Whether you are seasoned from years of ministry or are just getting started living out the vows you made at ordination, this essential handbook will provide the spiritual and practical support you need as a Catholic deacon in the Church today. In Our Life of Service, international speaker and bestselling author Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers will inspire and uplift you as he and his brother deacons--including Greg Kandra, James Keating, Dominic Cerrato, and Tom Fox--share their testimonies and insights about how to serve God with determination, faith, and vision. Burke-Sivers explores the gift of the diaconate as a living image of Christ the Servant in the world, a source of comfort and hope at a time when both are in short supply.

Winner of a 2022 Association of Catholic Publishers Excellence in Publishing Award: Resources for Ministry (Third Place). Whether you are seasoned from years of ministry or are just getting started living out the vows you made at ordination, this essential handbook will provide the spiritual and practical support you need as a Catholic deacon in the Church today. In Our Life of Service, international speaker and bestselling author Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers will inspire and uplift you as he and his brother deacons—including Greg Kandra, Larry Oney, Dominic Cerrato, and Thomas J. Fox—share their testimonies and insights about how to serve God with determination, faith, and vision. Burke-Sivers explains the gift of the diaconate as a living image of Christ the Servant in the world, a source of comfort and hope at a time when both are in short supply. Burke-Sivers explores the daily realities of life to answer important questions about the diaconate such as: What does the Church teach about the purpose of this ministry both within the parish and the world? How are the three key responsibilities of teaching, sanctifying, and leading entrusted to a deacon at ordination practiced in daily life? How does his commitment to his wife help a married deacon balance his duties to his family and ministry? What are practical strategies and solutions for the challenges deacons face, especially when conflicts arise within ministry? Burke-Sivers also calls for younger, more diverse groups of men who reflect on the face of the Church to become permanent deacons in order to bridge the gap between the Church and the world and to reach the unchurched. Each chapter contains questions for reflection, action steps, and prayers to help deacons strengthen their own commitment to their calling. Drawing from the writings of St. John Paul II and other ecclesial writings about the purpose and gift of the permanent diaconate, Burke-Sivers educates and inspires us to more fully appreciate this gift and enriches and encourages those who have themselves answered this call. Written for deacons in active ministry, Our Life of Service is also inspiring reading for Catholics in the pew who are considering a call or who simply want to understand the purpose and gift of the permanent diaconate.

Do you believe that everyday individuals have the power to make a difference? In the age of strong political divisions and global challenges, it is easy to feel powerless over the direction of our lives and communities. That's exactly how 21-year-old Alex Quian felt until his mentor issued him a daunting challenge: to serve and unite his community by completing 30 different service projects in 30 days. What followed was a life-changing service journey that taught Alex that anyone can create meaningful impacts. In Better Together: How 30 Days of Service Changed My Life, Alex shares valuable insights he gained from his experiences and seeks to encourage readers to serve their communities, live a fulfilling life, and prove we are truly better together. Serving as both an inspiring example and a practical guide, Better Together features a variety of lessons, tips, and advice that can help anybody be a better student, professional, leader, and community servant.

Italian-American Orunmila’s Servant escapes a troubled, at-risk boyhood by joining the United States Marines. After years in the military and a number of deployments, he comes to feel as if his life has never been his own. But one very early morning in 2011, as he’s casually smoking a cigarette while driving to work, everything changes. Alone in his car, Orunmila’s Servant hears a crystal-clear voice, and it says, “It’s time...time to practice Santeria.” From that moment on, a whole new world opens up for him, as he pitches himself into a fervent quest to learn all the secrets of the Orishas and create a happy, meaningful life for himself. In a passionate, yet frequently hilarious companion piece to his first book, Orunmila’s Words Don't Touch the Floor IFA Odu Synthesis, Orunmila’s Servant chronicles his adventurous rise to joy and enlightenment in service to the Orishas, while compassionately lighting the way for others to follow.

