Download or read book Grace in the Dirt written by Cory Kruse and published by . This book was released on 2021-12-07 with total page 748 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From Cory Kruse, author of the critically acclaimed A Dream of Darkness, comes an incisive collection that will delight, inspire, devastate, and uplift you. Told in spare, accessible entries, Grace in the Dirt is a lyrical memoir that delves into life's ever-changing seasons, leveraging the author's own history to explore the complex, and often contradictory, nature of the modern human experience. Specifically, Kruse covers an expansive breadth of deeply personal topics, things such as love and heartbreak, grief and despair. He recounts moments of hope, and crises of faith; he confesses family drama, personal weaknesses, and his own culpability in the deterioration of dreams. Throughout, he also shares euphoric stories of triumph and overcoming, of crushes and first loves, all while looking toward the future with bright, belief-filled eyes. And, among it all, he offers existential reflections on the fragility-and inanity-of this strange, wonderful thing we call life. Across these pages, then, readers will encounter recollections of grace and levity, failure and sorrow. They'll discover truths hard won as well as witness the enduring legacy of hope-all of which will remind them that, no matter what season they're in, they're not alone. Relatable, honest, and exceedingly human, Grace in the Dirt is a diary and a roadmap and a balm-one that will, upon reading, feel like coming home.

Download or read book Grace from the Garden written by Debra Landwehr Engle and published by Rodale Books. This book was released on 2003-05-23 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Gardening is the most basic of languages, the labor from which we're all born and nourished. . . ." In these pages, we travel the country with Debra Landwehr Engle as she visits 20 gardens and gardeners from California to Maine and Minnesota to Arkansas, showing us that grassroots campaigns actually can and do involve roots--and seeds and garden trowels. That any person with a steadfast resolve and an open patch of dirt can help bridge the gap between multinational refugees. That lush vegetation and running water and cool stones can help spark the fading memories of our elderly. And that our children can learn about where food comes from, labyrinths, wetlands systems, and healing from grief and loss just by digging in the earth with a caring adult hand to guide them. As the stories in this remarkable collection demonstrate, the simplest act of gardening can produce significant changes in the lives of people we might never even meet. Consider the man who sends seedlings and greenhouses halfway around the world to feed hospital patients, or the immigrant woman who began selling her own flowers as a way to raise money for overseas charities, or the couple who offers their land as a midday retreat for the residents of nearby nursing homes. These acts and others are not heroic--or even unusual--as Ms. Engle tells us. We see ourselves in these uplifting tales from the garden, as they inspire us to transform our own little parts of the world into places of greater peace, repose, play, and healing. For gardeners, community activists, and those who understand the spiritual value of putting a spade in the soil, these stories capture the promise renewed each time we plant a seed and give us fresh ideas for changing the world, one garden at a time.

Download or read book Walking in Grace eBook written by Dalene Reyburn and published by Christian Art Publishers. This book was released on 2017-02-10 with total page 751 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the moment our eyes open to the last minute of the day, life is filled with nonstop activity. There's no question that our fast-paced society can leave us feeling exhausted and depleted, wondering how we're going to make it through another day. WALKING IN GRACE motivates readers to seek God’s heart and know the peace and purpose of a committed, enduring faith. Concise but substantial, these daily readings, written specifically for women in all walks and stages of life, will change the outlook of your day and give you the inspiration you need! WALKING IN GRACE is a yearlong devotional with life-changing reflections on attitude, contentment, encouragement, faith, grace, hope, peace, prayer, relationships and spiritual growth. Be the best that you can be today. Celebrate life. See worship and wonder in the mundane and the magnificent. Learn to live fully and passionately for God as you walk in His grace.

