Religious Life

Why do we buy what we buy, vote the way we vote, eat what we eat, and say what we say? Why do we have the friends we have, and work and play as we do? It's our choice? Yes, but there are forces, often unseen, that shape every decision we make and every action we take. These hidden, life-shaping values and ideas are not promoted through organized religions or rival philosophies but fostered by cultural habits, lifestyles and the institutional structures of society.

This audiobook contains a set of selected sermons and meditations written by one of the most profound mystics and philosophers of the Middle Ages, the German Dominican monk Eckhart von Hochheim, better known as Meister Eckhart. Near the end of his life, he was accused of heresy by the Inquisition, and later trialed and convicted by Pope John XXII, who strictly forbid his teachings.

The remarkable life, career, and faith journey of the star of The Love Boat and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. For 16 years, millions of Americans welcomed Gavin MacLeod into their living rooms every Saturday night. This veteran of stage and screen transformed himself from a seasoned character actor into the leading, lovable father-figure of The Love Boat at the height of TV's boom years. For more than 30 years, Gavin MacLeod has served as the global ambassador for Princess Cruises.

Three men go to sleep and have a similar dream. In it, a young woman appears to them. While they know nothing of her, she knows quite a lot about them. One is a judge; one is an ambitious businessman and the third is a man struggling to find meaning in his life's work. None of them suspect that the strange woman they meet in their dreams will affect their lives in ways that prove to be fatefully consequential. Her name is Perpetua, a young woman and mother arrested, condemned and executed in North Africa in the first decade of the third century, a time when Roman law sanctioned the public ...

Cold Tangerines is a collection of stories that celebrate the extraordinary moments hidden in our everyday lives. It is about God, and about life, and about the thousands of daily ways in which an awareness of God changes and infuses everything. It is about spiritual life, and about all the things that we have called nonspiritual life that might be spiritual after all.

As they silently make their way through the trees to the hidden refuge that Thomas Dyersen once found need of for his family centuries ago, Sara Merryn is grateful for its existence as the silence of the night erupts with the sounds that she has long buried in her memories.Storm Tide continues the ongoing story of family, friends, and strangers who come together at a time when the unknown is their greatest enemy…and their hidden sanctuary is their greatest defense. No matter that they have planned for this moment since the storm that first brought them together, and the siege of lawless ...

A football player who is trying to save his brother! A dancer who's trying to forget her past! Will they save each other? Boston Brady, running back for the Miami Surf, only wanted three things from his month at a beach resort—to take care of his brother, train for football, and forget his ex-girlfriend! When he is suckered into taking dance classes by his brother, he never expected to get stuck with the one woman he'd accidentally infuriated upon arriving. The beautiful and talented Addison Adair, former coach from Dancing With The Stars only wants two things--a spot on Jive ...

One of the most famous figures in Christian history, Francis of Assisi (1181/82-1226) was revered as a miracle worker during his life and quickly canonized after his death. He has inspired generations of Christians and other spiritual seekers, from medieval ascetics to 1960s hippies and modern environmentalists. The "poverello" wrote poems praising the sun, moon, and stars, spoke to the birds, and—so the story goes—even tamed a wolf. But what do we know for sure about who he was, and what is simply legend?

Stacy Friedman is getting ready for one of the most important events of her young life—her bat mitzvah. All she wants is the perfect dress to wear, her friends by her side, and her biggest crush ever, Andy Goldfarb, to dance with her (and maybe even make out with her on the dance floor). But Stacy's well-laid plans quickly start to fall apart... Her stressed-out mother forces her to buy a hideous sequined dress that makes her look like the bride of Frankenstein. Her mitzvahs are not going well at all. And then the worst thing in the entire world happens.

In 1957, at 27 years old, Father Aloysius Schwartz of Washington, D.C. asked to be sent to one of the saddest places in the world: South Korea in the wake of the Korean War. Just a few months into his priesthood, he stepped off the train in Seoul into a dystopian film. Squatters with blank stares picked through hills of garbage. Paper-fleshed orphans lay on the streets like leftover war shrapnel. These scenes pierced him.

