Charity Gray was an intelligent, inquisitive teen who disappeared fifteen years eariler. When her body is discovered, it should be a typical cold case. Before the Detroit police can get started, the FBI commandeers the investigation, with a prime suspect in mind: retired mobster Leo Agonasti. When Agonasti slips through their grasp, he reaches out to Sergeant Jefferson Chene. Their unusual friendship draws Chene into the thick of the case. Burdened with two reluctant FBI agents, Chene is working against the clock and the feds to find the real killer. Chene senses they are getting close to the answers. Will he be able to solve the murder and clear the old mobster of this heinous crime before time runs out?

Written primarily for pastors and ministry leaders in seasons of transition, The Wayward Way is the thirst-quenching encouragement needed for those longing to find their way back to purpose in the ministry. The relevant examples of wandering aimlessly in ministry, coupled with biblical principles and personal insights, offer inspiration to view the transitional seasons of ministry as opportunities for exploration. It’s time to find your way out of the wilderness and embrace the purposes God has for those called to ministry.

Comets have not only blazed across the celestial vault throughout human history, they have embellished the night sky since the Earth itself formed some 4.5 billion years ago. Comets were among the first-born solid bodies in the solar system, and their frozen nuclei tell of the primordial chemistry and chaos that ultimately resulted in the formation of the planets, the evolution of life and us. For all this, however, comets have long been celestial oddities: they baffled our distant ancestors, and human society continues to marvel and speculate wildly at their appearance even to the present day. Cutting against the perceived constancy of the stars, comets seemingly present themselves at random times and they are often interpreted as harbingers of terrestrial change - both good and ill. How then are we to tame the comet: where do they form, how do they move, and can their appearances be predicted? Such questions have preoccupied astronomers for centuries but comets have only gradually allowed the secrets of their wayward flight to be revealed. In this book I explore the historical struggle to understand not only the place of comets within a societal context, but also the scientific quest to make their paths amenable to mathematical certitude. The latter narrative is the more technical in content, but it took tactile form with the invention, in 1732, of the cometarium, a mechanical device to demonstrate the first two of Kepler's planetary laws. And, this development was later paralleled, in the mid to late 19th century, by the development of various mechanical devices (analog computers) to help obtain solutions to Kepler's Problem - the problem which asks, exactly where in its orbit is a given comet at some specific set time. The telling of the wayward comets story covers the past two millennia of human history, and it takes us from the phenomenological musings of Aristotle, through the exactitude of Newton's gravitational theory and calculus, to the truly incredible study of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, by the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft, in the modern era.

This book marks the first time that the poetry of Curtis Wayne Parris appears in print. The poems were selected to showcase Parris’ mastery of verse and provide readers with a broad range of poetic styles from Parris’ diverse catalog. Readers should be advised—and forewarned—that they are about to enter into a world of hauntingly beautiful prose and verse that spans the spectrum of human emotion, from zeniths of bliss to nadirs of sorrow. In his cosmic meanderings, Parris wanders through psychedelic dreamscapes of sublime beauty but also descends into the deepest gorges of despair. Through linguistic alchemy, Parris skillfully blends subject, sound, syntax, and syncopation to create naturally rhythmic poems charged with pure emotion. Blessed with a gift for alliteration and cadence, Parris uses simple, everyday words to convey the most intimate and horrifying details of his life. Parris does not seek exposure nor notoriety, for he lives in a world of night, of moonscapes and shadows. Instead, Parris writes because he has a tempest inside. Parris injects metaphysical concepts into his poems, frequently traveling through time, space, and other dimensions as he explores the mysterious universe within his mind. In these respects, his poems can touch upon ancient nerves; for we are all, to some degree or another, just fellow travelers in time, journeying through life, seeking solace, and awaiting final destinations. Into this abstract poetic tapestry, Parris weaves his observations on life, death, religion, and politics. Come along and take a journey through the land of dreams.

This newly revised and expanded edition of Insights on James, 1 & 2 Peter, part of the 15-volume Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary series, draws on Gold Medallion Award–winner Chuck Swindoll’s 50 years of experience with studying and preaching God’s Word. The series combines Chuck’s deep insight, signature easygoing style, and humor to bring a warmth and practical accessibility not often found in commentaries. Each volume combines verse-by-verse commentary, charts, maps, photos, key terms, and background articles with practical application. The newly updated volumes now include parallel presentations of the NLT and NASB before each section. This series is a must-have for pastors, teachers, and anyone else who is seeking a deeply practical resource for exploring God’s Word.