From the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Paris Apartment and The Guest List, an evocative love story set along the Italian Riviera about a group of charismatic stars who all have secrets and pasts they try desperately — and dangerously — to hide. Rome, 1953: Hal, an itinerant journalist flailing in the post-war darkness, has come to the Eternal City to lose himself and to seek absolution for the thing that haunts him. One evening he finds himself on the steps of a palazzo, walking into a world of privilege and light. Here, on a rooftop above the city, he meets the mysterious Stella. Hal and Stella are from different worlds, but their connection is magnetic. Together, they escape the crowded party and imagine a different life, even if it's just for a night. Yet Stella vanishes all too quickly, and Hal is certain their paths won't cross again. But a year later they are unexpectedly thrown together, after Hal receives an invitation he cannot resist. An Italian Contessa asks him to assist on a trip of a lifetime -- acting as a reporter on a tremendous yacht, skimming its way along the Italian coast toward Cannes film festival, the most famous artists and movie stars of the day gathered to promote a new film. Of all the luminaries aboard — an Italian ingénue, an American star, a reclusive director — only one holds Hal in thrall: Stella. And while each has a past that belies the gilded surface, Stella has the most to hide. As Hal's obsession with Stella grows, he becomes determined to bring back the girl she once was, the girl who's been confined to history. An irresistibly entertaining and atmospheric novel set in some of the world's most glamorous locales, The Invitation is a sultry love story about the ways in which the secrets of the past stay with us — no matter how much we try to escape them.

One night, after an unsatisfying evening at a party, the author sat down and wrote her heartfelt poem 'The Invitation'. It travelled by word-of-mouth and the Internet across the globe. In this book, she expands on the ideas behind the poem and has created a guidebook for living a life full of integrity, commitment and passion.

Gerilyn misses her husband Joey, a victim to the cruelty of cancer. She seeks friendship and solace in a chat room and meets 'Shooting Star' one evening, the 'perfect man'. . . or so she believes at first. He invites her to be his friend, and she accepts his cordial invitation. That is her first mistake, an innocent but unfortunate one. All hell soon breaks loose in her life, and on the quaint, quiet town in which she resides. A faithful mother, a faithless priest, and an eccentric, bizarre stranger who arrives in town under the cloak of night's shadows, come together to battle the unleashed demonic powers in this fast-paced religious thriller. You will believe in supernatural warfare after reading this epic tale of good versus evil, and the influence of sacrificial love in our lives.

Five thirty-somethings are horrified to receive an invitation to the funeral of the man who sexually abused them all at some point in their youth; the man they thought had died in front of them sixteen years ago. The story chronicles their attempts to discover the reason behind the invitation, the truth about his death and the consequences of their discoveries. This story spans from 1967 through to 1987, beginning in the coastal city of Portsmouth and culminating in the hauntingly beautiful cointryside around Corbridge and Hexham in Northumberland.

For the last twenty plus years it has been my privilege to offer classes that enable people to see life in a new way. A way that really helps folk become more fulfilled and more able to enjoy and contribute to this world in which we live for a few years. I have called these classes Resurrected life, or RLM. The success we have had has amazed me, so to reach more people I thought I would write this book, so here goes. Molly Sutherland

DIVYou can win over your temptations! If you want to walk in fullness and step/div

Moving beyond conversionism Many Christians today are uncomfortable with older, simpler notions about evangelism as conversionism but see as insufficient the more progressive model of evangelism as hospitality. Transcending that dichotomy, Richard Osmer advances a theology of evangelism as a multifaceted act of invitation into Christ-following community. Osmer begins by exploring references to evangelism in the New Testament—both in the Gospels and in the letters of Paul. He then enters into dialogue with Karl Barth to work through ideas of church witness and the relationship of evangelism to salvation. Finally, with lucid explanations and illustrative case studies, he offers guidance for pastors, laity, and students to use as they reimagine how evangelism might best happen in their churches and missional organizations. Osmer’s approach mirrors the conviction, stated in his introduction, that our concept of evangelism must be formed and constantly reformed by keeping the Bible, church doctrine, and practical theology in conversation. Foundational to Osmer’s rendering of evangelism as invitation is the essential truth that it is Christ and the Holy Spirit who calls converts and makes disciples—not Christians. Thus, we can invite our neighbors to the wedding feast while remaining reassured that the table is already set.