This daily devotional is filled with inspirational true-life stories and personal testimonies from heroes of faith throughout history. You will meet transformed men and women whose love for God led them beyond failure to spiritual success. Start your day on solid ground with these powerful stories.

A lively, topical guide on how to respond to life’s inevitable difficulties—from personal crises to broader societal challenges The issue of difficulty in life is at the very essence of Buddhism. One can reasonably translate the first noble truth as, “life is full of difficulties,” with the remaining noble truths serving as Buddhism’s analysis of those difficulties and how to work with them. In Solid Ground, celebrated Buddhist teachers Sylvia Boorstein, Zoketsu Norman Fisher, and Tsoknyi Rinpoche use their diverse wisdom to address the immediate and practical concerns of our lives, including individual crises as well as the political, economic, and social challenges society is currently facing. Together, they explore the most basic and profound questions of Buddhism: the difficulty of life in general and how we can work with that and ameliorate it. Filled with humor and personal stories, Solid Ground offers specific teachings for concrete situations as well as a way to explore the larger questions of finding equanimity in difficult times.

LeeAnn is a senior in high school when she discovers an alarming revelation: her self-image no longer reflects her desire for near-perfection. While desperately attempting to harbor a secret that is slowly debilitating her every day, LeeAnn remains in denial. Although LeeAnn struggles, she is not alone. Her close-knit Italian family, childhood friends, and others she meets along her difficult road become her stepping stones to self-discovery. But when her tumultuous coming-of-age journey leads her into adulthood, an unexpected chain of events and surprises soon cause her dreams to spiral into the darkness of uncertainty. As her career, marriage, and angelic visions of motherhood hang precariously in the balance, now only time will tell if the ambiguity surrounding her challenges will ultimately shatter her world or ignite her determination to set out on a brighter, more promising path. In this novel inspired by true events, a young woman with big dreams and aspirations encounters a tumultuous world of uncertainty where she must somehow learn to spread her wings and bravely walk through her struggles.

"Grounding is a recovery-focused skill that offers powerful help towards managing and reducing symptoms related to trauma, including feeling too much or too little"--

'Thubten is a very generous and kind monk who writes with the lived honesty and humour of someone who has experienced the wisdom he shares. His writing is full of inspiration but also the pragmatism needed to form a sustainable practice. He clearly illustrates why we all need meditation and mindfulness in our lives.'- Benedict Cumberbatch We all go through hard times. We can experience moments when life feels like an uphill struggle, leading to unhappiness and stress. Perhaps we are feeling sad, anxious, or are challenged to deal with something bigger, such as a bereavement, a loss, a painful ending or a broken heart. It is during these moments when life feels difficult that we could do with some help with our thoughts and feelings. In HANDBOOK FOR HARD TIMES Sunday Times bestselling author of A Monk's Guide to Happiness Gelong Thubten teaches us to understand that happiness, kindness and resilience can be cultivated through reframing life's difficulties as opportunities for transformation. Meditation and mindfulness practices help us to access deep reserves of inner strength as we learn how to 'lean into' our suffering. Thubten suggests how we can find meaning in pain and discomfort, transforming deeply ingrained patterns of fear and resistance. As we discover how hard times can enhance the development of mindfulness, compassion and forgiveness, we can develop a fearless outlook on life and lasting, unshakeable happiness. This approachable and practical book, complete with meditations, is designed for modern times, and will be a valuable resource to anyone during times of struggle, but also during all times to encourage and build resilience and help us find inner contentment and peace. 'A most qualified guide in the journey from darkness and turmoil towards inner peace and positivity.' ANNIE LENNOX

