Unwrapping the greatest gift

Based on the overwhelming success of The Greatest Gift, Ann Voskamp has expanded her presentation of the timeless Advent tradition of the Jesse Tree so families can celebrate together. Each day, families can read the provided Scripture passage (in connection with the original book), engage with a specially written devotion to help children of all ages understand the Advent theme for the day, and participate in suggested activities to apply the theme.

This special edition is beautifully illustrated. It can serve as a precious guide to help recapture the sacredness of the Advent season and to help the entire family understand and celebrate the epic pageantry of humankind from Adam to the Messiah.

A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"

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Back by popular demand -- and newly updated by the author -- the mega-bestselling spiritual guide in which Marianne Williamson shares her reflections on A Course in Miracles and her insights on the application of love in the search for inner peace.

Williamson reveals how we each can become a miracle worker by accepting God and by the expression of love in our daily lives. Whether psychic pain is in the area of relationships, career, or health, she shows us how love is a potent force, the key to inner peace, and how by practicing love we can make our own lives more fulfilling while creating a more peaceful and loving world for our children.

This book is based on the author's experiences as a teacher and lecturer on the self-study guide A Course in Miracles (Foundation for Inner Peace, 1975), the students of which attribute its authorship to Jesus Christ. Using humorous personal narrative, Williamson explains how applying love to all difficulties, as advised by "The Course," can aid in healing. Some may find the theories and practices presented here somewhat off-putting (e.g., Williamson counsels people with AIDS to write letters to the disease, rather than use fear and hatred to fight it). However, New Age followers or fans of Gerald Jampolsky ( One Person Can Make a Difference , LJ 11/1/90) or Louise Hay ( You Can Heal Your Life , Hay House, 1984) will enjoy this title. Purchase by demand. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 10/1/91.
- Linda S. Greene, Chicago P.L.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence

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Uniquely inspired treasures from heaven for every day of the year by missionary Sarah Young.

Jesus Calling is a devotional filled with uniquely inspired treasures from heaven for every day of the year.  After many years of writing in her prayer journal, missionary Sarah Young decided to listen to God with pen in hand, writing down whatever she believed He was saying to her.  It was awkward at first, but gradually her journaling changed from monologue to dialogue.  She knew her writings were not inspired as Scripture is, but journaling helped her grow closer to God.  Others were blessed as she shared her writings, until people all over the world were using her messages.  They are written from Jesus' point of view, thus the title Jesus Calling.  It is Sarah's fervent prayer that our Savior may bless readers with His presence and His peace in ever deeper measure.

"Jesus Calling" is fast becoming another classic in my life. Sarah Young writes what she hears Jesus speaking to her in her spirit. She has honed her listening through years and years of writing in her journal and being attentive to what the Spirit wants to say to her.

Young has Jesus say only a limited range of things compared to what God actually teaches in the entirety of the Bible. I love to hear Jesus say things like, "Relax; Trust Me; Listen to Me; I am with you; I am calling you; and Wait for Me." But this seems to be all that Young's Jesus ever says. Where are the specific commandments of Jesus, and not just "affirmations"? Where does this Jesus ever talk about the practical ways we should love our neighbor, and not just love God? And why is it always a solitary call to be alone with Him, when we're called to be the Church?

Spiritual Warfare: Christians, Demonization and Deliverance

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The Bible is explicit: We live in a world of distinct opponents; our very lives are a battle. Yet too many Christians lose more battles than they win and endure their walk with God rather than enjoy it because they don't recognize the enemy when they see it. More importantly, they have no idea how to respond.While society tells us we can react simply, the truth is that a wish, a hope, and a prayer are not the best responses to attacks from those who stand between us and the Father. Christians must be strategic in their reactions to these clearly defined enemies, learning how to fight biblically and effectively rather than just sincerely.In Spiritual Warfare, Dr. Karl Payne - pastor of Leadership Development and Discipleship at Antioch Bible Church and Chaplain for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks - has written a guidebook for defense that is simple, biblical, and transferable. Through his teaching on how to recognize and resolve attacks from the world, we learn that we are more than conquerors in Christ.

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How Rome Fell: Death of a Superpower

In AD 200, the Roman Empire seemed unassailable. Its vast territory accounted for most of the known world. By the end of the fifth century, Roman rule had vanished in western Europe and much of northern Africa, and only a shrunken Eastern Empire remained. What accounts for this improbable decline? Here, Adrian Goldsworthy applies the scholarship, perspective, and narrative skill that defined his monumental Caesar to address perhaps the greatest of all historical questions—how Rome fell.

It was a period of remarkable personalities, from the philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius to emperors like Diocletian, who portrayed themselves as tough, even brutal, soldiers. It was a time of revolutionary ideas, especially in religion, as Christianity went from persecuted sect to the religion of state and emperors. Goldsworthy pays particular attention to the willingness of Roman soldiers to fight and kill each other. Ultimately, this is the story of how an empire without a serious rival rotted from within, its rulers and institutions putting short-term ambition and personal survival over the wider good of the state.

How Rome Fell is a brilliant successor to Goldsworthy's "monumental" (The Atlantic) Caesar.

The Walking Dead

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Volume 16 of The Walking Dead offers hope to the dying community that Rick has found himself in charge of. But finding hope in The Walking Dead often ends badly, really badly. Will this be the kind of hope that leaves you brutally tortured and missing a hand? Or will the hilltop community finally offer a glimpse about how to rebuild America?

The graphic novel is steeped with the language of a new beginning. From the messenger's nickname of "Jesus" to the fact that it is a city upon a hill (a new Jerusalem?), the language promises a real start for civilization. In order to become part of this new hilltop community, however, Rick will have to risk his group by fighting the one thing on earth more dangerous than walkers: other humans!

Robert Kirkman has a knack for storytelling that allows the reader to hold a piece of the hope for the future that is always just a little farther down the road. No matter how many times that hope is snatched away, readers are brought into Rick and the groups' world through a masterful writing.

Volume 16 continues the cliff-hanger, white-knuckled series. If you've been following The Walking Dead, this novel won't disappoint.