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A Feast for the Eyes: Art, Performance, and the Late Medieval Banquet
by Christina NormoreTo read accounts of late medieval banquets is to enter a fantastical world where live lions guard nude statues, gilded stags burst into song, and musicians play from within pies. We can almost hear the clock sound from within a glass castle, taste the fire-breathing roast boar, and smell the rose water cascading in a miniature fountain. Such vivid works of art and performance required collaboration among artists in many fields, as well as the participation of the audience. "A Feast for the Eyes"is the first book-length study of the court banquets of northwestern Europe in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Christina Normore draws on an array of artworks, archival documents, chroniclers accounts, and cookbooks to re-create these events and reassess the late medieval visual culture in which banquets were staged. Feast participants, she shows, developed sophisticated ways of appreciating artistic skill and attending to their own processes of perception, thereby forging a court culture that delighted in the exercise of fine aesthetic judgment. Challenging modern assumptions about the nature of artistic production and reception, "A Feast for the Eyes"yields fresh insight into the long history of multimedia work and the complex relationships between spectacle and spectators. "
A Feast of the Nectar of the Supreme Vehicle: An Explanation of the Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras
by The Padmakara Translation Group Mipham RinpocheA full translation of an important Mahāyāna Buddhist treatise with a commentary by the famous Tibetan luminary Jamgön Mipham.A monumental work and Indian Buddhist classic, the Ornament of the Mahāyāna Sūtras (Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra) is a precious resource for students wishing to study in-depth the philosophy and path of Mahāyāna Buddhism. This full translation and commentary outlines the importance of Mahāyāna, the centrality of bodhicitta or the mind of awakening, the path of becoming a bodhisattva, and how one can save beings from suffering through skillful means. This definitive composition of Mahāyāna teachings was imparted in the fourth century by Maitreya to the famous adept Asaṅga, one of the most prolific writers of Buddhist treatises in history. Asaṅga’s work, which is among the famous Five Treatises of Maitreya, has been studied, commented upon, and taught by Buddhists throughout Asia ever since it was composed. In the early twentieth century, one of Tibet’s greatest scholars and saints, Jamgön Mipham, wrote A Feast of the Nectar of the Supreme Vehicle, which is a detailed explanation of every verse. This commentary has since been used as the primary blueprint for Tibetan Buddhists to illuminate the depth and brilliance of Maitreya’s pith teachings. The Padmakara Translation Group has provided yet another accessible and eloquent translation, ensuring that English-speaking students of Mahāyāna will be able to study this foundational Buddhist text for generations to come.
A February Bride (A Year of Weddings Novella)
by Betsy St. AmantA year&’s worth of novellas from twelve inspirational romance authors. Happily ever after guaranteed.Allie left the love of her life at the altar—to save him from a lifetime of heartbreak. When a Valentine&’s Day wedding brings them back together, she struggles against her family&’s destructive history. Can Allie ever realize that a marriage is so much more than a wedding dress?History repeats itself when Allie Andrews escapes the church on her wedding day—in the same dress passed down for generations and worn by all the women in her family—women with a long history of failed marriages. Allie loves Marcus but fears she&’s destined to repeat her family&’s mistakes. She can&’t bear to hurt Marcus worse.Marcus Hall never stopped loving Allie and can only think of one reason she left him at the altar—him. When the two are thrown together for his sister&’s Valentine&’s Day wedding, he discovers the truth and realizes their story might be far from over. Can Allie shuck expectation and discover who she is as a bride and in the Bride of Christ? And if she ever walks down the aisle, what dress will she wear?&“I was delighted to hear that some of my own favorite authors would be writing the stories for the Year of Weddings collection, and when I saw the gorgeous book covers, I knew the series would be a huge hit! There's just something so hopeful and heartwarming about a wedding, and I'm thrilled to have A January Wedding be a part of this fun project!&” —Deborah Raney, author of A January Bride
A Fellowship of Differents: Showing the World God's Design for Life Together
by Scot McknightIn this compelling book, Scot McKnight shares his personal experience in the church as well as his study of the Apostle Paul to answer this significant question: What is the church supposed to be? For most of us the church is a place we go to on Sunday to hear a sermon or to participate in worship or to partake in communion or to fellowship with other Christians. Church is all contained within one or two hours on Sunday morning. The church the Apostle Paul talks about is designed by God to be a fellowship of difference—how people differ socially—and differents—how people differ culturally. God did not design the church to be a two-hour experience on Sunday but a mixture of people from all across the map and spectrum: men and women, rich and poor, Caucasians or African Americans, and Mexican Americans, Latin Americans, Asian Americans, and Indian Americans, and a mixture of people with varying personalities and tastes. The church McKnight grew up in was a fellowship of sames and likes. There was almost no variety in his church. White folks, same beliefs about everything, same tastes in music and worship and sermons and lifestyle. Because of his experience, he writes incisively and compellingly. The church is God’s world-changing social experiment of bringing unlikes and differents to the table to share life with one another as a new kind of family. When this happens we show to the world what love, justice, peace, reconciliation, and life together is designed by God to be. The church is God’s show-and-tell for the world to see how God wants us to live as a family.
