Monthly Archives: August 2022

world of the word

New Book on Christian Discipleship in biblical lands inspires faith

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – In The World of the Word, author J. Daniel Fennell takes his readers on an eyewitness journey across the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean lands where the biblical story was born.

Beginning in the land of Moab in modern Jordan, the pathos and promise of God’s Old and New Testament peoples’ faith comes alive in readers as they discover how real history and redemptive hope merge. Ancient stories of men and women who trusted in God are made contemporary to modern life as Daniel Fennell guides us expertly through places of significant importance to Christian discipleship,

Travelling east to west – from Jordan, through Israel, into Turkey and Greece – vivid descriptions of faith expressed in places of conflict and conquest help readers gain deeper insight into the importance of place in Christian pilgrimage. Walking with Israel through the wilderness to Canaan; following Jesus and his disciples from Capernaum to Jerusalem; and partnering with Paul on his Mediterranean mission – in this book the historical reality of the biblical story unfolds before your eyes, inviting you on a journey to discover fellowship, adventure and joy in following Jesus.

A former missionary to Indonesia and a ten-year traveller and teacher in bible lands, if there’s one thing author Daniel Fennell understands it is the need for those who courageously follow Jesus to rediscover confidence in the historical truth of God’s word and experience its transforming power.

Daniel Fennell’s ministry has spanned more than 30 years – teaching Indonesian language, serving as a missionary in Indonesia for over two decades, and more recently pastoring a church in South Australia. Daniel writes for believers and seekers alike who are searching for meaning through a faith encounter with Jesus by reading the Bible.

In his powerful book, devout pilgrims and curious seekers alike are helped to reconnect Christian faith to its historical foundations as the reality of the biblical story unfolds before their eyes. Throughout this discipleship adventure, you will be inspired to walk into the future, having discovered the challenge, fellowship and joy of following Jesus.

Daniel and his wife Diane live in Adelaide, Australia  and have three children. He passionately supports Australian Rules Football and he is an avid reader and traveller.

25 meters to god

Hit by a bus: A Dad’s story of praying for his daughter’s recovery from traumatic brain injury

FAITH NEWS SERVICEWhen Tad Weiss received a phone call on June 5, 2014, informing him that his daughter, Maggie, had been hit by a bus while out on a run in Seville, Spain, his life would never be the same.

In his new book, 25 Meters to God, Weiss shares what would become a seven-year journey of healing and spiritual reawakening. While Maggie struggled—first to survive, then to heal from multiple injuries, including traumatic brain injuries in two places—Tad and his wife, Wendy, did the only thing that brought them comfort—they prayed. They also established a page for Maggie on CaringBridge*, a website designed to allow people facing various medical conditions to communicate with family and friends. Through daily journaling on this site, Tad found himself sharing the insights God revealed to him through the process of Maggie’s recovery.

While Maggie had received multiple injuries, including seven broken ribs and a badly shattered pelvis on both sides, the most challenging was the blow to her brain when she slammed into the windshield of the bus. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, car accidents are one of the most common causes for traumatic brain injury.** They state that, fortunately, only about 10 to 20 percent of brain injuries will require some type of invasive operation. In Maggie’s case, the doctors kept her sedated for several days while they monitored the swelling and pressure on her brain. It was a slow process, and not without its challenges, but Maggie’s brain healed with the benefit of time and a substantial amount of prayer.

For her dad, caring for Maggie throughout her recovery brought him face-to-face with the question people often ask in this type of situation: Why does God allow things like this to happen? At this critical juncture, there are generally two conclusions to be drawn. Either the traumatic event is God’s way of punishing us, or His attempt to lovingly get our attention. In Tad’s case, he saw it as an opportunity to not only deepen his own relationship with God, but to share his insights with others.

“I was raised in a Christian home and have known Jesus all my life,” the author states. “I surrendered my life to Christ in 1992 at the age of thirty. I study the Bible and try to live my life like Jesus, but I am a sinner in need of a Savior. The words I’ve written are inspired by God; I’m trying to be obedient and relay what He has put in front of me. I’ve had a front row seat to witness a miracle and I want to tell others about our amazing God!”

25 Meters to God is not just the story of a young woman’s recovery from traumatic brain injury. It’s also about a community of believers coming together in prayer. What might have been a tragedy emerges as a story of hope and encouragement.

*www.caringbridge.org.

**www.keranews.org/health-wellness/2022-04-11/traumatic-brain-injury-occurs-about-once-every-nine-seconds-in-the-u-s-heres-how-and-why

https://redemption-press.com/product/25-meters-to-god/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A lifelong midwesterner, Tad Weiss went to college in Minnesota and has lived there ever since. He works as a Certified Financial Planner and is the president of Modus Advisors LLC, a registered investment advisory firm. He has served on the board of directors for Feed My Starving Children and was their chairman from 2011 to 2014. His hobbies are centered around sports, skiing, golf, and fitness, with an occasional triathlon when the mood strikes. Tad resides in Victoria, Minnesota, with his wife, Wendy, and their dog, Corby. Their daughter, Maggie, and son-in-law, Paul, live nearby, and their son, Peter, lives in Denver.

For review copies and media interviews, contact: E-mail address: tad@25meters.com

Connect with the author at:

Website: www.25meters.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tad.weiss.1

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tad.weiss/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tad-weiss-70449012

 

joyce meyer

NY Times Bestselling Author & Bible Teacher Joyce Meyer to Host 40th Women’s Conference in St. Louis MO

FAITH NEWS SERVICEJoyce Meyer to Host 40th LOVE LIFE WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

Joyce Meyer Ministries’ Signature Annual Event Returns to St. Louis at the Dome at America’s Center

  • Featuring New York Times bestselling author and Bible teacher Joyce Meyer, with special guests, Joel Osteen, Lisa Harper and Christine Caine
  • Musical guests: Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, Brandon Lake, and Tauren Wells

August 24, 2022 (St. Louis, Mo.): NY Times Bestselling Author and Bible Teacher, Joyce Meyer, will host her fortieth women’s conference this September in St. Louis, Missouri! Thousands of women are expected to gather at the Dome at America’s Center on September 22-24, 2022, as Joyce Meyer Ministries’ 40th Annual Love Life Women’s Conference kicks off for a very exciting weekend! Attendees at this ladies-only event will hear inspirational messages from bestselling author and St. Louis native, Joyce Meyer, along with special guests Joel Osteen, Lisa Harper and Christine Caine.

Women will also experience a glorious time of worship at each session, featuring several of the music industry’s most celebrated Christian artists: Chris Tomlin, Phil Wickham, Brandon Lake and Tauren Wells.

“It’s a tremendous honor to have welcomed women from all over the world to our Women’s Conference for forty consecutive years,” says Joyce Meyer. “We look forward to a truly exciting and unforgettable milestone anniversary weekend next month, where ladies will hear life-changing messages about God’s love and how to remain peaceful, faith-filled and grounded in Christ no matter their circumstances. We pray that throughout the weekend, every woman is revived, encouraged, and fully equipped to represent God’s love, mercy and compassion toward a hurting world.”

