Miracle of the Northern Lıghts By: Philip H Duda Jim knows his son Mark is sick and dying, and it is clear the doctors can do nothing to help him. When Jim hears a story of a hidden valley, way up north, where people say a miracle happened long ago, he wonders if this place could bring Mark a miracle too. But what draws Jim and many others to the valley is much more than a legend. An unknown force has brought them there for a reason. This inspiring story is about three sick children in need of a miracle, and the lengths to which loved ones will go to help them. It is a reminder that hope, faith, and prayer have power no matter who you are, from the poorest to the richest.
Life is hard in Barrow, Alaska. Football mom Cathy Parker first caught a glimpse of this far-away reality from the comfort of her Jacksonville, Florida, living room while watching a 2006 ESPN report on the Barrow Whalers, a high school football team consisting mostly of Alaskan Inupiat Eskimo natives playing in the most difficult of conditions and trying to overcome the most unlikely of odds. These players—raised in the northernmost town in the United States, where drug abuse is rampant and the high school dropout rate is high—found themselves playing on a gravel field, using flour to draw the lines. And while the community of Barrow felt a strong pride for their boys, many felt football was not worth the investment. That is, until Cathy Parker became involved. Overcome by a surprising stirring in her soul to reach out and help, Cathy was determined to build a suitable field for the Barrow Whalers. Not fully understanding the many obstacles, both financially and logistically, that would line the path ahead, Cathy charged forward with a determined spirit and a heart for both the football team and the greater community of Barrow. She spearheaded a campaign that raised more than half-a-million dollars through people all around the country rallying around one common goal: changing the lives of young men through football. This is not just the story of how the Barrow Whalers became the first high school above the Arctic Circle to have a football program. This is the story of how we are sometimes called to the most unlikely of causes and to believe in something a little bit bigger, changing our own lives and the lives of others for the better in the most unexpected of ways.
In the coastal city of Nome, under the northern lights, sets exactly the right location for a government-funded secret sector of Cole Enterprise. But that's not all Alaska has to offer. Amongst the natives is an unsuspecting woman who has been hand selected to join the undercover operation. After his abrupt departure from Haiti, Eli Bennet never thought he'd see Nova again. The idea of recruiting her as a team medic excited him. There's only one minor problem... he has no idea how to approach her. Nova McCarty knew taking care of her grandmother wouldn't be easy. Noni's memory has fizzled to the point where it's no longer safe for her to live alone. Bumping into Eli was the last thing Nova expected after returning home. But there he was as if she'd pulled him out of her dreams, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Can Nova figure out how to have what she wants without sacrificing a part of herself to get it? Furthermore, will Eli turn his back on the Six in order to stand by Nova when she needs him the most?
An Alaska family celebrates Hanukkah with a stubborn moose in their backyard and the Northern Lights as the best-ever menorah. Hanukkah in Alaska is unlike anywhere else. Snow piles up over the windows. Daylight is only five hours long. And one girl finds a moose camped out in her backyard, right near her favorite blue swing. She tries everything to lure it away: apples, carrots, even cookies. But it just keeps eating more tree! It's not until the last night of Hanukkah that a familiar Jewish holiday tradition provides the perfect—and surprising—solution.
You may have heard that churches in Europe are vanishing. Yet church growth in London has been steady for decades, fueled by such innovations as Alpha and Fresh Expressions. What about outside the capital? Some, both inside and outside the church, say churches “cannot grow.” But here they are—growing churches—in the north of England of all places. This is not only a story about England. It is about growing churches wherever you’ve heard they “can’t” grow. God is always up to something precisely where (we think) God shouldn’t be.
Bestselling author Tracie Peterson continues her saga of life and love in the rugged Alaskan Territory with the second volume of the ALASKAN QUEST series. When Pinkerton agent Helaina Beecham's obsession with capturing a dangerous fugitive dulls her judgment, she is kidnapped and carried off into the wilderness just as an early winter is approaching. Now her only hope is that Jacob Barringer--the man who has captured her heart--will find her before it is too late. (Alaskan Quest Book 2)
• Is PISA 2012 relevant to mathematics education in Norway and Sweden? • In what ways are the different leadership styles among principals in the Nordic countries related to teachers’ attitudes and behaviours and students achievements? • What are the associations between professional development, job satisfaction and self-efficacy? • Can collegial work and school leader feedback improve teachers’ self-efficacy in Nordic classrooms? • What characterizes high-performing students in mathematics within the Nordic countries? • Are international large-scale educational assessments elephants arriving at the gates of our national educational system? These are some of the questions that are discussed in this collection of articles. The issues are based on the results of the OECD studies PISA and TALIS. The articles aim to provide input for policy discussions and to further policy development within the Nordic countries. Therefore, the main target groups are educational ministers and policymakers at all levels. These analyses will also provide input to the joint Nordic initiatives on educational development.
Winner of the Edgar Award for Best First Novel A Time Best Mystery and Thriller Book of All Time The “gripping... page-turner” (Time) hitting all the best of summer reading lists, Miracle Creek is perfect for book clubs and fans of Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng How far will you go to protect your family? Will you keep their secrets? Ignore their lies? In a small town in Virginia, a group of people know each other because they’re part of a special treatment center, a hyperbaric chamber that may cure a range of conditions from infertility to autism. But then the chamber explodes, two people die, and it’s clear the explosion wasn’t an accident. A powerful showdown unfolds as the story moves across characters who are all maybe keeping secrets, hiding betrayals. Chapter by chapter, we shift alliances and gather evidence: Was it the careless mother of a patient? Was it the owners, hoping to cash in on a big insurance payment and send their daughter to college? Could it have been a protester, trying to prove the treatment isn’t safe? “A stunning debut about parents, children and the unwavering hope of a better life, even when all hope seems lost" (Washington Post), Miracle Creek uncovers the worst prejudice and best intentions, tense rivalries and the challenges of parenting a child with special needs. It’s “a quick-paced murder mystery that plumbs the power and perils of community” (O Magazine) as it carefully pieces together the tense atmosphere of a courtroom drama and the complexities of life as an immigrant family. Drawing on the author’s own experiences as a Korean-American, former trial lawyer, and mother of a “miracle submarine” patient, this is a novel steeped in suspense and igniting discussion. Recommended by Erin Morgenstern, Jean Kwok, Jennifer Weiner, Scott Turow, Laura Lippman, and more--Miracle Creek is a brave, moving debut from an unforgettable new voice.