Download or read book Grace and Grit written by Lilly Ledbetter and published by Crown. This book was released on 2013-02-26 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The inspiring story of the woman at the center of the historic discrimination case that inspired the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, her fight for equal rights in the workplace, and how her determination became a victory for the nation Lilly Ledbetter always knew that she was destined for something more than what she was born into: a house with no running water or electricity in the small town of Possum Trot, Alabama. In 1979, when Lilly applied for her dream job at the Goodyear tire factory, she got the job. She was one of the first women hired at the management level. Nineteen years after her first day at Goodyear, Lilly received an anonymous note revealing that she was making thousands less per year than the men in her position. When she filed a sex-discrimination case against Goodyear, Lilly won--and then heartbreakingly lost on appeal. Over the next eight years, her case made it all the way to the Supreme Court, where she lost again. But Lilly continuted to fight, becoming the namesake of President Barack Obama's first official piece of legislation. Both a deeply inspiring memoir and a powerful call to arms, Grace and Grit is the story of a true American icon.

Download or read book Natural Grace written by William Dietrich and published by University of Washington Press. This book was released on 2014-07-01 with total page 246 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the interactive clockwork world of geology, tides, Northwest weather, and snow, to the hidden roles of dirt, stream life, and mosses and lichens, Pulitzer Prize winning writer William Dietrich explores the natural splendors of the Pacific Northwest. His topics include alder and cedar; jellyfish, geoducks, crabs, and killer whales; mosquitoes and spiders; gulls, crows, and bald eagles; and sea otters, coyotes, raccoons, possums, deer, and cougars. This informative and engaging selection of natural history essays is adapted from articles published in the Seattle Times magazine, Pacific Northwest. A native Washingtonian, Dietrich has watched the Northwest double in population during his lifetime. Our rapidly changing view of nature is an underlying theme throughout his wide-ranging essays, as is the timely and essential question of how best to share and conserve the natural world that drew us to the region in the first place. Not a field guide nor an environmental policy book, Natural Grace is intended as a primer for people who are curious about the environment they live in and the pressures upon it. "We only care about what we know," says the author. "I’ve concluded that enthusiasm and commitment begin from learning just how marvelous this region is: Passion has to precede purpose." And there is much to marvel over. Dietrich has unearthed fascinating and unexpected facts about his subjects, and he has a gift for expressing complex information in clear and vivid language. He asks intriguing questions and makes good use of interviews with Northwest scientists and experts to convey current and historic attitudes and economic realities, and to consider where we go from here. For more information about the author go to: http://www.williamdietrich.com/

Download or read book All Is Grace written by Brennan Manning and published by David C Cook. This book was released on 2011-10-04 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It has been over twenty years since the publication of The Ragamuffin Gospel, a book many claim as the shattering of God’s grace into their lives. Since that time, Brennan Manning has been dazzingly faithful in preaching and writing variations on that singular theme – “Yes, Abba is very fond of you!” But today the crowds are gone and the lights are dim, the patches on his knees have faded. If he ever was a ragamuffin, truly it is now. In this his final book, Brennan roves back his past, honoring the lives of the people closest to him, family and friends who’ve known the saint and the sinner, the boy and the man. Far from some chronological timeline, these memories are witness to the truth of life by one who has lived it – All Is Grace.

Download or read book Dirt written by Mary Marantz and published by Revell. This book was released on 2020-09-15 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dirt is a story about the places where we start. From a single-wide trailer in the mountains of rural West Virginia to the halls of Yale Law School, Mary Marantz's story is one of remembering our roots while turning our faces to the sky. From growing up in that trailer, where it rained just as hard inside as out and the smell of mildew hung thick in the air, Mary has known what it is to feel broken and disqualified because of the muddy scars leaving smudged fingerprints across our lives. Generations of her family lived and logged in those hauntingly treacherous woods, risking life and limb just to barely scrape by. And yet that very struggle became the redemption song God used to write a life she never dreamed of. Mixed with warmth, wit, and the bittersweet, sometimes achingly heartbreaking places we go when we dig in instead of give up, Dirt is a story of healing. With gut-wrenching honesty and hard-won wisdom, Mary shares her story for anyone who has ever walked into the world and felt like their scars were still on display, showing that you are braver, better, and more empathetic for what you have survived. Because God does his best work in the muddy, messy, and broken--if we'll only learn to dig in.

