Brian’s Benediction By: Brian Giese Brian’s Benediction is a compilation of devotional thoughts to inspire Christians during their daily quiet time. The entries were originally a column written for his weekly church paper. The essays begin with a suggested scripture reading and conclude with prayer thoughts. They focus on spiritual themes and practical Christianity.
Matthias Ste. Germain has been alone all of his life. Orphaned as an infant and emotionally distant from the world around him, he despairs of ever finding true love. Set in the dark, secret alleyways of the Orleans of long ago, a hostile world unfolds. A town is gripped in superstitious terror as an illness ravages the population. Church and state are hand-in-hand, with the charismatic, powerful and dynamic young preacher, Obadiah St. John at its helm. A former prostitute himself, Obadiah has turned his rage upon the gypsy community (as the young male escorts are known), and has sworn to wipe them out, one by one. Public executions are commonplace, and the gypsy community huddles in fear as he cuts a bloody swath through the town. Join Matthias on his lonely quest as he finds redemption, friendship, and true love with his beautiful Timothy...and at long last makes the journey from an inhuman monster to a man once more.
What would you do if you were suddenly faced with the responsibility of being a God? For Timothy De Marquisate, it is yet another task that he must handle with his legendary style and grace. A humble prostitute with a heart of gold, Timothy seems born to play the role...but will his beloved Matthias stand by him? Book Two in the Jasmine Vampire series, this is the story of a modern day Messiah who must sacrifice himself for the good of humanity. This is a story of family, of friendship, of brotherhood and passion...it is about true love, no matter what the cost. Book One, The Scent Of Jasmine, followed Matthias on his journey back to humanity through the love of his beautiful Timothy. Join us now as we delve into the sad and sordid past, and learn a bit more about Arik, Obadiah, Brian, Benediction, Jesse, Matthias and Timothy...and the true meaning of Sacrifice.
Matthias Ste. Germain and his husband, Timothy De Marquisate have finally found happiness. They have a new son, and Timothy has firmly established his church in the Gypsy quarter of Orleans, spreading his Gospel of love, acceptance and forgiveness. As his power and influence over the population grows, he once again attracts the attention of Hana-No-Seishin: businessman, politician and world dictator in the making. As the Holy Family grows, bearing four new children, Hana imposes his New World Order, killing all those who refuse to take the New Order World I.D. mark, consisting of three sixes intertwined. As the official mark is taken, Timothy, the true Messiah, grows weaker, for in order for a God to exist, he must live in the hearts of the men he created... Loosely based on the Book of Revelations, Book 3 of the Jasmine Vampire series continues their story as they struggle through the Tribulation period and find themselves fighting not only for Timothy's life, but for their own...
Reflections takes readers on an honest journey through dealing with fears, coming to term with illness, facing death, and acceptance. Reflections is a gripping story written from two perspectives: Brian Hobbs, a songwriter with a terminal cancer diagnosis with months to live, and Fia Hobbs, his caregiving wife as well as his therapist. They share with readers their journey through hope, despair, and finally to peace and acceptance. During Brian’s illness, he wrote down his thoughts and feelings in a blog that became a huge inspiration for people to let go of their own fears and to find purpose in their own lives. Reflections is a continuation of Brian’s blog and helps to inspire readers to make them realize what matters in life as they follow his last months.
Once a copper, always a copper. At least that’s how it seems for Brian ‘The Skull’ Murphy, long-retired but sought out by a trail of journalists and cops who regularly beat a path to his door. Once known as Australia’s toughest cop, The Skull was both charged with manslaughter (and acquitted), then awarded a Valour Award for bravery in the line of duty. It is these two sides to the complex man that intrigue audiences to this day. A non-drinking, Catholic family man, The Skull didn’t fit the 1950s police mould and often found himself on the outer among his colleagues. Dodging crooks and corruption on both sides of the thin blue line, The Skull carefully cultivated a reputation for being a ‘mad bastard’. Over 40 men felt the sting of his bullets, and many more felt the sting of his fists. But behind Australia’s toughest cop lay a personal secret of sexual abuse which Murphy shares publicly for the first time, in the hope that it will help others. This abuse formed the kind of police officer he later became — tough on the bad guys, but fiercely protective towards victims. With today’s political correctness and strict rules of conduct, there will never be another big personality copper like Brian ‘The Skull’ Murphy. This is his story.
Mary Cartledgehayes's life was going along swimmingly. Her husband, Fred, was about to take early retirement so the two of them could embark on a life of travel and leisure. There was just one problem: God. It had all started when the roof of her new gold Chevette became transparent and radiance poured in on her head. Now it was clear that a life of leisure was out; Mary embarked on the arduous, exhausting, and wonderful experience of becoming a minister. Grace is her story. Divinity school wasn't an obvious choice for Mary in middle age, once a wildly unconventional single mother of two who'd been twice divorced by age twenty-five, who had pretty dresses in her closet and expletives on the tip of her tongue. Grace reveals how an all-too-ordinary woman comes to terms with the sometimes devastating impact of the sacred. With unabashed exuberance, Mary tells of leading a congregation as its first female pastor, of her moving struggle to knit the congregation around its most ailing member, and her painful realization that in order to live faithfully she must leave a job she loves. Simultaneously, she decides to take up piano and discovers a pursuit whose spiritual rewards are both abundant and unexpected. Inspired and inspiring, Grace is a wickedly delightful account of spiritual and personal renewal in midlife and a lively testament to the transformative power of grace in all its many guises.
