One Day Closer To God

An instant national bestseller and "a beautiful story of what love can do to conquer the impossible" (Jann Arden). On the day my daughter was kidnapped by outlaws in Somalia, my life split into two parts: Before and After. This is the story of both parts, and of how I fought to bring my daughter home. On August 23, 2008, Amanda Lindhout, Lorinda Stewart’s daughter, is kidnapped outside of Mogadishu in Somalia. The kidnappers’ demand is simple: pay $2.5 million or Amanda will be killed. For the next 460 days, Lorinda does everything in her power—and beyond—to get her daughter back alive. This brave, small-town mother with no experience in hostage negotiations is called upon by the RCMP to be the lead communicator with Adam, the Somali who identifies himself as the English-speaking negotiator for Amanda's kidnappers. In a secret “war room” in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, Lorinda joins forces with federal officers and begins to answer calls from Adam, establishing a fragile rapport of trust with the man who holds her daughter’s fate in his hands. She learns how to demand POLs—proofs of life—from Amanda’s hostage takers and even how to react to “bad calls”—when she is forced to listen to her daughter’s desperate cries for help, fearing she is being abused and tortured. What’s supposed to be a short negotiation stretches on, and weeks become months. Lorinda finds herself increasingly on her own as negotiations break down. But she never gives up hope, even as the conversations become more traumatic. Faced with the terrible possibility of her daughter’s death, she decides to take control, bringing in private hostage negotiators and fundraising ransom money from donors. But will it be enough? This is the true story of one woman’s heroic perseverance in the face of despair, and of the hope and healing to be found beyond trauma. It is also, in the end, a tribute to the extraordinary power of a mother’s love.

How do you find God in the midst of pain, suffering, and despair? Who should you turn to for assistance when you're at your lowest point? No matter what kind of life you've led, or what kinds of sins you've committed, where is the one place you can find eternal salvation? The answers to these questions and many more are found inside the covers of One Day Closer to God. View the fascinating, little-known world of penitentiary life behind the eyes of a veteran inmate who has endured over 25 years behind the wall. Hear the grim details and personal anecdotes of the daily violence, profanity, lewd behavior, disrespect, hostility, and hatred found in our nation's lock-ups. Finally, find out how only Jesus Christ can give you true fulfillment, satisfaction, and joy in this life and the next.

What are we one day closer to? Everything that will happen in the future. Christians, and particularly students of Biblical prophecy, understand that everybody is one day closer to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. With the downward direction of our country and current disturbing world events and trends, the probability of moving closer to the second coming is increasing. That is not to say the date is known. Only the Father knows the date. One Day Closer cites biblical quotes, history, and political events, showing how and why the downward direction occurred and world events are unfolding as they are. It also includes end-event prophecy details.

"I have an incredible story to tell. It occurs during extraordinary times between two worlds that have grown complacent about God. There is a rebellion brewing on heaven and earth, and with the four horsemen saddling up, as 'end times' draw near, our two lives will be crucial to changing our worlds' course. Stay with me here because redemption is always worth it, especially when it comes to the salvation of two deeply broken beings, one who was transformed into the bringer of Death and collector of souls, and then there's me. Forever hiding from my disfigurement, unwilling to let go and live the life God has granted me. "“That is until I met Azrael.”

What if you were suddenly and irretrievably thrown into a maelstrom of pain, uncertainty, and despair? What if the person you thought you knew suddenly became this stranger-a mute victim of his own torment who wasn't willing or capable of sharing his pain with you? This is what Carmela DiCola Bozulich faced on a fateful day when her husband descended into the disease pit of Parkinson's, leaving her to reshape her life, her ideals for their future, and their very life together. This is the snapshot of her journey, how it was molded and graced by the Savior of her life, Jesus Christ, and how He became her source of joy and hope in the midst of her and her husband's trials.

It's been said that Centering Prayer is like two friends sitting together in silence, just being in each other's presence—completely natural and comfortable. Yet, Centering Prayer is sometimes viewed as too mysterious, too escapist, too hard. At first, it even appeared that way to the author, but events in his life and his further studies about prayer changed his views. Through Muyskens' insightful guidance, you'll explore a method of prayer that goes deeper than verbal conversations with God. This book teaches: silent communion with God a method of being open to the gift of God's presence a way of receiving a deep ad intimate relationship with God Each day's reading has a focal scripture verse and the author's reflection, ending with simple suggestions for contemplative prayer. You'll begin with as few as 5 minutes of Centering Prayer. By following the guidance in this book for 40 days, you will be led to a closer relationship with God. As you progress through the daily scripture and meditative readings in Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God, you'll find greater understanding and fresh awareness of Jesus' promise, "I am with you always."

Highlighting this collection is an ingenious new episode in the saga of Jimmy Blackburn, the eponymous serial killer of Denton's third novel. "Blackburn Bakes Cookies" might best be called the icing on the cake that is Blackburn's story, and it is appropriately delectable. Other highlights of this collection include: "The Territory," a "what if?" story revisiting Kansas in the days of the Civil War and imagining, in one small way, how things might have gone a bit differently; "We Love Lydia Love," a science-fictional examination of the ways in which modern obsessions with celebrity and stardom can change us...and the ways in which we'll never change; and "The Calvin Coolidge Home for Dead Comedians," a moving and funny trip to the afterlife, where all great comics go when they die. In assembling these stories, Bradley Denton discovered that all of them are concerned with some aspect of death. It's true. And yet (as they say), in death there is life: these eight tales brim with such vitality and joie de vivre that readers will find themselves enjoying the work of this fantastic storyteller again and again.

In the hustle and bustle of today's busy world, sometimes it's hard enough to hear yourself think, much less take a minute to stop and listen for the voice of God. But learning to recognize God's voice and the many ways in which He speaks is vital for following His plan. In How to Hear from God, Joyce Meyer shows readers that God reaches out to people every day, seeking a partnership with them to offer guidance and love. She reveals the ways in which God delivers His word and the benefits of asking God for the sensitivity to hear His voice. Joyce asks the question, "Are you listening?" and shares how to do just that.