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Beyond: How Humankind Thinks About Heaven
by Catherine Wolff&“Beautifully written, expertly researched and masterfully presented, this tour of how heaven has been understood throughout history is absolutely fascinating.&” —James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A PilgrimageA smart and thought-provoking cultural history of heaven.What do we think of when we think about heaven? What might it look like? Who or what might be there?Since humans began to huddle together for protection thousands of years ago, these questions have been part of how civilizations and cultures define heaven, the good place beyond this one. From Christianity to Islam to Hinduism and beyond, from the brush of Michelangelo to the pen of Dante, people across millennia have tried to explain and describe heaven in ways that are distinctive and analogous, unique and universal. In this engrossing cultural history of heaven, Catherine Wolff delves into how people and cultures have defined heaven over the centuries. She describes how different faiths and religions have framed it, how the sense of heaven has evolved, and how nonreligious influences have affected it, from the Enlightenment to the increasingly nonreligious views of heaven today. Wolff looks deep into the accounts of heaven to discover what&’s common among them and what makes each conception distinct and memorable. The result is Beyond, an engaging, thoughtful exploration of an idea that is central to our humanity and our desire to define an existence beyond death.
Beyond 2012: A Complete Guide to End-of-Time Predictions
by Geoff Stray John Major JenkinsAn illustrated, encyclopedic overview of the prophecies, calendars, and theories that indicate the year 2012 is a threshold of great change for humanity • Looks at the scientific and anthropological evidence for the rare galactic alignment due to occur in December 2012 • Sifts through the catastrophic theories to show what we might really expect in 2012 In December of 2012 the Mayan Calendar’s Great Cycle will come to an end. Opinion remains divided as to whether apocalyptic scenarios of worldwide destruction or utopian visions of a spiritually renewed humanity will prevail after this key date has passed. What is certain, however, is that a rare galactic alignment will occur, one so unique that it is found at the core of many wisdom traditions from around the globe. Geoff Stray has been collecting the vast amounts of data relating to the 2012 phenomena since 1982. Far from confining his research to the Maya, who provide the most prominent predictions indicating this date will herald significant changes for humanity, he has studied the prophetic traditions of other cultures--including the Tibetan, Chinese, Jewish, Ethiopian, and tribal cultures from around the globe--to show the kind of convergence of cosmic purposes happening along a number of parallel tracks. This book offers an extensive study of many modern theories, including Terence McKenna’s timewave zero and Maurice Cotterell’s sunspot research as well as anomalous phenomena such as near death experiences and crop circles. Sifting through all the scientific research and speculation that the year 2012 has inspired, Geoff Stray provides an encyclopedic look at what we might really expect on this pivotal date.
Beyond a Binary God: A Theology For Trans* Allies
by Tara K. SoughersAll are made in the image and likeness of God. If this is what we believe, then trans people, like all people, reflect something of God, and not just in the ways that they share in common with others, but also in the ways that they are different. They remind us that God is beyond all of our categories, even gender. In this book, Tara Soughers explores theology from the position of a trans ally--a parent of a trans young adult as well as a priest. What does it mean about God and about humans, that there is not a strict gender binary? How can we affirm and include what we have learned about the permeability of boundaries to affirm those whose path does not follow traditional cultural stereotypes, and how might the broadening help us to understand the God who is never two for Christians, but both one and three? What gifts does this broader understanding bring to the church?
Beyond a Doubt
by Colleen CobleNothing seems beyond a doubt when Bree opens a cold-case file with clues too close for comfort. Arson. Theft. Murder. When Bree Nicholls discovers a corpse in her own basement, a whirlwind investigation ushers an unbidden danger to all she holds dear. Without safe haven in her lighthouse home--or in the arms of a new love--the young widow struggles to free her family from the tentacles of an age-old crime that strikes at the heart of Rock Harbor. Beyond a Doubt is second in the acclaimed romantic suspense series from best-selling author Colleen Coble. Set in the untamed beauty of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the Rock Harbor novels deftly draw readers into the life and operation of a canine search-and-rescue team as they help unravel the secrets of an enchanting wilderness.
