We face personal trials and family struggles. We get discouraged and downhearted. Many are enduring conflicts fought in the lonely foxholes of the heart, feeling their lives may be broken beyond repair. In this extraordinary book, Elder Jeffrey R. Hollands characteristic good cheer and brilliant insights offer the surest and sweetest remedy of all. He invites all readers, not just the poor in spirit, to come unto Christ and receive the strength that comes from experiencing firsthand the majesty of His touch. This collection of some of Elder Hollands most memorable recent talks inspires us to maintain hope and to rivet our attention on the one Person who has the power to heal us. Broken Things to Mend provides a stirring reminder that, if we come unto the Savior, He will make us whole.

    This book focuses readers on the essentials of God-honoring worship, combining biblical foundations with practical application in a way that works in the real world. The author, a pastor and noted songwriter, skillfully instructs pastors, musicians, and church leaders so that they can root their congregational worship in unchanging scriptural principles, not divisive cultural trends. Bob Kauflin covers a variety of topics such as the devastating effects of worshiping the wrong things, how to base our worship on God's self-revelation rather than our assumptions, the fuel of worship, the community of worship, and the ways that eternity's worship should affect our earthly worship.Appropriate for Christians from varied backgrounds and for various denominations, this book will bring a vital perspective to what readers think they understand about praising God.

    Never forget that. Your Eternal Father is the great Master of the universe. He rules over all, but He also will listen to your prayers as His daughter and hear you as you speak with Him. . . . He will not leave you alone." One of the many things President Gordon B. Hinckley was known for was his great love and respect for women. Filled with his inspiring words of encouragement, My Dear Sisters will be treasured by women of all ages and in all stations of life. Interspersed with beautiful images capturing the majesty of women, this lovely collection includes artwork from nearly thirty LDS artists. These heartfelt expressions of love and prophetic counsel from President Hinckley, along with select quotes from his wife, Marjorie Pay Hinckley, will help women recognize their worth, their purpose, and the very divinity within them. "How thankful I am, how thankful we all must be, for the women in our lives. God bless them. May His great love distill upon them and crown them with luster and beauty, grace and faith." -President Gordon B. Hinckley Published: April 2008 Pages: 80 Size: 6.875" x 9.25" Publisher: Covenant Communications

    Removing much of the mystery and fear associated with dying, his message demonstrates that knowing what life will be like there and then inspires us to live better live here and now.

    We do not love what is holy. Although we might reverence things that are deemed holy- the temple, for example, and the scriptures, and the Sabbath- we do not love them. Not really. Not with our whole souls.The Holy Secret is the story of a man who learns how to love what matters. As he does, he learns another secret: Love for holiness transforms life itself. His realization of what he had been missing may lead you to some discoveries of your own!

    Jensen, LDS Church HistorianThe Joseph Smith Papers, Journals, Volume 1: 1832-1839 features Joseph Smith's first five journals. These documents give the reader an appreciation for Joseph Smith's character, his private piety, and his sense of mission. The Joseph Smith Papers, Journals, Volume 1: 1832-1839 also convey Joseph Smith's perspective on the spiritual manifestations experienced in the Kirtland, Ohio, temple, the origins of the 'Mormon War' in Missouri, and the founding of what would become Nauvoo, Illinois — the Mormon city on the Mississippi.The Joseph Smith Papers project will eventually constitute approximately 30 volumes, organized into six series. With access to texts not previously available, and certainly never in one collection, the Joseph Smith Papers project provides new information and insights about Joseph Smith, early Mormonism, and nineteenth-century American religion. Documents include correspondence, journal entries, revelations, translations, discourses, official histories, court cases, and business dealings — qualitatively researched and carefully annotated.

    "Do you love me?" the king asks. "Yes, Father," they all cry. "Then build me a castle while I am gone, and do not forget me. Someday, I will return." Will anyone remain faithful and receive her father's approval, "Well done, my good and faithful daughter"?Jenny Phillips has performed 800 times in the last three years, and during her firesides she tells "The Parable of the Princesses." Her fans across the country and internationally are eager for this publication. A CD single titled "Daughter of a King" will be included in the book.

    

    When complete, the twelve volumes of the series will cover all the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with movable occasions, such as Christmas Day, Epiphany, Holy Week, and All Saints' Day.For each lectionary text, preachers will find four brief essays--one each on the theological, pastoral, exegetical, and homiletical challenges of the text. This gives preachers sixteen different approaches to the proclamation of the Word on any given occasion.The editors and contributors to this series are world-class scholars, pastors, and writers representing a variety of denominations and traditions. And while the twelve volumes of the series will follow the pattern of the Revised Common Lectionary, each volume will contain an index of biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers, as well as teachers and students, may make use of its contents.

