A thrift store in inner-city Kalamazoo, Michigan. Exactly the place where you'd expect to meet Jesus, right? Knuth's church-going background had not prepared her for the soul-stirring experiences she experienced there. By serving the poor, they gave her much more than she could ever give them.

This “ridiculous” religious thinking—that when we help the poor, they end up helping us—is at the heart of the 30 stories that Jane Knuth shares in Thrift Store Graces, the sequel to her popular Thrift Store Saints. Similar to the first book, Thrift Store Graces contains personal accounts of Knuth’s experiences serving as a once reluctant, now enthusiastic volunteer at a thrift store in Kalamazoo, Michigan. What sets Thrift Store Graces apart from her first book is that Knuth introduces us to some far more challenging personal situations that emerge as a result of her volunteer work. Additionally, she invites us to join her as she hesitantly embarks on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje in war-ravaged Bosnia. Through it all, her delightful sense of humor keeps her going, along with her conviction that some of God’s greatest gifts come disguised as difficulties. Witty, inspiring, and thought-provoking all at once, the stories in Thrift Store Graces subtly compel us to redefine what it means to volunteer and to rethink why it is that we volunteer in the first place.

First place winner for "Popular Presentation of the Catholic Faith" from the Catholic Press Association! Thrift Store Saints is a collection of true stories based on Jane Knuth’s experiences serving the poor at a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in the inner city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. At the outset of the book, Knuth is a reluctant new volunteer at the store, sharing that her middle-class, suburban, church-going background has not prepared her well for this kind of work. By the end of the book, Knuth has undergone a transformation of sorts, and neither she nor we can ever view the poor in the same way again. Knuth’s transformation is rooted in the prevailing message of Thrift Store Saints: When we serve the poor, they end up helping us as much as we help them. Throughout the book we are introduced to new “saints,” as Knuth thoughtfully, at times humorously, describes how her encounters with the poorest people led her to the greatest riches of God’s grace. Thrift Store Saints makes clear that it doesn’t require heroic Mother Teresa-types to make a difference with the poor, and it even more powerfully shows us that working with them is not gloomy, depressing work. Knuth’s moving stories demonstrate the profound joy any of us can experience when we see serving the poor not as social work, but as a spiritual path that leads us to the heart of Jesus.

Did you know there was a saint who used a dogsled for transportation? Or a saint who turned down a marriage proposal from the Roman emperor? How about the saint who jumped from building to building during a siege to bring the Eucharist to his parishioners? Discover all of these stories and more in 101 Orthodox Saints. Written for children and those with a childlike curiosity, this visual encyclopedia will enhance your family's understanding and celebration of the saints of the Church. Each page is filled with illustrations, icons, graphics, and fascinating facts about the martyrs, monks, and mothers who boldly lived out their Faith to the glory of God.From Ancient Faith Publishing, your source for books on Orthodox Christianity.

What happens when Saint Nick awakes on Christmas Eve with a sore throat and itchy nose? Find out in a Christmas story families and little ones will treasure: The Night the Saints Saved Christmas. With beautiful illustrations and a memorable rhyme, this children's book tells the story of a magical Christmas Eve when the saints unite to deliver the presents and concludes with a touching reminder about the true meaning of Christmas. Children will enter more fully into the reason for the season and learn why we give gifts at Christmas, while growing deeper in their love and appreciation for the saints who watch over us and help us.

Italian Folk Magic is a fascinating journey through the magical, folkloric, and healing traditions of Italy with an emphasis on the practical. The reader learns uniquely Italian methods of magical protection and divination and spells for love, sex, control, and revenge. The book contains magical and religious rituals and prayers and explores divination techniques, crafting, blessing rituals, witchcraft, and, of course, the evil eye, known as malocchio in Italian--the author explains what it is, where it comes from, and, crucially, how to get rid of it. This book can help Italians regain their magical heritage, but Italian folk magic is a beautiful, powerful, and effective magical tradition that is accessible to anyone who wants to learn it.