Schedule (Note: doors open 90 minutes prior to each session):

  • Thursday, September 22: 7 PM
  • Friday, September 23: 9:30 AM, 1:30 PM, and 7 PM
  • Saturday, September 24: 9:30 AM and 1:30 PM

Seating is open, on a first come first serve basis. Early entrance will be available for the physically impaired, 15 minutes before doors open. Interpretation for the hearing impaired as well as Spanish translation will be provided. This section will be reserved until 30 minutes before the start of each session.

The Love Life Women’s Conference brings a significant boost to the St. Louis economy. With more than fifteen thousand visitors filling thousands of downtown and airport area hotel rooms, the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission (CVC) estimates over $6.8 million in direct spending will happen throughout the weekend.

Over the weekend, conference attendees will bring in school supplies to benefit families in need throughout the St. Louis area. They will be supporting the St. Louis Dream Centeran inner-city outreach and subsidiary of Joyce Meyer Ministries, located in North St. Louis.

Hundreds of volunteers and Joyce Meyer Ministries staff make this annual event happen. For more information about the conference, please visit our website: www.joycemeyer.org/lovelife.

prayerful planning

Educator releases inspirational resource for school-year planning

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – With decades of experience behind her in teaching, administrating, and educational consulting, Kari Calcote is releasing an inspirational planning guide for educators. Published by Redemption Press (2022), Prayerful Planning: An Inspirational Planning Resource for Educators is a six-week planning guide and practical resource.

This new release includes strategies and tips grounded in educational research to help teachers monitor and support students, and includes weekly self-care ideas to alleviate stress, devotionals, and inspirational Scriptures.

Calcote, who has a bachelor’s in communications and a master’s in educational diagnostics, says, “Teaching is a demanding profession. The stakes are high, and the support is often low. But, remember, you are here for a reason. God is using you to reach others. Trust in his plan and know you are changing lives.” The Texas-based educator adds, “No matter why you chose this field, you will have a significant impact on kids. You hold the power to mold young minds, inspire greatness, and model kindness.”

https://redemption-press.com/product/prayerful-planning-an-inspirational-planning-resource-for-educators/

About the Author
Kari Calcote is an educator who never wanted to be a teacher. She has worked as a teacher, an elementary school principal, curriculum director, special-ed teacher, behavior specialist, and diagnostician. She currently serves as special-ed director for four small west Texas districts. She and her husband enjoy engaging with their two kids in their activities and sports, and they are active members in their Winters, Texas, Church of Christ.

For more information contact Kari at kari@calcoteconsulting.com.

down the river

Book two of the Two Rivers Trilogy—Christian native American historical fiction adventure—focuses on spiritual warfare and intercessory prayer

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – In Down the River, author Michael W. Henry continues the adventure of book 1, Two Rivers. Down the River sends main characters Allen Hartman and Deacon Abraham on wild journeys as they battle dark forces that include pirates and demonic forces—but not without the help of powerful prayers from the people in their everyday lives.

Allen, missionary to the Arapaho in 1840, finds himself facing disgrace from his denomination, for dressing like the natives and living in their camps. When Allen departs on what should be an uneventful journey to clear his name, he is thrust into a mission to rescue his close friend Deacon Abraham, a former slave who’s been kidnapped by a depraved, vile man. Allen—no stranger to spiritual warfare—will stop at nothing to save his friend, including fending off river pirates out for blood and demonic forces intent on stealing lives.

Pastor to a small church in Ohio, Deacon Abraham risks his life daily to help transport runaway slaves to the next leg of their freedom trek. But it’s more than his life that’s at stake when he’s captured by a minion to a dark, formidable being—it’s his soul. Will the prayer warriors interceding for Deacon Abraham and Allen be enough to defeat the haunting evil, or will two men of God be brought to their knees before an insidious power?

A former missionary to the Dominican Republic and Mexico, if there’s one thing author Michael Henry is familiar with, it’s spiritual warfare and deliverance. “The power of intercessory prayer on behalf of those in spiritual warfare cannot be overstated,” Michael says. “The portrayal of fiction events is a reflection of the real spiritual battles believers encounter.”

Michael takes the reader deep into the heart of a man who trusts his prayers—and those of friends he knows are interceding on his behalf—and God himself above all, even when facing seemingly insurmountable challenges.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael W. Henry’s ministry has spanned from serving as a missionary in Mexico, where he encountered intense spiritual warfare, to planting and pastoring churches in Washington state. Now retired, Michael pursues writing, film production, and offers spiritual-life coaching to believers searching for deep faith encounters with Jesus. Michael has long been fascinated by Native American spirituality and culture. He and his wife live in Wenatchee, Washington, and enjoy hunting, hiking, canoeing, and other outdoor activities with their four adult children and grandchildren. He has previously published Two Rivers, book 1 of the Two Rivers Trilogy.

Contact email: Mhenry6@gmail.com
Social media links
Instagram: mike.henry6
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mike.henry.334839

 

losing her finding me

A Parent’s Heartache: Author Offers Hope for Healing in the “Silent Epidemic” of Child-Parent Estrangement

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – According to experts in the field of family psychology, estrangement between parents and their adult children is more common than ever. In fact, 27 percent of families are estranged, and 40 percent have experienced in their family.*

While heartbreaking, this statistic might bring a bit of comfort to parents like Michelle, who lived through the ordeal of abandonment by her daughter.

In her new memoir, Losing Her, Finding Me, Rohlf lays bare the story of how she lost not only her daughter, and all contact with her grandchildren, but her sense of self. When her daughter Naomi left, Rohlf found herself stripped of her identity as a person—that’s how enmeshed her life was with Naomi’s.

Faced with what felt like no good options, she turned to God. This became a turning point for her own journey of healing, not only from her recent losses, but from the damages of her childhood, which she hadn’t realized still impacted her. The cumulative effect of early unhealed wounds had seeped into her first marriage, her divorce, and her parenting. Unless she faced these traumas, any attempt to mend the current rift in her family would remain fruitless.

In an interview with Today’s Savannah Guthrie, psychologist Joshua Coleman calls the phenomenon of child-parent estrangement a “silent epidemic,” because people are too embarrassed to discuss it.** But for those going through it, this silence only adds to their sense of culpability and isolation.

“So many parents who are going through this don’t want to talk about it,” Coleman said. “They feel ashamed. They feel humiliated. And the kids as well. They don’t want to talk about it either.”

For Michelle Rohlf and those like her, talking about it is the only path toward healing. And for other parents who have difficult adult children, her book has a message of hope. While they might feel like they are alone in this journey of rejection, they are not.

“Your life isn’t over because your child walked away,” Rohlf says. “And the first step toward healing is to work on yourself. Find your own life apart from your child because you are valuable, and this world needs you.”

*   https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/29/opinion/estranged-american-families.html

** https://www.today.com/parents/parental-estrangement-silent-epidemic-cut-kids-1C9163139

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michelle Rohlf has spent a lifetime focusing on relationships and encouraging others to cultivate their own healthy relationships. She speaks at retreats, women’s meetings, and Bible Studies. She has a passion for mentoring and discipleship, whether it be one on one or in small groups. Married to a wonderful, supportive man since 1995, Michelle resides in Phoenix, Arizona. She has two daughters, two grandsons, and two small, fluffy dogs. Losing Her, Finding Me is her first book.

