Mark Tabb – författare

When tragedy devastated a small town, an unlikely source of inspiration pieced the community back together in this dramatic true story. On a Sunday in May 2008, an F5 tornado hit the town of Parkersburg, Iowa, killing eight people and destroying 250 homes and businesses within a span of 34 seconds. The next day, Parkersburg's beloved football coach, Ed Thomas, made a stunning prediction: "God willing, we will play our first home game here on this field this season."One hundred days later, the home team scored a victory on the field they dubbed the Sacred Acre, serving as a galvanizing point for the town to band together and rebuild. But just as Parkersburg was recovering, another disaster struck.While working with a group of football and volleyball players early one morning, one of Thomas's former students walked in and gunned him down at point-blank range. Thomas was only 58 years old. The murder of this hometown hero spread across national news headlines, and Thomas's community reeled from the shock. But his story doesn't end there.As you discover more about this incredible town, you'll learn:That grief is no match for loveThe life-changing power of faith and forgivenessWhat it truly means to lean on your communityHow to use your God-given gifts for goodPraise for The Sacred Acre: "Ed Thomas was a man who lived the gospel, loved his family, and believed in doing things the right way. He taught his players that there are no shortcuts and that you will ultimately be judged, not by what you did, but on how you did it. His heart, his faith, and his Christian character are evident in so many of them. I believe that reading this book will give you a better understanding of this special man and the example he left for all of us to follow."--Tony Dungy, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts

When tragedy devastated a small town, an unlikely source of inspiration pieced the community back together in this dramatic true story.

On a Sunday in May 2008, an F5 tornado hit the town of Parkersburg, Iowa, killing eight people and destroying 250 homes and businesses within a span of 34 seconds. The next day, Parkersburg''s beloved football coach, Ed Thomas, made a stunning prediction: "God willing, we will play our first home game here on this field this season."

One hundred days later, the home team scored a victory on the field they dubbed the Sacred Acre, serving as a galvanizing point for the town to band together and rebuild. But just as Parkersburg was recovering, another disaster struck.

While working with a group of football and volleyball players early one morning, one of Thomas''s former students walked in and gunned him down at point-blank range. Thomas was only 58 years old. The murder of this hometown hero spread across national news headlines, and Thomas''s community reeled from the shock. But his story doesn''t end there.

As you discover more about this incredible town, you''ll learn:

That grief is no match for loveThe life-changing power of faith and forgivenessWhat it truly means to lean on your communityHow to use your God-given gifts for good

Praise for The Sacred Acre:

"Ed Thomas was a man who lived the gospel, loved his family, and believed in doing things the right way. He taught his players that there are no shortcuts and that you will ultimately be judged, not by what you did, but on how you did it. His heart, his faith, and his Christian character are evident in so many of them. I believe that reading this book will give you a better understanding of this special man and the example he left for all of us to follow."

--Tony Dungy, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts

When Officer Andy Myers met Loraine Phillips, he had no interest in her son. And he certainly never dreamed he'd respond to a call, finding that same boy in a pool of blood. Even more alarming was the father standing watch over his son's body. Myers had never seen a man respond to death-particularly the death of a child-in such a way. When the father is charged with murder and sentenced to death, he chooses not to fight but embrace it as God's will. Myers becomes consumed with curiosity for these strange beliefs. What follows is the story of the bond these two men share as they come to terms with the tragedy and the difficult choices each one must make.

For the first time since his two-year imprisonment in North Korea, Kenneth Bae recounts his dramatic ordeal in vivid detail. While leading a tour group into the most shrouded country on the planet, Bae is stopped by officials who immediately confiscate his belongings. With his computer hard drive in hand the officers begin their interrogation and Bae begins his unexpected decent into North Korean obscurity. Bae''s family and friends make immediate appeals to the United States government asking for his release. With his family waiting patiently for any news of Kenneth''s well-being, Bae is forced to rely solely on his faith for his survival. At his lowest point, Bae is confronted with the reality that he may not make it out alive. Not Forgotten is a riveting true story of one man''s fight for survival against impossible odds.

A vulnerable look at the faith questions we are afraid to admit we have· for anyone struggling with depression, doubting God's goodness, or feeling like a misfit at church· permission to ask the hard questions (and the just plain weird ones)· deepen your relationship with God and othersWhen you've done all the right things, read all the right books, and listened to all the right worship songs, yet still feel like you don't have this faith thing figured out, what do you do? It can be hard to voice the questions and doubts floating around your head and heart to others. But you're not the only one who feels that way!For anyone tired of church politics, the unspoken rules of Christian subculture, and taking themselves too seriously, Mark Tabb is your new best friend. He asks the questions you might hesitate to admit having, like· Can I call myself a Christian if I don't watch The Chosen?· Is God kind of mean but we're all afraid to say something?· If I believe God is in control, why am I upset about politics?· Why don't I feel it?· What if I'm wrong?· and moreNot only will he explore the answers to ten specific questions, he'll show you how to get comfortable talking with others about all the weird and uncomfortable questions you have. Because figuring out life together just might be the catalyst we need to renew our faith and our hope for the future.

