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We cannot rely on a God or Goddess to save us. When we as humans see each other for what we are, beautiful beings capable of love, comprehension of advanced knowledge never known to be paralleled on this earth, and intelligent communication with a limited time of existence, we appreciate each other more and take our actions and their ramifications into deeper consideration. When we understand that we alone can spread love, feed the homeless, and inspire positive change, and it's not up to some overarching deity, we will lie in a conscious world of caring. When there is no fictitious afterlife or latter days to make up for the experiences lost and the time wasted, we as humans are left to focus on all that is real: us and this universe, not God. Our small pale dot floating in the vastness of the cosmos; solitary with no solace besides our actions and forward-thinking for a brighter tomorrow. Let us use our better judgment and find a path toward extensive knowledge and enlightenment, not through a non-existent deity, but through each others' worldly experiences. Let us not lean on the understanding of a non-presentable invisible force, but on each other; I wish to see the betterment of the human condition through our own abilities rather waiting on a "omnipresent" God who never reveals Himself to save us. We cannot pray crime, climate change, and poverty away, but through a communal effort of concentrated policies, we can affect positive change where we are now.

The book entitled Fundamentals of Medical Microbiology, 2nd. Edit. encapsulates the updated essential principles and facts of Medical Bacteriology, Immunology, Virology, Mycology and Parasitology.It provides an easy way to study rapidly, and comprehensively the most recent as well as concise information for the above-mentioned areas of Medical Microbiology & Immunology. Another key feature of this book is that it focuses on what allied health students, such as college, medical, public health students really need to know to perform well in their medical microbiology & Immunology courses, the national boards (USMLE, Step 1) related local or state examinations, and for clinical rotations.

Author Greyson James never planned on writing a book about toxic relationships and emotional abuse. But after suffering through almost four years of an extremely emotionally abusive relationship that completely turned his life upside down, he felt a burden to help others avoid what he personally experienced and share how he recovered from it. He combines solid research with first-hand knowledge from some of the darkest periods in his life to put together a sensitive and thoughtful guide to help people relate to, identify, understand, avoid, escape and ultimately recover from the pain and trauma inflicted by emotional abusers. Although written from the perspective of a man abused by a woman, this book is written to help both men and women who are victims of mental and emotional abuse to overcome the guilt, shame and incredible suffering that comes from it. The abuse can be verbal, physical, sexual, emotional, financial, spiritual, legal, psychological or a combination of all of them, but the devastating effects from it can affect anyone, regardless of their background or place in life. And much of the damage comes from emotional abusers who exhibit various forms of psychopathy. It is estimated that one out of every seven people in the world suffer from one or more of the Cluster B personality disorders. So, chances are pretty high that everyone will encounter at least one in their lifetime. No matter if they suffer from anti-social, borderline, histrionic or narcissistic personality disorder; all emotional abusers have this in common: unhealthy, superficial, inappropriate or completely nonexistent human emotions and extremely abusive, erratic, dysfunctional and toxic behavior. Emotional abusers use anger, aggression, deceit, exaggeration, seduction, manipulation and excessive emotions to get what they want and to hide who they really are. They are so good at what they do, and so relentless at pursuing and achieving what they desire, that most of the time their victims don't truly realize what is happening to them until they become so isolated, hurt, confused, and disoriented, that they lose all sense of reality and self-identity. In this book, the author guides you through all of the aspects of emotional abuse including: Understanding Psychopathy, The Cluster B Personality Disorders, Love Bombing & The Idealization Stage, The Warning Signs of Emotional Abuse, The Abuse Grooming Process, The Devaluing Stage, Spiritual Components of Emotional Abuse, Defining Abusive Behavior, Understanding the Abuse Cycles, The Damaging Effects of Emotional Abuse, Why Do Victims Stay So Long?, Escaping An Abusive Relationship, and Recovery. Emotional abuse can happen to anyone, but it is a personal hell no one should ever have to experience or suffer through. Honest, open, and insightful, this book will not only help you identify behaviors that can lead to emotional abuse, but give you the ability to recognize it in all of its various forms, subtleness and expressions. It also provides an understanding of why people with Cluster B disorders do what they do, while shedding light on the disorders that are so often behind mental and emotional abuse. If you are someone who is currently suffering in an abusive relationship, wanting to escape one, or trying to recover from one; this book will give you new insight, perspective and helpful tools to do so. It will help you go from victim to survivor, enabling you to find true peace and happiness again.