This is the story of a not so good, bullied, student who joins the Navy and finds a home and a new life, during a troubled time in American History. It begins in grade school where the boy is forced to fight and run for his survival, from bigger, older students and class mates. The boys troubles continues when he is placed in special education classes and not allowed to take part in school sports. It follows the boy into the Navy and his career that follows. From boot camp to “A” school, the hospitals, Fleet Marine Force training then Vietnam. His duty stations and assignments for the next 29 years and beyond. There are funny, sad and spiritual events. From a lost human being to a productive citizen, who has seen more than anyone should have had to.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live a life shrouded in secrecy? On 3 January 1983, an 18-year-old college student from South Georgia entered the Main Entrance of CIA''s fortified compound in Langley, Virginia, where she raised her right hand and swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Standing there, she could never have imagined the ways in which she would honor that oath before she exited those same doors almost 32 years later - moving from supporting various CIA missions to serving as a "bad insider" who exposed a critical weakness that impacted the entire Intelligence Community to handling one of the Agency''s most prized reporters to building, leading, and managing sensitive, high-profile operations pursuing foreign spies and terrorists - or the family who would be impacted by all of this. A Life of Service, Sacrifice, and Secrets is a gripping first-hand account of a small-town girl determined to serve her country, who found her life''s purpose in a covert CIA career that spanned the Cold War to the Global War on Terror. Did key figures and opportunities just happen to surface around her over the years, repeatedly landing her in a position to make a difference, or did a Higher Power have a hand in those events? This teen from the Bible Belt rose through the Agency ranks, ultimately using her talents to both enhance national security and to disrupt the efforts of foreign spies and terrorists. LaRee Harding wrote this deeply personal memoir for her daughters, not only to share her life lessons but also to provide them a glimpse into what she was doing when she missed so much of their lives. Equally important, she hoped her story demonstrates that sometimes good things happen when life doesn''t unfold as we planned. After almost a year of pushing, former colleagues persuaded LaRee to publish her story. They stressed that this first-hand account of her career provided a unique, realistic window into CIA Intelligence Officers'' work and home life. LaRee is quick to note that CIA employees knowingly sign up for A Life of Service, Sacrifice, and Secrets, but it is thrust upon their families. For a variety of reasons, she chose to publish this version under a pseudonym. As LaRee did not intend to publish this memoir, she is donating 100% of her portion of the royalties to The CIA Officers Memorial Foundation -- an independent charity supporting the needs of CIA families. "Of all the books I''ve read about the CIA, this engaging account is the best for capturing the home and work life of an intelligence officer. LaRee''s perceptiveness, competence, energy, and passion for the CIA mission shine through as she outlines her valuable lessons learned. Anyone wondering what it is like to work inside should read this leader and mother of two children''s account of her remarkable career." - Mike Mears, retired CIA Chief of Human Capital "This story brilliantly illustrates the sacrifices CIA officers make through love of country and dedication to making the world a safer place. These sacrifices are not made in a vacuum and forever impact our families, but in the end you hope you make them proud." - M.A. Sotos, retired CIA "A gripping read. It''s been over 10 years since I picked up a book and read it all the way through, non-stop. I couldn''t put it down. So many of the stories told reminded me of moments in my own career...some of the vignettes even generated familiar memories of the stresses of urgency and uncertainty. At the front end of my application, an officer interviewing me recommended to me a specific book as a window into the biz. Great book, but this one is better and more relevant today. I seriously believe it should be in the applicant curriculum." - callsign "Hippo", retired CIA Operations Officer

In The Power of Service is the jackpot of life. The Power of Service outlines simple strategic principles for supernatural success at Will. You will learn practical techniques for outstanding breakthrough and fulfillment. You will learn: - How to Discover and fulfill your purpose. - How to make love work for you. - How to sow your financial seeds for maximum returns of over a hundred fold. - How to maximize returns on your service. - The mentality and acts of genuine servants of God. - How to access faith easily and live by it. - How to access angelic help and assistance. - You will discover your First Class Citizenship and how to actualize it. - And much more...