A Female Apostle in Medieval Italy: The Life of Clare of Rimini (The Middle Ages Series)
by Sean L. Field Jacques Dalarun Valerio CappozzoThis book centers on a fascinating woman, Clare of Rimini (c. 1260 to c. 1324–29), whose story is preserved in a fascinating text. Composed by an anonymous Franciscan, the Life of the Blessed Clare of Rimini is the earliest known saint’s life originally written in Italian, and one of the few such lives to be written while its subject was still living. It tells the story of a controversial woman, set against the background of her roiling city, her star-crossed family, and the tumultuous political and religious landscape of her age.Twice married, twice widowed, and twice exiled, Clare established herself as a penitent living in a roofless cell in the ruins of the Roman walls of Rimini. She sought a life of solitary self-denial, but was denounced as a demonic danger by local churchmen. Yet she also gained important and influential supporters, allowing her to establish a fledgling community of like-minded sisters. She traveled to Assisi, Urbino, and Venice, spoke out as a teacher and preacher, but also suffered a revolt by her spiritual daughters.A Female Apostle in Medieval Italy presents the text of the Life in English translation for the first time, bringing modern readers into Clare’s world in all its excitement and complexity. Each chapter opens a different window into medieval society, exploring topics from political power to marriage and sexuality, gender roles to religious change, pilgrimage to urban structures, sanctity to heresy. Through the expert guidance of scholars and translators Jacques Dalarun, Sean L. Field, and Valerio Cappozzo, Clare’s life and context become a springboard for readers to discover what life was like in a medieval Italian city.
A Feminist Companion to Reading the Bible: Approaches, Methods and Strategies (Feminist Companion To The Bible Ser. #No. 11)
by Athalya Brenner Carole FontaineThis valuable resource both presents and demonstrates the numerous developments in feminist criticsm of the Bible and the enormous rage of influence that feminist criticism has come to have in biblical studies. The purpose of the book is to raise issues of method that are largely glossed over or merely implied in most non-feminist works on the Bible. The editors have included broadly theoretical essays on feminist methods and the various roles they may play in research and pedagogy, as well as non-feminist essays that have direct bearing on the methods or subject matter that feminists use, as well as reading that illustrate the variety of methodological strategies adopted by feminist scholars. Some 30 scholars, from North America and Europe, have contributed to this Companion.
A Feminist Ethic of Risk
by Sharon WelchA Feminist Ethic of Risk proposes a new model for ethics and new life orientation for social justice. It directly addresses American and European "middle-class despair" over issues and challenges seemingly too large to tackle, such as environmental destruction or racism. Her ethic uproots classical assumptions and opens up the possibility of a strong religious vision or "theology of resistance and hope." This new edition includes a new chapter that situates the feminist ethic of risk in relation to other styles and options in religious ethics today.
