MSI Press Blog

  Today's book back story is about Bennettt Easterling's book,   God Speaks into Darkness . From the publisher --  This book was one of 12 produced during the pandemic in answer to a call from the publisher to authors to produce a series of books to provide support to readers during the pandemic. They were to be very reasonably priced and also available in e-book versions to make them accessible to as many readers as possible. Each author who accepted the call was asked to write a pandemic-oriented book in their own specialty/genre. Easterling had written two award-winning spiritual books,  Of God, Rattlesnakes, and Okra  and  Jesus Is Still Passing By . Bennett's paperback book can also be purchased at the  MSI Press webstore  at discount. (Use FF25 for 25% discount.) Pinnacle Book Achievement Award American Book Fest Best Books FinalistA For more posts about Bennett and his book, click  HERE . Sign up for the MSI Press LLC newsletter Follow MSI Press on  Twitter ,  Face B

  excerpt from Jesus Is Still Passing By by Bennett Easterling -  A GENTILE WOMAN’S CHILD (Gospel account in Matthew 15:21-28; Matthew 20:29-34) Jesus went to the vicinity of Tyre, where a Canaanite woman came to him pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter has a demon in her, and it’s severely tormenting her.” Jesus gave her no reply. His disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to leave,” they said. “She’s bothering us with all her begging.” Sensitive souls, right? Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent to help the people of Israel, God’s lost sheep, not the Gentiles.” But she came and worshipped him, pleading again, “Lord, help me!” Again, he protested, “It’s not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.” “Yes, Lord,” she agreed, “but even puppies eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Her reply seemed to astonish the Lord, blowing away any further thought of refusal. “Woman, great is your faith,” he told her. “Yo

    excerpt from God Speaks into Darknes s (Easterling) Hemmed in and Locked Out? Inspired by Psalm 88 Today, as this is being written, the world is still losing to COVID-19, which has claimed thousands of lives and infected millions. Twenty-two million Americans have filed for unemployment—and the toll is mushrooming every day.  The United States is facing the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression. What began in China has locked down, isolated, or quarantined the lives, health, and economy of every nation. Psychiatrists tell us prisoners locked in total isolation for long periods never fully recover. Courts are being asked to decide if this is such cruel and inhumane punishment that it violates our constitution and should be banned. Have you ever found yourself locked into a perplexing predicament that seems irresolvable, a situation so desperate it seemed unbearable? A pit can be so dark and deep it drains one of hope, slams you up against the border of depression or th

  Excerpt from Of God, Rattlesnakes, and Okra   MOMMA, DO SOMETHING! That would be my sisters complaining about me. They started dating when I was barely a school-age urchin. When their suitors called, Momma sent me out on the front porch to entertain them while the girls finished primping. Taking this duty seriously, I poured my heart into it. Sadly, my efforts were not always appreciated. One of Edith’s beaus was plagued with teenage acne, which left ugly pockmarks. Trying to make conversation, I asked if someone had shot him in the neck with buckshot. Sister Iris fell for a fellow whose notable feature was big tobacco-stained front teeth. As we sat on our porch swing making small talk, my beloved hound dog Ole Pup joined our waiting party. I noticed his teeth looked a lot like Pup’s. “Do you know that your teeth look like Ole Pup’s?” I asked him. He must’ve thought it funny because he laughed nervously. Iris failed to enjoy the joke. Geraldine’s first boyfriend was a lanky

  Excerpt: THE WOMAN WHO TOUCHED JESUS (Gospel account in Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:24-34: Luke 9:43-48)   A large crowd was following Jesus, pressing around him. A woman crept up quietly, trying to touch him. This dear lady had an internal bleeding disorder. For twelve years, she’d suffered under the care of many doctors and spent all her money to pay them. But, instead of getting better, she grew worse. She’d heard of Jesus. So, she pressed through the crowd and slipped up behind him, thinking, “If I only touch his clothes, I’ll be healed.” As soon as she touched his cloak, she felt the bleeding stop. Background This brave lady risked public humiliation by approaching Jesus unbidden. Women of her day were often not treated with dignity. She knew she would likely be ridiculed, but she was enough desperate to choose to face the consequences. The disciples would not be sympathetic. They fancied themselves to be Jesus’ palace guards, shooing the riffraff away, especially women and childre

  Excerpt from God Speaks into Darkness How Long, O Lord? Inspired by Psalm 13 Think back over your life journey to mountains you’ve climbed and valleys you’ve encountered. You have found your share of troubles—or they found you, right? Have you noticed that when trouble comes, it often brings cousins and friends? Yesterday the birds were singing. Today even family and best friends are missing. Your body, mind, and spirit capsized. You sent out SOS signals; yet no one responded--and there’s no lighthouse in sight. In times like this, have you ever voiced the Psalmist’s lament, “How Long, O Lord will this last? Have you forgotten me? Will it be forever?” The Psalmist in this classic prayer is uttering a universal cry: “How long will you forget me, Lord? Will it be forever? How long will you look the other way while I’m suffering, feeling all alone and abandoned? How long will this sorrow fill my heart day and night? How long will my enemies triumph over me? Is this permanent, Lord?” Ye

Extracted from photo by M. Katherine Shear, M.D. See original photo with words and blog article at aspire.com .   Whether they die in war, from illness, by suicide, or as a result end-of-life issues, their loss affects relatives, friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and colleagues in  devastating ways. The following books are gentle but helpful treatments of the issues of bereavement and grief. Damascus amid the War by Muna Imady Written by popular author, Muna Imady, whose book, Syrian Folktales, has delighted an uncountable number of readers outside of Syria, Damascus amid the War tells the very human story of the devolution of a society. The book containts 29 pre-war poins, vibrant with imagery of daily life in a robust Damascus. The 100 war poems that follow show the devastating affect on the people who navigate a daily existence after war came. This is a posthumous publication, containing Muna’s very last works and an introduction by her mother, Elaine Imady, author of Road to Dama

  MSI Press is proud to announce that J Bennett Easterling's book, God Speaks into Darkness , has been selected as a 2020 finalist in the American Book Fest Best Books Awards competition. Way to go, Bennett!  To read more about Bennett and his other award-winning books, click  HERE .

  Just in...book review of God Speaks into Darkness  (J. Bennett Easterling) by US Review of Books: The twenty-three encouraging selections in this short volume each comprise a daily devotional that discusses the teachings of specific psalms related to the challenges people face in the COVD-19 pandemic. Those lives the coronavirus has not taken it has upended.. Read the rest of the review HERE . Check out other posts by and about Bennett and his other books HERE .