A gripping adrenaline rush of a story about growing up on the street, Michael David Baptiste's novel unfolds like an epic saga of crime and punishment. Presided over by a main character named Michael Banner, known on the streets as Spits, Cracked Dreams takes readers onto the down and dirty streets of the Bronx and into the lives of a drug gang called the Time Bombs. The Time Bombs fear that their territory is being threatened by a rival gang trying to muscle into their trade, so they devise a plan to eliminate the competition. Soon they're consumed by the desire to make their mark beyond the borders of their hometown. Their cash-fueled dreams carry them far from their poverty-plagued roots, where their lives escalate into horrifying violence. Cracked Dreams introduces an unforgettable cast of snitches, gangstas, dealers, thugs, pimps, prostitutes, hustlers, and ex-cons who learn the hard way that when the street calls, you'd better answer. But they have no idea that FBI agents are shadowing their every move to put an end to the gang's reign of terror that’s transforming average street corners into bloody battlegrounds. Careening from the drug-fueled avenues of the Bronx to Florida and California, Cracked Dreams tells a haunting tale of sin and redemption.
Emmalynn Gallagher threw caution to the wind once—and found herself in the middle of a tornado. Needless to say, she won’t be doing that again. Now she fills her life with plans and to-do lists. Having moved home for a fresh start, Emma’s facing the ultimate re-do list when she abruptly comes face to face with Aubrey Glass, the source of Emma’s teenage yearning. Aubrey wouldn’t recognize yearning if it tornadoed into her face, but she does recognize Emma…even if she wishes she didn’t. Socializing, especially with her past, is Aubrey’s least favorite activity. She’s tender in spots no one can see and would prefer to fade into the background. Amidst the backdrop of towering shelves of books and the persistent aroma of freshly brewed coffee, Emma and Aubrey navigate their post-high school reunion. With plenty of fumbles and missteps, it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll manage to merge their paths, nor does it always seem that they want to…until suddenly, it’s the only thing that makes sense to either one of them.
When all seems lost, where can you find hope? Katherine and Jay Wolf married right after college and sought adventure far from home in Los Angeles, CA. As they pursued their dreams--she as a model and he as a lawyer--they planted their lives in the city and their church community. Their son, James, came along unexpectedly in the fall of 2007, and just six months later, everything changed in a moment for this young family. On April 21, 2008, as James slept in the other room, Katherine collapsed, suffering a massive brain stem stroke without warning. Miraculously, Jay came home in time and called for help. Katherine was immediately rushed into brain surgery, though her chance of survival was slim. As the sun rose the next morning, the surgeon proclaimed that Katherine had survived the removal of part of her brain, though her future recovery was uncertain. Yet in that moment, there was a spark of hope. Through forty days on life support in the ICU and nearly two years in full-time brain rehab, that small spark of hope was fanned into flame. Hope Heals documents Katherine and Jay's journey as they struggled to regain Katherine's quality of life and as she relearned to talk, eat, and walk. As Katherine returned home with a severely disabled body but a completely renewed purpose, she and Jay committed to celebrating this gift of a second chance by embracing life fully, even though that life looked very different than they could have ever imagined. As you uncover Katherine and Jay's remarkable story, you'll be encouraged to: Find lasting hope in the midst of struggle Embrace the unexpected Welcome God's miracles into your everyday life In the midst of continuing hardships, both in body and mind, Katherine and Jay found what we all long to find: a hope that heals the most broken place--our souls. Let Hope Heals be your guide along the way. Praise for Hope Heals: "As I read this book, tears streamed from my eyes even as joy flooded my heart. Jay and Katherine are a raw yet refreshing testimony to the unshakable trustworthiness of God amidst the unimaginable trials of life. This book reminds all of us where hope can be found in a world where none of us know what the next day holds." --David Platt, author of the New York Times bestseller Radical and president of the International Mission Board "Hope Heals is a beautiful, true story that illustrates the love and protection God has for us even in the darkest times of our lives. Katherine and Jay's dedication to each other and the Lord through their most devastating season is inspiring. This book will help your heart believe that He sees, He knows, He cares, and He is still working miracles today!" --Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries
Perhaps a greater tragedy than a broken dream is a life forever defined by it." - Sheridan Voysey Your dream might be over, but your life isn't. Embrace your broken dream as a chance for a new beginning and see how a "Resurrection Year" can restore your soul. Voysey chronicles their return to life. From the streets of Rome to the Basilicas of Paris, from the Alps of Switzerland to their new home in Oxford, they begin the healing process while wrestling with their doubts about God's goodness. One part spiritual memoir and one part love story, Resurrection Year is an honest, heart-felt book about recovering from broken dreams and reconciling with a God who is sometimes silent but never absent. A hope-filled story about starting again after a dream has died'an emotive, poetic, and at times humorous discovery of the healing qualities of beauty, play, friendship, and love. "Some dreams come true, but others die a painful death. We can learn from both. In Resurrection Year, Sheridan Voysey writes from experience-there is life after the death of a dream. Your dream may be different, but the road to resurrection will be similar. I highly recommend it." - Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages
"A relationship that started on the internet. The first 2/3 of the book tell the story of the relationship over a period of 7 years and the last 1/3 digresses on relationships in general."--Provided by publisher.
"My American Harp" presents 1,169 poems written 2010-2014 by Surazeus that explore what it means to be an American in the modern world of an interconnected global civilization.
Using first-hand experience, the author presents a practical treatment approach, originally designed for crack patients, but generally applicable to chemical dependency problems. It also explains the social, biological and psychological factors in crack addiction and various barriers to treatment.
Standing on the border of a promise, the ancient Israelites savored every word of the spies who witnessed the wonders of the Promised Land. But between their dream and reality were giant inhabitants. "We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that's what we looked like to them " The grasshoppers had spoken, and the people were faced with a choice: run with the grasshoppers or trust the promise of God. Each of us face intimidating giants. Our problems have different names, but they are enormous in our eyes. And in their menacing shadows we are grasshoppers. If it was simply a matter of our size or ability, we would lose every time. But God is always bigger. Running with the Grasshoppers is a collection of inspirational devotionals that bring encouragement by focusing on the power of faith through a fresh and insightful look at some familiar (and not so familiar) people from the Bible. How often do we read well-known Bible stories and forget that they were people just like us? They were ordinary people with an extraordinary God. God has provided us with a record of these fellow grasshoppers as examples for our inspiration and encouragement. Through our knowledge of these random expressions of faith we can find the encouragement to help us and others persevere in troubled times. R. Mark Webb is an author who lives in Florida with his wife, Wendy. They are proud parents of two amazing daughters and great son-in-laws. Mark describes his passion for writing as a "fire in my bones that cannot be contained" and has had many opportunities to use his love for word crafting to communicate the truth and encouragement found in God's Word.
"Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity ... An explosion of scientific discoveries in the last twenty years has shed new light on this fundamental aspect of our lives. Now ... neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker gives us a new understanding of the vital importance of sleep and dreaming"--Amazon.com.
