Tales Of God S Friends

Prophets, saints, martyrs, sages, and seers—one of the richest repositories of lore about such exemplary religious figures belongs to the world's approximately 1.3 billion Muslims. Illuminating some of the most delightful tales in world religious literature, this engaging book is the first truly global overview of Islamic hagiography. John Renard tells of the characters beyond the Qur'an and Hadith, whose stories of piety and service to God and humanity have captured hearts and minds for nearly fourteen hundred years. Renard's thematic approach to the major characters, narratives, social and cultural contexts, and theoretical concepts of this remarkable treasury of tales, based on material ranging from the eighth to the twentieth centuries and from countries ranging from Morocco to Malaysia, provides insight into the ways in which these stories have functioned in the lives of Muslims from diverse cultural, social, economic, and political backgrounds. The book also serves as a useful and evocative tool for approaching the vast geographical and chronological sweep of Islamic civilization.

"The works of Islamic mysticism are a crucial genre of Islamic piety, and the lives of the awliya (friends of God) have been and continue to be a crucial way in which the theoretical insights of Sufism are embodied and communicated to a wider audience. Traditionally, these genres would be deciphered by a living Sufi master. Here John Renard acts as our Sufi guide, transporting us to the marvelous world of Islamic piety."—Omid Safi, Professor of Islamic Studies, University of Northern Carolina

Presents the lives and sayings of some of the most renowned figures in the Islamic Sufi tradition, translated into a contemporary American English from the Persian of the poet Farid al-Din 'Att'r.

Containing 54 first-person accounts from familiar Bible characters, this storybook is sure to immerse readers in these faith-building stories. A free app available for download lets readers collect, share, and even create digital cards describing these Bible-time friends of God. Full color.

WHAT’S GOD DOING IN YOUR STORY? Our kids beg us for stories at bedtime or while we drive; we gather around firepits and dinner tables to tell and retell our favorite tales—the more dramatic the better. But when it comes to our actual lives, we prefer something less sensational, even boring—sunny skies and smooth sailing, please and thank you. We want our own stories to be predictable, safe, controllable, and catastrophe-free. When plans fall apart, jobs are lost, kids wander off, doctors give bad reports, we often wonder, "What are you doing, God? Are you sure you have this under control? It doesn’t really seem like it right now." God is the master Storyteller. He’s writing your story and it’s a part of His bigger, grander, eternal Story. But we’re still in the middle. We haven’t gotten to the happy ending yet, and it can be hard to trust Him in the thick of our struggles. That’s why Robert and Nancy share their own story, friends’ stories, and the stories of people in the Bible who have faced life-altering challenges, but, in the end, have found God to be faithful. Learn why you really can trust God to write your story—no matter what plot twists you may encounter along the way. "This is a unique and charming book, integrating stories of God’s providence from His people and His Word. Nancy and Robert write personally and beautifully, infusing readers with a Christ-centered vision, hope, and trust for the future." -Randy Alcorn, author of Heaven, Giving is the Good Life, and Deception "You Can Trust God to Write Your Story is an amazing book whose title says it all. For if you are a follower of Jesus, every day of your life—whether you feel like it or not—is weighted with kingdom purpose, eternal significance, and a royal destiny filled with joy and contentment. Let my dear friends, Robert and Nancy, help you embrace the mysteries of the Lord’s Providence. For when it comes to happy endings, you can’t find a better Author than the God of the Bible. Happy endings are His forte—turn the page, trust Him, and discover it for yourself." -Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends International Disability Center

True Friends: The Story of Abraham and God is an interactive book that allows the reader the opportunity to gain knowledge about the special relationship between God and Abraham. This story will help them to relate it to their own lives. They will obtain an understanding of what it means to have a special relationship with God. For just as God loved Abraham enough to make promises; he also loves and continues making promises to us. His promise is one that we can always count on, even though we can’t figure out how, when, where, and why. The activities will help us to understand more and more about God and His relationship with humankind. It is an opportunity for children to understand what it means to have a special relationship with God. Just as God loved Abraham and made promises to him, He also makes promises to us and keeps them even though we cannot figure out how He will do it. There are activities that help us to review the story.

This beautiful, illustrated book recounts the many heroes and legends of Serbian folklore. Beginning with a historical overview of the country's key characters, themes, and superstitions, it also includes prose translations of many Serbian folk ballads. A treat for fans of mythology and fairy tales, and a glimpse into the poetic soul of a country little known to most westerners. WOISLAV M. PETROVITCH (1885?-1934) was an attach to the Serbian Royal Legation to the Court of St. James's, and a translator. He also wrote Serbia: Her People, History and Aspirations and Key to the Serbian Conversation Grammar.