Download or read book Cultivate written by Lara Casey and published by Thomas Nelson. This book was released on 2017-06-27 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A flourishing, fulfilling life is possible—no perfection required! Too many of us think we have to have it all together in order to live a meaningful life. Instead of feeling put together, we end up feeling inadequate, overwhelmed, and exhausted as we try to figure out how to do it all. Author, business owner, and mom to three Lara Casey has been there, too. In Cultivate, she offers this grace-filled advice: we can't do it all and do it well, but we can choose to cultivate what matters Written as part encouragement anthem and part practical guide, Cultivate offers wisdom from God's Word alongside lessons Lara has learned in her own life--and in her garden--giving you the tools you need to: Discern what matters most to you Embrace the season of life that you're in Find the joy and freedom that comes with cultivating what matters Let Lara be your guide as you learn to cultivate what matters, little by little, with the help of God's transforming grace. Praise for Cultivate: "Cultivate is rich soil for the soul! Whether you are a new sprout, just beginning to brave life in the light; a tender shoot fighting for space among rocks and weeds; or a mature plant in need of nurture and pruning, this book will help you thrive. With her characteristic honesty, humility, and patience, Lara Casey uses her spiritual 'green thumb' to gently nudge us toward an intentional life of godliness and growth. If you are ready for a new season of spiritual growth, dig into Cultivate and get ready to bloom!" --Elizabeth Laing Thompson, author of When God Says "Wait"

Download or read book Uprooted written by Grace Olmstead and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2021-03-16 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A superior exploration of the consequences of the hollowing out of our agricultural heartlands."—Kirkus Reviews In the tradition of Wendell Berry, a young writer wrestles with what we owe the places we’ve left behind. In the tiny farm town of Emmett, Idaho, there are two kinds of people: those who leave and those who stay. Those who leave go in search of greener pastures, better jobs, and college. Those who stay are left to contend with thinning communities, punishing government farm policy, and environmental decay. Grace Olmstead, now a journalist in Washington, DC, is one who left, and in Uprooted, she examines the heartbreaking consequences of uprooting—for Emmett, and for the greater heartland America. Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, Uprooted wrestles with the questions of what we owe the places we come from and what we are willing to sacrifice for profit and progress. As part of her own quest to decide whether or not to return to her roots, Olmstead revisits the stories of those who, like her great-grandparents and grandparents, made Emmett a strong community and her childhood idyllic. She looks at the stark realities of farming life today, identifying the government policies and big agriculture practices that make it almost impossible for such towns to survive. And she explores the ranks of Emmett’s newcomers and what growth means for the area’s farming tradition. Avoiding both sentimental devotion to the past and blind faith in progress, Olmstead uncovers ways modern life attacks all of our roots, both metaphorical and literal. She brings readers face to face with the damage and brain drain left in the wake of our pursuit of self-improvement, economic opportunity, and so-called growth. Ultimately, she comes to an uneasy conclusion for herself: one can cultivate habits and practices that promote rootedness wherever one may be, but: some things, once lost, cannot be recovered.

Download or read book Practically Divine written by Becca Stevens and published by Harper Horizon. This book was released on 2021-09-14 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When we allow ourselves to embrace both ordinary and extraordinary experiences, we can feel the divine anywhere. No matter where we are—on a walk in the woods, in a sacred building, or in a dusty refugee camp—signs of love abound. There is no secret formula to experiencing the sacred in our lives, it just takes practice and practicality. You’re invited to search this path with entrepreneur Becca Stevens as she explores what it means to be practically divine. Woven throughout the narrative are poetry and rants, as well as ruminations on her mother’s wit, wisdom, and passion. In Practically Divine, Becca shares how to live a life that’s practically divine by: Redefining old lies and stories, to learn from the past Appreciating the gifts that come from imperfections or trauma Using creativity to spark new revolutions Accepting the chaos of the unknown before us with courage Sharing in a feast of love, knowing there’s enough mercy and forgiveness Embracing the practically divine compels us to do something, anything, to share in the feast of love together. When we start from wherever we are, we can recognize the potential for humor, wonder, and freedom. Practically Divine teaches you to use your senses to transform information into holy compassion. When we open our hearts to it, we can experience the divine anywhere - like sacred breadcrumbs marking our path.

