"The Parable of the Knocker" is a non-fiction book about the investigation, prosecution, and trial of a notorious serial killer, Charles Severance. Severance committed his crimes in the City of Alexandria, Virginia, an affluent, historic community just miles south of Washington, D.C. Over the course of a decade, Severance ambushed three outstanding Alexandria residents in their middle-class neighborhood by knocking on their front doors in broad daylight and shooting them unexpectedly when they answered the knock. Severance was not personally acquainted with any of his victims, and instead selected his targets to revenge perceived wrongs and terrorize a community.
A high-water mark of postwar German literature, a profoundly skeptical meditation on the fragility of human communities and the pitfalls and contradictions of making art. A knocking on the barn door drags us out of our sleep. No, the knocking isn't inside us, it's outside, where the other people are. With that, six blind beggars--ragged, profane, irascible--find themselves waking to yet another grim day in the dark. Today, however, something is different. Today these men have an appointment with a painter: they have been hired as models, to pose for Pieter Bruegel's grotesque masterpiece-in-the-making. With tremendous verbal ingenuity and black humor, Gert Hofmann's novel follows this tattered sextet's shambling progress across a landscape in 16th century Flanders, peopled by half-heard voices and unseen dangers, towards their ultimate encounter with the great, capricious artist, and (perhaps) their own immortality.
A terrifying new gothic horror novel about two sisters and a haunted house that never sleeps, perfect for fans of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle. They say there's a door in Wakefield that never opens... Sam Wakefield's ancestral home, a decaying mansion built on the edge of a swamp, isn't a place for children. Its labyrinthine halls, built by her mad ancestors, are filled with echoes of the past: ghosts and memories knotted together as one. In the presence of phantoms, it's all Sam can do to disentangle past from present in her daily life. But when her pregnant sister Elizabeth moves in after a fight with her husband, something in the house shifts. Already navigating her tumultuous relationship with Elizabeth, Sam is even more unsettled by the appearance of a new ghost: a faceless boy who commits disturbing acts--threatening animals, terrorizing other children, and following Sam into the depths of the house wielding a knife. When it becomes clear the boy is connected to a locked, forgotten room, one which is never entered, Sam realizes this ghost is not like the others. This boy brings doom... As Elizabeth's due date approaches, Sam must unravel the mysteries of Wakefield before her sister brings new life into a house marked by death. But as the faceless boy grows stronger, Sam will learn that some doors should stay closed--and some secrets are safer locked away forever.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller cordially invites you to Parable, Montana – where restless hearts get a second chance at love… Big Sky Country The illegitimate son of a wealthy rancher, Sheriff Slade Barlow was never acknowledged by his father…until now. Suddenly, Slade has inherited half of Whisper Creek Ranch, one of the most prosperous in Parable County. That doesn't sit well with his half-brother, Hutch, who grew up with all the rights of a Carmody, including the affections of Joslyn Kirk, homecoming queen, rodeo queen, beauty queen—and the girl Slade's never forgotten. Along with a town to protect, Slade already has his hands full but Joslyn is hard to ignore… Previously published. Big Sky Mountain With his rugged good looks, vast wealth and family name, hell-raiser Hutch Carmody is still the golden boy of Parable, Montana. But he’s done some growing up—making peace with his illegitimate half-brother and inheriting half of Whisper Creek Ranch, which should have been all his. And these days, Hutch knows there are some things money can’t buy: like the heart of loving divorcée Kendra Shepherd. Then again, even the most unlikely dreams can come true under the vast Montana sky. Previously published. Big Sky River Sheriff Boone Taylor has two kids he adores, his job, a run-down but decent ranch, two faithful dogs and a good horse. He doesn’t want romance—the widowed Montanan has loved and lost enough for a lifetime. But when city girl, Tara Kendall, buys the spread next door, Boone’s peace and quiet are in serious jeopardy. Life along Big Sky River is full of surprises…like a cowboy-lawman who just might start to believe in second chances. Previously published. Read the entire fan-favorite Parable series: Book 1: Big Sky Country Book 2: Big Sky Mountain Book 3: Big Sky River Book 4: Big Sky Summer Book 5: Big Sky Wedding Book 6: Big Sky Secrets
Unleashing God’s Kingdom Every paragraph in Luke’s gospel is about Jesus. Luke showcases Jesus’ character by recounting all the significant events of his life, recalling his major teachings, and recommending his character as the truest way to live. The Jesus in Luke’s biography doesn’t wait for these events to happen to him, instead Jesus powerfully moves and unleashes the kingdom of God, proclaiming—and demonstrating—holistic redemption. This redemption cannot be reduced to ethics, morality, or even what we call social justice. Its foundation is a Person, and in that Person holistic redemption explodes into living realities. Those who follow this Person suddenly realize they are on mission with Jesus, as Luke tells his great story. In this deep dive into the person of Jesus, Scot McKnight shows that the Christian movement today, just as it was in Jesus’ time, is empowered by the Spirit of God. Explaining the links between the Bible’s world and ours, McKnight explores the enduring relevance of the Gospel of Luke for today. In the New Testament Everyday Bible Study Series, widely respected biblical scholar Scot McKnight combines interpretive insights with pastoral wisdom for all the books of the New Testament. Each volume provides: Original Meaning. Brief, precise expositions of the biblical text and offers a clear focus for the central message of each passage. Fresh Interpretation. Brings the passage alive with fresh images and what it means to follow King Jesus. Practical Application. Biblical connections and questions for reflection and application for each passage.
