Jester Challenge and Beyond

If you have ever dreamed of sailing a small boat a long distance on a low budget, then this is the book for you. Nor should age be a barrier, as 73-year-old Basil Panakis proves in his exciting voyages with the Jester Challenge, single-handed sailing event.

In this up-beat narrative, Basil explains how he chose his boat (which has to be under 30ft to qualify) and how he equipped her for deep-ocean passages. Starting from Plymouth in the UK, Basil’s Jester landfalls have included The Azores three times and beyond that, Madeira, Canaries, Cape Verde, Caribbean.

He talks about the equipment needed, all sourced on the tight budget of a pensioner and the simple upgrades he made to his 25ft fibreglass sloop Jaba. He also covers the weather routing and provisioning involved for a long-distance voyage and recounts the ideas and camaraderie he received from other Jester Challengers.

Ewen Southby-Tailyour, the organiser of the Jester Challenge, describes Basil as one of its leading lights:

“In his voyages, Basil encompasses all the finer virtues required of this most purist of small yacht endeavours. He tells his inspirational story in a readable, engrossing and uplifting manner, so perhaps you too will be encouraged to fulfil your dream.”

Jesus In My Corner

Jesus in My Corner, written by Andy Flute, chronicles his struggle to overcome a myriad of life-long challenges with violence and alcohol. For over 30 years, violence and alcohol were Andy's daily bread until, one day, by the power of prayer, he managed to achieve what no amount of alcohol or prison incarceration could ever achieve. When he was at the point of death, intoxicated with alcohol following a ten-day binging session, I went to see my old mate and prayed for him with Pastor Steve.

Andy was fighting the demon of alcohol and he was on the ropes, down for the count. Andy, a former captain of the English boxing team and British Middleweight title challenger alongside sparring partner Chris Eubank and other world class fighters, knew what brutal fighting was all about. This fight was different, one he couldn't win on his own strength. Andy felt the intense grip and destructive downward spiral alcohol had on his life. Battered and bleeding, with no more strength, he cried out to Jesus.

In a truly miraculous turnaround, Andy found Jesus in his corner and almost instantaneously gave up alcohol. During the bleakest of moments, he experienced a spiritual awakening. Slowly, he found his way through darkest era of his life. He came to believe a power greater than himself in Jesus.

Now with Jesus in his corner, Andy is an active member of Sedgley Community Church. The Bible employs the analogy of wrestling in reference to our warfare with Satan and his hosts. Andy had a fight that only Jesus could referee, this gigantic battle played out until he was baptised in water.

Andy Flute's willingness to share the most intimate aspects of his life was born out of a deep desire to help others addicted to alcohol and violence.
Despite these daunting events, Andy now works hard to live a normal life and raise a family of his own. He regularly attends prison workshops and shares his testimony in local schools. The Lord has made an amazing transformation in his life, He could do the same for you!

His good friend, John Cramphorn

Jesus Is Adam

Jesus Is Adam is not just another book on the shelf. Its title, echoing above Caravaggio’s evocative painting of Jesus and the incredulity of doubting Thomas, beckons readers to delve deeper into the true identity of Jesus. Despite the vast number of Christians worldwide, many remain unaware of the profound connection between Jesus and Adam. With over 2.56 billion Christians globally, including 27.3 million in England alone, the significance of this revelation cannot be understated.

This book isn’t solely for Christians. It aims to enlighten everyone, from atheists and agnostics to Muslims and beyond. By unraveling the life and teachings of Jesus, it presents a compelling case for understanding him as Adam. Given the universal reverence for Jesus, a book that offers such a fresh perspective is bound to captivate readers worldwide. Dive in and discover the simplicity and profundity of Jesus Is Adam.

Jesus: The Gift Without the Wrapping

In Jesus: The Gift Without the Wrapping, Terry O’Brien presents an enlightened understanding of the humanity of Jesus. A window to God is opened because through Jesus, in his humanity, in the person he was and is, we can know God.

This book is for the open-minded who want to live fully by following the spirit of the ‘human’ Jesus and who want to gaze at the mystery of God revealed in the human.

Joe Bloggs Becomes A Christian

“This is a fascinating little book which I am glad to commend. The author is an intelligent and able man. It is an autobiographical account of Michael’s life and tells of his time as a police officer in London facing a number of traumatic experiences, including attacks on his life. These, in turn, lead to a period of illness which brought him back to Devon where he became a devoted Christian.

But the story does not end there; it continues with a description of how Michael returned to London in order to ‘bury the ghosts from his past’; of how he was helped to overcome all his past difficulties … and much more.

I imagine that some of those who read this book will identify with one or other of Michael’s experiences and find help in seeing how he came through them. I particularly enjoyed reading about the ‘93 pence Bible’. This is just one of the adventures recounted here which formed part of Michael’s unusual and exciting spiritual pilgrimage. This is a book which you will find enjoyable and encouraging. It is a book to buy and a book to give.”

                                                              Revd. Cyril Tennant

                                                              St. Philip and St. James Church, Ilfracombe, Devon

Joseph

Joseph is a book that tells the real-life story of a single mother coping with the pressures of life and bringing up a child with autism. The author, Philomena Scully, captures a world that is relatable to other parents – the main audience that the book has been written for.

It shares a variety of honest and funny stories, covering common topics that she has struggled with over the years while supporting and loving her son despite the extreme differences that her new life entailed. It also illustrates simple techniques and tips to help ordinary parents who are finding themselves in same situation.