Download or read book Dirt written by William Bryant Logan and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2007 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "A gleeful, poetic book...Like the best natural histories, Dirt is a kind of prayer." --Los Angeles Times Book Review

Download or read book Counting on Grace written by Elizabeth Winthrop and published by Yearling. This book was released on 2008-12-18 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 1910. Pownal, Vermont. At 12, Grace and her best friend Arthur must leave school and go to work as a “doffers” on their mothers’ looms in the mill. Grace’s mother is the best worker, fast and powerful, and Grace desperately wants to help her. But she’s left handed and doffing is a right-handed job. Grace’s every mistake costs her mother, and the family. She only feels capable on Sundays, when she and Arthur receive special lessons from their teacher. Together they write a secret letter to the Child Labor Board about underage children working in Pownal. A few weeks later a man with a camera shows up. It is the famous reformer Lewis Hine, undercover, collecting evidence for the Child Labor Board. Grace’s brief acquaintance with Hine and the photos he takes of her are a gift that changes her sense of herself, her future, and her family’s future.

Download or read book The Lady Who Came in from the Cold written by Grace Callaway and published by Grace Callaway. This book was released on 2015-11-05 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ~~#1 National Bestselling Regency Romance~~ "Captivating...had me on an emotional rollercoaster glued to the end." -5 stars, Goodreads A Wife Disgraced A spy during the Napoleonic Wars, Lady Pandora Blackwood gave up espionage for love. She has shared everything with her husband… except the truth of her past. Twelve joyous years and three children later, her dark history rises to threaten everything she holds dear. Now she must face her greatest fear: can her husband love her for who she really is? A Husband Wronged Former officer Marcus Harrington, the Marquess of Blackwood, didn’t believe in love until he met his beautiful Penny. His devoted marchioness by day and his sensual wanton by night, she’s everything he’s ever wanted… until her betrayal shatters him. When his world comes crashing down, he is left to question: was their perfect marriage real or just a dream? ’Tis the Season for Miracles As a cold winter grips Regency London, the estranged lovers come together in a heated reunion. Sizzling passion paves the way toward forgiveness, yet buried secrets and hidden enemies block the road to redemption. This Christmas, a wife will stop at nothing to win her beloved back… and a husband will discover that love’s reality exceeds his wildest dreams. Grace's books feature steamy historical romance, fun and feel-good happily ever afters, and exciting mystery and adventure. Her books are standalones which can also be enjoyed as part of her interconnected series. Heart of Enquiry (The Kents) series (hot Regency romance) Prequel Novella: The Widow Vanishes (Will & Annabel) 1: The Duke Who Knew Too Much (Alaric & Emma) 2: M is for Marquess (Gabriel & Thea) 3: The Lady Who Came in from the Cold (Marcus & Penny) 4: The Viscount Always Knocks Twice (Richard & Violet) 5: Never Say Never to an Earl (Sinjin & Polly) 6: The Gentleman Who Loved Me (Andrew & Primrose) Game of Dukes series (hot Victorian romance) 1: The Duke Identity (Harry & Tessa) 2: Enter the Duke (Ransom & Maggie) 3: Regarding the Duke (Garrity & Gabby) 4: The Duke Redemption (Wickham & Beatrice) 5: The Return of the Duke (Knight & Fancy) 6: Steamy Winter Wishes: A Hot Historical Romance Short Story (featuring characters from all of Grace's series) Lady Charlotte's Society of Angels series (hot Victorian romance) 1. Lady Olivia and the Masked Duke (Olivia & Ben) 2. Pippa and the Prince of Secrets (Pippa & Cull) 3. Fiona and the Enigmatic Earl (Fiona & Thomas) 4. Glory and the Master of Shadows (Glory & Wei) 5. Charlotte and the Seductive Spymaster (Charlie & her hero) Mayhem in Mayfair series (hot Regency romance) 1: Her Husband's Harlot (Helena & Nicholas) 2: Her Wanton Wager (Percy & Gavin) 3: Her Protector's Pleasure (Marianne & Ambrose) 4: Her Prodigal Passion (Charity & Paul)

