Contemporary relationships are in a state of rapid evolution. These changes can and should empower people with the opportunity to develop partnerships based on their own sexualities, understandings, and agreements. This makes it possible to create what Kenneth Haslam, founder of the Kinsey Institute’s Polyamory Archive, has called “designer relationships.”Designer relationships may encompass: people who bond emotionally but not sexually; people who agree to be non-exclusive; single...

Most of us long for intimate relationships, and though texting and emailing may keep us superficially connected, it ultimately cannot create the kind of intimacy necessary to sustain a deep, fulfilling, and lasting partnership. With the divorce rate reaching a staggering 50 percent in 2013 and the breakup rate among unmarried long-term couples even higher, it appears that the more we tweet, the more disconnected we become. So many of us believe that new is better, hotter, and more intense,...

Despite popular images of priests seeking enlightenment in snow-covered mountain temples, the central concern of Japanese Buddhism is death. For that reason, Japanese Buddhism’s social and economic base has long been in mortuary services—a base now threatened by public debate over the status, treatment, and location of the dead. Bonds of the Dead explores the crisis brought on by this debate and investigates what changing burial forms reveal about the ways temple Buddhism is perce...

This innovative collaborative work—the first to focus on Buddhist tourism—explores how Buddhists, government organizations, business corporations, and individuals in Asia participate in re-imaginings of Buddhism through tourism. Contributors from religious studies, anthropology, and art history examine sacred places and religious monuments as they have been shaped and reshaped by socioeconomic and cultural trends in the region.Following an introduction that offers the first theoret...

In today's modern society every believer needs to be firmly established in faith. We Walk by Faith is a systematic teaching on the biblical principles of faith. There is what is called the measure of faith, which the scriptures teach that God has endowed upon every believer. The measure of faith is often referred to as believing faith. Romans 12:3 says, "God has given to every man, the measure of faith." But believing faith is not the faith that pleases God. Believing faith is just where y...

Overcoming Gossip takes a serious look at how the “accuser of the brethren” works in partnership with people who gossip to bring down God’s children and keep a spirit of disrespect alive in families, churches, ministries, and communities. Through true stories gathered from believers, Overcoming Gossip highlights the various types of gossip as well as many of the common motivations—conscious or unconscious—for negative speech coming from Christians. Balanced perfectly with God’s love, ...

DISCOVER THE UNBOUNDED WISDOM AND POWER OF STORYTELLING The book in your hand has some of the best and most beloved short stories you will ever read. The stories are not all original. They are the product of many years of listening. The sources from which these stories derive are eclectic. Most of them have been collected from various books, sermons, and front porches as friends and acquaintances told and retold stories they have heard over the years. This collection of stories represents ...

You often hear Christians use the expression "Jesus is Lord." It is quite a common expression among believers. But the modern man is so displaced from lordship that such statements have very little meaning to us. When Apostle Paul instructed believers on salvation, he urged them to "Confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead" (Romans 10:9). This scripture informs us that salvation is predicated upon Jesus becoming your Lord! Lords...

Firefighters, police, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are often the first responders to deal with emergencies and incidents that threaten health and life. The expectation that we can be immersed in these incidents and not be affected by them is unrealistic. Decades of research demonstrate we are impacted by these work-related challenges (Andress & Corey, 1978; Bryant & Harvey, 1996). First Response Resilience V3.0 provides you with tools to build mental armor to better deal with these...

This book is a collection of reflections on the reality of Love’s presence. They are encounters with truth in the disguise of image and story—a game of horseshoes played across the threshold of non-existence. I throw iron shoes through the opening, and Hafiz throws back bowling balls, flower bouquets and circling doves. When difficulty arises, Jesus crawls out from the safe-keeping of my own heart to walk with me for a bit. And when all else fails, there’s a leopard ambush.

Each of these poems is a little bridge— a link from here to here— from the here that isn't, quite, to the here that truly is. We spend our lives adjacent to grace, not always realizing it, and sometimes a little stepping stool is useful to provide a boost, so we can peek over the wall that's keeping us from seeing what's really happening. Sustaining this view means greeting life on new terms, embracing a shift in perspective, and that's what these pieces hope to spark. . Hafiz is the ringl...

A History of American Music Education covers the history of American music education, from its roots in Biblical times through recent historical events and trends. It describes the educational, philosophical, and sociological aspects of the subject, always putting it in the context of the history of the United States. It offers complete information on professional organizations, materials, techniques, and personalities in music education.