Its written from the heart with a simple structure that people can learn from. It lays bare the trials and tribulations she encountered and how she accepted that autism is a different way of life through the love of her son.    

Journey to Beijing

This book gives an account of some amazing places which the author was fortunate to visit in China--from magical Guilin to historical Zunyi; from the stunning Three Gorges to tropical Hainan; from cities of the eastern provinces to the Avatar mountains of Zhangjiajie; from relaxing Xishuangbanna to hectic Hong Kong and Macau; and in the north from the Mongolian grasslands of Nei Menggu to the heart of it all: Beijing. Many people travel today, with something approaching 10,000,000 people in the air on an average day. Yet this is only a fraction of those who travel by other means. Why? For relaxation? For education? To get away? Or simply to say they have "been there"? On his own travels, the author saw many tourists arrive at a scene, struggle to get to a vantage point, get there, take the obligatory photograph and move on. They have not even looked, let alone appreciated where they are. All they are doing is ticking off places on their "bucket list". In this book, the author is striving to delve deeper, especially when it comes to the significance of Beijing.

Juggling Cats

This is a true story about a family whose lives were upturned on a fateful Spring day. The story of how their lives changed, and how they coped with the stress of having a family member murdered in cold blood. How was this allowed to happen? How are families allowed to be left with next to no resolution and hounded by press and government officials, then unceremoniously dumped and then ignored following life changing incidents. Will they ever find out any answers? 2014 was a year they would never forget, a year that would change the direction of their lives forever.

Just Another Day

They do not need a reason to act selflessly since they have pledged to do so, their love for mankind is unconditional; under the greatest adversity exists their tremendous potential to heal the sick, wounded, and those in pain. Time magazine illustrated them as ‘Warriors’ during the worst-hit Covid era of 2020. At last, they earned their lifelong overdue recognition. They may not change the entire world in a day but certainly change life for many unknown and unrelated irrespective of their colour, caste, and creed. For them each day is ‘Just Another Day’ of their existence – utterly different, demanding, and instilled with extenuating adoration, sacrifice, and hard work, totally oblivious to a common man. What does it take to become one of such kind amidst the egotistical, narcissistic, and defying modern-day world? Dedicated to all anaesthesiologists and critical physicians around the world. Based on experts’ true events.

Just Around the Next Corner

Route finding along the bottom of a deep gorge, or facing a huge breaking wave, the challenge is to succeed. The adventure, whether it be on a steep 2m wide stream in the Scottish Highlands or the mighty Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, brings with it great rewards, but occasionally close calls. Mike shares an impressive travelogue of paddling adventures, brought to life with reflections and photographs. He introduces us to a light-hearted consideration of scrimblies and deeper notions relating to the motivation and reasoning that has inspired him to seek out new challenges, through paddling white water.  We discover how teamwork, planning and expertise can merge into those few rare euphoric moments of pure content. You will be inspired to go and look around the next corner for your next adventure.

Just Before the Dawn

JUST BEFORE THE DAWN is a ‘snap-shot’ of four former African colonies as they approached independence at the end of the 1950s. It is also a travel book based on the author’s experience and adventures whilst living and working at that time in Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Ruanda-Urundi (as they were then called) and Kenya. The book touches on those countries’ differing histories, both ancient and recent. It also offers the reminiscences of an elderly man pondering his first experiences of the worlds of work, and of love. The book’s leitmotif is dawn, along with its challenges: the coming dawn of change in those four countries, and in the author’s personal life. Additionally, he describes the magnificent dawn he experienced while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, as seen on this cover.Some of the comments on the author’s book on Russia:‘A calm and objective witness for the truth’ – John Le Carré‘It affords twin pleasures of content and style’ – a reader in France‘An excellent book’ – Lord Wright of Richmond, former Head of the Diplomatic Service‘A fascinating account of conflicts and tensions’ – The Church Times‘Extraordinarily observant’ – Andrei Voznesensky, poet

Just Go to the Airport

              This is the story of the stuff of dreams and how they can actually happen in the best way possible. A story of two people living three completely different lifestyles over a four-year Odyssey.

              After a fork in the road presented itself, John and Helen left Sydney Australia for a hemisphere change to live on the Greek Island of Samos. At the time of leaving, they were both at the top of their professions in the IT Industry.

              Life, love, and all manner of emotions came forth to capture the start of their destiny on Samos, where they lived for nine months. From this Greek Island they moved to London and John worked in the IT Industry with Helen working as a PA, a job for which she was overqualified.

             Great success in the UK then led to a second fork in the road and they decided to buy a large sailing yacht and leave England to sail and live in Europe, having the Mediterranean Sea in mind and to return to the Greek Island of Samos, which they considered their spiritual home in Europe.

             To do this they needed to complete a three-month course in sailing and navigation with the Royal Yachting Association (RYA). After this they left England to sail and live in Europe and the last of the three lifestyles.

             It is a story of people, countries and their peoples, adventure, the romance of the sea and life and above all… emotions! To adopt these lifestyles, they needed an abundance of confidence, intelligence, and courage. These qualities they had.

            A similar tale to the TV Series “The Durrells” on a Greek Island. Then onto the TV Series “Emily in Paris” for their city success. The last of course being the return of Odysseus, the Greek hero, who sailed home and returned to the Greek Island of Ithaca after an absence of some years where similarly John and Helen returned, under sail, to the Greek Island of Samos.