During a pause in her road trip, Sonya Radisson is captured and taken to a corrupt mental asylum-where the staff believes she is someone else. The plot turns dark and edgy as Sonya falls prey to criminal intents, but deftly holds it together around other inmates, all battling their own personal demons. On the night Sonya's new friend, Judy Hoyt, is set free by a vigilante biker team, Judy persuades the crew, aka the Night Mares, to bust Sonya out, too. After days of evading ruthless bikers and high-tech mercenaries, Sonya learns Mitch Sumner was behind her abduction. Mitch is a Scythe crime leader in search of his father, Levi North-a former crime boss, and Sonya's most troublesome ex. With aid from the Night Mares MC and their secret FBI ally, Sonya makes plans to serve cold justice to Mitch-and possibly ruin the entire Scythe organization.After years of reading thriller/sci-fi film novelizations and taking notes, Ben Schneider acquired the unique ability to put film-worthy action scenes directly into the minds of readers. This fast-moving thriller, set in the near future, is filled with sinister motives, diabolical plots, and features a moral heroine who keeps readers wanting more of her adventures. Fans of suspense, humor, justice, God, and over-the-top action will appreciate The North Factor.

It is 1785 and enforcers of the Spanish Inquisition are still hunting down and torturing conversos-Jews who outwardly converted to Christianity, but who practiced their Judaism in secret. When nineteen-year-old converso Anica Amselem refuses a cut of pork in Valencia's marketplace, she and her husband Efren come under the suspicion of the Church as secret Jews, endangering their lives and that of their infant daughter Isabel. Accompanied by Anica's beloved friend and servant, Mariana, they set sail for Charleston, South Carolina where Efren's uncle, Philip, owns a rice plantation. Within weeks of their arrival, Anica's promise to her dead mother to continue to observe her Jewish faith and light the Sabbath candles, and Efren's plans to start a shipping business begin to unravel. Even as they form unexpected bonds with the young house slave Ruth and her mother Lindy, Anica and Efren are forced to confront Philip's secret life of debauchery, and the horrors of enslavement. Set against the background of eighteenth and nineteenth century Charleston and Philadelphia, In Freedom's Light creates an intricately woven tapestry of three generations of the unique and unforgettable Amselem family. Filled with their joys and sorrows, hopes and disappointments, it is also a tale of the power of love and friendship. Above all, it is an affirmation of family beyond race and bloodlines, and the strength of the bonds and traditions that unite us.

It is the purpose of this book to discuss the many attributes and actions of God and why much of our thinking about the nature of God and His actions are influenced by our understanding of, or the failure to understand, these mysterious attributes which determine who God is. Therefore, the premise of this book is that the more we understand and accept unequivocally who God is in all of his nature, the better we will understand his actions toward us. It is my hope and prayer that an improved understanding of the incomprehensible nature of God will strengthen the Christian's faith relationship with Him and allow the Christian to worship him more in spirit and in truth, as He has created all of humanity to do. I contend in this book that a greater understanding of the three major attributes of God as descriptors for the nature of God: 1. omniscience; (God knows all things); 2. omnipresence (God is present everywhere); 3. omnipotence (God is all powerful), are absolutely necessary to assist us to better understand the mysteries of God in his relations to the world he has created. This book not only presents the above 3 major attributes of God, but also some of the singular attributes such as love, justice, holiness, mercy, faithfulness, and wrath. These are discussed to help clarify the meaning and purpose of such Biblical doctrines as election, and predestination, and the eternal security of the believer.