The Platonic Form is often presented as an instrument of explanation and as a cause in ontology, epistemology, and ethics. As such, it is usually approached from the perspective of its relations to the particulars of the sensible world. Frederic Schroeder contends that Plotinus argues for the sovereignty of the Platonic Form both as a ground of being and as an intrinsically valuable object of intellective and spiritual vision. These two aspects coalesce in the thought of Plotinus, for whom the Form is, apart from its philosophical uses, an object of enjoyment. Schroeder argues also that the particular must be seen as having an intrinsic character, distinct from its relationship to the Form or to other particulars. The particular thus becomes a window on the world of Form. In the course of his exploration of the sovereignty of Form, Schroeder examines the themes of illumination, silence, language, and love. He undertakes an immanent interpretation of the Plotinian text, showing how Plotinian vocabulary displays intricate internal connections and genetic relationships. Schroeder shows that Plotinus' thought is not susceptible to organization into a closed, linear synthesis but has its own order, centred on the conviction that Form is of intrinsic value and that it is only from the perspective of this intrinsic value that we can understand its uses and significance in explanation and causation. Rather than trying to construct such a synthesis, Schroeder, starting from this basic insight into Plotinus' understanding of the Platonic Form, leads the reader to a greater understanding of Plotinus' manner of philosophizing.

A squad of terrorists eagerly waits in a small Jerusalem home at midnight. Their mission is to plant a radioactive device under the Temple Mount and cause catastrophic damage to the Dome of the Rock, which will be blamed on the Israelis, igniting the final struggle for dominance and control over the Holy Land. Across the sea in Rome, Jake Greene, a retired Homeland Security operations executive, and his daughter, Rebecca Gould, an anthropologist, stumble upon an antique map and a strange medallion. They are immediately thrust into a world of ancient secrets, modern warfare, and government conspiracy. As they begin to decipher the mysteries surrounding these objects, they meet and join forces with David Robinson, whose family is sworn to help someone who will one day appear to him holding the medallion. They are caught up in a thrilling search for the lost Ark of the Covenant. They must find a way to foil the terrorists, find the Ark, and conceal it from a world not yet ready for its discovery.

Where do dreams and nightmares come from? Does reality cease to exist when we are not looking at it directly? If you cannot see it, but remember it, does it really exist? Alexander Bennett finds himself lost in a labyrinth of vivid nightmares and haunting flashbacks, unraveling amidst the backdrop of a tragic mystery. From the chaotic alleys of ancient cities to the suffocating silence of his cluttered apartment, Alex is drawn into a complex mystery where he isn't in control. As he navigates through shadowy markets and violent confrontations, worlds collide, challenging the very nature of free will, criminal responsibility, and duty. Amidst an ever-shifting landscape and pursued by an unrelenting detective, Alex grapples with the fragments of his mind to solve a murder that threatens to consume him. With each step, he delves deeper into his psyche, uncovering layers of truth and deception. Will Alex find the clues in time, or will he be lost to the shadows of his own mind? Echoes of Deception is a gripping psychological thriller that weaves legal drama with profound explorations of the human psyche, where every memory holds a key to the unfolding enigma.

Respected counselor and bestselling author H. Norman Wright releases a spiritually and personally fulfilling daily devotional for men. Known for his insight into the needs of people, Wright shapes 365 devotions to strengthen men at their core—their heart for God. Short offerings, ideal for busy lives, include Scripture and relatable meditations that lead men to seek their identity and security in Christ as they learn to: rely on God’s guidance connect with other men of faith model God’s love and strength in practical ways trust the Bible as their source of wisdom give their needs, hurts, decisions, and future to God Like a faithful mentor, Wright walks alongside men through every area of their lives, from relationships and family to vocation and contentment. This relevant devotional will be a gift of ongoing influence and inspiration for men of all stages of their journey.

The Power of Mentoring is a groundbreaking guide for mentoring the next generation of Christian leaders. With its variety of practical, insightful mentoring models, ThePower of Mentoring provides motivation for mentoring involvement, new approaches and skill-building exercises and implementation strategies. This ideal resource includes: key thoughts questions for reflection, action plans, a "Life Plan" for self-evaluation, accountability questions and additional suggested resources.