By Travis Carter

In a society saturated with choices, sometimes it’s nice to receive some knowledgeable recommendations.

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Before you get uneasy and think this column is about to proclaim the greatness of sweaty sport chants and CDs with songs announcing “we are the champions” or “we’re not gonna take it any more” or some other such bravado, I would encourage you to look deeper.  Some guys enjoy moments when you’re pumped because of a great success and you just need to point to the sky and yell, “Yeah!” at the top of your lungs.  Some guys feel like they want to tell the world what they’re feeling without having to dress in a shirt and tie that was picked out by their significant other.  There are moments when a choir song just isn’t right for the occasion and women just don’t understand.  In fact, they may not be able to understand the words at first, and that’s okay.

By Sara Darst

In a society saturated with choices, sometimes it's nice to receive some knowledgeable recommendations.

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America’s Queen by Sarah Bradford
This is a biography of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.  A quick glance in the local bookstore at the rows and rows of books focusing on this prominent, and yet also mysterious, former president’s wife reveals that, despite passing years, her life has not ceased to captivate readers all over the world.  Bradford takes a chronological approach to her study of her life and utilizes interviews, documents, and endless books and periodicals to support her work, which is highlighted in 24 pages of endnotes.  While Bradford captivates the charm and allure of Jackie’s personality, painting a clear picture of a classy lady with impeccable taste, she does not shy away from the controversial topics surrounding Jackie’s sad life.  She tackles subjects such as Jackie’s marriage to JFK and Aristotle Onassis, her lifelong quest to finalize her relationship with her father, and the details of her flamboyant lifestyle.  Published in 2000, the book also features an interesting, yet brief comparison, between Jackie and Hilary Rodham Clinton.  The black-and-white glossy photographs in the middle of the book serve as a nice supplement to the text.  This book is detailed and thorough, definitely not a book one can skim through on a rainy afternoon, yet it is a fascinating story of a woman who has made a clear mark on the pages of American history forever.

By David Bunch

In a society saturated with choices, sometimes it’s nice to receive some knowledgeable recommendations.

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Poets of all ages have tried to capture the essence of the winter season and the Christmas holiday in particular.  Here are five poems that are sure to thaw the chill and bring holiday cheer throughout the Christmas season.

By Phillip Hampton

In a society saturated with choices, sometimes it’s nice to receive some knowledgeable recommendations.

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By Stephen Bunch

In a society saturated with choices, sometimes it's nice to receive some knowledgeable recommendations.

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I decided to highlight a cross section of some of the favorites from my music library. What follows is an offering of music, both new and old, which should strike a good balance between worship, Contemporary Christian, and "miscellaneous."

By Kent d Curry

In a society saturated with choices, sometimes it's nice to receive some knowledgeable recommendations.

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Many people consider the phrase "Christian literature" an oxymoron. These titles prove otherwise. You can exhibit the Christian virtues (purity, courage, consequences to actions), as well as offer insight, action, and/or serious awareness of spiritual principalities overseen by a loving, just deity, and still find your titles in the canon.

By Staci Wilder

In a society saturated with choices, sometimes it’s nice to receive some knowledgeable recommendations.

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Staci Wilder’s second novel, For Such a Time as This, was just released from Word Aflame Press. Her first, These Things We Hold, was the start of the Women of Crandall series.