Books published by Word Alive Press

<p>Staring debtor’s prison in the eye, George Frederik Handel is depressed and suffering from various illnesses. Faced with crushing verbal, intellectual, financial, and even physical opposition, he can go no longer. Adding to his woes, he’s a pawn in the vicious political and cultural dispute between King George II and his son Frederick, Prince of Wales.</p><p>Two encounters change everything—and alter music forever. Rejuvenated by a strange, revolutionary text for an oratorio and an invitation to Dublin, Handel throws himself into the new work, Messiah, completing it in only twenty-four days. </p><p>Vicious opponents still seek to destroy him and drive him out. Some in the church even rise to prevent Messiah from seeing the light of day, objecting to his decisions to hire a disgraced singer and perform in a secular location with secular performers.</p> <p>These struggles to present Messiah mirror his own internal battles to understand, and eventually, revolutionize, his own beliefs. Through it all, Handel realizes that the music and the story it portrays is bigger than him, bigger than any performance, bigger even than the King.</p><p>This novel showcases a superb sweep through the creation of the magnificent Messiah and the fascinating characters, real and fictional, who influenced the story.</p>

<p>Persian slaves who fight for their lives in gladiator arenas rarely rise to be anyone’s champion. But the wounded Nabonidus is soon wooed by two women—a priestess at the Temple of Artemis and a humble follower of Yeshua, Daphne. Soon he must learn the truth about himself—is he a missing Persian prince or simply an unwanted orphan?</p><p>The arena claims whatever soul may venture there, and Demetrius, a silversmith, joins forces with a giant German giant gladiator, Selsus, to confront the followers of the Way.</p><p>Meanwhile, Caleb, Suzanna, Titius, and Abigail fight through their own life-threatening challenges to join the apostle John and Nabonidus in time. Soon the arena will be packed with chanting patrons. Who will still remain standing when the final blood is spilt?</p><p>Jack A. Taylor weaves his readers through a maze of Ephesian mysticism and terror as Roman and pagan powers combine to destroy the infant movement of the Way before it takes its first steps out of its birthplace.</p>

<p>What if I told you that God has a version of <i>normal</i>  for your life that far exceeds your current experience? What if I told you that Jesus really meant it when he said, <i>“Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing”</i> (John 14:12)? What if I told you that the church was meant to convincingly demonstrate Jesus’s supernatural presence to a skeptical world?</p><br><p>This book invites you to make seven shifts towards God’s eternal and infinite nature that render his manifest presence and empowerment in our lives and ministries… God’s version of normal. Will you dare to pivot towards Jesus and his version of normal for your life?</p>

<p>When Sandra’s youngest was born, she had four children under seven years old. One daughter was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, and her son was born with a rare disease that required intravenous feeding for over twenty years, and eventually a four-organ transplant. Her son’s positive attitude has helped him become the compassionate pharmacist that he is today, enabling him to help others.</p><p>Sandra and Wayne always wanted all their children to be independent, and they devoted their lives to accomplishing that goal. Navigating the medical world of hospitals, invasive procedures, and therapists is mind-boggling at best. Follow Sandra as she takes you on her journey with not one but two children who had to deal with major health issues, and watch how they not only survived but thrived in the midst of chaos.</p>

<p>When things really get tough, when there seems to be no way for things to get better, when you feel utterly abandoned by Him, have you ever wondered, “Where is God?”</p><p>This is the story of a woman’s struggles with abuse, alcoholism, her own depression, and memories that began to surface twenty-seven years after a devastating incident in her life. When that memory surfaced, everything looked hopeless.</p><p>The author wants you to know how she, an imperfect woman whose faith was deeply tested, came through it all. She came through nightmares, terrible temptations, demonic influences, and healing dreams—and not only did she survive, but she has grown in her faith because of what God did for her.</p><p>God did what was impossible. In this book, you will see how she was helped and saved after going through experiences no one should have to go through. But God was there with her and brought her to a blessed place.</p>

