All of us yearn for a peaceable and just world, but some roll up their sleeves and set to work to make the dream real. Blessed Peacemakers celebrates 365 of them, one for each day of the year. Their stories are richly diverse. They share a commitment to peace and justice, but the various contexts in which they work make each of their stories uniquely instructive. The peacemakers include women, men, and children from across the globe, spanning some twenty-five hundred years. Many are persons of faith, but some are totally secular. Some are well known, while others will be excitingly new. They are human rights and antiwar activists, scientists and artists, educators and scholars, songwriters and poets, film directors and authors, diplomats and economists, environmentalists and mystics, prophets and policymakers. Some are unlettered, but all are wise. A few died in the service of the dream. All sacrificed for it. The world is a better place for the presence of blessed peacemakers. Their inspiring stories embolden readers to join them in nonviolent resistance to injustice and the creative pursuit of peace.

In the pages of this book, you will meet more than 100 heroes, but most of them are not the kind of heroes our culture celebrates for muscle, beauty and wealth. These are peacemakers. They circle the planet. A few are famous like Gandhi and Bono of U2. But most of them you will discover for the first time in these stories. Watch out! Reading about their lives may inspire you to step up into their courageous circle.

Young readers will enjoy reading about the upcoming school play at Bear Country School in this addition to the Living Lights™ series of Berenstain Bears books. Children will learn how to make the decision of minding their own business or acting as a peacemaker. The Berenstain Bears Blessed are the Peacemakers—part of the popular Zonderkidz Living Lights series of books—is perfect for: Early readers ages 4-8 Reading out loud in classrooms, during story time, and at home or bedtime Birthday gifts, Easter, holiday gift giving, or as a new addition to your e-library Sparking intentional conversations about making the decision to help others with mediation The Berenstain Bears Blessed are the Peacemakers is an addition to the Living Lights™ series that: Features the hand-drawn artwork of the Berenstain family Continues in the much-loved footsteps of Stan and Jan Berenstain in this Berenstain Bears series of books Is part of one of the bestselling children’s book series ever created, with more than 250 books published and nearly 300 million copies sold to date

Blessed Are the Others: Jesus' Way in a Violent World by Andrew DeCort is a guide that navigates the teachings of Jesus through the lens of the Beatitudes. It offers a trail to a more fulfilling life through vulnerability, compassion, nonviolence, justice, and peacemaking, challenging conventional understandings of religious blessings and prosperity. Andrew calls this humane happiness. The book is not just about exploring spirituality but also delves into historical and societal context-specifically the influence of political unrest and conflict on the Ethiopian people. It emphasizes the importance of confronting and processing grief and focuses on the societal implications that arise from unresolved pain. Notably, Blessed Are the Others encourages its readers to engage with their pain, promote healing not vengeance, and find solace even amidst suffering. By acknowledging these struggles, the book underscores the transformative power of facing grief with honesty and courage. The book also features real-life examples of individuals like Etty Hillesum and Dietrich Bonhoeffer who chose mercy over judgment in the face of extreme injustice. It makes an appeal to its readers to foster a similar sense of compassion and understanding, treating the Beatitudes as a tool for navigating challenges such as poverty, grief, violence, and injustice. Moreover, the book explores the life and teachings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Christian leader who spoke out against extreme injustice during World War II. Bonhoeffer's dedication to love, humility, and the courage to stand against oppression is extensively highlighted. His teachings and life offer insightful perspectives on love and humility as transformative powers even in the face of adversity. Blessed Are the Others discusses the seven decisions or way-stations on Jesus' Beatitudinal Way, beginning from poverty and transitioning all the way to persecution. It emphasizes the importance of vulnerability, compassion, and justice, and addresses the hurdles we may encounter on this path.

Words--positive or negative--carry enormous potential to create or destroy. It's always been that way, ever since God said, "Let there be..." The Power of Blessing explores the timeless words of Jesus in the Beatitudes and takes readers on a journey into the extraordinary world of blessings. It shows them how to use words to heal rather than wound as well as how to bless their loved ones more effectively. Readers looking for a way to jump-start their relationships will find the key in this book of blessings.

This book is a chronology of major events and characters in the Old and New Testament of the Bible witnessed by God and Jesus his Son. With each such encounter, we learn a little more about the true nature of God and Jesus. God acknowledges that he is the creator of heaven and earth and all of mankind, retaining the right to destroy some or all of it, with or without cause. God does as he pleases and can be judged by no one. Although he espouses righteousness, he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and compassion upon whom he will have compassion. By his own admission, he is a jealous God, condemning anyone who worships false idols. To disobey him is to have a death wish. In comparison, Jesus is the humble servant of God, sacrificing himself to save mankind. He has nothing but disdain for priests who cloak themselves in raiment to demonstrate their own holiness. The only valid reason for accumulating wealth is to share it with others. aEURoeLove thy neighbor as thyselfaEUR is the most important commandment and one should love his enemies. The Ten Commandments and the Law of Moses should work for man and not vice versa. In any given situation, it should be changed, modified, and even ignored to achieve fairness. Parties should work complaints out for themselves and use courts as a last resortaEUR"forgiveness as a first resort. The Bible contains zero humor, but plenty of fodder to create some: six-hundred-year-old Noah and his family on a Disney cruise with seven pairs of every animal species in the world aboard a 450-foot Ark; LotaEUR(tm)s two daughters getting him drunk and having their way with him; Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar II under GodaEUR(tm)s spell as a farm animal for seven years, training as the first Sasquatch.

"An uncommon and intimate account of the lives of two conscientious objectors"--

Archbishop Elias Chacour, born in a small Arab village in northern Galilee, experienced the establishment of the State of Israel and the loss of his home when he was eight years old. His parents taught that violence is never an appropriate response to violence, and that Jesus' teachings and example provide a path to reconciliation and peace. Today he is recognized around the world as a peacemaker. He founded schools in Ibillin, Israel, where Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Druze students and teachers learn to respect one another and live together in peace. In this book young readers, as well as adults, are encouraged to become peacemakers wherever they live.