A Rope And A Prayer

The compelling and insightful account of a New York Times reporter's abduction by the Taliban, and his wife's struggle to free him. Invited to an interview by a Taliban commander, New York Times reporter David Rohde and two Afghan colleagues were kidnapped in November 2008 and spirited to the tribal areas of Pakistan. For the next seven months, they lived in an alternate reality, ruled by jihadists, in which paranoia, conspiracy theories, and shifting alliances abounded. Held in bustling towns, they found that Pakistan's powerful military turned a blind eye to a sprawling Taliban ministate that trained suicide bombers, plotted terrorist attacks, and helped shelter Osama bin Laden. In New York, David's wife of two months, Kristen Mulvihill, his family, and The New York Times struggled to navigate the labyrinth of issues that confront the relatives of hostages. Their methodical, Western approach made little impact on the complex mix of cruelty, irrationality, and criminality that characterizes the militant Islam espoused by David's captors. In the end, a stolen piece of rope and a prayer ended the captivity. The experience tested and strengthened Mulvihill and Rohde's relationship and exposed the failures of American effort in the region. The tale of those seven months is at once a love story and a reflection of the great cultural divide-and challenge-of our time.

"I'd rather have one or two of his whiplashing essays in my hands than almost any tome of philosophy". -- Thomas Moore

Renowned poet and novelist Jay Parini’s The Way of Jesus is a book for progressive Christians and spiritual seekers who struggle, as Parini does, with some of the basic questions about human existence: its limits and sadnesses, and its possibilities for awareness and understanding. Part guide to Christian living, part spiritual autobiography, The Way of Jesus is Jay Parini’s exploration of what Jesus really meant, his effort to put love first in our daily lives. Called “one of those writers who can do anything” by Stacy Schiff in the New York Times Book Review, Parini—a lifelong Christian who has at times wavered and questioned his beliefs—recounts his own efforts to follow Jesus’s example, examines the contours of Christian thinking, and describes the solace and structure one can find in the rhythms of the church calendar. Parini’s refreshingly undogmatic approach to Christian thinking incorporates teachings from other religions, as well as from poets and other writers who have helped Parini along his path to understanding.

Prior to setting sail for Burma (now Myanmar), Adoniram Judson wrote that he and Ann were "like men going down into a well; you stand at the top and hold the ropes. Do not let us fall." Missionaries through the centuries, beginning with those first-century believers, have depended on the prayers of others to keep them strong. It is astounding to think the infinite God of the universe is moved by our prayers. As we pray for missions and missionaries, we are personally fulfilling Christ's command to "go into all the world" with the gospel. In Holding the Ropes: The Adventure of Praying for Missions, you will find reasons we should pray for missions, resources to help you pray more intentionally, and ways to involve others in the challenge of missions praying. You will hear from missionaries who have experienced firsthand God's work through the prayers of "rope holders." This book will help you gain greater insights into effective missions praying and inspire you to attain a greater level of commitment to intercession. You will sit at the feet of Edwards as she shares with raw honesty and transparency her personal experiences through her lifetime of missions involvement. You will laugh and cry with her; you will rejoice as she recounts ways God, through the ministry of "rope holders," gave strength, insight, wisdom, and encouragement at just the right time. You will meet prayer warriors as well as grateful recipients of prayers voiced on their behalf. Edwards writes, "It is my prayer that this book will inspire you to make missions praying an intentional part of your daily prayer life, praying with confidence that God does hear, and He answers in His own way and His own time."

- Spiritual practices for beginners and practitioners all in one volume - Spurs people of faith to deeper self-awareness, holistic living, and prayer Just Begin is an indispensable reference tool for the interested spiritual practitioner who wants to add new methods and exercises to their mystical "toolbox." In simple terms, basic steps, and encouraging language, Dr. Wigner introduces readers to more than 40 different practices from Eastern and Western traditions, encompassing everything from mindfulness to music, yoga to the Lord's Prayer. In each short description, the focus is to "just begin" to practice and experiment, grow, and develop spiritually on the way. No one can take a journey without taking the first step, and Dr. Wigner provides the first steps for multiple practices in various religious traditions. These spiritual exercises will help spur people of faith to deeper self-awareness, holistic living, and prayer. The book's sections are organized around types of practices: Meditating, Listening, Being, Sensing, and Embodying, with a final section: Doing. Each chapter forms a short three to five page introduction to a mystical practice, consisting of segments on definition, background, how to practice, resources for further study, journal prompts and discussion questions, and common problems that sometimes "get in the way" of one's practice.