Beyond a Doubt (Rock Harbor #2)
by Colleen CobleNothing seems beyond a doubt when Bree opens a cold-case file with clues too close for comfort.<P> Arson. Theft. Murder. When Bree Nicholls discovers a corpse in her own basement, a whirlwind investigation ushers an unbidden danger to all she holds dear. Without safe haven in her lighthouse home--or in the arms of a new love--the young widow struggles to free her family from the tentacles of an age-old crime that strikes at the heart of Rock Harbor.<P> Beyond a Doubt is second in the acclaimed romantic suspense series from best-selling author Colleen Coble. Set in the untamed beauty of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the Rock Harbor novels deftly draw readers into the life and operation of a canine search-and-rescue team as they help unravel the secrets of an enchanting wilderness.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
by Gary E. ParkerMeet Burke Anderson, a minister and a murder suspect! When his lady friend is found dead clutching an American flag, Burke becomes a likely culprit because there's an hour he can't account for---and his "alibi" disappears. But his own investigation uncovers intriguing links to a senator. Can Burke somehow prove his own innocence? 256 pages, softcover from Nelson.
Beyond Addiction, A Step-by-Step Guide to the Spiritual Principles of Addiction And Recovery
by Ray GeideThis book describes the author's journey of recovery from addiction. He teaches us that there is more to recovery than sobriety, that there is spiritual and emotional growth. It has a more hopeful and positive outlook than many similar books in stores.
Beyond All Measure
by Dorothy LoveAda has loved deeply and lost dearly. But protecting her heart could mean missing the love of a lifetime.Ada Wentworth may be young, but she's seen enough of life to know she can only rely on herself. Everyone including God it seems, has let her down. Having lost her family, her fiance, and her fortune, Ada journeys from Boston to Hickory Ridge, Tennessee, to take a position as a lady's companion. Though initially charmed by the pretty little Southern town tucked into the foothills of the great Smokies, Ada plans to stay only until she can earn enough to establish a millinery shop.Her employer, Wyatt Caldwell, the local lumber mill owner, is easily the kindest, most attractive man Ada has met in Hickory Ridge. He believes Providence has brought her to town and into his life. But how, after so many betrayals, can she ever trust again? Besides, Wyatt has a dream of his own. A dream that will one day take him far from Hickory Ridge.As the South struggles to heal in the aftermath of the Civil War, one woman must let go of her painful past in order to embrace God's plans for her. Can she trust Him, and Wyatt, with her future and her heart?
Beyond All This: Thirty Years with the Mountain People of Haiti
by Mildred AndersonA compelling and often humorous saga that spans more than three decades to chronicle hurt and leanness, struggle and triumph. How a fifty-nine year-old woman cast her lot with the mountain people of Haiti and suffered through drought and flood, hurricane and want, to help them find a better way. The mission Bertha "Granny" Holdeman helped start at Fermathe in Haiti began on a plot blighted by voodoo curse. Today, it ministers to countless people, providing hope as well as help. From Eleanor... "I really think it is very hard to tell about Granny. She is something that one feels and from her spirit each gains a different inspiration and light. She is like and impressionist painting, yet at the same time solid and tangible, always there and timeless. We pray that he story will share her and Haiti with others, and through it show forth Him who has made Granny what she is and to Whom she has a single eye." (From a letter from Eleanor Turnbull, Granny's daughter in Haiti.)
Beyond Anger: How to Hold On to Your Heart and Your Humanity in the Midst of Injustice
by Shambhala PublicationsIn July 2013, multiple bombs exploded in Bodh Gaya, India, in and around the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage site, the Mahabodhi temple that marks the spot where the Buddha attained enlightenment. In response, Shambhala Publications offers this free eBook consisting of excerpts from some of our books from a variety of Buddhist traditions that encapsulate values of love and nonviolence, which we can all practice ourselves. A chapter from the Karmapa points out the toxicity and uselessness of anger, from a basic, interpersonal level to the wider society at large. In "I Take Up the Way of Letting Go of Anger," Zen teacher Diane Eshin Rizzetto helps us look at how we relate to an emotion like anger and, rather than suppress it, she marks a clear pathway we can follow to awaken in its presence and not let it incite us to negative thoughts and actions. Jack Kornfield talks about how to succeed in bringing mindfulness and loving-kindness into arenas like politics and war zones. And a short selection from the chapter on patience in the Mahayana classic The Way of the Bodhisattva highlights that the real enemy is anger itself, not something or someone external.
