As He Saw It

In April 2020, middle level education lost one of its most ardent and influential advocates with the passing of Dr. John H. Lounsbury. His career of more than 70 years focused on providing young adolescents with a developmentally appropriate educational program. He is recognized as one of the founders of the modern middle school movement and a founding member of the National Middle School Association, now the Association for Middle Level Education. Through his efforts as an educator, writer, editor, and researcher, John served as a mentor and inspiration to many. John’s writings and mentorship continue to influence generations of middle level teachers, colleagues, researchers, and advocates. His legend lives on as we continue his work to improve the lives and educational experiences of young adolescents. This tribute volume is a collection of stories, anecdotes, vignettes, and defining moments that the contributors want to share about Dr. John Lounsbury.

A deep exploration of the intersection of faith, creativity, and justice from acclaimed hip-hop artist and creative polymath Sho Baraka “Sho has the courage to say what many are thinking and the candor to say what many are not. His words have positively influenced me for years—now this book gives the world that influence.”—Lecrae You were created to help bring truth and beauty into this broken world. God made you with an imagination and a yearning for justice. No matter your calling or vocation, you can help shape a better world around you through your creativity. But that doesn’t mean it will be easy. We are surrounded by toxic stories and bad cultural thinking. We’re held back by incomplete theology. But does it have to be like that? Is frustration the end of the story? In the face of confusion and injustice, we can lose sight of our true narrative—the one that started in a garden and wants to make our real lives better today. In He Saw That It Was Good, activist and recording artist Sho Baraka wrestles deeply and honestly with these questions, gives you permission to do the same, and shows a hard-earned path to creative change. With Sho, you’ll engage with art, justice, and history. Learn from the powerful principles of historic movements, explore why it’s important to cultivate your creative calling (no matter what you do!), and discover a fresh look at how the gospel can transform how you see God, your neighbor, your work, and your world. You’ll return to your biggest and truest story. Your life (and your world) need never be the same.

A deep exploration of the intersection of faith, creativity, and justice from acclaimed hip-hop artist and creative polymath Sho Baraka “Sho has the courage to say what many are thinking and the candor to say what many are not. His words have positively influenced me for years—now this book gives the world that influence.”—Lecrae You were created to help bring truth and beauty into this broken world. God made you with an imagination and a yearning for justice. No matter your calling or vocation, you can help shape a better world around you through your creativity. But that doesn’t mean it will be easy. We are surrounded by toxic stories and bad cultural thinking. We’re held back by incomplete theology. But does it have to be like that? Is frustration the end of the story? In the face of confusion and injustice, we can lose sight of our true narrative—the one that started in a garden and wants to make our real lives better today. In He Saw That It Was Good, activist and recording artist Sho Baraka wrestles deeply and honestly with these questions, gives you permission to do the same, and shows a hard-earned path to creative change. With Sho, you’ll engage with art, justice, and history. Learn from the powerful principles of historic movements, explore why it’s important to cultivate your creative calling (no matter what you do!), and discover a fresh look at how the gospel can transform how you see God, your neighbor, your work, and your world. You’ll return to your biggest and truest story. Your life (and your world) need never be the same.

'May the eyes of Canada never be blind to that glorious light which shines upon our young national life from the deeds of those "who counted not their lives dear unto themselves"'. When World War I broke out in the summer of 1914, the Canadian chaplain Frederick George Scott volunteered for service despite his fears. He spent four long years in the trenches on the western front, where he developed close bonds with his fellow soldiers and sought to maintain his faith while the world around him collapsed into chaos. In evocative language befitting his background as a poet, Scott lays bare the horrors of modern warfare. Filled with heart-wrenching descriptions and tragic detail, The Great War as I Saw It is a powerful meditation on the Canadian experience during World War I and an important look into the life of the ordinary soldier.

Despite severe diabetes, Russell Ogg was a successful photographer who traveled worldwide with his wife, journalist Norma Lee Browning. He's always been able to cope with anything, but when diabetes began to rob him of his sight, "it was like a violinist losing his fingers." When Norma Lee saw him sitting day after day on the patio of their home in Palm Springs, slumped in despair, his sightless eyes fixed on nothing, she too became depressed. But a miracle was about to happen. Then suddenly a red hummingbird appeared that changed their lives. Norma Lee frankly describes her doubts and the errors she made in identifying the birds her husband tried to photograph. She also concludes, from her close observation of the hummers, that "the experts" are wrong on many counts. But the miracle that provides the heart-warming conclusion to this unusual story involves Russell Ogg's eyesight. His sight improved. His eye doctor said he saw better than it was possible for him to see. "There is no way to explain medically how he does it ... his photographs tell us something about the magnificence of man." His inspiring story is a testament to human courage and hope.

Loneliness and despair consumes Buddy after the mysterious disappearance of his sister Autumn on her first day of high school. How will he and his best friend Gus save her? There are supernatural elements and mysteries abound in this gripping adventure that leads two best friends on a journey into the unknown, as almost everyone they know forget about Autumn's very existence.

Scott reflects on the stories that have stuck with him personally over the years, and the people who gave them life. Alongside marches with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and tense meetings with Yasser Arafat, Scott brings us Burt and Linda Pugach, the couple whose lifelong marriage was forged in deadly obsession; Abraham Zapruder, who shot history's most infamous piece of film; Charlie Walsh, the everyman hero who gave the banks a run for their money; and Stephanie Collado, the eleven-year-old girl who needed a heart and touched his. As I Saw It pairs Scott's unique storytelling and photography to give readers a new look at the singular experiences of a lifelong reporter, and the stories that shaped a generation.