Rescuing Hope

Every two minutes, evil strips innocence from a child and sells her into slavery for sex. Not in a third-world country, but in the United States of America. Before you take another breath, the next victim will be tricked or taken from her family by a profit-hungry criminal. She could be a neighbor. A friend.Your sister. Your daughter. You. At fourteen, Hope Ellis is the all-American girl with a good lifeuntil the day she tries to help her mom with their cross-town move by supervising the movers. When they finish, one of the men returns to the house and rapes her. Held silent by his threats, darkness begins to engulf her. But the rape proves to be the least of Hopes troubles. In a gasping attempt at normalcy, she succumbs to the attention of a smooth-talking man on the subway. He promises acceptance. He declares his love. He lures her out from under the shelter of her suburban life. Hopes disappearance sets a community in motion. Shes one of their own. They determine to find Hope, whatever the cost, before shes lost forever. Will you?

When a teenager goes missing from the Beacon of Hope School, Texas Ranger Wyatt Sheridan and school director Kate Winslow are forced into a dangerous struggle against a human trafficking organization. But the battle brings dire consequences as Wyatt's daughter is terrorized and Kate is kidnapped. Now it's personal, and Wyatt finds both his faith and investigative skills challenged as he fights to discover the mastermind behind the ring before evil destroys everyone he loves.

An unwanted dog. An emotional rescue. Two lives forever changed. Laurie's dreams had been shattered before she came to work at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch—the ranch of rescued dreams—where broken horses and broken children encounter healing every day. In an attempt to soothe her aching soul, Laurie reached out to save a dog in need. And she soon began to realize that the dog was rescuing her. An inspiring true story told through the engaging voice of Kim Meeder, Blind Hope reveals poignant life lessons Laurie experienced from her ailing, yet courageous canine friend. Despite the blindness of her dog—and her own heart—Laurie uncovered what she really needed most: authentic love, unconditional trust, and true acceptance, faults and all. As Laurie and her dog, Mia, both learned to follow the lead of a master they couldn’t see, Laurie discovered the transforming power of God’s grace even for imperfect and selfish people—and she experienced a greater love than she had ever known. “Love is a bridge that stands firm through difficulties and connects one heart directly to another, not because of how it looks, but because of what it is.” —Kim Meeder, Blind Hope

Equine Angelsis a celebration of the journey of horses and foals saved from slaughter. Accompanied by 200 stunning full-color photographs, it tells the surprising and moving stories of how these foals have changed the lives of the human families who adopt them—for the rescuers are often the ones redeemed when opening their hearts to an unwanted foal. The book focuses on the tens of thousands of foals born annually only so that their mothers can provide pharmaceutical companies with the hormones their bodies create during pregnancy. These foals—known as “PMU foals” (PMU being short for “pregnant mare urine,” a key ingredient of the drug Premarin)—are in effect, are unwanted byproducts. Normally they are taken from their mothers and sent to slaughter. There are more than 250 farms in North America—most of them in Canada—housing tens of thousands of mares, in agonizing conditions, for this purpose. Those photos grouped into the chapters “Birth” and “Rescue” are especially dramatic. Given their semi-wild conditions, these horses have a ruggedly beautiful, ungroomed appearance. In later chapters, we see the transformation of once-wild creatures into loving and intelligent companions for their human families. Included are stories of successes great and small: foals growing up to be successful national competitors, therapy horses, and other productive members of horse society. These foals give back more than they take. Heartwarming and beautiful to look at, Equine Angels will inspire and delight. Inside you will find: 200 amazing color photos showing horses with a rare rugged beauty Tells the story of how these foals have changed the lives of the people who adopt them Shows the transformation of once-wild creatures into loving and intelligent companions Addresses an issue that frequently captures headlines Tens of thousands of “PMU” foals are slaughtered in North America each year because they are unwanted byproducts of a process to extract hormones for human hormone-replacement therapy From the introduction: The human participants of Equine Angels Rescue Sanctuary could not sit idly by while these magnificent horses were killed. If it was just a matter of those lives saved, that would be enough, but fortunately, we have come to know the greater potential of these angelic equines. Each of the horses from EARS has touched and uplifted several human lives along the rescue path.

Georgia MacGregor is trying to escape from her painful past. Seeking sanctuary from her problems, she accepts a position at Camp Hope, a summer camp in the north woods of Canada. But when Georgia moves to camp, strange things begin to happen, and she fears she is being stalked. Who can save her from this lurking threat? This page-turner will satisfy readers with edge-of-your-seat excitement and a heartwarming love story.

Through humorous personal examples, the former stand-up comic describes how happiness is available to everyone in the present moment, arguing that, once fear is accepted and dealt with, personal power and fulfillment will follow.