For review copies and media interviews, contact: Email address: michellerohlfwrites@gmail.com

Connect with the author at:
Website: michellerohlf.com
Facebook: Michelle Rohlf
Instagram: @michelle_rohlf
YouTube: Michelle Rohlf

Revelation: A Manual of Spiritual Warfare

New Book on Revelation Corrects the Errors of Dispensationalism

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – August 16, 2022, Cary, NC – A new book by Max Doner, “Revelation: A Manual of Spiritual Warfare,” contains expository messages that provide a clear and compelling interpretation of the meaning and message of the Book of Revelation that will enable the reader to understand Revelation with clarity and confidence.

The Book of Revelation often confuses and mystifies those who read it. “Revelation: A Manual of Spiritual Warfare” thoroughly explains every verse in an easy to understand and biblically satisfying manner.

Written from an Amillennial Covenantal Idealist perspective, it sets forth a Reformed interpretation that corrects the errors of Dispensationalism.

Readers will see the triumph of Christ over Satan and his helpers, moving them to better worship and more zealously serve their Savior. They will understand the nature of spiritual warfare and how to triumph in it. They will be inspired to persevere in the faith as they understand the promise of eternal life in the new heaven and the new earth that is made to the overcomer. They will face the future with optimism and confidence in the Lord’s victory, both in the battle and in the end.

“As a pastor, I struggled with the meaning and interpretation of Revelation for years. There are many books written on Revelation, but none that possessed the clarity, simplicity, and completeness that was needed. My book is clear, using language and explanation that make it easy to read. It is simple, containing no unnecessary technical details that distract from the message and application of the text. Most importantly, it is complete. Every phrase in every verse is dealt with and explained. Nothing is skipped.

This was not the case with other books that were available to me. They were either highly technical and very tedious to read, or else they were too superficial and skipped over details that needed to be explained. This book will be satisfying to study because of the consistency of its approach and the completeness of its explanations. The amillennial idealist approach is consistently used throughout the book.

This book provides a homiletical structure and approach that pastors will find valuable in message preparation. The outlines embedded in each chapter will be helpful for constructing sermons. The applications that are made will assist the pastor in showing his people how to live out the message it contains. This book will save pastors enormous amounts of time in their preparation to preach through Revelation.” – Max Doner

“Here is a preacher’s commentary on Revelation. If you have wondered how to preach Revelation, this volume is for you. This commentary gives the preacher a clear and consistent example of how to exposit Revelation so as to make it accessible and understandable to the believer in the pew.” – Pastor Alan Dunn

““Revelation: A Manual of Spiritual Warfare” is a must-read for all serious students of eschatology. In it, Max offers up the most comprehensive and compelling case for the idealist interpretation yet written. Every single verse is dealt with–a feature hard to find in many comparable books and commentaries on the subject.” – Pastor Jeff L. Black

Currently available in Kindle format from Amazon, Revelation: A Manual of Spiritual Warfare, will release as a two-volume hardcover set in November 2022.

Author Max Doner has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Sacramento State University in Sacramento, California. He also graduated from Sacramento Bible Institute in Sacramento, California, with a diploma after a three-year non-accredited seminary-level course of study. He was a Reformed Baptist pastor for 34 years who held a full subscription to the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith throughout those years. He founded and pastored two Reformed Baptist churches, one in Sacramento, California, and one in Lebanon, Oregon.

For more information, contact Carl Dobrowolski, CEO of Goodwill Rights Management Corp: carl@goodwillrights.com. Goodwill Rights Management is part of Goodwill Media Services, which provides a wide range of services for Christian publishers and authors, including foreign rights management and audiobook production.

no turning back

No Turning Back – the remarkable story of Australian missionary couple to the indigenous

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – Australian newly-weds, Pearl and Bruce Smoker, at the tender age of twenty-four years, left their families and comfortable lives to build and staff a mission station at Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia in 1951. At that time, missionaries could only live and work amongst the Indigenous Australian people on “missions”, where children and the infirm could live, supported by an inadequate government allowance.

Indigenous Australians moved with the seasons, living with and bonded to the land. The early pastoralists wanted a cheap and stable workforce on their stations. The “Assimilation Policy” of the day required government officials to remove mixed race children from their parents and place them in hostels and with white families, creating the ongoing pain and anguish of the “stolen generation” in Australia.

Missionaries have been criticized for enabling and colluding with this removal of children from their parents by providing hostels for these mixed-race children.

No Turning Back tells the story of the challenges, struggles and joys of a young couple, who obeyed the call of God on their lives and sought to care for and bring the Good News of Jesus to Indigenous Australians at a time when their lives were being disrupted forever by the onslaught of colonial settlement, as well as a government intent on erasing their culture.

Only their faith and the knowledge that if they did not continue, many people would suffer further privation and exploitation, enabled them to continue in the extreme heat and isolation. Abrupt changes in government policy resulted in hundreds of First Nations people becoming the responsibility of the mission.

This book gives and insight into the life of Pearl and Bruce Smoker and inside information about those years and reveals their strong personal calling, stories about the people they loved and the challenges they faced, as they worked at this difficult task without salary and with meagre resources.

No Turning Back is a fascinating story will encourage other Christians to step out of their comfort zones to do something great for God.

About the author
Keren Masters is a Counsellor and Supervisor of Counsellors. She wrote this book to tell her parent’s story and the early history of the colonisation and development of the Kimberley region of Western Australia. She is the only daughter of Pearl and Bruce Smoker, and was born in Halls Creek in 1960, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. She grew up in Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing before attending boarding school in Perth at age twelve. Boarding school wrenched her from living in the bush community, to life in the city; a culture shock as big as the huge changes that were happening in the Kimberley.

Keren is a “third culture kid” whose first language and culture was that of the First Nations children with whom she grew up. She had to learn Australian English and culture as a young teenager at boarding school. Keren had to learn to straddle the two cultures but does not really feel at home in either. This experience gives her some insight into the lives of the many Indigenous Australians who have had to make this same transition.

Keren has two mixed-race children from her first marriage and was widowed at the age of 22. She has remarried, and now has four adult children and is still straddling two cultures while living with her husband in Perth, Western Australia.

making sense of faith

New book helps Christians pause, reflect on why they believe what they believe

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – Have you ever idly watched the scenery slip away past the carriage windows and then suddenly wondered whether you got on the right train? Are you heading where you want to go in your life?

Author John West, a minister of religion and part-time lecturer, has. Not only that, he has written a book to help Christians to… well, make sense of their faith. In Making Sense of Faith, John asks himself why he still believes he is on the right train, as he examines the evidence for his Christian faith after a lifetime of believing in Jesus. It’s an important reflection at a time when Christianity is increasingly coming under attack from various quarters.

The book is short and readable and has something for everyone: for the Christian seeking affirmation, for the seeker who wants more information and even for those who oppose Christianity, but want to be more informed:-

For those who enjoy personal stories, John West’s close encounters in the chapter, Making Sense of Experience will move and fascinate.

For scientific minds, Making Sense of the Universe, offers some interaction with atheist Lawrence Krauss and wonders at the chances of life existing at all.

Making Sense of the Bible presents the evidence for its reliability and authority in a western world that challenges the whole idea, from outside as well as within the Christian church.