A Few Days Full of Trouble: Revelations on the Journey to Justice for My Cousin and Best Friend, Emmett Till
by Christopher Benson Reverend Wheeler ParkerThe last surviving witness to the lynching of Emmett Till tells his story, with poignant recollections of Emmett as a boy, critical insights into the recent investigation, and powerful lessons for racial reckoning, both then and now. New York Times Book Review Editors&’ Choice • &“In this moving and important book, the Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr. and Christopher Benson give us a unique window onto the anguished search for justice in a case whose implications shape us still.&”—Jon Meacham In 1955, fourteen-year-old Emmett Till was lynched. That remains an undisputed fact of the case that ignited a flame within the Civil Rights Movement that has yet to be extinguished. Yet the rest of the details surrounding the event remain distorted by time and too many tellings.What does justice mean in the resolution of a cold case spanning nearly seven decades? In A Few Days Full of Trouble, this question drives a new perspective on the story of Emmett Till, relayed by his cousin and best friend—the Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr., a survivor of the night of terror when young Emmett was taken from his family&’s rural Mississippi Delta home in the dead of night. Rev. Parker offers an emotional and suspenseful page-turner set against a backdrop of reporting errors and manipulations, racial reckoning, and political pushback—and he does so accompanied by never-before-seen findings in the investigation, the soft resurrection of memory, and the battle-tested courage of faith. A Few Days Full of Trouble is a powerful work of truth-telling, a gift to readers looking to reconcile the weight of the past with a hope for the future.
A Few Steps in the Right Direction: Give Yourself the Chance You Deserve
by Kendrick SavageI started writing this book years ago during a very difficult moment in graduate school. I didn't realize it at the time, but writing this book became my way of motivating and encouraging my way through this difficult time. This moment encouraged me to write something that would encourage other people who might also be going through a difficult time. I wanted people to believe in themselves and not to allow the limitations that others place on them or the hardships of life to get the best of them. This book is also my reflection on the power of God and everything He has meant to my life. It is a source of encouragement for anyone and everyone that needs it! This book highlights moments where I had a choice of going either left or right, backwards or forwards, to listen or not to listen, or to give up or keep going. These are inspirational moments and moments of impact. These are the moments I call A Few Steps in the Right Direction! We all have these moments. Moments that somehow leave a lasting impact on the direction of our lives. Some come out of nowhere, whereas others we see coming like headlights on a dark road. Nevertheless, if handled carefully, these moments can serve as a few steps in the right direction if we allow them to. So, in this book, I aim to share some of those moments with you from my life and what that has meant for my journey. I hope it blesses you as much as it blessed me.
A Field Guide for Everyday Mission: 30 Days and 101 Ways to Demonstrate the Gospel
by Bob Roberts Ben ConnellySurprise – whoever you are, you&’re a missionary! If you call yourself a follower of Jesus, God calls you his missionary. You may never go halfway around the world. You may not raise financial support. But because of God&’s gospel work in you, you are on mission: to people in your work, school, neighborhood, and those in need. As everyday missionaries, God has sent us to live out his Great Commission in the ordinary, normal, all-too-busy, and even most mundane moments of our lives.But what exactly does an everyday missionary do? Where and when does this everyday mission happen? Most importantly, how can you possibly share the gospel, without killing your relationships?! Those are the types of questions A Field Guide for Everyday Mission answers for individuals, churches, small groups, Sunday schools, and missional communities. Many resources exist on missional theory, missional leadership, and even missional stories. But based on their years of helping people tangibly demonstrate the gospel, pastors and practitioners Ben Connelly and Bob Roberts Jr. have created an immediately implementable resource to help ordinary followers of Jesus put the idea of mission into everyday practice.Each day&’s reading includes a biblical principle that can immediately be put into practice. Each reading ends with a few ways to help you live out the principle in your daily life. By the end of day 30, you&’ll have 101 different ways to demonstrate the gospel in your daily life. And along the way, other practitioners such as Jeff Vanderstelt, Rick McKinley, and Lance Ford share stories about living on God&’s everyday mission in their unique context. A Field Guide for Everyday Mission is a tool designed for you, whether you&’re newly considering the missional idea, whether you&’ve never heard the word before, or whether you&’ve spent years trying to figure out how to put that idea into practice.