    From the Nativity to His miracles to His deatha nd resurrection, these unique portrayals, accompanied by New Testament scripture, offer a powerful witness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

    For your study this school year, you will first complete reading assignments from the scripture text for this course—the Book of Mormon—and then you will complete the individual lessons. Once a week you will meet with a seminary teacher to submit your work and participate in a weekly lesson.Seminary is a daily religious education program. Prayerfully studying your scriptures should be a daily practice. You will need to work on your seminary assignments each school day, even though you will not attend a seminary class each day. There are 32 units to be completed during the course. The reading chart on page viii shows what you should study for each unit. Your teacher will help you understand when each unit is due. The lessons in this study guide should each take about 30 minutes to complete, in addition to your daily scripture study.You should have two scripture study journals (or two notebooks), separate from your personal journal, in which you will write the assignments from the study guide activities. Each week that you meet with your teacher, you should turn in the scripture study journal containing the completed assignments from the study guide activities you completed for that week. Your teacher will read and respond to the assignments and return that scripture study journal to you the following week. You could also write your responses on paper in a loose-leaf binder and turn in the pages you did that week. Then, when your teacher returns the pages, you could put them back into the notebook."

    Too often we fail to fully claim the "amazing grace" of the Atonement. How can we help our loved ones-- and ourselves-- let go of past mistakes? Wendy Ulrich, an experienced psychologist, maps the journey from selfblame to self- forgiveness. She shows how the pure doctrines of the gospel, coupled with the practical perspectives of psychology, can help us stop harrowing our souls and start planting the seeds of faith, healing, and joy.

    But what happens when you experience challenges and difficulties that leave you so spiritually exhausted that you can't see God's hand in your life? As a newly called mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, author Brent L. Top experienced a severe emotional and spiritual crisis. Desperate for help, he discovered that knowing where to turn is not enough; we must allow the Savior to rescue us. With remarkable candor, this gospel teacher shares a deeply personal story as he describes six essential ways to survive whatever trials we face. With compassion and understanding, he offers practical suggestions on how to say focused on Christ and take hold of His outstreched hand when the storms of life are raging. This insightful and encouraging book is a must for anyone dealing with adversity.

    Exaltation may be not only possible but probable!

    Sometimes change is necessary when we are broadsided by events such as an unexpected financial crisis, an unrepented sin, a relationship problem, or the premature death of a loved one. Because the Savior has engraven our image on the palms of his hands, he can heal us--emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. In this insightful talk on CD, Sister Dew and Sister Nelson teach us how to receive God's aid in making meaningful change and help us understand the power of the Savior to heal without a scar.

    This message contains powerful insights about the depth and breadth of the Savior's compassion, where we can all find hope, forgiveness, and healing"--Publisher's description.

    Now his teachings on 25 key topics have been compiled in this encyclopedic guide to better understanding the principles and practices of the Gospel. With hundreds of quotations, his most memorable stories, and dozens of photographs chronicling President Packer's service, this amazing reference tool is the most definitive book of our time on gospel questions and is a must-have for your personal library.

    These expressions of praise, faith, sorrow, and frustration cover the full range of human emotions. Whether we are excited about the majesty of God or weighed down by the pain of grief, the psalms give us words to express ourselves to the Lord. This compact format of the Psalms is perfect for carrying around for those times when we need these God-inspired verses at our fingertips. As an "essentially literal" translation, the ESV is unsurpassed in both accuracy and readability. Written in language that is beautiful, clear, and trustworthy, the ESV sets a new standard--and is truly a Bible for all of life.

    Yet too many Christians lose more battles than they win and endure their walk with God rather than enjoy it because they don't recognize the enemy when they see it. More importantly, they have no idea how to respond. While society tells us we can react simply, the truth is that a wish, a hope, and a prayer are not the best responses to attacks from those who stand between us and the Father. Christians must be strategic in their reactions to these clearly defined enemies, learning how to fight biblically and effectively rather than just sincerely. In Spiritual Warfare, Dr. Karl Payne - pastor of Leadership Development and Discipleship at Antioch Bible Church and Chaplain for the NFL's Seattle Seahawks - has written a guidebook for defense that is simple, biblical, and transferable. Through his teaching on how to recognize and resolve attacks from the world, we learn that we are more than conquerors in Christ.

