Bob Santos – författare

Seattle''s Gang of Four changed the face of the city in the 1960s, ''70s, and ''80s by bringing four ethnic groups together in battle against city powerbrokers over development, poverty, fishing rights, and gentrification. The four leaders learned quickly that working together provided greater results than working apart. This is the story of a powerful political alliance and lifelong friendships forged through sit-ins, protest rallies, and other acts of civil disobedience. "We got very good at occupying buildings," remarked one of the Gang.

Bob Santos and Gary Iwamoto recall how a Native American, Asian American, African American, and Mexican American came together to fight for their neighborhoods and their people.

Bob Santos has spent most of his life in the International District of Seattle. He grew up in the N.P. Hotel with his widowed father, Sammy Santos, a professional prizefighter. He was hired in 1972 to lead the International District Improvement Association (Inter*Im). During his tenure at Inter*Im, Santos organized property owners, businesses, residents, and activists from the Asian American community to preserve the neighborhood and build new housing.

Gary Iwamoto is a regular contributing writer for the International Examiner, an Asian Pacific Islander community newspaper. He has written several plays, notably Miss Minidoka 1943, which was produced by the Northwest Asian American Theater. He and Bob Santos also wrote Humbows, Not Hot Dogs in 2002.

It is no secret that the moral fabric of Western culture has unraveled at breakneck speed during recent decades. And while we have made progress addressing some issues such as sexual harassment, many other cultural changes are leaving us anxious and concerned. Mass shootings. Drug addictions. Sexual confusion. Toxic politics. A lack of common decency. All are problems that lack easy solutions. And for those who are heavily vested in the future of our nation-those with children and grandchildren, for example-our situation is heart-wrenching.

While there may be no easy solutions to our complex social malaise, we are by no means powerless. Through prayer, the all-wise and all-powerful Creator of our universe has given otherwise ordinary people an amazing opportunity to reverse the negative tide. What the people of God do in their prayer closets has the power to change the very course of history!

We have a natural tendency to focus on government as the seat of change, but in a democratic republic such as ours, real change is more grassroots. Family, church, community, and education are four of the most pivotal building blocks of a healthy society, and the degradation we see on a national level has its roots in these four arenas. Thus, much of this devotional''s attention is given to praying not only for various levels of government, but also for the building blocks.

Each daily reading is designed to inspire and equip the reader to pray, while at the same time, building a sense of Christian unity in the community. Included are inspirational quotes, a short message about prayer, a prayer focus for the day, a starting prayer, and a short list of prayer points that will help the reader transition into a blessed time of prayer. Using this devotional in a community sets the stage for the powerful works that the Lord desires to accomplish in our midst.

Grassroots prayer is where the greatest potential for change lies! And regardless of whether we are young, old, or in between, we can each play a vital role in helping our great nation reach its full potential. We do this both for God''s glory and for the sake of the generations that will follow in our footsteps.

The idea of Christian unity presents an attractive ideal. Yet it is more than an ideal. Those who have been joined together with Christ through the new covenant have also been joined together with one another.

Such ideas can be difficult to accept considering the overall state of the church today. But God has a plan for these last days, and it involves the members of His unified body loving one another and working together to fulfill His purposes.

Greater Glory not only provides a Biblical vision for Christian unity, it also presents practical insights to help us navigate this vital issue.

Just some of the key topics include:

·       Understanding why unity matters

·       Recognizing how pride divides us

·       Navigating doctrinal differences

·       Resolving conflict

·       Dealing with false prophets

·       Tearing down walls to build trust

Reading this book will encourage, challenge, equip, and motivate you to make a real difference. Our world is in a perilous state, and the time is now for a unified church to arise!

Spirituality and mystery go hand in hand. Since we live by our natural senses, we cannot see the spiritual world. Still, most of us know there is something more, something beyond what we can see, taste, or touch. The question is, how do we understand what that "more" is?

The Age of Abiding explores how to have a personal relationship with the God who created us, but it does so by taking an unlikely path. Instead of trying to grasp an unseen spiritual world, this book begins by focusing on something we all know best: ourselves.

People are diverse, with many differing cultures and tastes. But we are also similar. Our similarities point toward a common origin-one that is part of a grand purpose that originates from heaven.

There is a profound logic behind all that God does, but it is not human logic. And so I invite you to join me on a journey of discovery. This book will help you make sense of spiritual matters. It will open your eyes to God''s goodness. And it will guide you on a path to experience a richness of life beyond what you could ever imagine.

Now is the time to go deeper-beyond the surface of common religious thought, and into an intimate relationship with God!