A Field Guide for Everyday Mission: 30 Days and 101 Ways to Demonstrate the Gospel
by Bob Roberts Ben ConnellySurprise – whoever you are, you&’re a missionary! If you call yourself a follower of Jesus, God calls you his missionary. You may never go halfway around the world. You may not raise financial support. But because of God&’s gospel work in you, you are on mission: to people in your work, school, neighborhood, and those in need. As everyday missionaries, God has sent us to live out his Great Commission in the ordinary, normal, all-too-busy, and even most mundane moments of our lives.But what exactly does an everyday missionary do? Where and when does this everyday mission happen? Most importantly, how can you possibly share the gospel, without killing your relationships?! Those are the types of questions A Field Guide for Everyday Mission answers for individuals, churches, small groups, Sunday schools, and missional communities. Many resources exist on missional theory, missional leadership, and even missional stories. But based on their years of helping people tangibly demonstrate the gospel, pastors and practitioners Ben Connelly and Bob Roberts Jr. have created an immediately implementable resource to help ordinary followers of Jesus put the idea of mission into everyday practice.Each day&’s reading includes a biblical principle that can immediately be put into practice. Each reading ends with a few ways to help you live out the principle in your daily life. By the end of day 30, you&’ll have 101 different ways to demonstrate the gospel in your daily life. And along the way, other practitioners such as Jeff Vanderstelt, Rick McKinley, and Lance Ford share stories about living on God&’s everyday mission in their unique context. A Field Guide for Everyday Mission is a tool designed for you, whether you&’re newly considering the missional idea, whether you&’ve never heard the word before, or whether you&’ve spent years trying to figure out how to put that idea into practice.
A Field Guide for Genuine Community: 25 Days & 101 Ways to Move from Façade to Family
by Ben ConnellyI&’m surrounded by people at church . . . so why do I feel so alone?You show up at church every Sunday. You see people you know. You listen to a sermon together. And then you go home feeling just as isolated as you did before. What&’s going on?We all know that a church is supposed to be a community. The trick is to actually make it one. Communities don&’t happen by chance—certainly not in our Lone Ranger culture that values independence and individualism. A truly Christian community must be built by intentional practices that allow for deeper connections, centered on the unity that can only be found in Christ.In A Field Guide for Genuine Community, longtime pastor and discipleship trainer Ben Connelly shows you that the biblical model for community is the family of God. In twenty-five short, practical readings, he takes you beyond the surface and helps you learn to connect with your brothers and sisters as true family members. The church isn&’t meant to be a collection of strangers. God intends for you to find a unified and purposeful household where you truly belong.
A Field Guide for Genuine Community: 25 Days & 101 Ways to Move from Façade to Family
by Ben ConnellyI&’m surrounded by people at church . . . so why do I feel so alone?You show up at church every Sunday. You see people you know. You listen to a sermon together. And then you go home feeling just as isolated as you did before. What&’s going on?We all know that a church is supposed to be a community. The trick is to actually make it one. Communities don&’t happen by chance—certainly not in our Lone Ranger culture that values independence and individualism. A truly Christian community must be built by intentional practices that allow for deeper connections, centered on the unity that can only be found in Christ.In A Field Guide for Genuine Community, longtime pastor and discipleship trainer Ben Connelly shows you that the biblical model for community is the family of God. In twenty-five short, practical readings, he takes you beyond the surface and helps you learn to connect with your brothers and sisters as true family members. The church isn&’t meant to be a collection of strangers. God intends for you to find a unified and purposeful household where you truly belong.