Making Sense of Ethical Behaviour includes new atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris and questions their ability to introduce any meaningful values to society.

For the increasing number of people who believe that Christianity has had a negative influence on world history, It Makes Sense Because It Works offers some correctives to that point of view.

Finally, the author addresses some of the challenges that people bring to Christianity, the greatest being the perceived absence of God, especially in the face of suffering.

Making Sense of Faith will challenge, encourage and further equip you in thinking about the place of Christianity in your life and in the world.

John has recorded a number of talks on YouTube (search: rev.john.west) and has a blog and resource website, including mp3 talks and free Bible study material at https://johnwest.org.

Making Sense of Faith, published by Ark House, is now available globally.

Devastation in Mountain Measure

New Redemption Press memoir shares missionary’s story of loss of family in plane crash

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – An estimated 420,000 people serve overseas as Christian missionaries, but studies show that about 66,547 more missionaries are needed to reach those who don’t yet know Jesus.*

Isobel Kuhn, who served as a missionary in China and Thailand from 1928–1954, believed God calls missionaries but not enough answer that calling. “I believe that in each generation God has called enough men and women to evangelize all the yet unreached tribes of the earth. It is not God who does not call, it is man who will not respond.”**

Marion Wright and her late husband, Jim Zirkle, responded to God’s calling for them to move to Guatemala in 1979 and live as missionaries. In her new memoir, Devastation in Mountain Measure, Wright shares of their ministry and of the day tragedy struck.

“Life changed on November 1, 1998, when my husband, son, son-in-law, and two of our missionaries, along with six other people volunteering with our ministry, died in a plane crash,” Wright said. “Though I was completely devastated, I knew Jim would have wanted the ministry to continue and would not want me to live in grief.”

Twenty-four years later, Wright still lives in Guatemala and leads the ministry, which now provides outreach to eleven countries, with ministries including evangelistic campaigns, medical clinics, an orphanage, and a Bible school with 45,000 graduates.

Devastation in Mountain Measure chronicles Wright’s redemptive story—from her calling to be a missionary at age fifteen, through the founding of Living Water Teaching, to her reliance on God to continue her calling after the death of her family and the loss of her partner in life and ministry.

In the years since the accident, Wright says God has continued to show Himself faithful and has brought redemption through His grace.

“Regardless of any kind of situation—problem, tragedy, divorce, death, sickness—the grace of God will enable you to not only overcome but also to have a life worth living,” Wright said. “Through my story, I hope readers will have full assurance that with God nothing is impossible and that He can change a tragedy into a victory.”

*http://missionaryportal.webflow.io/stats

**https://bethanygu.edu/news/65-missions-quotes-from-missionaries-pastors-authors/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Marion Wright founded Living Water Teaching in Guatemala in 1979, along with her late husband Jim Zirkle. She stepped into the primary leadership position in 1998, after Jim’s death, and manages the organization’s massive outreach to eleven countries, with ministries including evangelistic campaigns, medical clinics, an orphanage, and a Bible school with 45,000 graduates. Marion has two grown daughters, a son who lives in heaven, fifteen grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren. She has been married to Clarence Wright since 2003, and together they are passionate about the ministry of Living Water Teaching and the people of Guatemala.

For review copies and media interviews, contact:
Marion Wright
Email: mzwquetzal@gmail.com
Website: www.livingwaterteaching.org

https://redemption-press.com/product/devastation-in-mountain-measure-bringing-victory-from-sorrow-a-story-of-gods-faithfulness/

wisdom

New release explores how growing in wisdom impacts the way we speak

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – Cruel words crush spirits, as affirmed by Christian psychologist Diane Langberg, who wrote, “The power of words to destroy is seemingly endless. Words can shatter the self of a child or an adult.”*  From online bullying to domestic verbal abuse, words have the power to cause suffering. A new release, Wisdom: Capturing the Power of Our Words by Dyann Shepard (Redemption Press 2022), offers a biblical way of transforming our words to foster healing rather than harm.

This eight-session interactive Bible study, designed for group or individual study, examines the relationship between wisdom and the power of our words. The study takes participants on a journey of renovating their hearts as they pursue the godly wisdom of Proverbs, resulting in more loving and healing relationships.

Rev. Michael Sparrow, MDiv, president of Compassion Endeavor (San Luis Obispo, CA), says, “Wisdom: Capturing the Power of Our Words is a guide to help believers mine the wisdom found in Proverbs and apply it to our thoughts, our speech, and actions. Each chapter challenges mindsets, explores principles, and engages the reader with practical exercises toward enhancing our vertical relationship with God and our horizontal relationships with one another.”

Shepard interweaves a personal incident in her own life to show how submitting to God’s correction of her spoken words brought her to a new place of inner transformation and freedom. Shepard, a former staff member of CRU and Stephens Minister, says, “Developing the habit of pursuing godly wisdom will produce the habit of thinking before we speak, leading to the habit of using words that are soothing, encouraging, and healing.”

*Diane M. Langberg, Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church (Grand Rapids, MI, Brazos Press 2020), 64.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dyann Shepard is an author, speaker, and Bible study teacher who loves to share the power of God to redeem, restore, and transform lives through life’s most tumultuous storms. Her passion is writing and speaking about the transforming power of Jesus in our daily lives when we open our hearts to Him. A retired CPA, Shepard is a former staff member of  CRU and was a Stephen’s Minister for many years. Her writings can be found on her websites, www.dyannshepard.com and www.personalparables.com.

Contact Dyann at: dymarie@dshepardcpa.com.

Instagram: @personalparables

https://redemption-press.com/product/wisdom-capturing-the-power-of-our-words/

 

messy narrow road

Redemption Press Debut Author Uses Poetry and Prose to Encourage Others in Life’s Difficult Circumstances

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – “We’re a messy work in progress, and the process can be painful,” says debut author Vicky Wedel. The Edmond, Oklahoma, resident writes about traveling on “life’s messy road” in a new release appropriately titled The Messy Narrow Road: A Fellow Traveler’s Tips and Encouragement (Redemption Press). She adds, “No matter the source, God promises that nothing will go to waste . . . Whatever ash heap we or others have made, He’ll bring beauty from it.”

The Messy Narrow Road is a collection of forty encouraging devotionals, each one accompanied by an original poem, and space for a journaling response. Vicky Wedel is new to writing, and especially writing poetry. Before 2017 she hadn’t written devotionals or poems, finding most poetry “dark and confusing.” But one day, she says, “God started laying words upon my heart. So I began writing poems; then later devotionals.” Encouraged by friends to write a book, she found the poems she had already written matched the new devotionals she produced.

The wife and mother of two calls herself a thirty-six-year veteran of the messy narrow road. Dedicated to learning God’s Word, character, and heart, she says the Lord has used personal trials as well as ministry involvement in Bible Study Fellowship and Celebrate Recovery as her training ground for growth. She loves to encourage others and offer struggling travelers a helping hand by sharing what God has taught her.

Practical and inspirational encouragement for hard times and good, this book is filled with Scripture, and centered in the character of God.