Beyond Awkward: When Talking About Jesus Is Outside Your Comfort Zone (Forge Partnership Books)
by Beau CrosettoSpoiler alert: Talking about Jesus is awkward. We love to share good news with the world. We tweet about a great new restaurant, we share pictures of our newborn child and we celebrate about receiving that sought-after promotion. We are evangelists for many great things. So why don't we do the same with Jesus? It's not hard to see that we bring our own anxieties and awkwardness into every evangelistic conversation. Not to mention the often vast differences between our experiences of God and religion and those of the people around us. And then there's the inner awkwardness of our conversation partners, who are actively contending, even unconsciously, with the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Evangelism is awkward, yes. But on the other side of that awkwardness is something amazing: transformed lives, healed relationships, new vision, eternal life. After spending years working with college students and churchgoers, Beau Crosetto hasn't solved the problem of awkwardness in evangelism. But he's learned how to push through it and how we can set ourselves and those we love at ease as we enter into conversations of eternal consequence. Read this book and move beyond awkward into the most awesome privilege of God's people: proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ.
Beyond Awkward Side Hugs: Living as Christian Brothers and Sisters in a Sex-Crazed World
by Bronwyn LeaIt Doesn&’t Have to Be This WeirdWhen it comes to relationships between men and women, we have more questions than answers:How do we keep relationships with the opposite sex healthy—and still hug each other after small group?Is it possible for married men and women to be friends with people of the opposite sex?What does it mean to be a woman if you&’re not a wife, or a man if you&’re not a husband?Jesus&’ pattern for church living was one of family—of brothers and sisters living in intimate, life-giving community with each other. With story, sensitivity, and hope, Beyond Awkward Side Hugs invites us to leave behind eroticized, fear-based patterns and move toward gendered, generous relationships between men and women of character as we love one another as Jesus did.&“Beyond Awkward Side Hugs is a deep well of biblical wisdom, and Lea has written with nuance and clarity, humor and grace.&”—Jen Pollock Michel, author of Surprised by Paradox and Keeping Place&“The church desperately needs a bigger vision for how men and women can flourish together in ministry and friendship, and Bronwyn Lea paints a vivid picture for how we&’ll get there.&”—Steve Wiens, author of Shining Like the Sun, Beginnings, and Whole
Beyond Babel: Religion and Linguistic Pluralism (Sophia Studies in Cross-cultural Philosophy of Traditions and Cultures #43)
by Andrea VestrucciThis volume is the first attempt to investigate explicitly how the multiplicity of religions and forms of spirituality interconnect with the pluralism of languages, including scientific codes, formal languages, and artistic expressions. In a journey “beyond Babel”, the volume explores how religious and linguistic pluralisms enter into polyphonic relations, how they co-evolve and grow together, and why they clash. This text provides the setting for a dialogue on a rich variety of religious languages and traditions, including Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Jainism, and Christianity. The chapters explore how these traditions can venture into new interreligious paths, how sacred meanings translate into vernacular speeches, how religious identities and scientific notions interacts, what role emotional expressions play in interfaith encounters, and the impact of Artificial Intelligence on beliefs.The book is authored by esteemed senior scholars, established researchers, and exceptional junior doctorate holders whose expertise spans across religious studies, the history of science, philosophy, fine arts, theology, linguistics, computer science, and legal studies. This volume contributes to interfaith studies and teaching, to sociology and philosophy of religion, and to the history and anthropology of religion and the sacred arts. It is intended to reach students, researchers, instructors, and professionals alike.
Beyond Bantu Philosophy: Contextualizing Placide Tempels’s Initiative in African Thought (Studies in World Christianity and Interreligious Relations)
by Frans DokmanFranciscan priest Placide Tempels’s 1946 book, Bantu Philosophy, introduced a new discourse about African thought and beliefs, questioning the universality of Western philosophy and establishing paradigms that continue to dominate discussion of the relationships between Africa and the West today. More than 75 years after the publication of this influential text, this volume brings together a wide range of contributors to examine the legacy and impact of Tempels’s work for the study of African philosophy and religion. Reflecting on whether Bantu Philosophy reinforces conflict or convergence between Africa and the West, and its reception within Africa, scholars from both African and Western institutions provide new perspectives on both Tempels’s ideas and ongoing debates in African philosophy and religion.