Download or read book A Diamond in the Dirt written by Maree De Jong and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Holding Grace written by RJ Heller and published by BalboaPress. This book was released on 2013-09-17 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Holding Grace embraces a contemporary, free verse style of poetry as the voice for sharing a range of lifes experiences and emotions, creating an approachable and highly readable collection. Within these pages are recognizable tales of friendship and loss, contentment and longing, reflections on current events and locales, and the pure pleasure that may be found when one stops to soak in the beauty and rhythm of nature. The storytelling here breathes life into the moments captured. From the exuberance of a child free to swing high on a rope and drop into cool waters in Washed Anew, to the quiet reflection of a young father realizing lifes blessings on Christmas morn in A Morning Made of Perfection, the images conjured by the author strike a chord that is at once familiar and emotional. Tenderly written remembrances of childhood, tales of middle-aged angst as one feels the press of time, and backward glances at lifes choices are all countered with stories of natures challenging beauty, and the too infrequent simplicity of enjoying a quiet rain or a frozen breath on a cold day. This collection offers sentimental reflections on life and the memories we carry, as well as an unblinking look at the need to accept the passage of time with grace and appreciation. Pause and take in the life moments, both common and unique, that are so lovingly shared in Holding Grace.

Download or read book The Meaning Is in the Dirt written by Marlette B. Reed, B.Ed., MA and published by Word Alive Press. This book was released on 2019-11-30 with total page 133 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the authors of Making Meaning in Older Age and Older Adults: Understanding and Facilitating Transitions (now in its third edition) Many demands in life can impede meaning-making. The pressures of work, ongoing education, raising a family, caregiving for older relatives—and more—compete for our time to pursue meaning in life. The work of character development, the effort and discipline(s) needed for purposeful living, and learning healthy ways of dealing with adversity can get short-circuited, leaving people with a sense of internal emptiness or quiet desperation. The desire to live a perfect life, one untroubled by “messiness,” whether in our homes or in our life choices, can leave us with the nagging question: “What’s it all for?” This book offers short and easy-to-read meditations that address making meaning through the metaphor of dirt. With their decades of working with people facing challenging circumstances, identical twins Marlette and Annette explain why making meaning is important, and they outline practical ways in which adults can find meaning in their lives. Transparent and real, the authors address the challenging circumstances we may think disturb our lives unfairly (but may, in fact, lead to greater richness), as well as discuss the impact in the world of living purposefully. The authors write with insight and warmth as well as personal experience of adversity; they provide persuasive reasoning for the importance of living intentionally and meaningfully in the messiness of life. The meaning really is in the dirt!

Download or read book Grace Matters written by Chris P. Rice and published by Jossey-Bass. This book was released on 2003-12-22 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Grace Matters, we follow the remarkable journey of Chris Rice, a naive white college student from Vermont, who was transformed into an insightful man of faith who helped form a thriving interracial community in Jackson, Mississippi. Chris Rice's compelling story uncovers the wounds that divide the races and reveals what it takes to bring blacks and whites together, honestly, compassionately, and transcendently. As a young man in 1981, Chris Rice thought he would take a few months off from his college to join the Voice of Calvary ministry. There he met Spencer Perkins-- the eldest son of John Perkins, legendary African American evangelist and civil rights movement activist-and was forever changed. Together, Chris and Spencer and an extraordinary group of ordinary people entered into a bold experiment, creating an interracial faith community called Antioch, after the Mediterranean city where the followers of Jesus first became known as "Christians." Pooling their resources, this dedicated group of black and white Christians joined forces to realize the vision of the Sermon on the Mount. In so doing they not only enriched their own lives but also those of their inner-city neighbors.