Books with author William J Bennett

Bestselling author R. William Bennett imagines how a contemporary of Jesus, Simon, an ordinary spice merchant and a Jew without deeply felt religious beliefs, begins his lifelong journey as one of the first new Christians as his life intersects with Jesus at the major milestones of his life and ministry.From the very beginning, Simon is on the scene on the eve of Jesus’ birth. He is the last man to get an available room at the inn in Bethlehem, forcing Joseph and Mary to be turned away upon their arrival. Later that night, unable to sleep, Simon stumbles upon a group huddled around a cave, solemnly watching the miracle of a newborn babe in a stone manger and immediately recognizes the couple from the inn. Gazing upon the scene, he feels something of spiritual significance: peaceful, holy, sacred. The next day, he hears rumors in the marketplace of a holy birth which is the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy: the promised Messiah of the Jewish people. Simon wonders if that was what he witnessed.As readers, we walk with Simon as he witnesses Jesus’ revolutionary teachings like the Sermon on the Mount. Simon also hears testimonies of Jesus’ miracles, and watches his own eldest son embrace the new covenant after witnessing John baptize Jesus, an act which signals the beginning of Jesus' ministry, which paves the way for a new people of God.Simon feels blessed to have his family, but he doesn’t understand why others are searching for deeper faith and connection to God. Still questioning and unsure, he spends his life determined to find out if Jesus truly is the son of God, the promised Messiah. Eventually, Simon travels to Jerusalem as the popularity of Jesus’ ministry catches the attention of those in power.By the time he arrives in Jerusalem, he discovers that Jesus has been tried and convicted of treason in a Roman court and is sentenced to death by crucifixion. After a life of following Jesus from a distance, Simon is now walking the streets of Jerusalem with him. At a critical moment, Simon steps out from the crowd to help Jesus ease the burden of carrying the cross, symbolically pledging himself to ease the burden of humankind by spreading the word of Jesus as a new true Christian believer.In the aftermath of Jesus’ death, Simon’s family thinks that the new ministry is now over. But it’s a true test of faith—believing in the certainty of what is unseen—and in a week’s time, Jesus’s followers encounter him risen from the dead. In this moment of Jesus' resurrection, Simon is ready. His faith, built steadily on the bedrock of Jesus’ teachings—love of God and love of one’s neighbor—moves him to dedicate himself to a new mission, declaring, “We have work to do.”

Responsibility. Courage. Compassion. Honesty. Friendship. Persistence. Faith. Everyone recognizes these traits as essentials of good character. In order for our children to develop such traits, we have to offer them examples of good and bad, right and wrong. And the best places to find them are in great works of literature and exemplary stories from history. William J. Bennett has collected hundreds of stories in "The Book of Virtues, " an instructive and inspiring anthology that will help children understand and develop character -- and help adults teach them. From the Bible to American history, from Greek mythology to English poetry, from fairy tales to modern fiction, these stories are a rich mine of moral literacy, a reliable moral reference point that will help anchor our children and ourselves in our culture, our history, and our traditions -- the sources of the ideals by which we wish to live our lives. Complete with instructive introductions and notes, "The Book of Virtues" is a book the whole family can read and enjoy -- and learn from -- together.

"Fans of Mesu Andrews will love this earnest exploration of Simon of Cyrene s struggle with faith." -Publishers Weekly The Last Man at the Inn is the story of a journey of conversion we all take in one form or another, told through the eyes and heart of a common man. It is written to affirm the believer, to lovingly beckon to the undecided, and to call out to those who may not even know they are looking for something only that there is a space in their soul that somehow needs to be filled. Simon considers himself fortunate after securing the final room at the inn in Bethlehem. While eating his supper, he sees a younger man and his pregnant wife denied lodging at the door of the inn. Simon momentarily considers giving up his space, but he is weary from his travels as a spice merchant and turns away from the thought. Over the ensuing years, Simon traverses the popular trade routes, and each time he passes Bethlehem, he is reminded of that evening and plagued by guilt. In time, the Savior begins his ministry, and Simon begins the life-changing process of trying to understand and believe the teachings and miracles of this man called Jesus said to be the promised Messiah.

Read The Entire Series That Reviewers Have Called: "Exciting," "Brilliant," "Original," "Vividly Intense," and a "Riveting, Page-Turning Read."Maya was a mostly normal college sophomore when her life took a pretty sharp U-turn. That would be the fault of a mysterious and menacing stranger who killed her boyfriend with a single touch, flew away with her -- literally, flew – and injected her with his bone marrow. Turns out that there's a whole lotta' weird going on that most of the world knows nothing about. After the injections, Maya starts to change. Cue the cool new abilities, like enhanced strength, sharpened senses, and the nifty ability to see emotions in the form of colorful auras. …Only there's this teensy eensy downside to Maya's new "talents." That would be her unhappyily insistent need to feed on the life energy of those around her. A belated rescued comes in the form of two men claiming to be her half-brothers. One brother believes Maya can be saved; the other one is keeping his gun primed and ready for when she gives into her hunger. Not exactly a happy family reunion. Somehow, the three mismatched siblings must find a way to fight the murderous group that calls themselves "angels" while learning how to trust each other. Oh, and you'd better bet Maya will be looking for the one who changed her. She's got a raging case of revenge, not to mention a bullet with his name on it.Join Maya, Tarren, and Gabe for a whirlwind adventure across five exciting, action-packed books and two novellas in the Girl With Broken Wings Box Set by J Bennett. If you love the CW show Supernatural, then you are going to fall hard for Maya and her brothers. Even in the midst of super powers, gun battles, and far more Chuck Norris jokes than is decent, you'll also get a big dose of humor, family bonding, and some big, tear-jerking scenes. The Girl With Broken Wings Box Set Includes:•FALLING, Book One•COPING, Novella 1.5•LANDING, Book Two•RISING, Book Three•RECOVERING, Novella 3.5•LEAPING, Book Four•FLYING, Book Five•SPECIAL BONUS (woot woot!): A Behind-the-Scenes Look At the Writing Of Each Novel, Written By Author J Bennett

The Book Of Virtues - A Treasury Of Great Moral StoriesEdited By William J Bennett Responsibility. Courage. Compassion. Loyalty. Honesty. Friendship. Persistence. Hard Work. Self-Discipline. Faith. Everyone recognizes these traits as essentials of good character. In order for our children to develop such traits, we have to offer them examples of good and bad, right and wrong. And the best place to find them is in great works of literature and in exemplary stories from history. In The Book of Virtues, William J. Bennett has collected hundreds of stories in an instructive and inspiring anthology that will help children understand and develop character - and help adults to teach them. From the Bible: stories of Ruth's loyalty to Naomi and Jonathan's friendship with David. From American history: stories of Booker T. Washington earning his way to an education, Harriet Tubman and the

Share Your Moments Together“You + Me and Our Bucket List” is an enjoyably interactive couples journal (with prompts) that you + your loved one will adore! This book makes a great gift for any occasion - Valentine's Day, Weddings, Birthdays, Bridal Showers, Anniversaries, Christmas, you name it!Throughout these pages, you’ll be able to exchange all sorts of creative ideas, record the goals you both share, and forever document your most memorable experiences together. Be it swimming with dolphins or sky-diving, take time to think what you both are passionate about and then record your plans in the guided pages provided.Don't lose your memories, write your stories down in this keepsake journal. This will be a forever treasured keepsake for you both. BONUS: Use the discussion questions provided to talk about what you’ve learned from the experience and, most of all, about each other. Scroll up and "Add to Cart" to secure your copy and LET THE ADVENTURES BEGIN!