A Field Guide for the Hero's Journey
by Jeff Sandefer Rev Robert A. SiricoDo you feel like something big is missing from your life? Do you feel trapped, bored, stuck in a meaningless routine? It may be you think you’re too ordinary to ever do something special. Perhaps you’re afraid that if you try, you’ll fail. <p><p>The startling truth is this: Just about anyone can do great things, can live a life that’s remarkable, purposeful, excellent, and yes, even heroic. If you want to be a hero, you can be. How?That’s what this book is all about. <p><p>Will you choose to do it? Will you decide to journey heroically, instead of spending your life merely marking time? If so, this is the book for you. Welcome to your heroic journey.
A Field Guide to Becoming Whole: Principles for Poverty Alleviation Ministries
by Brian Fikkert Kelly M. KapicThis is not a how-to manual… (it&’s a field guide)We all want to know, "How can I help without hurting in this specific situation?" But there&’s no one answer, and there&’s definitely no short cuts, but there are key principles—or ministry design principles. Think of these like the rules an improvising actor learns—the principles are crucial—but the actor must decide how to put them into practice based on the complexities of the situation.This book contains and explicates 20 ministry design principles developed over decades of observing, studying, and experimenting. They&’re in no way perfect, but they represent the very best ideas we have to date for how to do effective poverty alleviation in the kingdom of God.
A Field Guide to Becoming Whole: Principles for Poverty Alleviation Ministries
by Brian Fikkert Kelly M. KapicThis is not a how-to manual… (it&’s a field guide)We all want to know, "How can I help without hurting in this specific situation?" But there&’s no one answer, and there&’s definitely no short cuts, but there are key principles—or ministry design principles. Think of these like the rules an improvising actor learns—the principles are crucial—but the actor must decide how to put them into practice based on the complexities of the situation.This book contains and explicates 20 ministry design principles developed over decades of observing, studying, and experimenting. They&’re in no way perfect, but they represent the very best ideas we have to date for how to do effective poverty alleviation in the kingdom of God.
A Field Guide to Evangelicals & Their Habitat
by Joel KilpatrickThey're Going to Heaven . . . and They Know ItAt last, a complete, unsparing guide to evangelical Christians. This hilarious and highly useful manual, written by an insider, illuminates this rapidly growing and unique segment of America and offers a thoroughly entertaining, no-holds-barred, laugh-out-loud survey of evangelical culture. See inside for the scoop on:What Evangelicals Believe -- Plus a Master List of Who Is Going to HellHow to Party Like an Evangelical -- Ambrosia, Li'l Smokies, and Potluck FeverThe Diversity of Evangelical Politics -- From Right-Wing to WackoEvangelical Mating Habits -- The Shocking Truth
A Field Guide to Fairies and Magical Beings: Understanding, Finding, and Protecting Fae
by Kayleigh EfirdThe vintage fairy-finding manual for modern-day believers Rediscover a world where Fairies abound with this delightfully illuminating, illustrated field guide. Whether you’re Fae-curious or Fae-obsessed, this unearthed and adapted collection of nineteenth-century lore is the ultimate resource for your next magical expedition. It’s packed with useful tracking and conservation tips to help you:- Tap into a secret realm: Scout out Fairy dwellings, grow Fae-friendly plants, and protect the animals and habitats Fairies need to thrive.- Recognize Fairy signs: Decode swirling winds, mysterious music, grass rings, missing trinkets, and other mystical clues.- Explore fearlessly: Avoid the perils of Changelings, Black Dwarfs, and Glaistigs.- Learn from the past: Gather insights from legendary encounters with Fairies, Mermaids, Elves, Kelpies, and the Blue MenOpen your mind and restore your sense of wonder with A Field Guide to Fairies and Magical Beings.