<p>“This book is for everybody who feels like a nobody. With a voice of truth totally devoid of condemnation, Sarah will help you to see yourself as the Daughter of the King you truly are.”<br>—Stephanie Armbruster<br>YWAM Bible Teacher, Master of Arts in Biblical Languages and Educational Ministries</p><p>In the search for belonging and acceptance, those aspiring to live a life of righteousness often find themselves feeling separated from God, love-starved, and drowning in cultural lies and misconceptions of what Christianity is supposed to look and feel like. What if you already held everything you needed to live a life of freedom in your authentic identity? What if fullness of life wasn’t something you just heard about but a place you entered into? <i>Blossom Like Eden</i> takes readers on a journey alongside one woman in her quest to find the truth. What she discovers changes her from the inside out, breaking every long-held identity lie and the striving she was used to. This story is for every woman aching for the freedom to know who they are and to let others see them. To the wanderer, frail in power and craving rest: You weren’t created to live a life lacking in intimacy with your heavenly Father. You are His daughter. Walk with Him now out of the desert and into the garden again!</p>

<p><i>“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.”</i> — C. S. Lewis</p><p>As a baby, Kimmie was adopted by an amazing couple only to be orphaned shortly after. She was then adopted by her uncle. Nevertheless, she decided to leave home at the age of eleven for a life on the streets. In this new life she slowly immersed herself in demonic deception, and by the age of twelve, she was living a life of full-blown horror and depravity.</p> <p>In this true story you will journey into a life of extremes, and see how the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ holds the only power strong enough to conquer all.</p> 

<p>Tensions are escalating around the world. While Ctzo and his crew have been exploring exotic lands and fighting for justice, pirates and other troublemakers have been strengthening themselves for a day of vengeance against the Questavan Empire. Even while Ctzo seeks to reunite with his lost crewmembers and Vasitan plots to profit from the blackwaters pirates, a storm is brewing—one that may just have the power to break the Empire’s defences.</p>

<p>Nobody wants to be Jeremiah, who lived through God’s judgement on his culture. But looking at our own culture today, we may have more in common with Jeremiah than we’d like. How do we stand for righteousness and still relate to an ungodly world? In the stories of Jeremiah’s life and times, we see God’s reckless love and offer of forgiveness. They are stories of hope for our day and encouragement for our lives.</p><p>Jeremiah survived attacks on his life. He endured war and famine. He stood against kings who would have killed him. He suffered depression, but in spite of it, he thrived and found his satisfaction in the living God. He was a tutor to kings and prophets. He was a messenger for God. He was a friend to any who would accept him. Jeremiah is both a powerful inspiration and a gentle encouragement that God’s plan for us is to give us a hope and a future, regardless of our past.</p>

<p>She wants to dance, and she’s willing to sacrifice everything, <i>everyone</i>, to get it.</p><p>Coco Bradley is a talented ballet dancer, and when an opportunity arises for her to audition for the prestigious Spencer School of the Performing Arts, she’s not about to let anyone stop her— including her parents, her friends, and any of the prima donnas of the art school. A pastor’s kid, Coco has grown up serving God and people, but gaining entry to Spencer means leaving behind all the expectations that come with growing up in the pastorate, as well as the dead-end town of Wyattsville.</p> <p>Coco lives by the creed “Ballet First,” but she’s about to find out in a painful way that there’s more to life than dancing.</p><p>Opportunities, fame, and love all come calling as Coco chases her dream. But in going after what she wants, will she lose the things that matter most?</p>

