Showing results by narrator "Al Kessel" in All Categories

A woman searching for a sister lost at sea. A man bent on finding lost treasure. A mother who has lost all hope. A maniac who believes all life exists for his pleasure. The man who would keep them all safe. Together, they will all seek below the waves for treasures long buried, and riches beyond belief. But those treasures hide something. Something ancient, something dark. A creature that exists only to feed on those that would enter into its realm. A creature... of The Deep.

Chris Kugler presents a thorough exploration of "personal eschatology," addressing the complex theological and biblical questions about the eternal fate of human beings. While Scripture suggests the possibility of eternal loss, Kugler argues that its most relevant texts are less definitive than commonly thought. Kugler contends that a nuanced picture is called for when one considers how theology uses the Bible to develop doctrine. He presents the problems, possibilities, and prospects of the three major views on personal eschatology: damnationism, annihilationism, and universalism.

While the Bible is enough to take us to heaven, knowing history helps us live more wisely on our way. George Orwell observed in 1984 that those who pay attention to history have the potential to influence the future. Stuck in the Present offers a grounding in historical consciousness that allows us to better navigate the daily bombardment of information. Amnesia about the past makes us vulnerable to the shackles of modern-day hucksters who try to convince us that the present is all that matters.

The signs are everywhere. China unilaterally claims the entire South China Sea as sovereign territory, then builds artificial islands to bolster its claim. It suddenly activates an air defense identification zone over the East China Sea, and threatens to down any aircraft that does not report its position. It builds roads into Indian territory, then redraws the maps to show that it is actually Chinese territory. The People's Republic under President Xi Jinping is quickly becoming The Bully of Asia.

Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari is known for his unparalleled ability to recruit the nation's best young players, some of whom will spend just one year with him before going to the NBA, and convincing them to commit to the team without sacrificing their personal goals. It is a promise he makes to them: "Fully invest in the present - and each other - and I guarantee it will serve your future." Here, for the first time, he distills his team-building methods in ways that apply to CEOs, business owners, and more.

As believers around the world pray for renewal and revival in our conflicted times, they often neglect a key ingredient: pursuing God's presence. The problem, says pastor and theologian Roger Helland, is that we were never taught, in a balanced and biblical way, how to seek, experience, and host God's kavod—his radiant glory, his manifest presence. Offering grounded and practical teaching, balanced with Scripture and Spirit, Helland shows how to live out a deeper biblical experience of the Holy Spirit and the manifest presence of God.

Imagine a machine that would end all wars and bloodshed. A machine that can create a virtual world so real, so complete, where all conflicts are waged, but where no one ever dies or gets hurt. The dueling machine is just that...until a madman dictator of a small empire finds a way to bend virtual reality to his will - and uses the dueling machine to take over the galaxy! It's up to the machine's creator and a rather inept Star Watchman to discover the plan and stop it.

In 2015, a group of young people sued the federal government for violating their constitutional rights by promoting the climate catastrophe, depriving them of life, liberty, and property without due process of law. They Knew offers evidence for their claims, presenting a devastating account of the federal government's role in bringing about today's climate crisis. James Speth, tapped by the plaintiffs as an expert on climate, documents how administrations from Carter to Trump continued aggressive support of a fossil fuel-based energy system.

Historian Jonathan W. White tells the riveting story of Appleton Oaksmith, a swashbuckling sea captain whose life intersected with some of the most important moments, movements, and individuals of the mid-nineteenth century, from the California Gold Rush, filibustering schemes in Nicaragua, Cuban liberation, and the Civil War and Reconstruction. Most importantly, the book depicts the extraordinary lengths the Lincoln Administration went to destroy the illegal trans-Atlantic slave trade.

31 Men of the Bible features 31 profiles of important men in the Bible. Each profile includes the related Scripture reference, a character summary, and application questions to help the listener discover who these men were and what we can learn from them today.

