Bøger af Alan Nelson

Whether these Ten Stories reflect the gritty, street-level landscape of the city, the grinding realities of the justice system, or the workings of a Russian fur farm, their true location is the human heart. Nelson writes with a delight in the richness of language, and a rare understanding of the many ways that love and redemption can heal us, even in the most dire of circumstances.

Told from the viewpoint of seven women, Plentiful focuses on a young teenager, Christina, who has joined a Christian movement led by the charismatic leader, C.W. After causing social unrest in the city of Falmouth, C.W. organizes a separatist community in the nearby mountains. Poor and needy, Christina falls under the leader's spell, devoting herself to the movement, and becomes the special keeper of his poetry and music. She falls deeper and deeper into an inner world of fantasy and song as the religious community becomes a chaotic cult and the government takes actions to destroy it. In the end, the story of Plentiful speaks to the beauty of spiritual and political ideals, the problems of human desire, and the endless conflict between the powerful and powerless.

After time in prison, Merle Honeycutt disappeared for years. He emerges from the Black Rock Desert, busted, broken, and carrying illegal Indian artifacts he intends to sell on the black market. Raised near the nuclear testing sites in Southern Nevada, he has been on the run from his past . . . his friends, his mother and father, and especially his beautiful and talented sister, Roe, who has pursued a career in ballet. An unexpected visit with his former Paiute girlfriend and her brother leads to a trail of self-destruction and ultimate self-discovery in Nevada and California. Pieces of Honey speaks to themes common to us all: how family life strangles individuality, how the smallest misunderstandings can lead to lifelong tragedy, and how time heals the deepest wounds.

The travel memoir, Yearnings and Turnings, covers one man's recollections of four noteworthy trips abroad: from California to Europe and the Middle East as a college student in the 1970s; to Nicaragua with a humanitarian organization during the 1980's Contra War; to Latvia and the Baltic to visit and old friend after the fall of the Soviet Union; and, most recently, in 2012, to post-civil war Sri Lanka.

The radical message of Jesus is that there is only one alternative to the common method of confronting violence with more violence. The Only Alternative: Christian Nonviolent Peacemakers in America explores the spiritually active practice of compassionate nonviolence. Here is a journey through the lives of seven courageous American peacemakers who have embodied Christian nonviolence and dedicated their lives to addressing the suffering caused by racial discrimination, slavery, poverty, militarism, nuclear weapons, prisons, environmental degradation, and the psychology of fear and hatred. Here are highlights from the inspirational ideas and actions of Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Rufus Jones, Thomas Kelly, Jim Douglass, and Kathy Kelly. They remind us that to be Christian is to use the power of love to transform spiritual, economic, and social violence. The great turning from violence to nonviolence is the story of Christianity in America. There has never been a more urgent time for this revolutionary teaching to be heard, understood, and lived. ""It is no longer a choice, my friends, between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence . . ."" --Martin Luther King Jr. Human beings are now facing the stark choice between survival and destruction amid myriad forms of violence. The nonviolent peacemakers within this book can inspire the peacemaker within each of us to cultivate a direct relationship with God and love through contemplation, meditation, writing, and compassionate action based in the life and teachings of Jesus.

Alan Nelson, Ed.D. presents thirty-one questions asked by Jesus, amplifies their meaning to clearly connect with the contemporary reader, and offers an application section to translate new thinking into new ways of living. Recent years have seen the rise of life coaches as a popular approach to personal growth. While a counselor might provide in-depth analysis, a life coach encourages the client to do the practical, productive work of grappling for answers to life's most important questions. No one was more skilled at asking profound questions than Jesus. His questions challenged wrong thinking, penetrated the heart, and provided a catalyst for true change. Excellent for personal study as well as small group discussion, it capitalizes on a growing trend embraced by adults of all ages.

Ever wonder how a restaurant or hotel earns a five-star rating? Is it the people? The location? The service? In most cases, it is all of this and more. Why should your church be any different? The Five Star Church reveals how you can pursue Christian excellence and uphold the Lord's command to "honor one another above yourselves" (Romans 12:10). It contains tips, tools, and the inspiration you need to build a top-quality church that people will flock to and participate in. No matter how small your ministry or budget, God can use your church effectively to make everyone there feel welcome and cared for--the marks of a five-star church!

The radical message of Jesus is that there is only one alternative to the common method of confronting violence with more violence. The Only Alternative: Christian Nonviolent Peacemakers in America explores the spiritually active practice of compassionate nonviolence. Here is a journey through the lives of seven courageous American peacemakers who have embodied Christian nonviolence and dedicated their lives to addressing the suffering caused by racial discrimination, slavery, poverty, militarism, nuclear weapons, prisons, environmental degradation, and the psychology of fear and hatred. Here are highlights from the inspirational ideas and actions of Martin Luther King Jr., Dorothy Day, Thomas Merton, Rufus Jones, Thomas Kelly, Jim Douglass, and Kathy Kelly. They remind us that to be Christian is to use the power of love to transform spiritual, economic, and social violence. The great turning from violence to nonviolence is the story of Christianity in America. There has never been a more urgent time for this revolutionary teaching to be heard, understood, and lived.""It is no longer a choice, my friends, between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence . . ."" --Martin Luther King Jr. Human beings are now facing the stark choice between survival and destruction amid myriad forms of violence. The nonviolent peacemakers within this book can inspire the peacemaker within each of us to cultivate a direct relationship with God and love through contemplation, meditation, writing, and compassionate action based in the life and teachings of Jesus.