For review copies and media interviews, contact the author at vickyjwedel@gmail.com

https://redemption-press.com/product/the-messy-narrow-road/

 

rise and rejoice

New Redemption Press bible study leads readers on a journey to meet their greatest need

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – You may be a Christian, but that doesn’t automatically mean you’re fulfilled or know what truly satisfies you deep down. According to Answers to Tough Questions about God and Life, believers struggle to find answers to their discontent.*

Author Heather Murdock didn’t know the answer to that until she began the personal journey of transformation that only occurs when you give your life to Jesus.

From growing up in a school bus, to trying to make it in Hollywood, to being a young woman living alone in New York, Heather’s life has been full of twists and turns. She experienced what felt like many lifetimes in those years, but nothing prepared her for the heartache that followed when her sister was tragically taken in a drunk-driving accident. In the months and years after her passing, Heather began putting the pieces of her broken heart back together. Her pain led her to discover the deep-seated meaning of inner peace and satisfaction. And the answer surprised her.

Her journey of healing and fulfillment in Christ has brought her to the place of being able to share with other women what God had done in her own life. As she studied Isaiah 55, the key chapter for a retreat she was speaking for, the Holy Spirit helped her realize more deeply why people flocked to earthly, tangible things that would never truly satisfy.

Murdock says, “Everything we need is available in and through Christ, yet we continue to go to other people, places, and things because of the condition of our heart.”

In July 2019, that talk from the women’s retreat transformed into Rise and Rejoice, a six-week Bible study focused on helping women through emotional and spiritual healing. Written in a raw, transformative, hopeful style, the author desires for readers to “be healed from pain and trauma so they can become who God made them to be.” By using gentle journaling and prayer prompt elements, readers will identify their greatest needs in a safe, accepting space and watch as Jesus meets them there.

*https://questions.org/attq/im-a-christian-so-why-am-i-unhappy/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heather Murdock is a speaker and author with a passion to encourage and equip believers to live empowered by the Holy Spirit to overcome obstacles and live out their purpose. Her podcast, Living Free with Heather Murdock, is a great resource for people seeking healing, freedom, and transformation. She draws from numerous life experiences, including her years as a Celebrate Recovery ministry leader, but mostly from the Word of God. Heather travels in her role as vice president of Human Resources for a global manufacturing tech company, developing leaders and company culture, but her greatest joy is her family. They live in Placerville, California, where they serve in their local church. She and her husband are co-founders of Rise and Rejoice Ministries, which focuses on kingdom discipleship, leadership, and worship.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/heather.murdock1

Instagram: www.instagram.com/heather.murdock

Twitter: @heathersjourney

For review copies and media interviews, contact Heather at heathersfaith@gmail.com.

Best Christian Workplaces Institute

109 Organizations Honored as “Certified Best Christian Workplaces”

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – MERCER ISLAND, WA – Today, Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI) honors 109 faith-based organizations and Christian-owned businesses as Certified Best Christian Workplaces in the first half of 2022.

These workplaces reported strong satisfaction with team dynamics, even during a season when external research reveals the prevalence of isolation and disconnection at work.

What’s unique about organizations that are certified as Best Christian Workplaces? Employees at these workplaces affirm good teamwork and conflict resolution skills in their responses to the BCWI Employee Engagement Survey. Even in the face of lower satisfaction with compensation and benefits, employees find high levels of meaning and value in their work as their organizations achieve their goals.

In today’s tight labor market where employees are feeling the pinch of inflation, leaders are concerned about their ability to compete for top talent and offer compensation and benefits to retain employees. Jay Bransford, CEO of BCWI addresses these challenges: “Many organizations are facing financial pressure, especially if they experienced a drop in donations or other revenue streams over the past few years. Rewarding compensation and outstanding talent are two important factors for flourishing organizations in the long-term. Even as these areas are lagging, top-ranking organizations see the benefit of investing in teamwork and sustainable strategy to increase employee engagement.”

Another challenge for effective leadership is healthy communication. After several years of adaptation in workplace patterns, employees need consistent communication to increase their engagement. Organizations that have a healthy workplace culture have found ways to effectively communicate and work together toward common goals even when employees are not all at the same comfort level with hybrid or virtual work settings.

Workplaces that are flourishing have leaders who are proactive rather than reactive in a changing environment. Bransford underscores the importance of great leadership in influencing workplace culture: “We live in a world of dynamic change—from changing global political and economic realities, to cultural shifts in society. Effective leaders need to continuously take the pulse of their organizations to better understand the state of their flock and how best to support, attract, and retain top talent. No other factor impacts the performance of an organization to a greater extent than its culture. Therefore, proactively assessing and developing a healthy culture is a strategic imperative for all leaders. BCWI is the expert in assessing the culture of Christian organizations—applying robust data and experienced, professional consultants to guide you along the road to flourishing.”

This year’s Certified Best Christian Workplaces list features organizations in the United States, Canada, Thailand, Australia, Indonesia, and Zambia, and includes a variety of faith-based nonprofits, churches, and Christian-owned businesses.

Since 2002, BCWI’s Employee Engagement Survey has been completed by more than 340,000 employees from over 1,300 organizations in the US, Australia, Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, Central and South America.

###

Media Contact
Robert Wachter
Global Director of Marketing
rwachter@bcwinstitute.org
206.979.7593

###

About Best Christian Workplaces Institute
​​BCWI is an international, not-for-profit, research-based, organizational development and human resources consulting firm, with offices in Mercer Island, Washington, and London, Ontario.

We equip and inspire Christian leaders to build an engaged, flourishing workplace. We believe that Christian-led workplaces can set the standard as the best, most effective places to work in the world. Founded in 2002, we help measure and improve the health of organizations through our surveys, 360 Leadership Review process, and consulting services. BCWI is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

For more information, visit bcwinstitute.org. Explore our Blog and the Flourishing Culture Podcast for valuable insights and resources from top Christian leaders.

The following organizations are honored as Certified Best Christian Workplaces in the first half of 2022:

CAMPS AND CONFERENCE CENTERS

Cho-Yeh Camp and Conference Center  – Livingston, TX

Forest Glen Camps & Retreats – Huntsville, TX

Lake Ann Camp – Lake Ann, MI

One Hope Canada – Winnipeg, MB Canada

CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS

Anonymous

Calvary Christian Academy Fort Lauderdale— Fort Lauderdale, FL

Cherry Hills Christian School – Highlands Ranch, CO

The Covenant School – Dallas, TX

Crestmont Christian Preparatory School – Boerne, TX

Grace International School – Hang Dong, Thailand

Grapevine Faith Christian School – Grapevine, TX

Harvest Christian Academy – Elgin, IL

Milpitas Christian School – San Jose, CA

Pickering Christian School – Ajax, ON, Canada

Southeast Christian School – Parker, CO

Wheaton Academy – West Chicago, IL

CHRISTIAN-OWNED BUSINESSES

Atiba Software, LLC – Nashville, TN

BETA Fueling Systems, LLC – Reidsville, NC

C12 Group  – San Antonio, TX

Civil Southeast, LLC – Andalusia, AL

Davidson Wealth Management – Davidson, NC

Dow Smith Contracting Company, Inc.  – Smyrna, TN

Excellence in Giving – Colorado Springs, CO

Gold Eye Clinic – Palestine, TX

Harris Beverages – Durham, NC

HumCap LP – Plano, TX

John Houston Family of Companies – Red Oak, TX

Liberty Storage Solutions – Mocksville, NC

Outreach  – Colorado Springs, CO

Total Computer Solutions – Greensboro, NC

Wilson Lumber – Huntsville, AL

CHURCHES

Anonymous

Ada Bible Church – Ada, MI

BattleCreek Church – Broken Arrow, OK

Beulah Alliance Church – Edmonton, AB Canada

Central Community Church – Wichita, KS

City on a Hill – Melbourne, VIC, Australia

The Crossing Church – Costa Mesa, CA

Connect United – Ashland, MA

Grace Bible Church – Virginia Beach, VA

Irving Bible Church – Irving, TX

Kamloops Alliance Church – Kamloops, BC Canada

Lifepoint Church – Fredericksburg, VA

LowCountry Community Church – Bluffton, SC

Miracle Life Family Church – Lusaka, Zambia

Mission Community Church – Gilbert, AZ

Mission Hills Church – Littleton, CO

Montgomery Community Church – Cincinnati, OH

New Vision – Murfreesboro, TN

Pathway Church – Wichita, KS

Port City Community Church – Wilmington, NC

Redeemer Lincoln Square – New York, NY

Redeemer Presbyterian Church West Side – New York, NY

Rolling Hills Community Church – Franklin, TN

StoneBridge Christian Church – Omaha, NE

Southeast Christian Church – Parker, CO

Southridge Community Church  — St. Catharines, ON Canada

Summit Crossing Community Church – Madison, AL

Suncrest Christian Church – St. John, IN

Thornapple Valley Church – Hastings, MI

Traders Point Christian Church –  Indianapolis, IN

Trinity Church  — Lansing, MI

The Village Church – Flower Mound, TX

West Side Presbyterian Church – Ridgewood, NJ

Whittier Area Community Church – Whittier, CA

FAMILY SERVICES

4KIDS  — Fort Lauderdale, FL

The Bair Foundation – New Wilmington, PA

BsideU for Life – Louisville, KY

Care Net – Lansdowne, VA

Care Net of Puget Sound – Tacoma, WA

Christian Children’s Home of Ohio  – Wooster, OH

Human Coalition – Plano, TX

Life Network – Colorado Springs, CO

Promise 686 – Norcross, GA

Save The Storks – Colorado Springs, CO

HIGHER EDUCATION

Colorado Christian University – Lakewood, CO

MEDIA

Family Life Communications – Tucson, AZ

RightNow Media  — McKinney, TX

The Urban Alternative – Dallas, TX

Vision Christian Media – Springwood, QLD, Australia

PARACHURCH AND MISSIONS

Baptist State Convention of NC – Cary, NC

Bible League International  — Crete, IL

CDF Capital – Irvine, CA

Focus on the Family Canada  — Langley, BC Canada

Generous Giving – Orlando, FL

Jewish Voice Ministries International – Phoenix, AZ

Love Justice International – Lincoln, NE

Operation Mobilization USA – Tyrone, GA

Reasons to Believe – Covina, CA

StuMo – Conway, AR

Untold – Atlanta, GA

Wycliffe Canada – Calgary, AB Canada

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

ACSI – Colorado Springs, CO

Canadian Centre for Christian Charities – Elmira, ON Canada

Classical Conversations – Southern Pines, NC

Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability – Winchester, VA

PCA Retirement and Benefits – Lawrenceville, GA

Samaritan Ministries International – Peoria, IL

RESCUE MISSIONS

The City Mission – Cleveland, OH

Outreach Inc. – Indianapolis, IN

Phoenix Rescue Mission – Phoenix, AZ

The Rescue Mission – Fort Wayne, IN

Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission – Seattle, WA

St. Matthew’s House – Naples, FL

Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission – Philadelphia, PA

Trinity Rescue Mission – Jacksonville, FL

Union Rescue Mission – Wichita, KS

Wheeler Mission – Indianapolis, IN

Yakima Union Gospel Mission – Yakima, WA

###

code blue

New book contends Bible supports veracity of near death accounts

FAITH NEWS SERVICEBecause they think it’s “not Biblical,” many Christians reject accounts by near death survivors who maintain they visited heaven and returned. But, according to an ordained Christian minister, founder of the internet ministry Ads4Christ.Org, this view is off the mark. Having conducted extensive research, he has concluded that the Bible strongly supports the truth of Near Death Experiences (NDEs).

Richmond, VA—A book just released by The Oaklea Press Inc. entitled CODE BLUE: A Christian Perspective of Near Death Experiences by Jon Truman cites numerous passages of Scripture that the author maintains support his contention that accounts by near death survivors are upheld by the Bible.

Jon Truman is the pen name of ordained minister Jan Munch, who said, “We Christians believe in life after death by faith. But wouldn’t it be comforting if our faith were backed up by solid evidence? Wouldn’t it cause some who have doubts, or perhaps are somewhat skeptical, to more strongly consider the veracity of Christianity? Having done the research, I now believe there’s an abundance of evidence. In recent years, many thousands of near death survivors have described experiences that are backed up by Scripture. Even the apostle Paul—inspired author of 13 of the New Testament’s 27 books—made reference to an experience that suggests he actually had a Near Death Experience (NDE).”

In addition to his internet ministry, Munch is the author of four Christian suspense novels: “Cadaver,” “Angel,” its sequel, “Adryel,” the end times novel, “Going Home” and a newly released book of short stories entitled, “Christian Short Stories.” He lives with his wife Linda in East Tennessee.

CODE BLUE: A Christian Perspective of Near Death Experiences is available from Amazon as a Kindle eBook for $9.99 (ASIN: B0B8TNVWXT), as a trade paperback for $15.95 (ASIN: B0B8RPB1F8) and in Hardcover for $26.95 (ASIN: B0B8VCF41B).

Copy and paste this link in your browser to go to the book’s page on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B8TNVWXT

The Oaklea Press Inc. was founded in 1995 and publishes business management, self-help, fiction, biographies, religious titles, as well as those to do with body, mind & spirit.

For more information contact:
JAN MUNCH
(423) 368-4296
ads4christ@comcast.net

learning to be me without you

Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home is Free to Download for One More Day

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – United States—Saturday, August 6, 2022

Paula Freeman’s newest book, Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home, maintains best seller status.

In Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home, Paula Freeman hopes to use her candid and sometimes humorous account of a terminal diagnosis, a cross-country move, her husband’s untimely death, and an unscripted road to healing to connect readers to God’s faithfulness in the crucible of grief.

When her husband of over forty years is diagnosed with interstitial lung disease, for which there is no cure or effective treatment, Paula Freeman journals her thoughts and fears. When they move from Colorado to North Carolina to battle Ray’s terminal disease, Paula documents their adventures. In this memoir of grief and loss, Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home, Paula relates her first year of widowhood and describes falling in love with Jesus all over again.

Paula Freeman’s Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home is free and available for download on Amazon for 5 days, between August 2, 2022 through August 6, 2022. Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home is rated 5 stars by those who have purchased the book. Here’s what some of the reviewers have said:

Kristi – 5 stars
For more than widows…
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2022
Verified Purchase

I’m divorced, but that experience has a grief experience, too, in some ways differently complex than widowhood. This book spoke to my own grief in the loss of the life I had, the suffering we all endured through this process, and finding Christ in it. A kind and quietly directive resource.

