Heeding technology's cry to “get connected” can result in overloaded circuits of the mind. Frenetic connections cause frazzled lives. Unwrapping Wonder: Finding Hope in the Gift of Nature will restore the reader's soul as they step outside to cultivate a connection with creation and, in the process, deepen their relationship with the Creator.This delightful mix of natural history, human story and God's glory found in everyday nature is based on Job's words: “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you ... or let the fish of the sea inform you.” Each chapter focuses on one natural object such as the bee, the barnacle, the tiniest seed.By peering within the ordinary, we can learn to see details which reveal extraordinary wonder. As we unwrap the gift, we discover more of nature, God, and ourselves, one wonder at a time.Unwrapping Wonder is for active men and women and families who enjoy the outdoors or reading about nature, and for those needing hope in a hectic world. Each chapter offers: --The Wonder Introduced: through anecdote, natural history, or life story.--The Wonder Unwrapped: zooming in to see hidden details, and explained in everyday terms.--The Wonder Applied: Practical, spiritual lessons for daily living.--Promise of Hope: Relevant Scripture to inspire hope.--“Wondercise”: A hands-on nature activity designed to awaken heart, mind, and soul to the wonder of creation and give praise to the Creator.

During the last two decades there has been a renaissance in the field of Christian philosophy. Unfortunately, most of this excellent work has not reached general readers. Reason for the Hope Within was produced specifically to make available the best of contemporary Christian philosophy in a clear, accessible -- and highly relevant -- manner. Fourteen of America's rising Christian philosophers here cover many of the traditional themes of Christian apologetics (arguments for the existence of God, the problem of evil, the possibility of miracles) as well as topics of special relevance to today's world (Eastern religions, Christianity and science, Christianity and ethics, the existence of heaven and hell).

“One of the very important messages of the Bible is hope. Actually, this spiritual reality that keeps people’s lives on the right path is found in the pages of the Bible more often than we think. This spiritual reality is what leads us to a positive inner strength and a proper faith-filled attitude toward our circumstances.”

Environmentalism and ecology are areas of rapid growth in academia and society at large. Screening Nature is the first comprehensive work that groups together the wide range of concerns in the field of cinema and the environment, and what could be termed “posthuman cinema.” It comprises key readings that highlight the centrality of nature and nonhuman animals to the cinematic medium, and to the language and institution of film. The book offers a fresh and timely intervention into contemporary film theory through a focus on the nonhuman environment as principal register in many filmic texts. Screening Nature offers an extensive resource for teachers, undergraduate students, and more advanced scholars on the intersections between the natural world and the worlds of film. It emphasizes the cross-cultural and geographically diverse relevance of the topic of cinema ecology.

The darkest disasters in both Mother Nature and human nature have occurred since the dawn of time, and now it seems that the "natural disaster of the century" occurs almost every year. Thankfully, few of us will ever face a tragedy that strikes with the strength and speed of a tornado or tsunami or with the ferocity of a flood or forest fire. Yet most of us do indeed confront crises, real or imaginary, that can change the course of our lives in a heartbeat. This inspiring book presents the author's spirit of resilience throughout a lifetime of challenges and triumphs from both a professional and personal perspective--from an orphanage in Canada to a scholarship in the USA; from her adoptive parents deaths from cancer when she was 21 to her own experience as a cancer survivor; from arriving in Australia jobless to joining IBM and being named Australian Executive Woman of the Year and Keynote Speaker of the Year and honored to carry the Olympic torch during the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics. During waves of change or winds of woe, when our clarity of thinking vanishes in a mist of tears, lessons from a wondrous array of natural resources can help us clear the mental fog and better cope with the challenges. The Gift of Nature applies the timeless wisdom of Mother Nature to human nature, offering readers strength through nature photographs and inspirational quotes from an author who has bounced back from setbacks time and time again.

The Bible tells us that every overcoming Christian will become conformed to the image of Christ. But what does this mean? And how can we prepare ourselves for an abundant fulfillment of our Christian hope? In this book, Rev. Norman Holmes will answer these questions and much more: What is the eternal goal for every believer?How should we prepare ourselves for a glorious future?Developing spiritual discernmentHow to hit the mark of the high calling of God

This book is an outline of the development of eschatological thought in the first seven centuries of Christianity. It is the first attempt, in any language, to give a comprehensive description of the origins of Christian eschatology, as it expanded from its Jewish roots and Jesus' preaching, and as it drew upon the philosophical and folkloric notions of death and its aftermath held by the peoples of the Mediterranean. Based on a study of the original texts, the book considers not only the eschatology of the Greek and Latin fathers, but also what can be known from the early Syriac, Coptic, and Armenian Christian literature. Brief and clearly-focused in its range of subjects, the book provides an accessible historical survey of a centrally important aspect of early Christian doctrine.This book is an outline of the development of eschatological thought in the first seven centuries of Christianity. It is the first attempt, in any language, to give a comprehensive description of the origins of Christian eschatology, as it expanded from its Jewish roots and Jesus' preaching, and as it drew upon the philosophical and folkloric notions of death and its aftermath held by the peoples of the Mediterranean. Based on a study of the original texts, the book considers not only the eschatology of the Greek and Latin fathers, but also what can be known from the early Syriac, Coptic, and Armenian Christian literature. Brief and clearly-focused in its range of subjects, the book provides an accessible historical survey of a centrally important aspect of early Christian doctrine.

The first half of 'Religion and the Natural Sciences' is an introduction to the discussion of science and religion. Here the reader learns why there is any debate at all and what resources exist for responding to it. The second half deals with specific issues that arise in the individual sciences, from astronomy and physics to biology and ecology. Any project hoping to connect science and religion must supply the categories of connection, which are found primarily, although not exclusively, in philosophy. The simplicity of the arrangement and the nature of the selections are intended to make 'Religion and the Natural Sciences' available to as wide an audience as possible, including students from the sciences and technology, the professions, the humanities and liberal studies, and theology.