A Field Guide to Methodist Fresh Expressions
by Michael Adam BeckAccording to Fresh Expressions U.S., "a Fresh Expression is a form of church for our changing culture,established primarily for the benefit of those who are not yet part ofany church." Fresh Expressions are introducing people to Jesus, expanding thekingdom, and revitalizing churches. Congregations need a practical andtheological resource that can help them cultivate Fresh Expressions. As consultants who work nationwide and as innovative pastors, authors Michael Beck and Jorge Acevedo awaken congregational leaders and ministry teams to a distinctive Wesleyan approach for the Fresh Expressions movement. In Wesleyan Fresh Expressions, they show congregations how to cultivate and customize fresh expressions that fit their local context. They motivate ministry teams to take risks, experiment, and when necessary, fail well. On April 2, 1739, John Wesley went to a field just outside what was then the city limits of Bristol, England. There he tried a missional innovation called field preaching. Thousands of people showed up, many of whom who had no connection with a church. Today, most Methodists and other Wesleyans don’t know their own story. Lost in the milieu of divisive issues that threaten to tear the church apart, Wesleyans have forgotten their DNA as a renewal movement, born not from doctrinal disputes but from a missional imperative. In this sense, the Fresh Expressions movement is the most "Methodist" thing in the denomination today. This iteration of the Spirit is taking it to the fields again. Wesleyan Fresh Expressions will help guide the way.
A Field Guide to the English Clergy: A Compendium of Diverse Eccentrics, Pirates, Prelates and Adventurers; All Anglican, Some Even Practising
by The Revd Butler-GallieA Book of the Year for The Times, Mail on Sunday and BBC History Magazine Judge not, lest ye be judged. This timeless wisdom has guided the Anglican Church for hundreds of years, fostering a certain tolerance of eccentricity among its members. Good thing, too. The &‘Mermaid of Morwenstow&’ excommunicated a cat for mousing on a Sunday. When he was late for a service, Bishop Lancelot Fleming commandeered a Navy helicopter. &‘Mad Jack&’ swapped his surplice for a leopard skin and insisted on being carried around in a coffin. And then there was the man who, like Noah&’s evil twin, tried to eat one of each of God&’s creatures… In spite of all this they saw the church as their true calling. After all, who cares if you're wearing red high heels when there are souls to be saved?
A Field Guide to the Jewish People: Who They Are, Where They Come From, What to Feed Them…and Much More. Maybe Too Much More
by Dave Barry Adam Mansbach Alan ZweibelA hilarious handbook from three big-deal award-winning humorists: “I laughed til I plotzed. Did I use that correctly?” —W. Kamau Bell, goyish comedianImmerse yourself in the essence of Jewish humor and culture with A Field Guide to the Jewish People, brought to you by New York Times–bestselling Pulitzer Prize winner Dave Barry, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Adam Mansbach, and Emmy and Thurber Prize–winning SNL alum Alan Zweibel.Join them as they dissect every holiday, rite of passage, and tradition, unravel a long and complicated history, and tackle the tough questions that have plagued Jews and non-Jews alike for centuries.Combining the sweetness of an apricot rugelach with the wisdom of a matzoh ball, this is the last book on Judaism that you will ever need. So gather up your chosen ones, open a bottle of Manischewitz, and get ready to enjoy some “bona fide gems” from the authors of For This We Left Egypt? (New York Journal of Books).“No topic is off-limits.” —Kirkus Reviews“Literally has a laugh-out-loud moment on every page, sometimes more than one.” —Bookreporter
A Fierce Heart: Finding Strength, Confidence, And Joy In Any Moment
by Spring WashamSpring Washam is a founder of the East Bay Meditation Center, one of the most diverse and accessible Dharma centers in the United States. In A Fierce Heart, Washam shares her contemporary, unique interpretation of the Buddha’s 2,500-year-old teachings, with short chapters that get to the heart of mindfulness, wisdom, loving kindness, and compassion. Woven throughout the book are stories from the author’s life, family, and ancestors, along with many soulful, heartfelt stories from all over the world. Washam’s teachings focus on social action, multiculturalism, and youth, making the Dharma welcoming to as large and wide a community as possible. Anyone who has suffered will benefit from the life-saving teachings of this charismatic teacher. Her humor, enthusiasm, and energy are a balm.From the Trade Paperback edition.
