engage authors' ideas. With the basic tools in hand, everyone can read with confidence and enjoy "conversations" with theological works.