Michael Phillips

In a state assumed to have a constitutionally weak governor, the Speaker of the Texas House wields enormous power, with the ability to almost single-handedly dictate the legislative agenda. The House Will Come to Order charts the evolution of the Speaker's role from a relatively obscure office to one of the most powerful in the state. This fascinating account, drawn from the Briscoe Center's oral history project on the former Speakers, is the story of transition, modernization, and power struggles. Weaving a compelling story of scandal, service, and opportunity, Patrick Cox and Michael Phillips describe the divisions within the traditional Democratic Party, the ascendance of Republicans, and how Texas business, agriculture, and media shaped perceptions of officeholders. While the governor and lieutenant governor wielded their power, the authors show how the modern Texas House Speaker built an office of equal power as the state became more complex and diverse. The authors also explore how race, class, and gender affected this transition as they explain the importance of the office in Texas and the impact the state's Speakers have had on national politics. At the apex of its power, the Texas House Speaker's role at last receives the critical consideration it deserves.

When the U.S. administration of Jefferson Rhodes--acclaimed as "world president" of an enlightened new world order--celebrates the half-twenty-first-century mark, progressivism seems to have solidified a complete political, cultural, and social triumph. Conservativism, Christianity, and traditional American values are distant memories. Out of sight, sinister forces are at work. Led by the third-generation scion of its founder, the clandestine Palladium cabal is tightening its noose around the Oval Office. Hidden deeper behind the scenes, shrouded in the mists of Middle Eastern antiquity, another third-generation scion is poised to climax a deceptively cunning strategy for world domination, with the Islamic takeover of America as the centerpiece of a world Islamic state. Unseen by either of these nefarious crusades against truth, a remnant of Christ's true Church is waking around the world, reclaiming its first-century power to prevail against the very gates of hell. Which of these three historic movements will emerge to determine the future of America's destiny?

Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, 32 states passed laws allowing involuntary sterilization on those deemed biologically “unfit”: convicted criminals, the disabled, the poor, and people of color. Texas, despite a history of violent racism, was not one of them. In The Purifying Knife, Michael Phillips and Betsy Friauf explore this curious instance of the Lone Star State’s exceptionalism. The first history of the eugenics movement in Texas, it is a narrative that intersects with debates over race, immigration, abortion, the role of women in society, homosexuality, medical ethics, and the politics of disability in the state—debates resonating today in Texas and beyond. From the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, Americans embraced eugenics. Yet the Texas legislature ultimately rejected nine of ten laws advocated by the state’s eugenicists and their predecessors. Phillips and Friauf trace this unlikely resistance to a variety of influences: wealthy cotton growers concerned that the anti-immigrant politics of the eugenics movement would deprive them of a source of easily exploitable labor; a populist distrust of higher education and the academic elites who enthusiastically supported the eugenics movement; and the forces of anti-Darwinist fundamentalism and pre-millennial dispensationalism in the 1920s, among others. The Purifying Knife also details how eugenical ideas survived long past their decline in the 1940s and have entered a disturbing afterlife in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. A thoroughgoing look into a rare case where the eugenics movement “failed” in spite of its power in the United States and around the world—while still wielding a toxic influence—Phillips and Friauf’s work offers insight into the history of the LGBTQ community, abortion, and immigration policies in Texas, and persuasively argues that the long arc of eugenics history has helped shaped contemporary politics in the Lone Star State.

After a shocking presidential assassination in the early 2030s, this second installment of the Tribulation Cult series continues to follow the lives of four former college friends. Their divergent life paths take two of their number to the very summit of world politics.As the nation continues to split along liberal and conservative lines, the future of Christianity in America becomes increasingly divisive. The role of the church in that divide centers around the question whether serious Christians actually represent a dangerous cult, and should be ostracized from mainstream society and politics. The book builds to a mid-century cultural clash between worldviews, climaxing with the pivotal election of 2048.