Susan Craiger – 5 stars
A must read for anyone struggling with grief
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2022Verified Purchase

What an amazing gift for those who have lost a loved one. This book isn’t just for widows; it’s for anyone who has suffered grief and loss, as well as friends and family members of those who grieve. It is so well written that as the author shares her fears that she would not be able to survive the grief of her husband’s death and that God would not be enough, you feel as if you are on the emotional journey with her. She gives words to difficult feelings and provides hope to those who are struggling. I highly recommend this book for anyone walking the journey of grief.

For More Information: For more questions or to schedule an interview about this press release please contact Paula Freeman at paulasfreeman@gmail.com.

About the Author
Paula Freeman, MSW, is founder and former executive director of Hope’s Promise, a Colorado adoption agency and orphan care ministry licensed in Colorado, and author of A Place I Didn’t Belong: Hope for Adoptive Moms. Widowed with seven grown children, she lives in the Kansas City area but still calls Colorado home—and she gets to the beach as often as she can. Visit her at www.paulasfreeman.com.

Suggested Interview Questions

  1. Your book Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home is a deeply vulnerable journey of you and your husband’s experience with a terminal lung disease. Describe briefly your personal journey through it all.
  2. What is often the most misunderstood reality of losing a spouse?
  3. What are some of the challenges that widows face?
  4. What are some ways widows can move forward after loss?
  5. What is the biggest piece of comfort you can give to someone grieving right now?
  6. If someone is potentially facing spousal loss, how can they prepare well?
  7. At the end of each chapter in your book, you offer thought-provoking reflective questions for readers. What is one question that you personally wrestled with?
  8. How do you hope readers will be encouraged by reading your book?
the covenant story

Best Seller, The Covenant Story is Free to Download for One More Day

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – United States – August 5, 2022

Sonya Anderson’s new release, The Covenant Story, maintains best seller status.

In The Covenant Story, Sonya weaves biblical narrative with personal experience to create a relatable portrait gallery of the God who never stops loving, despite our failures.

Is God good, and can we trust him? The Bible answers this question with a story. The Covenant Story: Trusting the Love of a Faithful God is a retelling of the biblical narrative through God’s Bible covenants and his faithful hesed love. This is the story of God and humans in relationship. When people fail to keep their covenant vows, God sends Jesus to do the unexpected—he keeps his side of the covenant, and he keeps our side too. Through the Holy Spirit, followers of Jesus become ministers of a new covenant and ambassadors of God’s love. Written with beautiful prose, The Covenant Story envelops you with the knowledge that our faithful God doesn’t stop loving you, no matter what. He promises it, he’s proven it, and he’ll keep doing it. Forever. This is The Covenant Story—and it is the story we are invited to enter.

Sonya Anderson’s The Covenant Promise will be free and available for download on Amazon for 5 days (8/1/22-8/5/22). The Covenant Promise is currently rated at 5 stars by those who have purchased the book. Here’s what some of the reviewers have said:

Kendrari – 5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful picture of God’s love and promise
Verified Purchase

This book is an easy read that paints the most beautiful picture via Sonya’s storytelling of God’s love for us and how our purpose is carefully thought out and meaningful. A great reminder of why we are here and how we can trust God’s covenant to us. This book breaks down Biblical stories and words to demonstrate what it means for us, here and now.

Jenna Hubin – 5.0 out of 5 stars
An Invitation
Verified Purchase

At one point Sonya mentions a “holy collision”, and that is precisely what this book was to me. The same Biblical story I have heard time and time again, was met with a perspective that stood in stark contrast to the legalistic way of thinking that has smothered my soul for decades. The constant pressure to uphold it all, when I knew I never could, so why continue? The farther I read, the more invited I felt – beckoned to glimpse the hope laid out on these pages. As someone who often approaches scripture, and works containing it, with deep a rooted resentment that dates back many years, I am grateful for this story. If you are like me, and faith feels like an unattainable longing, then may this invitation extend to you as well.

For More Information: For more questions or to schedule an interview about this press release please contact Sonya Anderson at [number] or email: sonyaleighanderson@gmail.com.

About the Author
Sonya Leigh Anderson is an educator, speaker, and Bible teacher whose life was radically changed when she encountered the unconditional and faithful love of her covenant-keeping God. She lives in Princeton, Minnesota, with her husband, Kyle. You can find Sonya’s blog, Seeking God through Story, at sonyaleighanderson.com.

SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Covenant love is usually seen as something for the Old Testament. What triggered your understanding of it as something pertinent to believers today? Is that what inspired you to write the book?

You touch briefly on the adoption of your two sons as an example of covenant love and relationship. It’s a fascinating thought. Can you expand on that for us?

Could you explain why seeing the Christian life through the lens of the new covenant made such a remarkable difference in your life?

How do legalism and liberalism play out when you look at the Christian life through the lens of the new covenant?

If you could speak directly to your reader, what is the message you want them to hear most from your book?

What Scripture passages were most meaningful to you as you wrote this book? How did you decide which Bible stories to include?

What book do you hope to write as a follow-up to Covenant Story?

 

The Abolition of Christianity

Mark Walia’s new book, “The Abolition of Christianity” is a controversial work examining the massive and on-going secular assault against Traditional Christianity

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – Mark Walia, a history professor in Southern California, has completed his new book, “The Abolition of Christianity,” which exposes secularism’s war on the primary force impeding its plans to remake our culture: Traditional Christianity.

“Thanks to a wave of militant secularism now sweeping across America and the entire Western World, Traditional Christianity stands on the verge of destruction. Secularism has already triumphed on multiple fronts, be it abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, or the “right” to sexual freedom, and aspires to further revolutionary changes, including elimination of marriage, the family, and gender itself.

“That is the provocative message set forth in Mark Walia’s ‘’The Abolition of Christianity.’ Tailor-made for people of faith seeking to understand exactly why our culture has become so hostile towards Christian principles, this lively book will also appeal to anyone who enjoys controversial material on religion and politics.”

Published by Covenant Books of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, Mark Walia’s new book is an eye-opener that enables readers to appreciate how thoroughly contemporary America (and the West) has rejected its own Christian heritage.

Readers can purchase “The Abolition of Christianity” at bookstores everywhere, or online at iTunes, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

To learn more about Dr. Walia and the publication, visit his website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Covenant books is an international Christian owned and operated publishing house based in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. Covenant Books specializes in all genres of work which appeal to the Christian market. For additional information or media inquiries, contact Covenant Books at 843-507-8373.

learning to be me without you

Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home #1 New Release for 7 Straight Days

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – United States—Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Paula presents her newest book, Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home.

In Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home, Paula Freeman hopes to use her candid and sometimes humorous account of a terminal diagnosis, a cross-country move, her husband’s untimely death, and an unscripted road to healing to connect readers to God’s faithfulness in the crucible of grief.

When her husband of over forty years is diagnosed with interstitial lung disease, for which there is no cure or effective treatment, Paula Freeman journals her thoughts and fears. When they move from Colorado to North Carolina to battle Ray’s terminal disease, Paula documents their adventures. In this memoir of grief and loss, Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home, Paula relates her first year of widowhood and describes falling in love with Jesus all over again.

