6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Now available on Amazon: Something Earthlings Notice, Volume 10 in the Ifscapes series!
Ifscapes celebrates its literary “decade” of possible worlds, alternate histories, fantastical what-ifs, and wondrous would-have-beens, spanning a kaleidoscopic multiverse of landscapes and timelines. What unexpected events unfold when ruthless porch pirates hit the plainland? Can Human Resources and Customer Service help locate a missing world in time to save the warranty? And who says pushing planets is like pushing pencils, anyway?
- transform Earthling tragedy into Titanian triumph
- investigate an enigmatic bank robbery gone sideways
- issue receipts from an undiscovered future
- follow along with secret agents out to rescue a weary universe
- witness first and last contact from the ground up
- peruse the want ads for the perfect galaxy-trotting job
Dystopian battles behind the scenes, unseen extraterrestrial invasions from unseen realms, library stacks at the end of the world, everyday routines changing the fates of universes? Farmers, bookworms, schoolchildren. Product designers, soldiers, settlers, paraplegic astronauts. Something Earthlings Notice ranges from the outrageous to the ordinary to the biggest to the smallest, uncovering cosmic collisions of prosaic proportions. Mass extinction on a minute scale, advanced technology from antiquity, time travel at a standstill, and hints of empire in the most mundane. In Ifscapes, Volume 10: Something Earthlings Notice, impossible details become possible-world tales and cerebral unrealities spin into adventurous realities . . . if the people of Earth will take the time to notice.
Ifscapes: Empires and Androids
A MULTIVERSE OF SHORT STORIES INSPIRED BY THE ANCIENT PAST AND FUTURE
- Chronocommuter trains for legionnaires, merchants, media moguls, and robots
- Earthling Chronicles of extrasolar space
- ancient Rome’s TV favorites, from “Three Hundred at Thermopylae” and “Psammetichus II Knows Best” to “A Day in the Life of Alaric”
- epic time-travel struggles between Palamedes and his nemesis Odysseus
- startling ET insights from bestselling researcher Ovid
. . . and more in these twelve reimaginings of Greece and Rome
To learn more Ifscapes: Empires and Androids, or to discover more of the expanding Ifscapes multiverse on Kindle and in paperback, visit the Ifscapes homepage on Amazon.
December 19 . . .*
- Every year: Six days until Christmas Day.
- 1686: Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe leaves his island after 28 years.
- 1732: Benjamin Franklin publishes his first Poor Richard’s Almanack.
- 1843: Charles Dickens publishes A Christmas Carol.
- 1958: President Dwight D. Eisenhower broadcasts the first radio message relayed from outer space.
- 1972: Manned lunar flight Apollo 17 returns to Earth from the moon.
- 2001: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is released in theaters.
- 2024: Ifscapes comes to paperback as Volume 1, Ifscapes: Empires and Androids, makes its paperback debut!
Available on Amazon beginning Dec. 19, 2024. **Available on Kindle now.
Thank you to Alex McFarland and John Morden for their endorsements of Shown Approved!
"Three decades of global ministry have resulted in contacts with thousands of people. Without question, Dr. Cara Polsley impresses me as one of the most inspiring and insightful communicators whose work I have had the privilege of reading. Here most recent book, Shown Approved: Philadelphian Christianity and Jesus’ Letter to the Church is a powerful resource for all who seek truth and who are serious about their personal growth in Christ.
Polsley’s research is as convicting as it is informative. Even if you have been a Christian believer for years, her presentation of “Philadelphian Christianity” will inspire your heart and equip your mind in Biblical truth. Experience the book Shown Approved and one whose research is a gift to the 21st century church, Dr. Cara Polsley.”
- Alex McFarland, best-selling author, educator, broadcaster
"Shown Approved is another masterpiece by Dr. 'Cara' Polsley, weaving together her vast knowledge of biblical history, her amazing grasp of the truth of scripture, and her love for Jesus and those she coins as 'Philadelphian Christians.' This is a fresh look at Jesus' letter to the church at Philadelphia found in Revelations 3:7-13. Journey with Dr. Cara as she reveals Jesus' heart for them and for us as budding Philadelphian Christians."