The Orthians (more commonly called the "Grays") are a highly intelligent alien species. They work hard to ensure their designs, ships, and crews are always fit for interstellar travel. Only two days ago, the High Council of Sentients directed Commander Onhu Elau, the Grays' most senior leader, to reassess Earth's primary inhabitants: --man. Per their order, he and his crew will again travel 11 light-years to an obscure planet circling a G-type main-sequence star (G2V) deep within the Milky Way Galaxy: --Earth. The Commander and his crew last visited Earth's solar system 203 earth years ago. Although he is fully prepared, he can only do so by evading both the Insectoids of Iberium and the Reptilians of Sheron in getting there. He knows how important it is to give Earth's human inhabitants an objective assessment, but he is unsure about how much (or how little) human development may have occurred since. Indeed, his years of command experience taught him to be very wary and to not underestimate any species. He has seen many and has personally witnessed nature's genius, adaptability and aggression. Upon the ship's arrival, the Gray Commander is truly impressed by how much human development and advancement has occurred. His advance probe and its 2,000 advance nanobots record an enormous amount of information on mankind and his achievements, including: (1) developing proven vaccines (1796); (2) proposing a theory of evolution (1859); 3) creating the automobile (1885); (4) mastering flight (1903); (5) developing theories of relativity and quantum mechanics (1905); (6) creating digital photography images (1957); (7) traveling to their moon (1969); (8) creating the internet and electronic connection devices (1969); (9) creating electronic writing (1971); (10) creating adaptive digital music (1973). Other examples were present as well. As part of the visit, the Commander decides to test man in order to present a more balanced view of his progress back to the High Council. He knows that "progress" is a relative term, so he and his command staff administer a sophisticated test to see if man can really overcome his inherent, sapient weaknesses. Specifically, he directs the use of their sixth-dimension portal to record all the outcomes for a group of seven human test subjects. This portal mirrors their lives and captures all of their personal histories, live thoughts and real-time actions, including their personal virtues and vices: --pride, lust, gluttony, envy, wrath, sloth, and greed ('the seven deadly sins'). With this powerful tool, the Grays could certainly alter the destiny of mankind, but would they? So join Commander Elau's reconnaissance mission to Earth where he finds a species with notable achievements but still trying to overcome its own worst instincts. His interstellar experiment produces mixed results, but they reveal much about man's soul and his future. His wisdom may also show whether Earth's dominant species is worthy enough to join the High Council of Sentients. Put simply, if man passes the test, he will be accepted. If not, he will be left uninvited and totally alone for further development or possible extinction.

Join Smallest Sam on a journey to discovering the secret of the softest sweater. Smallest Sam soon learns that it takes more than just a few simple ingredients to make the world's softest sweater.

On a wintry night in January, Ray Overton passed away. Then, while journaling one night not long after, his widow, Pat, heard her husband's voice. First thinking this to be a product of grief, wishful thinking, or imagination, Pat soon came to realize that it really was Ray speaking to her, guiding her through the grief process and showing that consciousness does indeed survive death. Pat, with Ray, shares their exchanges in Still Beside You: Heavenly Lessons on Living Life and Transcending Grief to help others moving through grief. Our deceased loved ones are not "lost" to us. They continue to exist, just in another form, in another-heavenly--place, and you don't have to be a medium or possess special skills to experience connections with them.

