The Gift Of Belonging

The Gift Of Belonging PDF

Author: Bradley Jon Gustafson

Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing

Published: 2019-10-16

Total Pages: 82

ISBN-13: 1457570912

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Charitable community living is a tall order, and this is just a short book about small moments in one life. But its 52 stories confirm a compelling truth; that for human hearts in search of connection there are no small nor insignificant moments. The Gift Of Belonging is the first of a “year of weeks” series of Wildbird Books, one experiment in a larger range of experimental steps being taken toward charitable community living, all by a growing flock of new and old friends in one small corner of the world. This book is about the grace that lifts and surrounds all those who know they belong. As such, this book is about each of us wherever we live, starting where we are with who we are, on our own back roads home to fully belonging. “Read your whole book before we ever touched the Dallas dirt. Laughed and cried and loved, loved, loved every page….loved.” ~ J. Semmes, Oxford, Mississippi “I’ve stopped reading with four stories to go; I don’t want the book to end.” ~ L. Harper, Sullivan’s Island, SC “I’ve re-read most of the year of weeks and loved the pieces even more—ranging from “damn good” to BRILLIANT. What a gift you have for writing. A true watering hole! Actually I found the photos as intriguing and beautiful as the written work—glad they’re given prominence. To Eric and Ollie! ~ Rev. Dr. Bert Keller, Charleston, SC

Jacob's Gift

Jacob's Gift PDF

Author: Jonathan Freedland

Publisher:

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 424

ISBN-13:

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Jonathan Freedland looks on as his eight-day-old son is about to be circumcised and admitted into the Covenant of Abraham'. So begins a search for the meaning of his son's inheritance and an epic journey into the nature of this, the world's oldest civilisation. What has Freedland done by enlisting his son into the Jewish people? What gift or burden has he given him? Freedland digs deep into his own family's past, telling the story of three remarkable people, each of whom came up with radically different answers to a quintessentially modern dilemma: how to live as a minority in the modern world. Rich in both human drama and reflection, Jacob's Gift is the story of this quest, and a delightful meditation on belonging.

The Big Book of Belonging

The Big Book of Belonging PDF

Author: Yuval Zommer

Publisher: National Geographic Books

Published: 2021-11-23

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 0500652643

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The new installment in the popular Big Book series connects young readers from around the world by emphasizing that we all belong to the same planet Earth. The Big Book of Belonging is a timely celebration of all the ways that humans are connected to life on planet Earth. With children at the heart of every beautifully illustrated spread, this book draws parallels between the way humans, plants, and animals live and behave. We all breathe the same air and take warmth from the same sun, we grow, we adapt to the seasons, and we live together in family groups. Readers will be fascinated to learn that instead of using words to communicate, fava beans send chemical messages through their roots, Caribbean reef squid send warnings of danger and even declarations of love by changing color, and that adorable big-eyed primates called tarsiers make calls to one another over the noise of the rainforest that are too high-pitched for predators to hear. By putting children at the heart of the book’s concept, author Yuval Zommer unites readers of the Big Book series from all corners of the world under one banner—of belonging to planet Earth. The book’s gentle message of caring for nature will inspire readers of all ages and encourage a new generation of environmentalists to flourish.

Community

Community PDF

Author: Peter Block

Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Published: 2009-09-01

Total Pages: 363

ISBN-13: 1605095362

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Most of our communities are fragmented and at odds within themselves. Businesses, social services, education, and health care each live within their own worlds. The same is true of individual citizens, who long for connection but end up marginalized, their gifts overlooked, their potential contributions lost. What keeps this from changing is that we are trapped in an old and tired conversation about who we are. If this narrative does not shift, we will never truly create a common future and work toward it together. What Peter Block provides in this inspiring new book is an exploration of the exact way community can emerge from fragmentation. How is community built? How does the transformation occur? What fundamental shifts are involved? What can individuals and formal leaders do to create a place they want to inhabit? We know what healthy communities look like—there are many success stories out there. The challenge is how to create one in our own place. Block helps us see how we can change the existing context of community from one of deficiencies, interests, and entitlement to one of possibility, generosity, and gifts. Questions are more important than answers in this effort, which means leadership is not a matter of style or vision but is about getting the right people together in the right way: convening is a more critical skill than commanding. As he explores the nature of community and the dynamics of transformation, Block outlines six kinds of conversation that will create communal accountability and commitment and describes how we can design physical spaces and structures that will themselves foster a sense of belonging. In Community, Peter Block explores a way of thinking about our places that creates an opening for authentic communities to exist and details what each of us can do to make that happen.

