Petroleum News by Kristen Nelson: The Regulatory Commission of Alaska and the House Energy Committee are struggling with overlapping issues related to the ability of independent power producers to sell electric power to existing utilities and to access transmission lines. The committee has held a number of hearings on House Bill 78….

Happy Saint Patrick's Day: What A Man!

WND News.  St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world's most popular saints. An icon of the Irish and the reason we wear green on St. Patrick's day, this influential saint is shrouded by myth and legend. There are many stories about St. Patrick, but the real story is much different than what we would imagine. He was not a leprechaun or an elf, nor did he find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. What he did do brought something more valuable than gold into the lives of thousands. 



St. Patrick was born in Britain around 389. As a teenager, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of druids and pagans. St. Patrick learned the language and practices of the people who held him. But he turned to God during his captivity and became a devout Christian. 



After a miraculous escape from Ireland around the age of 20, he was called back in a vision from God. He returned to the place of his captivity to preach the gospel. There he spent 40 years, converting all of Ireland to Christianity. 



He spent his life building churches, living in poverty and enduring much suffering and hardship for the sake of Christ. Legend has it that St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Trinity, and it has been associated with him and the Irish ever since. 



William Federer's biography lifts the shroud of legend from St. Patrick and covers in detail his true life story. Federer draws on the historically confirmed writings of St. Patrick such as "The Confession of Patrick" and the "Letter to Coroticus." The text of the book is sprinkled with pictures to illustrate the culture, landscape and people of Patrick's birthplace in Roman Britain and his mission field in Ireland. Federer includes chapters on his captivity, conversion, years in Europe, calling, trials, faith and legacy. 



By his death in A.D. 461, Patrick had founded 300 churches and baptized 120,000 believers – and his followers re-evangelized Europe! We have much to learn from the life of this humble, pious and passionate man. The story of his devotion to Christ and to preaching the gospel will be an inspiration to every reader.