Company of Prayer October 2006

Works Referenced October 2006
	Back to Basics (CD) Christina Aguilera Paying tribute to the soul/jazz/blues legends of yesteryear, this CD shows real artistry and offers something to everyone.
	The Biography of Ancient Israel: National Narratives in the Bible by Illana Pardes Pardes's Israel is based on a reading of the nation as a collective character, not an abstract concept. Particularly in Exodus and Numbers ("where the primary questions about the origin and singularity of the nation are raised"), Pardes argues, Israel is "personified; it is a character with a distinct voice.
	Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell Gladwell explains how our "adaptive unconscious" provides us with instant and sophisticated information to warn of danger, read a stranger, or react to a new idea. He does, however, include caveats about leaping to conclusions: marketers can manipulate our first impressions, high arousal moments make us "mind blind," focusing on the wrong cue leaves us vulnerable.
	Finite and Infinite Games by James P. Case Finite games are the familiar contests of everyday life, the games we play in business and politics, games with winners and losers. Infinite games are more mysterious -- and ultimately more rewarding. Carse explores what these games mean, and what they can mean to you.
	God Can Not Be Trusted (and Five Other Lies of Satan) by Tony Evans Does God Really Have Your Best Interest at Heart? Doubting His holiness? Discover how to recognize the devil's six ancient tactics, begin to see the lies for what they are, and claim victory over each one.
	Stress for Success: Jim Loehr’s Program for Transforming Stress into Energy at Work by James E. Loehr The renowned motivational coach of world-class athletes turns his attention to those in the corporate world. In Stress for Success, business people get a practical, performance-based program to strengthen their physical, mental and emotional resilience.
	When Bad Things Happen to Good People Harold S. Kushner Rarely does a book come along that tackles a perennially difficult human issue with such clarity and intelligence. Harold Kushner, a Jewish rabbi facing his own child's fatal illness, deftly guides us through the inadequacies of the traditional answers to the problem of evil.
	Why Not Try God? by Mary Pickford Legendary silent film star and one of the founders of United Artists, Mary Pickford, gives her Hollywood friends in the 1930s an invitation to look to God.
	The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism by James Geary Philosophical in nature, aphorisms force us to contemplate how universal truths are hidden in the particulars of daily life. Naturally, Geary's account is full of wonderful aphorisms from some of history's key aphorists, including Buddha, William Blake, Mark Twain and (of course) Benjamin Franklin.