Beyond Bath Time: Embracing Motherhood as a Sacred Role (True Woman)
by Erin DavisWhere are you in the motherhood journey?Are you a new mom struggling to redefine the boundaries of your life among a sea of diapers, feedings, and sleepless nights? Have you been a mom so long that you&’ve lost yourself along the way? Are you trying to decide if you want to have children? Erin Davis was a young Christian wife who had made the decision to not have children. She had multiple degrees, a great husband, a promising career—she had it all, according to cultural standards. But most days she felt anything but fulfilled. In Beyond Bath Time Erin shares her journey to in responding to the call of motherhood. Women will be challenged, convicted, and wonderfully encouraged by Erin's honest and provocative look at motherhood. She unfolds the purpose and privileges of motherhood, revealing how it can be a powerful force for God&’s kingdom, helping you:Discover God&’s heart on the issue of motherhoodSee past the endless list of mothering responsibilities to a bigger, more eternal pictureFight through the chaos to connect with your kids and pass on the faithReclaim motherhood as a high and holy callingBeyond Bath Time is A True Woman book.The goal of the True Woman publishing line is to encourage women to:Discover, embrace, and delight in God's divine design and mission for their livesReflect the beauty and heart of Jesus Christ to their worldIntentionally pass the baton of Truth on to the next generationPray earnestly for an outpouring of God's Spirit in their families, churches, nation and world
Beyond Bath Time: Embracing Motherhood as a Sacred Role (True Woman)
by Erin DavisWhere are you in the motherhood journey?Are you a new mom struggling to redefine the boundaries of your life among a sea of diapers, feedings, and sleepless nights? Have you been a mom so long that you&’ve lost yourself along the way? Are you trying to decide if you want to have children? Erin Davis was a young Christian wife who had made the decision to not have children. She had multiple degrees, a great husband, a promising career—she had it all, according to cultural standards. But most days she felt anything but fulfilled. In Beyond Bath Time Erin shares her journey to in responding to the call of motherhood. Women will be challenged, convicted, and wonderfully encouraged by Erin's honest and provocative look at motherhood. She unfolds the purpose and privileges of motherhood, revealing how it can be a powerful force for God&’s kingdom, helping you:Discover God&’s heart on the issue of motherhoodSee past the endless list of mothering responsibilities to a bigger, more eternal pictureFight through the chaos to connect with your kids and pass on the faithReclaim motherhood as a high and holy callingBeyond Bath Time is A True Woman book.The goal of the True Woman publishing line is to encourage women to:Discover, embrace, and delight in God's divine design and mission for their livesReflect the beauty and heart of Jesus Christ to their worldIntentionally pass the baton of Truth on to the next generationPray earnestly for an outpouring of God's Spirit in their families, churches, nation and world
Beyond Being Good: Seeking Christ’s Perfection for Our Imperfect Hearts
by Katrina McCainIf God chooses to love imperfect people, then maybe perfection shouldn't be our focus. In Beyond Being Good, Katrina McCain explores the depths of a fullness in Christ, by depending on His goodness and not our own. By chronicling her own personal stories of victory and defeat, she offers her readers a vibrant and transparent challenge to live above social acceptance and personal perfection by delving into a deeper understanding of God’s goodness through a total experience of His perfect love. Beyond Being Good is an encouragement to every woman that her ability to be good has nothing to do with experiencing God's perfect love or walking in her calling and mission.
Beyond Belief: Essays on Religion in a Post-Traditionalist World
by Robert N. BellahBeyond Belief collects fifteen celebrated, broadly ranging essays in which Robert Bellah interprets the interplay of religion and society in concrete contexts from Japan to the Middle East to the United States. First published in 1970, Beyond Belief is a classic in the field of sociology of religion.