While most famously associated with numerous mid-century architects, Brutalism was a style of visual art that was also adopted by painters, sculptors, printmakers, and photographers. Taking into account Brutalist work by eminent artists such as Richard Hamilton and Eduardo Paolozzi, as well as lesser-known practitioners like Nigel Henderson and Magda Cordell, this volume focuses on a ten-year period between 1952 and 1962 when artists refused a programmatic set of aesthetics and began experimenting with images that had no set focal point, using non-traditional materials like bombsite debris in their work, and producing objects that were characterized by wit and energy along with anxiety, trauma, and melancholia. This original study offers insights into how Brutalism enabled British artists of the mid-20th century to respond ethically and aesthetically to the challenges posed by the rise of consumer culture and unbridled technological progress. Published in association with the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art

"Peter Zheutlin has written a lovely, moving, important book about a subject that is both heartbreaking and joyful." - Dean Koontz How far would you go to save a life? This is the extraordinary story of one man who has driven more than 1 million miles to rescue thousands of dogs from hunger, abuse and neglect and give them a second chance at life and love. For years, Greg Mahle struggled to keep the last of his family-run restaurants afloat in Ohio. When it finally closed, he was broke and unsure what to do next. Then a stranded van-load of puppies changed his life forever. Join journalist Peter Zheutlin as he travels with Greg from Ohio to the Gulf Coast on his Rescue Road Trips to bring hard-luck dogs from the deep South to loving "forever families" up north looking to adopt a pet, with the help of many selfless volunteers along the way. From Houston's impoverished Fifth Ward--where thousands of strays roam the streets--and high-kill animal shelters in Louisiana, to joyous scenes of adopters embracing their new pups in the Northeast, Rescue Road is full of heart: an inspiring story about the unique bond between dogs and humans, and how going the extra mile can make a life-changing difference for these loyal canines-and for us all. A heartwarming, awe-inspiring story of how one man can impact so many lives, human and puppy alike. Fans of Marley and Me, Oogy: The Dog Only A Family Could Love, and You Had Me At Woof will be inspired and touched by this story. What readers are saying about Rescue Road: "I stand in awe of those who can do this kind of rescue work, for their persistence, compassion and willingness to get dirty in the service of animals." "a heartwarming & eye opening journey into the world of dog rescue." "I highly recommend this book if you are looking to restore your faith in humanity." "a heart-warming story that reaffirms there are many compassionate people who work tirelessly to save dogs." What reviewers are saying about Rescue Road: "An unabashedly sentimental and affecting portrait of a modern-day animal-loving hero." - Kirkus "a canine caravan with heart and soul..." - Teresa Rhyne, author of the #1 NYT bestseller The Dog Lived (And So Will I) "Heartwarming doesn't suffice to describe it... restores faith in humanity." - Alexandra Horowitz, author of Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know "A tender, inspiring homage..." - Matthew Gilbert, author of Off the Leash: A Year at the Dog Park "Inspiring and riveting new book...a must-read..." - The Bark

The Edge of Redemption is far more than a remarkable story. Troy Evans challenges us to engage subcultures that we often perceive as threatening--to ask ourselves, who are the unreachable in our own communities? Rather than flee them, we are called to reach out and offer redemption to those who are on the edge of destruction. Evans was chasing the hip-hop dream; fame, fortune, and power could be his. And he was sure he could get it all if the gang violence or the law didn't get him first. Then redemption stepped in from the most unlikely circumstances to bring about the most unlikely change. Today, Pastor Troy Evans ministers to the community that once was his prey. He is connecting with lives and seeing the miracle of his own redemption repeated and multiplied in the same mean streets that once enslaved him. Enter into Evans' story and God's vision.

In the tradition of the beloved New York Times bestsellers Marley and Me and Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love, a charming, inspirational memoir about empathy, resilience, kindness, and an adorable deaf blind pink dog. When Connecticut veterinarian Melissa Shapiro gets a call about a tiny deaf blind puppy rescued from a hoarding situation in need of fostering, she doesn’t hesitate to say, “yes.” Little does she know how that decision will transform her, her family, and legions of admirers destined to embrace the saga of the indomitable pink pup. One of the most anxious dogs Melissa had ever encountered, the traumatized Piglet weighed under two pounds upon his welcome into the Shapiro household—which included Melissa’s husband Warren and their three college-aged kids, plus six other rescued dogs. After weeks of reassurance, and lots of love, Piglet connected, gained confidence, and his extraordinary spirit emerged. Melissa soon forged a powerful bond with Piglet, allowing the two to communicate without sound or visual cues. Two months later, when the day arrived to say good-bye to the now dashing, six-pound pink boy dog with the larger than life spirit, Melissa faced a heart-wrenching decision. Could she hand him over to someone willing to give Piglet the full-time attention he required or could she adapt her schedule and her household to make a permanent place for him in her life and work? Of course, the answer was simple: love would find a way. Curious, engaged, and incredibly eager to learn, Piglet quickly became part of the family. What started out as a few simple Facebook posts of Piglet and his pack rapidly evolved into a global celebration of Piglet’s infectiously positive mindset. Piglet: The Unexpected Story of a Deaf, Blind, Pink Puppy and His Family fully illustrates this heartwarming story of one special little puppy with a purpose to teach the power of empathy, love, and kindness.