Design for Belonging

Design for Belonging PDF

Author: Susie Wise

Publisher: Ten Speed Press

Published: 2022-04-19

Total Pages: 167

ISBN-13: 1984858025

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A practical, illustrated guide to using the tools of design to create feelings of inclusion, collaboration, and respect in groups of any type or size—a classroom, a work team, an international organization—from Stanford University's d.school. “This is a beautiful book. Wise has applied the gift and imagination and lenses of the d.school to one of our most precious questions: how to create belonging.”—Priya Parker, author of the Art of Gathering and host of the New York Times podcast Together Apart Belonging brings out the best in everyone. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, community organizer, or leader of any sort, your group is unlikely to thrive if the individuals don’t feel welcomed, included, and valued for who they are. The good news is that you can use design to create feelings of inclusion in your organization: rituals that bring people together, spaces that promote calm, roles that create a sense of responsibility, systems that make people feel respected, and more. You can’t force feelings, but in Design for Belonging, author and educator Susie Wise explains how to use simple levers of design to set the stage for belonging to emerge. For example, add moveable furniture to a meeting space to customize for your group size; switch up the role of group leader regularly to increase visibility for everyone; or create a special ritual for people joining or leaving your organization to welcome fresh per­spectives and honor work well done. Inspiration and stories from leaders and scholars are paired with frameworks, tools, and tips, providing an opportunity to try on different approaches. By the end of the book, you’ll be able to spot where a greater sense of belonging is needed and actively shape your world to cultivate it—whether it’s a party, a high-stakes meeting, or a new national organization.

Belonging

Belonging PDF

Author: Sharon A. Hersh

Publisher: NavPress

Published: 2020-08

Total Pages: 239

ISBN-13: 1631469606

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"We all live with an ache, a deep and inexplicable hope to belong to something more. Our modern world--with its disconnection and anger, its entitlement and emptiness--only intensifies this ache. We are surrounded by people, and yet we feel utterly alone in our secrets, fears, desires, and dreams ... our longings can draw us toward the innate belonging and worthiness that God writes into our stories. And in discovery, we can start to imagine how to invite others into this greater sense of belonging."--Page 4 of cover

Belonging

Belonging PDF

Author: Nancy Thayer

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Published: 2014-04-29

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 055339102X

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Now available for the first time as an eBook, this spellbinding novel by New York Times bestselling author Nancy Thayer tells the fascinating story of a beautiful and successful woman who appears to have it all—but gives it all up to find real happiness. As the host of the successful television show Fabulous Homes, Joanna Jones travels the country showcasing the glamorous homes of the rich and famous. Pouring every ounce of herself into her demanding, rewarding work, Joanna is living her dream. Despite great professional success and an intense, passionate relationship, she still feels something is missing. When an unexpected pregnancy forces her to reevaluate her life, Joanna decides to leave behind frenetic Manhattan. Beckoning her to the gorgeous island of Nantucket is an old sea captain’s house set above the Atlantic Ocean. There, entranced by the aroma of the sea air and roses, Joanna builds a new life for her small family. But New York isn’t done with her yet. Handsome television executive Jake Corcoran appears at her front door, eager for her attentions and enticing her back to the city. Torn between the past and the future, Joanna must decide what it is that truly makes a house into a home. Includes a captivating preview of Nancy Thayer’s upcoming novel Nantucket Sisters! Praise for the novels of Nancy Thayer “The queen of beach books.”—The Star-Ledger “Thayer has a deep and masterly understanding of love and friendship, of where the two complement and where they collide.”—Elin Hilderbrand “Thayer’s gift for reaching the emotional core of her characters [is] captivating.”—Houston Chronicle “One of my favorite writers.”—Susan Wiggs “Thayer portrays beautifully the small moments, inside stories and shared histories that build families.”—The Miami Herald “Thayer’s sense of place is powerful, and her words are hung together the way my grandmother used to tat lace.”—Dorothea Benton Frank