Several decades ago, the author noticed a five sentence article buried deep in the newspaper about a government employee who had been severely wounded in the course of his work. A name, which he assumed was a pseudonym, and the town and state where the wounded man was where the only identifications given. The author wrote him a short letter thanking him for his service to our country addressed to the town and state without an address. He did not hope for a reply.The author received an equally short letter from him about three weeks later.This began a cautious - on the man's part - long-distance friendship in which both, in the beginning, mainly exchanged personal information. The author slowly learned snippets of the man's childhood growing up in poverty and a few things of his later life which the author managed to incorporate into some of the short stories with the man's permission. The author learned that the man had attended two Ivy League universities as an undergraduate and graduate student earning degrees in Russian and Arabic with additional studies in international relations and political science. He also earned a Phi Beta Kappa key.Everything was always done by mail; the man never gave the author his telephone number nor his name. The man asked the author at the beginning of this correspondence to destroy all letters received from him. The author did that.The man eventually asked the author if he would be interested in writing - in any form the author might choose - about his work. He insisted that no dates, no names of the ones whom he extracted, and no dialogue be used. He also insisted that any distance and names of geographic locations be accurate. The author agreed with the man's requests. The author filled more than a dozen notebooks with the to-the-point and very terse information concerning part of his 13 year career. This took more than three years. The man approved each short story as the author wrote them.The author destroyed all the notebooks as the man requested after writing the short stories.One of the six readers which the author had asked to critique the short stories said that the stories were "too authentic to be fiction." Another reader said the details of preparation for the man's clandestine work were "almost torturous to read". One reader said that there is "a moral shock" in the reading of the short stories simply because the events involve what most people cannot fathom having happened. Yet they did not hope for a reply.

Concert pianist Frederick Priestley, Freddy to his friends, struggles to come to terms with the tragic death of his parents when he was 10 years old. Freddy lives in London with his wife, the stunning but fiery French actress Gabrielle, and their young daughter Marguerite. Despite loving Gabrielle, Freddy still can't forget his first love, the beautiful Margo, from the Chicago Conservatory of Music days. Freddy and Margo had planned a future together, but their relationship is rocked when their lives take a different course. Margo wants marriage and family, whereas Freddy shoots for a solo career without family responsibility. They say goodbye on a rainy Sunday in London. Years later Freddy is invited to participate in the conservatory's 75th anniversary celebration in Chicago with a series of concerts and master classes. With Margo living in Chicago, there is a good chance for the old feelings to flare up and cause chaos in Freddy's rocky marriage. Whistling to Cairo is a love story set against the backdrop of the concert music and jazz worlds. The cast of relatable and memorable players take the reader into lives that are intertwined as friends and lovers.

The three little chicks aren't afraid of anything. Except of course when they're surprised by a not-so-friendly visit from a very hungry crocodile! Thank goodness they have their Mama, and the glowing moon, for good company.

The three little chicks aren't afraid of anything. Except of course when they're surprised by a not-so-friendly visit from a very hungry crocodile! Thank goodness they have their Mama, and the glowing moon, for good company.

New Mexico has the 4th highest bird diversity of any state in the U.S. with nearly 550 species documented within its borders including over 300 species known to breed. At a biological crossroad between east and west and north and south, the state's birdlife is influenced by the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, Great Basin and Chihuahuan deserts, and the sierras of northwest Mexico. An elevational range from lowland desert and rivers below 3,000 feet to alpine tundra over 13,000 feet also greatly contributes to its diversity. This Fourth Edition of the New Mexico Bird Finding Guide contains chapters covering each of the state's 33 counties addressing nearly 400 birding locations to explore. These include easily accessed, well known destinations as well as sites that are obscure and remote. Detailed maps, directions, and lists of expected and 'specialty' species accompany each location. The guide also includes an annotated checklist presenting the status, distribution, frequency, and abundance, for all species recorded in the state. This will be a valuable reference for resident and visiting birders alike.

This book should be quite helpful in pointing out problems faced by non-English- speaking students when they enter the American education system. According to many articles comparing education in the U.S. with other countries, unfortunately, the U.S. education system is mediocre compared to the rest of the world. Because of the problems in U.S. schools, coupled with students who speak other languages in their homes by family members not proficient in English, those students are at a definite disadvantage. I think this book will be quite important in moving the education in schools in the right direction to help these students better fit into American society by learning better communication skills, and thus, having better opportunities to succeed in their endeavors.