Beyond Belief: Finding the Strength to Come Back
by Josh Hamilton Tim KeownJosh Hamilton was the first player chosen in the first round of the 1999 baseball draft. He was known not only for his gargantuan homeruns, his speed on the bases and his fielding talent but also for his caring and humble character. He was destined to be one of those rare "high-character " superstars. <P><P>But in 2001, working his way from the minors to the majors, all of the plans for Josh went off the rails in a moment of weakness. What followed was a 4-year nightmare of drugs and alcohol, estrangement from friends and family, and his eventual suspension from baseball. <P><P>BEYOND BELIEF details the events that led up to the derailment. Josh explains how a young man destined for fame and wealth could allow his life to be taken over by drugs and alcohol. He will chronicle the details of the depths of his addiction. <P><P>But Josh's story is one of redemption and triumph. It is inspirational, life-affirming and, since Josh credits his finding faith in Christ for saving his life, it is also the memoir of a spiritual journey that breaks through pain and heartbreak and leads to the rebirth of his major-league career. Josh Hamilton makes no excuses and places no blame on anyone other than himself. He takes responsibility for his poor decisions and believes his story can help millions who battle the same demons. <P><P> "I have been given a platform to tell my story" he says. "I pray every night I am a good messenger."
Beyond Belief: My Secret Life Inside Scientology and My Harrowing Escape
by Jenna Miscavige Hill Lisa PulitzerJenna Miscavige Hill was born into the Church of Scientology and grew up strictly adhering to its beliefs and practices. But aged twenty-two she made a daring break. Now, for the first time, this insider pierces the veil of secrecy that has shrouded Scientology - a religion that has been the subject of fierce debate and speculation worldwide. Beyond Belief is a definitive look at the beliefs and rituals of the religion, using the author's unique relationship to the Church's first-in-command - David Miscavige - as an unprecedented window into the religion, its draw, its practices, its leadership, its followers and its secrets. From her disturbing childhood to the organisation's celebrity culture, Jenna shares true stories that are beyond the wildest imagination.
Beyond Belief: Islamic Excursions Among the Converted Peoples
by V. S. NaipaulIslam is an Arab religion, and it makes imperial Arabizing demands on its converts. In this way it is more than a private faith, and it can become a neurosis. What has this Arab Islam done to the histories of these converted countries? How do the converted peoples, non-Arabs, view their past -- and their future? In a follow-up to "Among the Believers", his classic account of his travels through these countries, V. S. Naipaul returns after seventeen years to find out how and what the converted preach. In Indonesia he finds a pastoral people who have lost their history through a confluence of Islam and technology. In Iran he discovers a religious tyranny as oppressive as the secular one of the Shah, and he meets people weary of the religious rules that govern every aspect of their lives. Pakistan -- in a tragic realization of a Muslim re-creation fantasy -- inherited blood feuds, rotting palaces, antique cruelty; then President Zia installed religious terror with $100 million of Saudi money. In Malaysia, the Muslim Youth organization is alive and growing, and the people are mentally, physically, and geographically torn between two worlds, struggling to live the impossible dream of a true faith born out of a spiritual vacancy. A startling and revelatory addition to the Naipaul canon, "Beyond Belief" confirms the author's reputation as a masterly observer, a "finder-out" of stories, as well as a magnificent teller of them.
Beyond Belief: Islamic Excursions Among the Converted Peoples
by V. S. NaipaulBeyond Belief is a book about one of the more important and unsettling issues of our time: the effects of the Islamic conversion of Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, and Malaysia. It is not a book of opinion. It is - in the Naipaul way - a very rich and human book, full of people and stories.Islam is an Arab religion, and it makes imperial Arabizing demands on its converts. In this way it is more than a private faith, and it can become a neurosis. What has this Arab Islam done to the histories of these converted countries? How do the converted peoples, non-Arabs, view their past - and their future? In a follow-up to Among the Believers, his classic account of his travels through these countries, V. S. Naipaul returns after seventeen years to find out how and what the converted preach.In Indonesia he finds a pastoral people who have lost their history through a confluence of Islam and technology. In Iran he discovers a religious tyranny as oppressive as the secular one of the Shah, and he meets people weary of the religious rules that govern every aspect of their lives. Pakistan - in a tragic realization of a Muslim re-creation fantasy - inherited blood feuds, rotting palaces, antique cruelty; then President Zia installed religious terror with $100 million of Saudi money. In Malaysia, the Muslim Youth organization is alive and growing, and the people are mentally, physically, and geographically torn between two worlds, struggling to live the impossible dream of a true faith born out of a spiritual vacancy.A startling and revelatory addition to the Naipaul canon, Beyond Belief confirms the author's reputation as a masterly observer, a "finder-out" of stories, as well as a magnificent teller of them.
