The Maple Staple Spotlight Shelf Welcomes New Works of Faith, Truth, and Renewal

Faith does not always come through a sermon. Sometimes it shows up in a poem, a difficult question, a Bible story read with fresh eyes, or the steady work of helping people who are trying to make it through the week. The Maple Staple Bookstore’s latest featured collection brings together five books that approach faith and purpose from different angles. One returns to the life of David and asks readers to look past the stories they already know. Another gathers poetry from a life shaped by music, family, hope, and gratitude. A debut novelette searches for truth beneath familiar narratives, while another book offers scriptural keys for spiritual strength. The collection also includes the story of a Catholic priest whose ministry has been shaped by hardship, service, and the people he has met along the way.

Stand Up… Face Up… Look Up… by Ronnie Kidd takes a closer look at David, one of the Bible’s most familiar figures. Many Christians remember him for two things: defeating Goliath and committing adultery with Bathsheba. Kidd’s book asks readers to go further than that. Why did God call David a man after His own heart? Through nearly a hundred comparisons between David’s life and New Testament teaching, the book presents David as a type of Christ and draws lessons for believers facing their own battles. Its message is plain but meaningful: stand up to your giants, face up to your mistakes, and look up to God. For readers who want biblical encouragement without losing the practical side of faith, Kidd offers a study that returns to a familiar figure with renewed attention.

Rejoice by Mary Angeline Bell moves into a quieter space. This third volume of poetry reflects a life shaped by music, family, faith, gratitude, and hope. Bell, known as Angie to family and friends, grew up in Portland, Oregon, earned degrees from Lewis & Clark College and the University of Oregon, and spent time teaching before working for many years at the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, Civil Rights Division. She has loved music since childhood, plays the piano, and has sung in church choirs. Her life also includes travel, Toastmasters, family, and the perspective of someone who has lived with a medical condition that left her adult height at 4’5”. Through those experiences, her outlook remains one of faith and hope, and that spirit carries into the poems gathered in Rejoice.

From that personal place of faith and hope, No One Dies for a Lie by Christi Adkins-Page turns toward truth, purpose, and the narratives that shape how people understand the world. Written as her debut novelette, the book looks at the struggle between good and evil and considers how movements, science, institutions, education, and communication systems influence belief and identity. Adkins-Page writes from a Christian perspective, hoping readers will move toward discernment and a more authentic understanding of self. Her background as a former professional in contemporary and modern dance gives her voice a connection to the arts, while her life as a wife and mother grounds the work in personal conviction. The book grew from her desire to put an important truth into words and help lift what she describes as a veil.

Using The Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven by Bishop Albert Evans Jr. carries a more direct call to believers. Written in the midst of economic uncertainty and worldly chaos, the book reminds readers that God is still calling His people into His presence for strength. Evans presents seven revelatory keys meant to give access to the promises, power, and mysteries of the Lord while offering practical, scriptural ways to release the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. His ministry background gives weight to the message. Bishop Evans is the Overseer and Founder of Community Fellowship Church of Deliverance in Capron, Virginia, and the Founder and Presiding Bishop of the International Fellowship of Covenant Churches and Ministries. He is also a retired United States Air Force veteran who served twenty-five years and retired as a chief master sergeant.

That concern for faith in real life continues in Get off the Cross, Someone Else Needs the Wood: The Growin’ of a Roamin’ Catholic Priest by Father Ken Deasy. The book asks what religion still offers in a busy, high-tech, twenty-first-century world, and it answers through the life and ministry of a priest who has worked closely with people from many walks of life. Father Ken’s story is tied to St. Agatha’s Parish in Los Angeles, where he became a confessor and guide to Hollywood figures, power players, gang members, and people facing hardship. His own early life included neglect, abuse, hunger, homelessness, and encounters with the justice system. Those experiences helped shape the reform-minded priest and community leader he became, a man whose ministry stayed close to people’s real struggles.

For readers looking for books that sit with faith, ask honest questions, and offer something to carry beyond the page, The Maple Staple Bookstore features these titles on its Digital Spotlight Shelf at https://themaplestaple.com/spotlight/ and through its Digital Bookstore at https://themaplestaple.com/digital-bookstore/. Whether read alone, shared with someone else, or brought into study and conversation, these books leave room for reflection, encouragement, and a deeper look at what faith can mean in everyday life.

About The Maple Staple:

For bookworms, by passionate writers.

At The Maple Staple, books come alive beyond mere pages. It’s more than a bookstore—it’s a community hub for book enthusiasts and budding authors. Celebrating diversity, they curate books from up-and-coming independent writers, and offer a platform to underrepresented voices. With captivating events and book clubs in the heart of Toronto, they foster a vibrant literary community, igniting inspiration and transformation through the enchanting power of words.

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Emmanuel Laguardia

Director

The Maple Staple

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