Beginning with the emergence of the New Left out of the tumultuous 1960s, the first two installments of Tribulation Cult stretch over three generations, climaxing with the election of 2048. Center stage are four college friends who follow divergent life paths— two Christians who become ministers, their liberal counterparts who rise to the summit of world politics.The journeys of the four focus many interconnected themes in the lives of men and women who must decide where they stand as the nation increasingly splits along liberal and conservative lines, and what role the church is meant to play in that divide. Will true Christians be viewed as a cult, ostracized from mainstream society, culture, and politics?

The book is designed to be read 90 days in a row. You'll have days when it's hard to squeeze this reading in, when you're too tired, busy, don't feel well, on vacation, and many other distractions. I had those days in writing the book too. Taking a day off is okay, but get back at it the next day and keep reading daily. I wrote this hoping you would read it 90 days straight to build momentum in your life, so do your best to read every day. I sincerely hope that the principles and daily practices i teach in this book will help you achieve greatness in whatever area of your life you desire. This empowering guide will teach you: How to define success on your own termsHow to cultivate a more positive mindsetHow to develop a growth mindsetHow to find joy and meaning in everyday lifeHow to overcome negative thought patternsHow to build resilience and bounce back from setbacksHow to set and achieve your goalsThis book serves as a roadmap for your personal growth, by offering daily affirmations for the whole month of september.It will empower you to build emotional resilience, allowing you to bounce back from setbacks and maintain a positive outlook in the face of adversity.By developing a robust emotional mindset, you can better manage stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions.

In recent years it is with grave concern we have watched the rapid changes taking place in America and throughout the world. As a people US citizens are increasingly engaged in an ideological tug of war that will determine their future, and that of generations to come. The objective of Endangered Virtues and the Coming Ideological War is to inquire what kind of people serious Christians are called to be. Hopefully we can give intelligent and prayerful thought to our responses to changes coming to the world with startling forcefulness, but that have been met with equally astonishing complacency. Silence, neutrality, and docile compliance will not be an option much longer.

The unforgettable true story of one man's escape from the school-to-prison pipeline, how he reinvented himself as a pastor and education reform advocate, and what his journey can teach us about turning the collateral damage in the lives of our youth into collateral hope. Michael Phillips would never become anything. At least, that's what he was told. It seemed like everyone was waiting for him to just fall through the cracks. After losing his father, suffering a life-altering car accident, and losing his college scholarship, Michael turned to selling drugs to make ends meet. But when his house was raided, he was arrested and thrown into a living nightmare. But right when it looked like he would be sentenced to spend years behind bars came unexpected hope. The judge gave him a choice--go to a special college program for adjudicated youth or face the possibility of a thirty-year prison sentence. It wasn't hard to pick. From that choice, a mission was born--to help change the system that shuffles so many young Black men like Michael straight from school to prison. Today, Michael is the pastor of a thriving church, a local leader in Baltimore, and a member of the Maryland State Board of Education. He discovered that education was the path to becoming who he was created to be. Armed with research, statistics, and his powerful story, Michael tackles the embedded privilege of the education system and introduces ideas for change that could level the playing field and reduce negative impacts on vulnerable youth. He shares programs, policies, processes, and resources that have helped to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. He explores ways in which the readers can help advocate and provide resources for students, and points us to the one thing anyone can start doing, no matter who we are or what our role is: speak into young kids' lives. Tell them of their inherent worth and purpose. In this inspiring, thought-provoking, and energizing call to action, Michael's practical steps provide a way forward to anyone wanting to help create space for collateral hope in the lives of for young people around them.

RETURN TO WALES WITH BEST-SELLING AUTHOR MICHAEL PHILLIPS After being sent to his uncle's estate, young Percy Drummond has no intention of letting the country atmosphere soften his rebellious ways. Then he meets a village girl, Gwyneth Barrie, and her friendship changes his life.When Percy later returns, his intriguing friend has grown into a young woman. But by this time, Percy has caught the eye of his beautiful cousin Florilyn...who has also become Gwyneth's friend. What will result of their threefold friendship? And what repercussions will his uncle's surprising request have for them all?"This series stirred my soul and challenged my thinking while it entertained." - Rachelle Sperling, Journey Sojourner