Paula Freeman’s Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home is free and available for download on Amazon for 5 days, between August 2, 2022 through August 6, 2022. Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home is rated 5 stars by those who have purchased the book. Here’s what some of the reviewers have said:

Kristi
5 stars
A must read for those working through loss!

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2022

Verified Purchase

What a fabulous book! Paula Freeman Invites you in to her life through her story of love and loss – woven with with laughter and tears, joys and struggles, . . and through it all, pointing you to our creator. This is an encouraging and inspirational book for anyone struggling with loss!

Sparty Bob
5 stars
Compelling Memoir. I Couldn’t Put Down!

Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2022

Verified Purchase

Paula Freeman’s memoir grabbed ahold of my heart and I read it in two days! Even though Paula’s journey is through widowhood, she makes it crystal clear how to grieve life’s losses, no matter their form. Paula’s life change is simply amazing and I love how she teaches the postive parts of grieving–getting into the rhythms of God.

For More Information: For more questions or to schedule an interview about this press release please contact Paula Freeman at paulasfreeman@gmail.com.

About the Author
Paula Freeman, MSW, is founder and former executive director of Hope’s Promise, a Colorado adoption agency and orphan care ministry licensed in Colorado, and author of A Place I Didn’t Belong: Hope for Adoptive Moms. Widowed with seven grown children, she lives in the Kansas City area but still calls Colorado home—and she gets to the beach as often as she can. Visit her at www.paulasfreeman.com.

Suggested Interview Questions

  1. Your book Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home is a deeply vulnerable journey of you and your husband’s experience with a terminal lung disease. Describe briefly your personal journey through it all.
  2. What is often the most misunderstood reality of losing a spouse?
  3. What are some of the challenges that widows face?
  4. What are some ways widows can move forward after loss?
  5. What is the biggest piece of comfort you can give to someone grieving right now?
  6. If someone is potentially facing spousal loss, how can they prepare well?
  7. At the end of each chapter in your book, you offer thought-provoking reflective questions for readers. What is one question that you personally wrestled with?
  8. How do you hope readers will be encouraged by reading your book?

 

learning to be me without you

Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home, by Paula Freeman

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home will be Free to Download Tomorrow, August 2, 2022

Paula presents her newest book, Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home.

In Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home, Paula Freeman hopes to use her candid and sometimes humorous account of a terminal diagnosis, a cross-country move, her husband’s untimely death, and an unscripted road to healing to connect readers to God’s faithfulness in the crucible of grief.

When her husband of over forty years is diagnosed with interstitial lung disease, for which there is no cure or effective treatment, Paula Freeman journals her thoughts and fears. When they move from Colorado to North Carolina to battle Ray’s terminal disease, Paula documents their adventures. In this memoir of grief and loss, Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home, Paula relates her first year of widowhood and describes falling in love with Jesus all over again.

Paula Freeman’s Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home will be free and available for download on Amazon for 5 days, August 2, 2022 through August 6, 2022. Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home is rated 5 stars by those who have purchased the book. Here’s what some of the reviewers have said:

Joy
5 stars
For more than widows…
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2022

Verified Purchase

I’m divorced, but that experience has a grief experience, too, in some ways differently complex than widowhood. This book spoke to my own grief in the loss of the life I had, the suffering we all endured.
Beth
5 stars

A must read for anyone struggling with grief

Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2022

Verified Purchase

What an amazing gift for those who have lost a loved one. This book isn’t just for widows; it’s for anyone who has suffered grief and loss, as well as friends and family members of those who grieve. It is so well written that as the author shares her fears that she would not be able to survive the grief of her husband’s death and that God would not be enough, you feel as if you are on the emotional journey with her. She gives words to difficult feelings and provides hope to those who are struggling. I highly recommend this book for anyone walking the journey of grief.

For More Information: For more questions or to schedule an interview about this press release please contact Paula Freeman at paulasfreeman@gmail.com.

About the Author
Paula Freeman, MSW, is founder and former executive director of Hope’s Promise, a Colorado adoption agency and orphan care ministry licensed in Colorado, and author of A Place I Didn’t Belong: Hope for Adoptive Moms. Widowed with seven grown children, she lives in the Kansas City area but still calls Colorado home—and she gets to the beach as often as she can. Visit her at www.paulasfreeman.com.

Suggested Interview Questions

  1. Your book Learning to Be Me Without You: A Story of Love, Loss, and Coming Home is a deeply vulnerable journey of you and your husband’s experience with a terminal lung disease. Describe briefly your personal journey through it all.
  2. What is often the most misunderstood reality of losing a spouse?
  3. What are some of the challenges that widows face?
  4. What are some ways widows can move forward after loss?
  5. What is the biggest piece of comfort you can give to someone grieving right now?
  6. If someone is potentially facing spousal loss, how can they prepare well?
  7. At the end of each chapter in your book, you offer thought-provoking reflective questions for readers. What is one question that you personally wrestled with?
  8. How do you hope readers will be encouraged by reading your book?

 

behind the picket fence

How to find peace in a world of social media overload

FAITH NEWS SERVICE – As women, we are all watching each other. We are scrolling, liking, friending and following. We are comparing ourselves to other women, those who seem to have ‘made it’.

The women who appear to have it all together: those who have the right look, the perfect family, the great job, and the amazing home.

We are buying into the lies that we are not enough, that we need to try to be more like someone else; that if only we did this or that we would be of more value.

In her third book ‘Behind the Picket Fence – The Lies Women Believe’, Dawn Pryor tackles the many issues that women face, the endless doubts we have about ourselves, and the constant deception that is fed to us by the devil that we will never have it all together and our lives will always be less than what they could be.

Dawn is well versed to write this book, as she was one of those women. She has known the hardship of watching others and feeling disappointed, of comparing her life to those who seemingly walk in the full favour of God, while she seemed to be on the outside of His blessing.

Yet, she also knows that this is nothing more than a lie. She understands that God has created each woman as unique, as special in their own way. She knows that each family situation is different and that God has given varied talents and gifts to each of us. That His love for us is not based on what we do, or what we have, but rather on our heart towards Him and towards others.

Dawn grew up in a family that moved many times. She moved towns, states and countries. She knew what it was to always be the new girl, the one who had to try harder than anyone else to fit in. The one who needed to be smarter, funnier and prettier. Dawn knew what it was like to look over the picket fence and wish she was living the dream life of someone else.

But we never know the truth of what goes on in the life and homes of others. We don’t know the depth of hurt or heartbreak that other girls may be facing. We don’t always see the full story, no matter how great the exterior might look.

As you read through this book, Dawn will remind you that you are not alone in your up and down life, in your wishing that things were different, and in your desire to ‘have it all’. She will point you back to the one truth and the only thing that really matters: that God loves you more than you can possibly know. He thinks you are incredible; He sees you as more than your career, more than your looks, more than your money. God sees you.

Dawn has been a Christian for 38 years and in that time she has walked in the bounty of God’s grace. She has known many mountaintop experiences, but has also found herself walking through the valleys of life. She writes from the heart of a woman who knows how you feel.

Dawn is also the author of ‘Hope Faith Truth’ a Christian devotional, and the illustrated children’s book ‘I Could be Anything’. She is also the founder of Island Rest and Restore, a small group women’s retreat that allows girls of all ages to get away and hear the small, still whisper of God.