<p>When city boy turned country gent Todd Soltysiak planted a vineyard on his new rural property, he began to learn the secrets of how to care for vines. Over the course of fifteen growing seasons, he gradually came to understand the meaning of Jesus Christ’s final lesson to the disciples: “I am the vine and you are the branches.”</p><p>With a deep love for Jesus, and through personal observations and often humorous stories, this simple grape farmer has shared the truths he’s unearthed to help us better understand how God works in the world—for God is crafting us into kingdom fruit-bearers in preparation for the spiritual harvest to come.</p><p>In <i>I Learned It through the Grapevine</i>, Todd draws parallels between his real-world experience in the vineyard and the truths of Scripture. The story is actually three books in one, with in-depth discussions of Jesus’s final parable, a study guide to help readers uncover their role as Christians in the world, and practical tips for building and maintaining a fruitful vineyard.</p>

If you've picked up Soul Focus, you may be facing significant trials of your own or are well-acquainted with the heartache they bring. It is my prayer that within these pages you'll find comfort and hope as you face your hardship or tackle the mourning process that comes after.I began writing devotionals after being healed of nearly two years of intense physical pain. Soul Focus is the fruit of that pain. Through various trials, God proved himself faithful, and I discovered that joy and peace can be found during the darkest nights of the soul. Soul Focus offers daily, life-giving encouragement to help remind you that you're not alone. Journaling pages are included throughout to record personal inspirations and reflections on the path to healing and hope.

<p>One in four pregnancies end in loss.But there is hope.</p><p><i>Embrace</i> invites us to explore the grief surrounding pregnancy loss. Sharing her own painful experiences, Liz Mannegren gently creates an open and honest discussion about the mess and heartache such devastation creates. As we allow Christ to redeem each uncomfortable ounce of this journey, we find freedom and hope. Each chapter ends with a series of journaling prompts that encourage reflection, gratitude, and healing.</p><p>As we gather together around this table of loss, there is communion and strength to be found in our shared heartbreak. Drawing from the unique testimonies of mothers who have experienced miscarriage, infertility, recurrent loss, multiple loss, and stillbirth, <i>Embrace</i> challenges the lie that whispers, “You’re alone in your grief” and instead proclaims “You are loved and worthy.”</p>

When you hear the word Zion, what comes to mind? As Christians, we've sung the choruses and the hymns about Zion or Mount Zion, but do we fully understand just what we're singing about? Do we know what it is? The Bible promises the full restoration of Zion, and if we don't fully know what Zion is, what then do we anticipate in terms of its restoration?The greatest hindrance to accurate interpretation and application of Scripture is a futuristic view of Scripture. This futuristic view continues to rob the Believer of experiencing God in His fullness in the here and now.In this book, we will uncover within the Scriptures exactly what Zion actually represents to the New Testament believer. So lay down any preconceived ideas you may have, delve into the pages of this book, and let it speak truth to you.

Roman legions thunder across first-century Palestine, seeking to use the power of the cross to crush the lightning strikes of the zealots led by Barabbas. Behind the scenes, a secret squad of thespian assassins are being trained-and Titius Marcus Julianus is caught up in this silent whirlwind, conscripted to be the new guardian of the cross maker, Caleb ben Samson.Titius is fuelled by vengeance and love as he seeks to regain his stolen Roman estate and the young Jewish slave who once captured his heart. Meanwhile, voices from his past and present wrestle for control of his heart and mind.In The Cross Maker's Guardian, Jack A. Taylor unveils the clash between the Roman and Jewish civilizations as they battle for life in a world suffused with international intrigue. Descriptive narrative, biblical history, and powerful characters all come alive in this thrilling read where death and love are only a blink away.

One woman finds herself bound to a past she cannot forget.Another, driven by past choices she can neither change nor accept. It's been over a year. That should be enough time to forget a first love. But aspiring artist Katie Banks is still waiting. Not even Justin Burke, her university classmate, has been able to erase the hurt Aiden Ford inflicted, or weaken Katie's resolve to never date a man who doesn't share her faith. When Katie accepts a scholarship to study in Paris, it places much-needed distance between her and Justin. But love still eludes her, until a stormy night and a tragic accident change everything. The possibility that she and Aiden might be able to find their forever love this time both excites and terrifies Katie. Can she forgive past hurts, or will the walls she's built to protect herself keep love a distant dream?