A Southern family is torn apart by Civil War--and their convictions... only some will have the courage to stand for truth, for freedom, for love. As the Civil War rages on, plantation owners Richmond and Carolyn Davidson continue to follow the path God set out for them--as an important link in the Underground Railroad, helping runaway slaves flee to the Northern states. Meanwhile, their older son, Seth, is working as a war photographer for the North--and their younger son, Thomas, is a Confederate soldier. Torn by war on both sides, the Davidsons pray for both of their sons to come home safe--even as they struggle to keep their land in the face of financial troubles. When Seth is reported missing and feared dead, the family despairs. But his new love, Cherity Waters, refuses to accept the news passively. She sets out on a dangerous journey through the war-torn South to find Seth--and bring him home safe.

Best-selling author Michael Phillips transports readers to the South, as the seeds of Civil War are sown--and those against slavery take a stand. In the antebellum South, Richmond and Carolyn Davidson live lives of ease as wealthy plantation owners. But even though their prosperity and livelihood depend on slave ownership, their Christian consciences speak against the practice. When the Davidsons decide to follow their own moral conviction and God's will by freeing their slaves, they face consequences they never could have anticipated. Risking their lives as an important link in the Underground Railroad, helping runaway slaves escape to the northern states, the Davidsons must rely on their wits--and God's protection--to stay alive.

An engaging fictionalized account of the writing of the New Testament by best-selling novelist Michael Phillips

Everything you need to know to start as a physical therapy aide or to better your skills as a current aide. The information that was used to create this book has been drawn from Physical Therapists from a variety of settings. The book is structured by describing the role of a PT aide, different physical therapy settings, common modalities used in a physical therapy setting, and a quick crash course of relevant anatomy.

Are you "All In?"We've all struggled with questions like, "What is my purpose?" "Am I living the Life God wants me to live?" Or, "Am I doing what I was created for?" This book is both an intimate journey with one man in pursuit for answers, and also a specific message from God for His people today.

Create innovative informatics solutions with TIBCO SpotfireKey FeaturesGet to grips with a variety of TIBCO Spotfire features to create professional applicationsUse different data and visualization techniques to build interactive analyses.Simplify BI processes and understand data analysis and visualizationBook DescriptionThe need for agile business intelligence (BI) is growing daily, and TIBCO Spotfire® combines self-service features with essential enterprise governance and scaling capabilities to provide best-practice analytics solutions. Spotfire is easy and intuitive to use and is a rewarding environment for all BI users and analytics developers.Starting with data and visualization concepts, this book takes you on a journey through increasingly advanced topics to help you work toward becoming a professional analytics solution provider. Examples of analyzing real-world data are used to illustrate how to work with Spotfire. Once you've covered the AI-driven recommendations engine, you'll move on to understanding Spotfire's rich suite of visualizations and when, why and how you should use each of them. In later chapters, you'll work with location analytics, advanced analytics using TIBCO Enterprise Runtime for R®, how to decide whether to use in-database or in-memory analytics, and how to work with streaming (live) data in Spotfire. You'll also explore key product integrations that significantly enhance Spotfire's capabilities.This book will enable you to exploit the advantages of the Spotfire serve topology and learn how to make practical use of scheduling and routing rules.By the end of this book, you will have learned how to build and use powerful analytics dashboards and applications, perform spatial analytics, and be able to administer your Spotfire environment efficientlyWhat you will learnWork with Spotfire on its web, Cloud, PC, Mac and mobile clientsDeploy Spotfire's suite of visualization types effectively and intelligentlyBuild user-friendly analytics frameworks and analytics applicationsExplore Spotfire's predictive analytics capabilitiesUse Spotfire's location analytics capabilities to create interactive spatial analysesWrite IronPython scripts with the Spotfire APILearn the different ways Spotfire can be deployed and administeredWho this book is forIf you are a business intelligence or data professional, this book will give you a solid grounding in the use of TIBCO Spotfire. This book requires no prior knowledge of Spotfire or any basic data and visualization concepts.

A seven day study on the practical mechanics of knowing God's will for your life, with accompanying devotional and prayer study guide.