Time to get up! Did you ever wonder how people woke up in time for school or work in the days before alarm clocks? In the early twentieth century, townspeople in England hired "knocker-ups" like Mary Smith for a few pence a week. Mary Smith traveled through predawn streets armed with a peashooter and a pocket watch, waking her clients at whatever hour they requested by plinking dried peas at their bedroom windows. In rollicking words and pictures, Andrea U’Ren re-creates one busy morning in the life of her intrepid true-life subject – a morning when Mary Smith helps her town start its day in timely fashion, only to receive a rude awakening when she comes home. Could it be that the knocker-up’s own daughter has been sleeping in? Mary Smith is a 2004 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
Storytelling has been around since the beginning of time. Can you just picture Adam and Eve sitting around and telling God about their day and the adventures they had in the Garden of Eden? It is how we connect the past to the present, keeping the details of history alive into the future. Word pictures, intricately woven with descriptive words and phrases bring to life the events of the past, the details of a missed occasion or an object lesson to teach a child. "Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today." Robert McAfee Brown "Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it." Hannah Arendt Jesus is a great example of a masterful storyteller. Although all his stories were not based on an actual event, they were not fiction. There was nothing but truth in them. What skill! You now have the opportunity to become a great storyteller. Here are some tips to help you make the most of each parable and each class.
Gen. Larry O. Spencer, USAF (Ret.), was born and raised on the Horseshoe--a tough inner-city street in southeast Washington D.C. Both parents lived in the rural south under Jim Crow and "separate but equal" laws. Spencer's father was a career Army soldier who lost his left hand during the Korean War, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and worked two jobs. His mother completed tenth grade, had no driver's license, and was left alone during the week to raise their six children. The Horseshoe was a hard neighborhood where fights were common, and the school systems were second-rate. The expectations of living in an all-Black neighborhood were to be good at sports while shunning academic prowess. Spencer met those expectations: he struggled in school, but teachers who did not want to see him repeat their class would pass him to the next grade. That environment resulted in poor self-esteem and a bleak outlook for the future. Quite by chance, Spencer enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he continued to struggle with the racial turmoil of the 1970s. A senior non-commissioned officer saw promise in Spencer and guided him to obtain a college degree and apply for Officer Training School where he excelled. As a very young first lieutenant, he was assigned to a tough job in the Pentagon, but Spencer earned an early reputation as a fast burner. In 1990 he took command of a squadron that won accolades and awards for their performance during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Spencer went on to serve at the White House, and then successfully commanded a Group and a Wing before being assigned as the chief financial officer (comptroller) for Air Combat Command, the largest command in the Air Force. During that assignment, Spencer was promoted to brigadier general and was tasked to set up a new Directorate at Air Force Materiel Command. Spencer later returned to the Pentagon where he led Air Force Budget. He ultimately became the Air Force's thirty-seventh vice chief of staff, making him one of only nine African Americans promoted to four stars. Spencer concludes his historic climb with life lessons learned on his journey from the inner city to the Pentagon.