Philip K. Dick was an award-winning giant of American science fiction, right up there with Ray Bradbury and Isaac Asimov. He became the first science fiction writer ever to be included in The Library of America series. Although he died fairly young at 53, he created many incredible sci-fi stories - 44 published novels and over 120 short stories! These 14 selections represent some of his most imaginative work. Included in this collection are: "Adjustment Team", "The Golden Man", "A World of Talent", "The Last of the Masters", "The Crystal Crypt", and more.

As a pastor in Manhattan, John Starke knows the bustle and busyness of our society. But he also knows that prayer is not just for spiritual giants. Prayer, he writes, is for each of us - not because we are full of spiritual wisdom and maturity, but because we are empty. Here is an invitation to discover, via the church's ancient rhythms and with Starke's clear, practical guidance, the possibility of prayer. Here is a book about prayer that is really a book about the whole Christian life.

Psychotherapist and former pastor Eric Minton claims that the pernicious melding of capitalism and Christianity means a world of competition, perfection, and scarcity disguised as self-help and self-care. Rather than shaming, silencing, or medicating away our disappointment at not having obtained the happiness we were promised, however, Minton posits a radical alternative. In an impertinent, droll, yet pastoral voice, Minton suggests that our "not-okayness" will require rethinking everything we thought we knew.

This is a fine military science fiction novelette with a treason scenario. The tale has a unique premise, and is certainly one of Garrett's best stories. In the distant future, forced equality of all human beings has become the highest social priority. Earth's involvement in an interstellar war with this type of society leads to major problem. One intelligent man, stuck in a military where everyone is forced to be equal, comes up with a unique solution to that problem. The story may be an accurate prophecy of where we may be heading as a society.

The way of the pilgrim begins with what we leave behind - not so much a journey to a holy place, but a holy practice of leaving the comforts of the familiar for a radical vulnerability, letting the very breath of God direct us on the unknown, stripped-down path of trust. In Without Oars, Wesley Granberg-Michaelson blends history, storytelling, biblical insights, personal reflections, and spiritual formation in an inviting call to discover pilgrimage as a way of life. This book offers a unique perspective on the faith journey as an embodied practice of heading into the unknown.

June 1863. The American Civil War was two years old, and the U.S. Army in Virginia was in chaos. Reeling after the recent defeat at Chancellorsville, the Federals, especially the Cavalry Corps, scrambled to regroup. Confederate general Robert E. Lee seized the moment to launch a second invasion of the North. At this critical moment, the much-maligned Federal cavalry stepped to center stage.

General Ulysses S. Grant is best remembered today as a war-winning general, and he certainly deserves credit for his efforts on behalf of the Union. But has he received too much credit? Have others who fought the war with him suffered unfairly? General Grant and the Verdict of History explores these issues. Professor Frank P. Varney examines Grant's relationship with three noted Civil War generals: the brash and uncompromising "Fighting Joe" Hooker; George H. Thomas, the commander who earned the sobriquet "Rock of Chickamauga"; and Gouverneur Kemble Warren.

There are many paths to lose your way. And only one way to find it. So said Jesus of Nazareth, the most compelling and controversial teacher of all time. This book aims to make sense of his counterintuitive claim: Unless we lose our lives for his sake, we will never discover our true selves. Writers from around the world tell their stories of healing and hope amid many hardships. Joni Eareckson Tada, Sam Allberry, Christopher Yuan, Aixa de Lopez, and many other contributors share how God found them amid many dangers, toils, and snares.

This is a rousing, old-fashioned tale that Grey based on the true story of a chapter of Western history -the deadly feud of the Tonto Basin in Arizona, also known as "The Pleasant Valley War."It might be compared to an Old West Romeo and Juliet with two feuding families and two star crossed sweethearts. Family loyalty, forbidden love and rivalry between cattle ranchers and sheep herders are all wrapped up in this classic western tale.

We all need to pay bills and keep a roof over our head, but real satisfaction comes when we pursue careers filled with meaning and purpose according to God's plan for our lives. No matter where you're at now, you can find that kind of fulfillment in a career. This audiobook will show you how. Here's a hint: It's less about the kind of work you do, but how you do it and for whom you're doing it.