Ryan House: In the Heart of Phoenix was written to share the possibility of your community being able to create a sustainable model of world-class caregiving that provides respite, palliative and hospice care for children and their families who are navigating life-limiting or end-of-life journeys. Award winning author, Mark Tabb, and the Cottor family, take you on a tour from the germination of the vision, to the building, opening and then a glimpse of the full operation today. Holly and Jonathan Cottor, Ryan's parents, understand the incredible demands and special care that is required from their firsthand experience: the need for compassion and support while they strain to maintain the uniqueness of each life journey emotionally, spiritually and socially. A care model like Ryan House is truly a dream born and come-true through the passion and perseverance of the community that creates it. Ryan House is a Home, a place where children and their families experience respect and love and are embraced throughout their journeys of life as part of a special community.Reading this book, which features stories of beautiful children and families who've experienced Ryan House, will no doubt bring tears to your eyes. But, its purpose is to emphasize the unique mission of Ryan House and how it innovatively came together with the devotion of so many loving, generous and hardworking people in the Phoenix community and throughout Arizona. This book is truly an inspiration. Learn and believe that it is possible to build and provide a successful model like Ryan House in any community. All those who have been involved in Ryan House someway, as a volunteer, a board member, a donor, or a recipient of care, hope upon hope that 100s of similar models of care will be built in the US. It happened in Phoenix, it can happen in your community!

Mark Tabb won''t ignore the facts about the hectic pace of modern life that we are, ironically, often too tired to acknowledge and change. In his candid and spiritually insightful Living with Less, he declares, “The only way to get more out of life is to choose less. Less stuff. Less activity. Less wanting more. . . . May God give us the courage to choose less stress in order that we might experience more of the life he has planned for us.”

A vulnerable look at the faith questions we are afraid to admit we have· for anyone struggling with depression, doubting God''s goodness, or feeling like a misfit at church· permission to ask the hard questions (and the just plain weird ones)· deepen your relationship with God and othersWhen you''ve done all the right things, read all the right books, and listened to all the right worship songs, yet still feel like you don''t have this faith thing figured out, what do you do? It can be hard to voice the questions and doubts floating around your head and heart to others. But you''re not the only one who feels that way!For anyone tired of church politics, the unspoken rules of Christian subculture, and taking themselves too seriously, Mark Tabb is your new best friend. He asks the questions you might hesitate to admit having, like· Can I call myself a Christian if I don''t watch The Chosen?· Is God kind of mean but we''re all afraid to say something?· If I believe God is in control, why am I upset about politics?· Why don''t I feel it?· What if I''m wrong?· and moreNot only will he explore the answers to ten specific questions, he''ll show you how to get comfortable talking with others about all the weird and uncomfortable questions you have. Because figuring out life together just might be the catalyst we need to renew our faith and our hope for the future.

In this powerful, redemptive true story, a young man living on the edge of survival is transformed into a healing presence in the lives of all he touches.At age ten, Peter Mutabazi ran away from home. For five years he survived on the streets of Kampala, Uganda, a city of 1.5 million, until one man saw potential in him. This man not only supported Peter through school but forever altered Peter's outlook in every possible way. Since then, Peter's turnaround story has been remarkable. He served as a relief coordinator during the Rwandan genocide, worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross during the Sudan conflict, emigrated to the United States, fostered countless children, and became a single adoptive parent. He speaks seven languages and has traveled to more than one hundred countries as an international advocate for vulnerable children.In Now I Am Known Peter reveals the transformational power of taking risks, learning to forgive, overcoming self-doubt, breaking negative patterns, and believing in a better future marked by optimism and purpose.Immerse yourself in this inspiring story of hope."God met Peter Mutabazi in the midst of his agony, and he will meet you in yours too."--Kyle Idleman, bestselling author of Not a Fan and One at a Time"Peter's astounding and unlikely true story proves that if you remain committed and give it your all, great things will happen."--Sanya Richards-Ross, Olympic gold medalist and founder of MommiNation"A must-read for anyone wondering whether they can actually make a difference in this world."--Kelly Slater, American pro surfer and world champion"One of the most redemptive stories you'll ever read."--Jedd Medefind, president of Christian Alliance for Orphans

Running for My Life is not a story about Africa or track-and-field athletics. It is about outrunning the devil and achieving the impossible; it is about faith, diligence, and the desire to give back. It is the American dream come true and a stark reminder that saving one can help save thousands more.

In this heart-wrenching story, you’ll learn about:

Lopez Lomong’s harrowing kidnapping at the age of six, becoming one of the Lost Boys of SudanHis survival in a prison refugee camp and his miraculous escapeHow he arrived in the U.S. through the Unaccompanied Refugee Minor programLomong’s journey from high-school track star to U.S. Olympic team captain

 

Lopez Lomong chronicles his inspiring ascent from a barefoot lost boy of the Sudanese Civil War to a Nike-sponsored athlete on the U.S. Olympic Team. Though most of us fall somewhere between the catastrophic lows and dizzying highs of Lomong''s incredible life, every reader will find in his story the human spark to pursue dreams that might seem unthinkable, even from circumstances that might appear hopeless.

 

"Lopez Lomong''s story is one of true inspiration. His life is a story of courage, hard work, never giving up, and having hope where there is hopelessness all around. Lopez is a true role model." MICHAEL JOHNSON, Olympic Gold Medalist

"This true story of a Sudanese child refugee who became an Olympic star is powerful proof that God gives hope to the hopeless and shines a light in the darkest places. Don''t be surprised if after reading this incredible tale, you find yourself mysteriously drawn to run alongside him." RICHARD STEARNS, president, World Vision US and author of The Hole in Our Gospel