The Wired Soul

If you had time to slow down, you'd notice: You're more easily distracted lately. You forget the details of your life more often than you used to. You get easily agitated and have trouble resting, even though you're more tired than you remember ever being. Even your spiritual life is not immune: You struggle to pray, to read the Scriptures, to be still and know that God is God.Welcome to now. Our technology has greatly improved much of our lives, but in the process our brains are being rewired on a daily basis, and our capacity to be centered in our souls, in our lives, is at risk.Brain scientists are aware of this unprecedented change, but the solutions aren't found in science: They're found in the ancient practices of the faith. Tricia McCary Rhodes reintroduces us to the classic disciplines of Scripture reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation, not just as technologies to aid our faith but as tools to keep us focused and mindful in an increasingly disorienting digital age.

If you had time to slow down, you’d notice: You’re more easily distracted lately. You forget the details of your life more often than you used to. You get easily agitated and have trouble resting, even though you’re more tired than you remember ever being. Even your spiritual life is not immune: You struggle to pray, to read the Scriptures, to be still and know that God is God. Welcome to now. Our technology has greatly improved much of our lives, but in the process our brains are being rewired on a daily basis, and our capacity to be centered in our souls, in our lives, is at risk. Brain scientists are aware of this unprecedented change, but the solutions aren’t found in science: They’re found in the ancient practices of the faith. Tricia McCary Rhodes reintroduces us to the classic disciplines of Scripture reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation, not just as technologies to aid our faith but as tools to keep us focused and mindful in an increasingly disorienting digital age.

Tracy Kidder's "riveting" (Washington Post) story of one company's efforts to bring a new microcomputer to market won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award and has become essential reading for understanding the history of the American tech industry. Computers have changed since 1981, when The Soul of a New Machine first examined the culture of the computer revolution. What has not changed is the feverish pace of the high-tech industry, the go-for-broke approach to business that has caused so many computer companies to win big (or go belly up), and the cult of pursuing mind-bending technological innovations. The Soul of a New Machine is an essential chapter in the history of the machine that revolutionized the world in the twentieth century. "Fascinating...A surprisingly gripping account of people at work." --Wall Street Journal

Faith kept me plain. Science made me complicated. Book 3 in the Grounded Trilogy My name is Lydia Troyer and I can’t hide what I am anymore. I’m a Spark, a genetically engineered weapon. Along with my boyfriend Korwin, I am also the Liberty Party’s best hope of stopping Dr. Konrad and the Green Republic from developing a new generation of biological weapons. When our mission to destroy Konrad’s work goes awry, the side effects of a brain-altering chemical in my system become problematic. It’s more important than ever that I can protect the people I love. But the more I try to help, the more I seem cursed to hurt everyone around me. * * * Topics: young adult dystopian fiction, series, science fiction, romance, dystopian, futuristic, speculative fiction, thriller, electrokinesis, genetic engineering, multicultural, paranormal, YA, teen, young adult, alternative history, fantasy, amish Perfect for fans of: Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, Susan Kay Quinn, Ernie Lindsey, GP Ching, G. P. Ching, G.P. Ching

This guide reveals how writers can utilize cognitive storytelling strategies to craft stories that ignite readers’ brains and captivate them through each plot element. Imagine knowing what the brain craves from every tale it encounters, what fuels the success of any great story, and what keeps readers transfixed. Wired for Story reveals these cognitive secrets—and it’s a game-changer for anyone who has ever set pen to paper. The vast majority of writing advice focuses on “writing well” as if it were the same as telling a great story. This is exactly where many aspiring writers fail—they strive for beautiful metaphors, authentic dialogue, and interesting characters, losing sight of the one thing that every engaging story must do: ignite the brain’s hardwired desire to learn what happens next. When writers tap into the evolutionary purpose of story and electrify our curiosity, it triggers a delicious dopamine rush that tells us to pay attention. Without it, even the most perfect prose won’t hold anyone’s interest. Backed by recent breakthroughs in neuroscience as well as examples from novels, screenplays, and short stories, Wired for Story offers a revolutionary look at story as the brain experiences it. Each chapter zeroes in on an aspect of the brain, its corresponding revelation about story, and the way to apply it to your storytelling right now.

Many Christians today struggle with having a consistent or life-giving quiet time. They are looking for a form of prayer that doesn’t make them feel like they’re begging God or being judged by him. The Soul at Rest is a quiet time companion that introduces “inward disciplines” from throughout Christian history to those who hunger for greater intimacy with God. The Soul at Rest is a 40-day guided experience of prayer that puts readers in the presence of God and allows them to enter and enjoy his rest. It guides readers into a rhythm of quiet, contemplative prayer, easing them into God’s presence and demonstrating how prayer is not so much a duty as it is a gift. By the time someone finishes The Soul at Rest, they’ll not only understand prayer better; they’ll be engaging in it as a regular rhythm of life.

From the world’s foremost neuroscientist of romantic love comes a personal story of connection and heartbreak that brings new understanding to an old truth: better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. At thirty-seven, Dr. Stephanie Cacioppo was content to be single. She was fulfilled by her work on the neuroscience of romantic love—how finding and growing with a partner literally reshapes our brains. That was, until she met the foremost neuroscientist of loneliness. A whirlwind romance led to marriage and to sharing an office at the University of Chicago. After seven years of being inseparable at work and at home, Stephanie lost her beloved husband, John, following his intense battle with cancer. In Wired for Love, Stephanie tells not just a science story but also a love story. She shares revelatory insights into how and why we fall in love, what makes love last, and how we process love lost—all grounded in cutting-edge findings in brain chemistry and behavioral science. Woven through it all is her moving personal story, from astonishment to unbreakable bond to grief and healing. Her experience and her work enrich each other, creating a singular blend of science and lyricism that’s essential reading for anyone looking for connection.