Beyond Belief: Islamic Excursions Among the Converted Peoples (Vintage International)
by V. S. Naipaul"Brilliant. . . . A powerfully observed, stylistically elegant exploration." --The New York TimesA New York Times Notable Book of the Year"The book's strength lies in Naipaul's extraordinary ability as a storyteller to draw striking portraits of a cross section of individuals."--The Boston GlobeFourteen years after the publication of his landmark travel narrative Among the Believers, V. S. Naipaul returned to the four non-Arab Islamic countries he reported on so vividly at the time of Ayatollah Khomeini's triumph in Iran. Beyond Belief is the result of his five-month journey in 1995 through Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, and Malaysia--lands where descendants of Muslim converts live at odds with indigenous traditions, and where dreams of Islamic purity clash with economic and political realities.In extended conversations with a vast number of people--a rare survivor of the martyr brigades of the Iran-Iraq war, a young intellectual training as a Marxist guerilla in Baluchistan, an impoverished elderly couple in Teheran whose dusty Baccarat chandeliers preserve the memory of vanished wealth, and countless others--V. S. Naipaul deliberately effaces himself to let the voices of his subjects come through. Yet the result is a collection of stories that has the author's unmistakable stamp. With its incisive observation and brilliant cultural analysis, Beyond Belief is a startling and revelatory addition to the Naipaul canon."Highly accomplished. . . . Another display of Naipaul's remarkable talent." --The Independent (London)
Beyond Belief: Abused By His Priest, Betrayed By His Church., The Story of the Boy Who Sued the Pope
by Colm O'Gorman'I was living in a world where a priest who spoke the words of God used me for sex, and there was no-one to tell. The world where this horror happened didn't exist for anyone else.' <P><P>As a boy in Ireland where everyone -- from among his own neighbours to the powers of church and state -- chose to deny that a priest could sexually assault a child, Colm O'Gorman felt only shame, guilt and fear at the regular rape and abuse he suffered. But Colm would go on to make history, successfully suing the Roman Catholic Church, asking questions of the Pope himself and creating a watershed in history as hundreds more victims found the courage to report their abuse. <P>Beyond Belief is a powerful story of a young man's shame turning to outrage, and demonstrates that -- whatever our past hurts -- there is hope for the future if we are prepared to stand for truth.
Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas
by Elaine PagelsIn Beyond Belief, renowned religion scholar Elaine Pagels continues her groundbreaking examination of the earliest Christian texts, arguing for an ongoing assessment of faith and a questioning of religious orthodoxy. Spurred on by personal tragedy and new scholarship from an international group of researchers, Pagels returns to her investigation of the "secret" Gospel of Thomas, and breathes new life into writings once thought heretical. As she arrives at an ever-deeper conviction in her own faith, Pagels reveals how faith allows for a diversity of interpretations, and that the "rogue" voices of Christianity encourage and sustain "the recognition of the light within us all."From the Trade Paperback edition.Jesus' secret teaching, and finds its closest affinities with kabbalah) with the canonic texts to show how Christian leaders chose to include some gospels and exclude others from the collection we have come to know as the New Testament. To stabilize the emerging Christian church in times of devastating persecution, the church fathers constructed the canon, creed, and hierarchy-and, in the process, suppressed many of its spiritual resources. Drawing on new scholarship-her own, and that of an international group of scholars-that has come to light since the publication in 1979 of The Gnostic Gospels, Pagels shows that what matters about Christianity involves much more than any one set of beliefs. Traditions embodied in Judaism and Christianity can powerfully affect us in heart, mind, and spirit, inspire visions of a new society based on practicing justice and love, even heal and transform us.Provocative, beautifully written, and moving, Beyond Belief, the most personal of Pagels's books to date, shows how "the impulse to seek God overflows the narrow banks of a single tradition." Pagels writes, "What I have come to love in the wealth and diversity of our religious traditions-and the communities that sustain them-is that they offer the testimony of innumerable people to spiritual discovery, encouraging us, in Jesus' words, to 'seek, and you shall find.'"