Written in the 19th century by an anonymous Russian pilgrim and translated from the Russian by R.M. French, this little book has become a spiritual classic on the Jesus Prayer. Filled with insights on how to maintain a prayerful presence in the face of predicaments, adventures and calamities, it was preserved for posterity by the pilgrim's spiritual adviser, a wise old monk who recorded these tales of the pilgrim's dedicated life-style, and then began to pass the manuscript on to those who wanted to know why Jesus told his disciples to "pray without ceasing." This narrative about the wayfarer's longings to communicate with God is especially inspiring and apt for today's busy person who is looking for that quiet center of spiritual strength.

When Jerry Levin was CNN’s Beirut Bureau Chief, he was kidnapped and held hostage by the Hezbollah for almost a year. Yet when he was released, instead of being vindictive against his captors, Jerry decided to devote his life to giving voice to peoples silenced by foreign policies that often victimize the innocent. He became a dedicated advocate for nonviolence and volunteered for the Christian Peacemaker Team Hebron, West Bank. Determined to demonstrate the power of nonviolence, Jerry escorts Palestinian children to school or farmers to their fields, being a peacemaker in a world filled with hate and violence. Levin tells of the plight of the Palestinians cut off from each other, from their hopes and dreams, their heritage and lives held hostage to myth and historical inaccuracy.

This laity-friendly text by Methodist pastor Gerald H. Ihle points out that the doctrine of the Trinity was not part of first-century Christianity, but rather came from new language embedded later into Church tradition. We need to question the authority of this tradition, not that of the Biblical witness. Peter was complimented by Jesus for understanding who Jesus really was. He told him, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” He did not say, “Jesus is God.” He is God’s Son. Christians over the years have defended the primacy of Biblical scripture, yet they have allowed the authority of church tradition to supersede Biblical authority, falsely believing that tradition was identical to the Biblical witness. Perfect for adult Bible-study groups.

Franciscan scholar Fr. Eloi Leclerc, intimate with the historical facts, brings us an inspiring classic in a narrative story describing St. Francis' darkest hour. Returning from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Francis discovers his original vision has been replaced by the thriving community of friars he founded. Describing how he faced heartache and despondency, this tale brings comfort and inspiration to all who confront failure or loss. Rebuffed and despondent, St. Francis goes to a mountain hermitage where during a long winter of the soul he comes to new understandings of God, and then emerges into the springtime sunshine realizing the only thing important is that "God is God"… not that his own hopes and dreams are realized, nor that his own ideas prevail.