Showing results by narrator "Lauren Pedersen" in All Categories

Politics can be infuriating. From unjust policies to unholy politicians, there are justifiable reasons to be upset or walk away altogether. Yet we must stay involved if we are to protect and sustain our fragile nation from the divisions that threaten it. With more than two decades of experience working in the highest levels of government, insider Denise Grace Gitsham offers a remedy to America's dark political reality: Christians filled with light, love, and Christ's heart for unity.

When a bad case of writer‘s block prevents Scarlet Lane from wrapping up a successful detective series, she agrees to take a weekend trip to the mountains with her best friend, Quinn, to partake in an interactive game of murder. When they arrive at the secluded retreat of Mystery Ridge Lodge, Scarlet is hopeful that the distraction of vintage costumes and cozy ambiance will inspire her to write a satisfying conclusion.

Many workers believe that to compete with other top talent they must embrace a culture that rewards long hours and constant connection to work. Businesses and society have encouraged this by endorsing busyness, overwork, and extreme commitment as the most valued traits in workers. But more often it's an implicit contract, a buildup of organizational and cultural norms and the adoption of new technologies that increasingly make it easy to tether people to work. Either way, this workaholic behavior is unhealthy and counterproductive for workers and for organizations. It's time to fight back.

Mabel plans to bring the thrills of volunteering to the masses—if she doesn’t go to the dogs first. When Mabel finds herself sharing a thicket with a dead body while volunteering with canine search-&-rescue, her life has clearly—once again—gone to the dogs!

On the morning of July 3, 1915, John Pierpont Morgan Jr., one of the most famous names in finance, was entertaining guests at his sprawling Long Island estate when the doorbell unexpectedly rang. An armed man forced his way inside. At the same time, authorities in Washington, DC, were investigating a shocking bombing at the US Capitol.

What happens when an evil queen envies a princess for her beauty? How does the poor son of a farmer become the killer of giants? And what price is too high for a mermaid to become a human?

Janae Simmons left the small town of Kedgewick, Virginia, ten years ago to pursue her legal career and never looked back—until a professional mistake leads her to her grandmother's historic carriage house and to the town where her past threatens to find her. The streets echo with her grandfather's sterling reputation, one that conflicts with fresh questions that claw at Janae, launching her on a reluctant journey to unearth his secrets. When her new job at a local law firm doesn't live up to expectations, she wonders if coming home was the right decision.

You’re tired. You have trouble sleeping and thinking, you feel down and stressed out, and you worry that you’ve lost your edge. You're plagued by many physical symptoms, too! Your doctor told you that you were depressed, handed you a prescription for an antidepressant, and referred you to a psychiatrist. Your heart of hearts truly believes that you're not depressed, but you don't know what causes you to feel this way.

In Relationship Matters in Adult Education, Volume 2, you will discover specific step-by-step strategies to help you thrive and excel in your online learning adventures. Written for adult learners in the online world, the book is a comprehensive exploration of students’ perspectives of “relationships” and of making connections in e-learning communities. Maybe you wanted to take an online course before, but you became anxious or worried about succeeding. Or perhaps, you’d enroll in internet courses before and experienced failure.

The youngest of the merchant’s daughters displays cheerfulness and fortitude when the family’s circumstances change. Then when her father becomes indebted to the fearsome beast in the mysterious castle, Beauty shows perseverance, selflessness, and empathy as she offers herself in exchange for her father. Virtue and generosity by the Prince bolster gratitude and tenderness in Beauty which breaks the curse.

After losing my husband three years ago, I'm ready for a fresh start for me and my daughter. I appreciate all of my parents' help, of course, but I can't live with them forever (and I don't want to). Dr. Drew Reed, my father's coworker, informs me his basement (turned income-property) is available for rent. And he also needs a part time nanny. Lucky for him, I can do both! But living in such close proximity, seeing him in those dang sexy surgical scrubs, and watching him with our girls . . . is making my heart thaw in ways I never expected. But am I ready to love again?

If Adele Marten’s troubled childhood taught her anything, it was that family is everything. So when the time comes to keep a promise she made to her dying friend, she knew she would do whatever it takes to reunite a father and son...who have never met. Even risk her fragile heart.

Everyone has gifts and talents, but do you know which gift is the foundation of your God-given purpose in life? In this updated edition of 7 Spiritual Gifts (formerly published as Know Your Ministry), Marilyn Hickey explains the seven foundational gifts of the Holy Spirit―also known as the...

Faithful dog Barnacle has run off into a snowstorm, disrupting Mabel’s fun outing at the Christmas tree farm. Things don’t improve much when he reappears…with a human skull. Since Mabel moved into her late grandma’s house, the sleepy village of Medicine Spring has provided clean air, a close-knit community, and charming small-town shops. To her surprise, it's also offered up several murders—and romance with a handsome private investigator.

Taya Trapp has faced danger before, but never like this. Former special ops, she's now on a mission to keep her niece safe from the hands of her abductors. Her only option is to hide out in the middle of the Ozark mountains, where she meets Ryan Boyne, a crime novelist with a tender heart. Together, they must unravel the secrets of Misty Hollow to bring down a man called The Boss, a task that will test them both to their limits.

Mrs. Jane Lewis, a widow, wants to marry again. But because her in-laws had been nasty people, she has promised herself that never will she marry a man with a mother, father, brothers, or sisters. She goes west because there are many single men there who are alone. She travels with the Jones family, a sprawling friendly tribe. She’s attracted to Caleb, the eldest son, but having immediate relatives seems to disqualify him. What about Mr. Tremblay who, like her, is alone? Maybe beneath his hard exterior is a broken heart just like hers?

Every era has its challenges, but ours seem to be majoring in anxiety. Bombarded (via screens) by constant global conflicts, rancorous politics, and church scandals, today we endure seemingly endless external stressors. The reasons are easy to find—division in politics and the pews, caring for kids or aging parents, and the rapid impact of social media on our psyches, to name a few. While exploring these origins may hold some benefit, Sara Billups is concerned with right now: How do we live well in the presence of pervasive personal and collective anxiety?

When her sister, the only family she had left, is murdered by a serial killer stalking the women of Misty Hollow, Madison Everton is determined to find the killer’s identity. Women are being abducted and held for three days before their bodies are dumped, and the women all hold a strong resemblance to Madison. Will she find him before he finds her?

Nothing exciting EVER happens in the tiny town of Alamo, Texas. But that doesn't stop feisty fifteen-year-old Crystal O'Mally from dreaming of becoming a top notch detective, just like her hero. She gets her chance when her dad, the local jeweler, is accused of stealing the town's treasure, a giant pink diamond. However, things quickly get out of control as clues don't add up, the suspect list grows rapidly, and a mysterious shadow always seems to be one step ahead of her.

Marley Brooks is used to receiving fan mail, but when letters from one particular fan take a dangerous turn and a coworker is killed, she leaves her job and flees to Misty Hollow. Her desire to hide doesn’t come easy, as even the people in this remote mountain town recognize her. The letters continue, and Marley enlists the help of local farmer Dirk Mason, former military police.