A Kids Book About Belonging

A Kids Book About Belonging PDF

Author: Kevin Carroll

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2023-09-05

Total Pages: 74

ISBN-13: 0744091136

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A clear explanation of what belonging is, and how to accept and understand who you are. This is a kids book about belonging. It tackles what it’s like when you feel like you belong to a group or family or team, and what it’s like when you don’t. It addresses what it feels like when you don’t fit in, or when it may feel like others don’t want you around. This book teaches kids aged 5-9 how to incorporate the feeling of belonging into their lives. The feeling of belonging is something that everyone strives for, which is why it’s important to know how to belong to yourself and love who you are, and how that helps you to belong anywhere. A Kids Book About Belonging features: - A large and bold, yet minimalist font design that allows kids freedom to imagine themselves in the words on the pages. - A friendly, approachable, yet empowering, kid-appropriate tone throughout. - An incredible and diverse group of authors in the series who are experts or have first-hand experience of the topic. Tackling important discourse together! The A Kids Book About series are best used when read together. Helping to kickstart challenging, empowering, and important conversations for kids and their grownups through beautiful and thought-provoking pages. The series supports an incredible and diverse group of authors, who are either experts in their field, or have first-hand experience on the topic. A Kids Co. is a new kind of media company enabling kids to explore big topics in a new and engaging way. With a growing series of books, podcasts and blogs, made to empower. Learn more about us online by searching for A Kids Co.

The Impact of a Sense of Belonging in College

The Impact of a Sense of Belonging in College PDF

Author: Erin Bentrim

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2023-07-03

Total Pages: 311

ISBN-13: 1000980375

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Sense of belonging refers to the extent a student feels included, accepted, valued, and supported on their campus. The developmental process of belonging is interwoven with the social identity development of diverse college students. Moreover, belonging is influenced by the campus environment, relationships, and involvement opportunities as well as a need to master the student role and achieve academic success. Although the construct of sense of belonging is complex and multilayered, a consistent theme across the chapters in this book is that the relationship between sense of belonging and intersectionality of identity cannot be ignored, and must be integrated into any approach to fostering belonging.Over the last 10 years, colleges and universities have started grappling with the notion that their approaches to maintaining and increasing student retention, persistence, and graduation rates were no longer working. As focus shifted to uncovering barriers to student success while concurrently recognizing student success as more than solely academic factors, the term “student sense of belonging” gained traction in both academic and co-curricular settings. The editors noticed the lack of a consistent definition, or an overarching theoretical approach, as well as a struggle to connect disparate research. A compendium of research, applications, and approaches to sense of belonging did not exist, so they brought this book into being to serve as a single point of reference in an emerging and promising field of study.

Back Roads to Belonging

Back Roads to Belonging PDF

Author: Kristen Strong

Publisher: Revell

Published: 2019-08-06

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 1493417908

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At one time or another, shifting seasons in family, friendships, employment, and communities will bring each of us face-to-face with the feeling of being on the outside looking in. Because we are made for connection, this will often lead us down one of two roads. Either we will hop on the popular but crowded highway that asks us to do whatever it takes to get noticed, or we'll stand still, paralyzed by the fear that we're not important, loveable, or worth other people's time and attention. But what if there is another way? With an understanding voice that will speak into your own circumstances, Kristen Strong walks beside you along the less traveled but more satisfying third way--the back road way--to belonging: remaining in Christ and relaxing into the unique role God has for you. Along the way, you will learn simple, doable actions that not only will help you feel and know that you belong but will welcome others in as well.