FROM THE ASHES WE RISE . . .

is a collection of poetry about beauty, faith, family, friendship, life, love, philosophy, redemption, suffering, and wisdom,

prose about time, discipleship, ethics, psychology, science and faith, theology, worldviews, and more...

as well as short stories about nature, faith, and love.

It’s written with raw emotions that complement raw reality meant to be read through eyes that crave intellectual honesty and intimacy.

What do you get when you imagine Jesus in the jungle? The answer: A sage guide who protects and provides for those under his watch. Nathanael is a 10-year-old boy who dreams of adventure, although (like most kids), he fears the dark. What Nate doesn’t know is that he’s about to embark on the journey of a lifetime with Jesus in an African rainforest befriending a hilarious chimpanzee and a protective indigenous tribe, as well as standing his ground against a sneaky snake and a massive lion who is stalking him. Facing these fears with Jesus in the Congo empowers him to face his fear of the dark (back home). Imagining Jesus is about practicing the presence of God for children to empower them to use their God-given imagination at the highest level in order to help them overcome their fears. Fear stifles creativity. But practicing the presence of God—imagining Jesus in personalized circumstances—fosters unconditional love, freeing the imagination to do what it does best: create, inspire and invoke wonder.

Flight to Freedom is the true story of a family torn apart by civil war in Central America only to be reunited again in the United States of America. This inspiring, personal narrative chronicles the lives of a Nicaraguan family who had to start their lives over again in pursuit of the American dream with the providence of God ushering them into the promised land that was to be their refuge, redemption and restoration.

Christians must reclaim the true definition and thoughtful explanation of biblical happiness in order to live abundant lives. Biblical Ethics restores to the church the way she should live: as morally happy beings created in the image of God to enjoy glorifying him.

The modern church has forgotten the biblical role of happiness according to a Christian worldview. The bride of Christ today faintly reflects the beauty of her Hebraic genesis. She has fallen fast asleep under the spell of deontological (duty-based) ethics that fails to take into account God-given aspects to her humanity, such as personal desires. Three key Hebraic words have the hermeneutical power to transform the church back to her radiant self: esher (i.e., happy, happiness), barak (i.e., bless, blessed), and shalom (i.e., peace, prosperity, health, well-being, favor, friendship, security, and salvation). These terms collectively prescribe a proper morality of happiness to be lived in Christian community.

This book is meant to be used as an academic text and/or supplementary study guide evidenced by end-of-chapter review questions, as well as questions for personal reflection and spiritual growth.