In the final days of the Galactic Community, extraordinary characters arise to shore up the bravery of a small disparate group of beings facing uncertain days. GY 10050: Planning an Escape As if responding to a mid-life crisis, Mauni Palimm abandons her current life based on a job offer praising her research talents sent to her by Doctor Arnix, a galaxy renowned genetic doctor. Uncertain of the job details, she is simply longing for a place she can fit in. She is about to get more than she bargained for. GY 10054: End of an Era The signs that the Galactic Community is coming to a close have become too obvious to ignore. Doctor Arnix and Mauni Palimm have been sent to the very last Genetic Audit project for the Galactic Community. The question on everyone's mind is: When the Community no longer exists what lies on the other side?

Nathan Yoho and Laura Brammeier wed in August 2011. After Laura was diagnosed with brain cancer, her best friend, Kara, volunteered to be a surrogate mother. Nathan and Laura's daughter, Caralyn, arrived in fall of 2013. In his December 20, 2013 letter to Caralyn, published in The Des Moines Register, reporter Daniel Finney wrote, "Caralyn, your mother died before you drew your first breath. That's not fair. But you will know her. Your dad has videos. Your grandparents have pictures and stories. Nobody will ever take the place of the mom you didn't get to meet. But these kind, selfless people are going to make sure you have everything your mom would have wanted you to have."

Larson has crafted plenty of new words, such as, dinnerloper, bathlete, mopposition, and shedontist. He takes you on a fun journey with fictional accounts of the U.S. Patent Office of the late 1800's. Also, can a politian be compared to types of shoes? Yep. Is there a spelling quiz? You've heard of Spelling BEE's? How about a Spelling A as a master upgrade? He challenges phrases you, the reader, may have used many times (How do you do?, or, My windbreaker keeps me warm, or, Draw a blank, or, Take a pee.) There is an incredible number of couplets that look like they should rhyme, but don't (daughter and laughter). Finally, there is a medical quiz with answers that will either amuse you or confuse you. All-in-all, this is a new way of combining humor, trivia, philosophy, diction and jargon into one volume of worthy, "water cooler" discussions.

From Chancellorsville to Gettysburg, Chattanooga to Atlanta, and Savannah to Bentonville, sergeant William McCollum recounts the life of a Union infantry soldier marching with generals Hooker and Sherman. He first saw action at the Orange Turnpike in Chancellorsville, was involved in recapturing Culp's Hill at Gettysburg, was pinned down in the open field at Resaca, was a picket running from Hood's assault at Kolb's farm, and faced Stewart's surprise attack at Peach Tree Creek - all were among the moments of terror William experienced. He fought disease, scarcities of food and clothing, brutal cold, scorching heat, relentless rain, endless mud, and losing comrades all the while maintaining a positive tone in letters home so as not to worry family and friends. The 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry was the only regiment raised solely from Washington County, NY. Of the 960 men who cheerfully boarded the train bound for war, only 474 would return. William John McCollum was just 22 when he enlisted in the123rd New York Volunteer Infantry. From August 1862 through June 1865 he wrote 89 letters (that we know of) to his older brother James Alexander McCollum, whom he called Alex, Argyle, Washington County, New York. The letters cover William's military training, engagements at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, duty stations in Alabama and Tennessee, Sherman's Atlanta Campaign, the Siege of Atlanta, Sherman's March to the Sea and the Carolina Campaign. In 1865, he added daily entries to a diary until his return home on June 11th of that year. These letters and diary entries, along with three letters from a cousin and six letters from two officers who were friends of the family, were saved by his brother, Alex and given to William sometime after his return home. The letters speak not only to military life, but to concerns for his family back home on the farm bringing in crops and paying the bills. Several nuances of war are cited like family members visiting their sons and/or retrieving their deceased, an apprehended deserter's destiny, and the desire for greater communication from home. McCollum mentions the fate of countless friends and acquaintances both at war and on the home front in Washington and surrounding New York counties. Accompanying the letters are chapter introductions providing an overview of the times, places, people, and battlefield brigade and regimental movements that enhance the readers experience. First person accounts from the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, colleagues' letters and memoirs supplement the narrative. The text is also enriched with period photographs and prints and 13 battle maps created specifically to address the position of 123rd NY during the conflict.

