Beyond The Curse

When countries discover that they possess large deposits of oil and natural gas, the news is usually welcome. Yet, paradoxically, if they rely on their wealth of natural resources, they often set down a path of poor economic performance and governance challenges. Only a few resource-rich countries have managed to develop their economies fully and provide a better and sustainable standard of living for large segments of their populations. This phenomenon, known as the resource curse, is a core challenge for energy-exporting states. Beyond the Resource Curse focuses on this relationship between natural wealth and economic security, discussing the particular pitfalls and consistent perils facing oil- and gas-exporting states. The contributors to this volume look beyond the standard fields of research related to the resource curse. They also shed new light on the specific developmental problems of resource-rich exporting states around the globe, including Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cambodia, East Timor, Iran, Norway, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. Policy makers and academics think of energy security solely in terms of the interests of energy importers. Beyond the Resource Curse shows that the constant volatility in energy markets creates energy security challenges for exporters as well.

With issues such as the ordination of women and the call for "inclusive" language affecting the Church today, Dr. Amda Spencer has provided a helpful and important study of how the Scriptures really speak to these and other issues related to the role of women in the Church. From the biblical account of creation and "the fall" to other relevant Old Testament passages, "Beyond the Curse" carefully examines the attitudes toward and teachings about women" especially those of Jesus and Paul. "Beyond the Curse" sheds light on instances in the New Testament of feminine authority and on feminine metaphors used in Scripture to define God, the church, and society. Jesus is shown to have broken through the cultural barriers of first-century Palestine in His attitudes toward and dealings with women. Paul's later works are found to be consistent with Jesus' views, as Spencer notes the vital place of women in Paul's ministry. Women in leadership roles and the many implications are viewed firsthand by Dr. Spencer" herself a minister. Dr. William David Spencer, the author's husband, gives an afterword, explaining his personal journey as the spouse of an ordained minister. Timely and vital to an understanding of the growth of a woman's role in the Church, "Beyond the Curse" is a compelling and important work.

Beyond the Curse is to be on or to the farther side, at a greater distance than, out of the reach of or sphere of something that lies outside of the scope of ordinary experiences. In a degree or amount of surpassing. This is what Jesus did for us. He took us beyond the curse and dissolved it for us. The message Bible says: Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating cursed life by absorbing it completely into Himself. That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the cross. He became a curse and, at the same time, dissolved the curse in Himself that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:13 14). Believers have been redeemed from the curse of the law through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. That curse doesn't exist anymore for the believer; we are beyond it. Remember, the blessing is before you, and the curse is behind you.

Creating order out of chaos has frightening consequences in this New York Times bestselling series! Kiranmala must leave the Kingdom Beyond and travel to her hometown of Parsippany to save Prince Lal, who has been spirited to the unlikeliest of places -- a tree in the yard of her best-enemy-for-life. She also faces evil serpents (of course!), plus a frightening prophecy about her role in the coming conflict between good and evil. Most troubling of all, though, is the way reality all around her seems to waver and flicker at odd moments. Could it be that the Anti-Chaos Committee's efforts are causing a dangerous disruption in the multiverse? Kiran must grapple with the increasingly tangled threads that threaten to ensnare her...and everyone in the world and the Kingdom Beyond.

This book gives a comprehensive overview of Ghana’s hydrocarbon economy using actor network and assemblage theories to contest the methodological nationalism of mainstream accounts of the resource curse in resource-rich countries. Drawing upon recent field research focused on Ghana’s oil and gas sector and utilizing the theoretical framework of actor network theory, the authors contend that there is an assemblage of political, economic, social and environmental networks, processes, actions, actors, and structures of power that coalesce to determine the extent to which the country’s hydrocarbon resources could be regarded as a "curse" or "blessing." This framing facilitates a better understanding of the variety (and duality) of local and global forces and power structures at play in Ghana’s growing hydrocarbon industry. Giving a nuanced and multi-perspectival analysis of the factors that underlie oil-engendered development in Ghana, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of African political economy, development and the politics of resource extraction.

Hall is authentic, transparent and raw as she shares the many facets of her dynamic life and colorful personality. The chapters are like peeling an onion as Hall deftly delivers the most dismal times of her life. Readers will experience so many emotions, but in the end will be cheering for Hall's escape, redemption, and power to rebuild a successful life. She credits her beloved 93-year-old Grandmother unconditional love and wisdom for giving her the endurance and strength to overcome all that life has dealt her. Hall reveals, "I sought answers from others about my own value. I did not see nor know that I was born valuable," but continuous talk therapy has helped her to let go of shame, anxiety, and self-hate and walk proudly in her truth. She challenges readers to own their power and to unabashedly live their reality with no regrets. Today, she is vulnerable enough and ready to expend the energy to try emotional intimacy to break the love curse because she knows that if Love fails her again and again, she is built and equipped to survive.Hall says, "Society thinks being single is a sickness or disorder and that can lead to toxic relationships." She unapologetically takes the reader on her journey to find peace, joy, and wholeness. Hall, an advocate, and champion of mental wellness realize that hurt and broken people hurt and break others. She has committed her entire life to avoid being like her mentally ill mother, and to shoulder the burden of responsibility, along with her ex-husband Mark, for caring for her three boys and only daughter whom all have special abilities.

This book will help you to recognize and spiritually combat the demonic warfare that has been assigned to put a curse on your life! How to make right choices, and how to use the Bible as a guide to walking in the God ordained blessings for tyour life!

A provocative look at the way our culture deals with menstruation. The Curse examines the culture of concealment that surrounds menstruation and the devastating impact such secrecy has on women's physical and psychological health. Karen Houppert combines reporting on the potential safety problems of sanitary products--such as dioxin-laced tampons--with an analysis of the way ads, movies, young-adult novels, and women's magazines foster a "menstrual etiquette" that leaves women more likely to tell their male colleagues about an affair than brazenly carry an unopened tampon down the hall to the bathroom. From the very beginning, industry-generated instructional films sketch out the parameters of acceptable behavior and teach young girls that bleeding is naughty, irrepressible evidence of sexuality. In the process, confident girls learn to be self-conscious teens. And the secrecy has even broader implications. Houppert argues that industry ad campaigns have effectively stymied consumer debate, research, and safety monitoring of the sanitary-protection industry. By telling girls and women how to think and talk about menstruation, the mostly male-dominated media have set a tone that shapes women's experiences for them, defining what they are allowed to feel about their periods, their bodies, and their sexuality.