A Fierce Heart: Finding Strength, Courage, and Wisdom in Any Moment
by Spring WashamWith stories from south central LA to the jungles of Peru, A Fierce Heart offers deep and honest reflections on compassion and suffering by one of the country's most powerful mindfulness teachers."Washam brings considerable gifts for conveying her vision of personal change and offers vivid, inspiring testimony to the power of Buddhism (and other wisdom traditions) to help heal suffering."- Publishers Weekly"Amidst uncertain times we need strong and inspiring medicine. In A Fierce Heart, you will find this medicine: beautiful teachings and heartfelt stories that can transform your day and change your life."- from the Foreword by Jack KornfieldWith stories from south central LA to the jungles of Peru, these deep and honest reflections by one of the country's most powerful mindfulness teachers focus on compassion as the fiercest and most effective response to suffering.Spring Washam is a founder of the East Bay Meditation Center, the most diverse and accessible meditation center in the United States. In A Fierce Heart, she shares her contemporary, unique interpretation of the Buddha's 2,500-year-old teachings that get to the heart of mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion. Woven throughout the book are stories from her life, family, and community, along with soulful and unexpected stories of compassion in action from all over the world. The life-saving teachings of this charismatic teacher are universal; her honesty, enthusiasm, and energy are a balm.
A Fierce Love: One Woman’s Courageous Journey to Save Her Marriage
by Shauna ShanksLove is easy to give when you are getting it back. Are we still called to God’s plan of how to love when we are getting none in return? Shauna Shanks’s brave journey through obedience reveals the outcome of when we dare to follow God’s ludicrous outline for love as described in 1 Corinthians 13.Wrecked with news of her husband’s affair and his request for a divorce, Shauna finds herself urgently faced with a decision. Does she give up and divorce her husband and move on, or does she try to fight for her marriage? The former choice seems to contradict God’s plan for how to love, such as “love never gives up,” “love is patient,” and “love is kind.”Taking God at His word and assuming the love chapter was really meant to be followed literally word by word, she not only finds herself falling in love with her spouse again, but also falling in love with Jesus, which changes everything.First Corinthians 13 presents an audacious, illogical, and irrational context of how to love, meant to be applied to every marital context not just the fairytale marriage. If God’s instructions seem illogical and audacious, you might just expect the same kind of results in return!This book is not air-brushed. It was written in the midst of the author’s deepest trauma, and she purposefully did not edit out her mistakes and failures during that season. This book will resonate with women who do not feel like the picture-perfect Christian woman with the fairytale life and marriage. A Fierce Love is the story of a train wreck and reaching out to God not in the calm but in the chaos and finding hope for the future.
A Fiery Gospel: The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the Road to Righteous War (Religion and American Public Life)
by Richard M. GambleSince its composition in Washington's Willard Hotel in 1861, Julia Ward Howe's "Battle Hymn of the Republic" has been used to make America and its wars sacred. Few Americans reflect on its violent and redemptive imagery, drawn freely from prophetic passages of the Old and New Testaments, and fewer still think about the implications of that apocalyptic language for how Americans interpret who they are and what they owe the world. In A Fiery Gospel, Richard M. Gamble describes how this camp-meeting tune, paired with Howe's evocative lyrics, became one of the most effective instruments of religious nationalism. He takes the reader back to the song's origins during the Civil War, and reveals how those political and military circumstances launched the song's incredible career in American public life. Gamble deftly considers the idea behind the song—humming the tune, reading the music for us—all while reveling in the multiplicity of meanings of and uses to which Howe's lyrics have been put. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" has been versatile enough to match the needs of Civil Rights activists and conservative nationalists, war hawks and peaceniks, as well as Europeans and Americans. This varied career shows readers much about the shifting shape of American righteousness. Yet it is, argues Gamble, the creator of the song herself—her Abolitionist household, Unitarian theology, and Romantic and nationalist sensibilities—that is the true conductor of this most American of war songs. A Fiery Gospel depicts most vividly the surprising genealogy of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," and its sure and certain position as a cultural piece in the uncertain amalgam that was and is American civil religion.