Through all my trials and tribulations in life I started to notice one thing, I was causing the problems in my life, but I did not understand why. I was a firm believer of "do the right thing the right thing comes back" and when you "do the wrong thing the wrong thing comes back". But what happens when you do right and the wrong come back? I created a system that will help you reach your success no matter what situation you are in. First, staying positive in negative situations and knowing without them both there would not be any success at all.

This is the first part of a book series titled A Cosmic Voyage. After the moon adventure of the three animal astronauts-a fish named Finny, a rabbit named Happa, a crow named Chalu, and their counselor, a wise owl named Guru-leaves them stranded on a lunar orbit, they helplessly wait for rescue. While waiting, the wise owl Guru decides to teach the animal astronauts about the universe and its contents. While listening to Mr. Guru, Finny is astonished to find himself alone, zipping through total darkness in space-time in a spaceship-an ultimate time machine with an on-board supercomputer. Finny travels 13.8 billion years back in time, and witnesses the Big Bang and the creation of the basic elements of matter in the universe within the first three minutes of the Big Bang. After a lo-o-o-ng interval of 380,000 years, Finny witnesses the creation of atoms, leading to the creation of stars and galaxies in the cooled-down universe. The story and the characters in the story are fictional, but the science and the scientific facts in the book are up-to-date. To make science interesting for children, the elementary particles and other space entities are personified: they talk, they sing, and they even dance like performers on the stage.

Growing up emotionally deprived left me with two choices, adapt to survive or heal and learn what love was to live. A lot of times adapting in order to survive felt good but wasn't at all what I needed for my growing pains. My parents were victims of drug abuse leaving my siblings and me to become another statistic or resilient achievers. We had a choice to decide which road to take but we didn't have the right balance to overcome our circumstances. For me, life was deeper than just black and white. For me, it was mostly gray. I was different. My journey was different. I had to understand the hard way. Before it was too late to realize just how different I was, I had to learn lessons that broke me down in order to help me grow. I grew to embrace each road and each task that God had predestined for me. Healing was the best thing I could have done for myself and everyone around me. After healing, breaking generational curses were next on my list of things to do. I had to work twice as hard as anyone else and I felt I had so much time to make up for. This was no easy journey, but I had God on my side every step of the way.

In The Former and the Latter, we find that the human race is quickly approaching those final hours. The earth is in its last phase, and Christ is ready to come face-to-face with the faithful. He's eager to give that diamond ring and have that wedding dance at the banquet that He has prepared for those invited to the feast. The poetry is bound to make an indelible impression on those who have confessed that Christ is Lord, as well as those not yet able to do so. This thought-provoking book sends a message of hope and resilience despite the turbulent times that we live in. Dorothy Turner was inspired by God to write this book for all people, believers in Christ, and nonbelievers. She presents morals and truths that can enrich lives. This is her fourth poetry book. In it, she speaks to the heart of people.

This book encapsulates five viewpoints that aided me in overcoming adversity. It serves as a reminder to always see things from a different perspective, no matter what happens in life.