John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce suffered lifelong opposition and endured for the causes of gospel truth, missionary zeal, and political justice. They found, in solid doctrine and humble joy, the tough roots for habitual tenderness in response to their adversaries - without doctrinal or moral flinching. They are examples of remarkable grace. In the third book of the Swans Are Not Silent series, best-selling author John Piper looks at the lives of these three great men and how they not only endured great opposition but did so with joy and without bitterness.

The Cul-de-Sac Kids is a lighthearted chapter-book series for young listeners written by the talented Beverly Lewis. Each book centers on the often-humorous escapades of these endearing neighborhood friends as they learn together the value of friendship and faith. An enjoyable book for both parents and kids! Volume One includes The Double Dabble Surprise, The Chicken Pox Panic, The Crazy Christmas Angel Mystery, No Grown-Ups Allowed, Frog Power, and The Mystery of Case D. Luc.

Throughout his distinguished and unconventional career, engineer-turned-molecular-biologist Douglas Axe has been asking the questions that much of the scientific community would rather silence. Now, he presents his conclusions in this brave and pioneering book. Axe argues that the key to understanding our origin is the "design intuition" - the innate belief held by all humans that tasks we would need knowledge to accomplish can be accomplished only by someone who has that knowledge.

Judaism, one of the world's oldest and most influential religions, is deeply rooted in history, culture, and spirituality. With a history that spans over three millennia, it is more than just a religion; it's a comprehensive way of life that has had a profound impact on the world. This is not a theological exploration but an intellectual voyage into Judaism and its practices, to give you all-you-need-to-know in a quick and easy-to-read format. In an increasingly interconnected world, a comprehensive understanding of Judaism is not only valuable but also necessary for promoting tolerance, ...

A recovering alcoholic turned firefighter, a mysterious woman with a secret, and the Christmas miracle that just might save them both. Beckett Bradshaw knows what it’s like to be on top of the world and then to come crashing down to the lowest form of human existence, living on the streets. It has taken a huge amount of hard work and self control to get where he is today. He’s content with his job as a firefighter and so incredibly grateful for the miraculous recovery of his young daughter. When a mysterious old lady shows up at the fire station and makes a prediction that Beckett will ...

Tim Chester invites a new generation to experience the Christian life as John Stott envisioned it - not simply a theological puzzle to be solved, but the daily practice of humble service and compassion found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Anna Valairy is an ordinary young woman trying to make her own place in life, when one night she meets a man who changes everything. Seeming larger than life she is pulled more and more into his world. But will their love save them or will it be their undoing? Or will Uriel, leader of the Grigori, have his way? After all he is here to serve the will of heaven and not just one woman, or is he?

Why is belief so hard to shake? Despite our best attempts to embrace rational thought and reject superstition, we often find ourselves appealing to unseen forces that guide our destiny, wondering who might be watching us as we go about our lives, and imagining what might come after death. In this lively and masterfully argued new book, Jesse Bering unveils the psychological underpinnings of why we believe.

Lady Sabine harbors a skin blemish that, if revealed, could cause her to be branded as a witch, put her life in danger, and damage her chances of making a good marriage. Sir Bennet is returning home to protect his family from an imminent attack by neighboring lords who seek repayment of debts. Without fortune or means to pay those debts, Sir Bennet realizes his only option is to make a marriage match with a wealthy noblewoman. As a man of honor, he loathes the idea of courting a woman for her money, but with time running out for his family’s safety, what other choice does he have?

An insane king. His fleeing daughter. Estranged brothers, with a scarred past, risking everything to save her from a fate worse than death. Toss in a holy priest and a lovable wolfhound, and get ready for a wild race across Ireland. For the first time ever, the legend of Saint Dymphna, a 15-year old Irish princess who lived in the 7th century, is brought to life in this contemporary novel for teens. When Dymphna's mother dies, her insane father believes Dymphna is his wife. With three friends, Dymphna manages to escape, but is pursued by the king's soldiers across Ireland.