- John W. Morden, transitional interim pastor, Next Step Church Services
Now available through Wipf & Stock Publishers, on Amazon, and wherever books are sold:
Shown Approved: Philadelphian Christianity and Jesus’ Letter to the Church
"What does Jesus value and seek in believers' hearts? In the midst of turbulent current events, what do flourishing, faithful individuals and church groups look like, and how can we personally pursue a more meaningful, intentional Christian lifestyle that pleases the Lord and anticipates Jesus' imminent return for his Bride? Addressing these questions and others through a scriptural lens of hands-on application, Shown Approved walks readers through Jesus' letter to the ancient church of Philadelphia in Rev 3. One of only two positive role models in Rev 2-3, Philadelphia is a Christ-first, Christ-focused example for believers today. Applying Jesus' commendation of Philadelphian Christianity as a call to action and a guide to bold, abundant life, Shown Approved offers encouragement and direction in an increasingly confused culture, connects end-times prophecies to daily living, and serves as a roadmap for healthy, humble, and mission-minded faith."
Coming this January from the University of Chicago Press:
The Sky Is Our Song: The "Phaenomena" of Aratus
Second edition
Translated by Stanley Lombardo
With Contributions by Cynthia "Cara" Polsley and Walter Michener
From the book description:
"An ancient Greek guide to the heavens, translated in a new accessible modern English edition. . . .
With this edition, renowned translator and amateur astronomer Stanley Lombardo renders Aratus’s poem in reader-friendly vernacular English verse. Complete with endnotes, an accessible introduction, and astronomically accurate illustrations, The Sky Is Our Song brings this master poet’s celebration of the sky to a twenty-first-century audience, inviting new readers to follow Aratus on a visual journey through star signs, moon phases, weather phenomena, and all wonders of the heavens."
It's a privilege to be part of this project. More to come later this year!
“He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death” (Ps. 68:20).
Eleven years ago today, after a serious car accident, I was dying on the roadside — but God intervened. In the wake of an ensuing spinal cord injury, countless physical issues, and untold miracles, I’m thankful for and humbled by the Lord’s faithfulness. It is an even more indescribable blessing to know that whatever else might have happened in that accident or in the days since then, I can trust Jesus Christ as my eternal Savior, knowing that my future is secure in Him.
“He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion” (Ps. 111:4).
Each breath is precious. Take time today to consider what you believe and why. Your life is a gift. Use it wisely! “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9b).
Thank you to Dr. Greg Ammons for his endorsement of A Primer on Messianic Prophecy!
"Cynthia C. Polsley has written masterfully in her work, A Primer on Messianic Prophecy: A Bible Journey Through the First and Second Comings of Christ. Detailing the First and Second comings of the Messiah, Polsley walks the reader through the importance of the background and details of the advents. Then, the author unfolds the Messiah’s Millennial Kingdom and the eternality of the same.
In the section on the Messiah’s First Advent, Polsley insightfully records the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus and how they relate to His future coming. In the Second Coming of Christ, she speaks of both the Rapture and the Revelation of Jesus in a scholarly, yet devotional, manner. She approaches the Rapture thoughtfully from the Scriptural imagery of a thief and bride.
Polsley’s work is readable for any believer, yet scholarly enough to serve as a textbook. She weaves the authority of Scripture deftly with strong historical and extra-biblical sources. As both a pastor of a local church and adjunct university professor, I highly recommend A Primer on Messianic Prophecy for both the pew and classroom."
- Dr. Greg Ammons
Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Garland, Texas
Adjunct Professor, Dallas Baptist University
On the fourth anniversary of Ifscapes, Volume 1 (Ifscapes: Empires and Androids), announcing Ifscapes 9, Battle at the Forks! From the book description:
Thank you to James Stitzinger for endorsing A Primer on Messianic Prophecy!
“This essay is an excellent overview of some of the future biblical events of our Lord and Savior in a rich and fascinating way. The study offers a refreshing and clear distinction between the future returns of our Lord as laid out in the Scripture. It resists the temptation to spiritualize what Scripture has made plain. This work is enthusiastically recommended to those wishing to sort out these issues and build on them.”