Being on the receiving end of emotional abuse is a life-altering and emotionally devastating experience that no one should have to go through. The trauma from the abuse can leave invisible scars of pain that run deep and can affect your identity and self-esteem, along with the way you think and your ability to process emotions and heal. The fact is that many mental and emotional abusers are really, really good at what they do. Most of their victims don''t have a clue that they are truly being abused until they have been damaged in ways that they often have difficulty recovering from. This is because in addition to the physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach aches, eating and sleeping disorders that develop over time, most victims are often left with a nasty case of (PTSD), anxiety disorder, depression, shame and emotional distress. You don''t just get over those overnight. And the longer you are exposed to the toxic behavior and abuse, the longer it takes to heal from it.This follow-up and companion book to Surviving a Toxic and Abusive Relationship is written with compassion, sensitivity and the personal experience of a survivor of almost four years of severe emotional abuse. Greyson James skillfully addresses the challenges that most abuse victims face including denial, self-blame, anger, loss of identity, grief, guilt, shame, regret, forgiveness and all of the other conflicting emotions, questions and painful decisions that stand in our way to fully healing. You will discover the brokenness in your abuser that caused them to treat you (and probably others before you) so horribly the way they did. You will learn that there is no excuse for their toxic, abusive and dysfunctional behavior, but you will gain a better understanding of it. You will learn that the abuse was not your fault and that you are not alone in your recovery journey. You will discover that there is a Father in Heaven whose heart broke for you while you were suffering and uniquely wired you to withstand and survive the abuse. You will grow more confident and re-discover just how strong and resilient you actually are. This book will help you be intentional about your healing, and enable you to recover and experience the life you desire and truly deserve.

Have you ever wanted to share your life story? To find a way to let people know about you that is enjoyable and exciting reading? You have in your hands "Jaunts with Janet" which is the first book in a series of three in which I share my travels, adventures and life experiences with poetry and anecdotes. "Juggling with Janet" and "Journeys with Charley" will follow. My life hasn't been dull, and I hope you enjoy the jaunts, the juggling and the journeys with me! Bon Voyage!

In this timely partial-memoir, octogenarian and ordained Christian minister Laverne Cathey shares 12 life transforming Affirmations from selected Bible passages which have enriched her own life. What gives her effort even more synergy is the way in which Cathey weaves poignant anecdotal slices from her personal life into these 12 biblically based Affirmations to further unlock and illumine the power in each. Her personal narrative of 83 years speaks as a black woman born in 1938 and reared in the Southern U S. in the cities of Byhalia, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee. The 12 Affirmations or "life lessons" presented in the book emerge from Cathey's "coming of age" during her battle with patriarchal power dynamics in the church. This struggle begins in earnest in 2008 when at the age of 68, she experiences a "call" to the ordained Christian ministry in the Independent Black Baptist Church Denomination. As she navigates this tortuous path to achieve ordination, Cathey is gradually introduced to the trials and tribulations of black women who have endured the worst aspects of institutionalized sexism throughout the history of one of the nation's grandest religious traditions, the black church. She also experiences a spiritual awakening that provides a clearer, more genuine understanding of the true essence and meaning of the Bible's message of love, forgiveness, faith, and hope. It is out of this challenging religious context, that her 12 Affirmations or life lessons are gradually given birth. In this short volume, readers will be able to see how Cathey's "life map" impacts her view and promotion of the Bible's fundamental message as a powerful statement about love's continuing and unrelenting challenge to all forms of divisional madness and relational chaos. This book invites a serious retrieval of the genuine essence of love as promoted in the Bible. It also represents a "call" to the church to "return" to the fundamental message of love that has always been at the heart of the Christian tradition. Rather than a mere presentation of dogmatic assertions, Cathey's 12 Affirmations invite dialogue about what love IS, what love requires, and what love offers to all humans who would choose to surrender to its power. Prepare for a serious challenge to assess the quality of one's relationships. What does it mean to love and value another human being? How do we work to establish right relationships with others that uplift and affirm rather than dehumanize and degrade? What is the connection between justice and tenderness in our treatment of others? How do we work to envision new possibilities for how we relate to others regardless of differences in gender, race, class, and religion? How do we generate hope and inspire efforts to redeem fragmented relationships in our communities and in the world? These questions form the impetus of Cathey's love-affirming "word" to the readers. Cathey's 12 Affirmations are about encouraging readers to accept the challenge to engage in more serious reflection upon their own life experiences, core beliefs, ethical commitments, and relationship practices. In these pages, readers will meet a writer whose clear intentions are to make the case for the absolute need to interject love as the basis of all human attempts to establish relationships that are healthy, just, and vibrant.