    Again. What goes wrong? Why do youth ministries crumble? And what is the cost to students, parents, volunteers and church staff? Is a sustainable youth ministry possible, even after a youth pastor leaves? Youth ministry expert Mark DeVries knows the answer is yes, because he helps build sustainable youth ministries through his coaching service called Youth Ministry Architects. So take heart: No matter what state the youth ministry at your church is in--in need of a leader and volunteers, full of battles and stress, large or small in number--it can be built to survive and to last for the long haul. Based on his own experience and on his many conversations and interviews with churches in crisis, DeVries pinpoints problems that cause division and burnout and dispels strongly held myths. He then provides the practical tools and structures pastors and church leaders need to lay a strong foundation for your ministry so that it isn't built on a person or the latest, greatest student ministry trend. His accessible guidancehelps senior pastors and search committees create a realistic job description for a youth pastor provides tips for making wise hiring decisions equips youth pastors to build a strong volunteer team offers creative solutions to help youth pastors set and keep boundaries gives a road map for navigating church politics and more Building a sustainable youth ministry is not easy, and it's not quick. But with commitment to the process, hard work and DeVries's guidance, you can put together a healthy youth ministry--one that fits your church and lasts for the long haul. Youth ministry can last. Here's how.

    Discover how God gave him a new assignment---to evangelize the Ukraine! Here's the astounding story of the unlikely pastor of Eastern Europe's largest megachurch. Recounting his struggle against prejudice and persecution, it will inspire you to maximize your impact for Christ. 224 pages, softcover from Charisma.

    Throughout their humble journey of simple devotion and obedience, God has overwhelmed them with His faithfulness, goodness and power. The result – a church that is touching and changing the world for the Kingdom of God. The Church Can Change the World reads like an extension of the book of Acts – men and women committed to the gospel, no matter the cost, and God’s miraculous presence infusing their steps with effectiveness. “God wants to be known in all the earth. He wants to rightly distribute Himself so that all can hear and all can know. The way He has chosen to do that is through the church. We follow in the footsteps of thousands who have gone before us, but it is our time, it is our hour to see the coming of the Lord, to be a part of God’s dream of answering His heart’s cry.” (Jimmy Seibert – The Church Can Change the World)

    Her latest book is filled with evidences of the Savior's unlimited love for us. Chapters on the power of prayer, trusting in the Lord, and the joy of living the gospel invite us to claim the blessings our Savior has in store for us and demonstrate how the Lord gives and gives until we are fuller than we ever would have thought possible.

    Based on specific Bible readings from the Old and the New Testament, Fr. Barron shares enthusiastically from the riches of Christian belief and tradition. His lively presentation of Catholicism uses art, music, painting, poety, philosophy and the saints' lives to illustrate the Biblical message. With sections on God, Jesus, the church, the liturgy, living the spiritual life, and the saints—each one featuring a beautiful illustration by Michael O'Neill McGrath—this book offers passionate evangelism for discerning readers interested in Catholicism, whether in private reflection or in group discussion.

    Everett Ferguson's work here is a compendium of almost everything that is currently known about the Christian ritual of baptism, with extensive citations to the primary and secondary literature, and as such is destined to be an extremely valuable reference work."

    It was never His intention for you to live in mediocrity, just getting by. In this audio series Joel Osteen shares practical and applicable truths that will help you reach your full God-given potential. Capturing the inspirational and insightful heart of Joel Osteen, Good, Better, Blessed is a collection of Joel's most popular broadcasts. Recorded live at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, these sermons are a distinctive and effective mix of personal experience and biblical perspectives on real-world challenges, including: Developing a habit of happiness The power of our thoughts Having a positive vision Developing loyalty and integrity Finding the courage to be different Don't let "good" be "good enough." You are uniquely and wonderfully made. You are God's masterpiece. You were created for greatness. God wants to bless you so that you can be a blessing to others.

    From the very first page, your heart will be uplifted by Terrie's candid, humorous, and down-to-earth approach to loving God, supporting your husband, and serving God's people both biblically and joyfully. You?ll find new joy and fresh strength as you delve into these pages. Discover that it really is a ?wonderful life? when your life is dedicated to Jesus Christ! In these pages you will discover?How to deal with ministry challengesHow to nurture your soul with the LordHow to pray for your husbandHow to uplift the heart of your husbandHow to bring your children up for GodHow to be a blessing to your church familyHow to conquer life's greatest testsHow to find strength in the LordHow to be faithful to God and others

    Craig Barnes contends that the true calling of a pastor is to help others become fully alive in Christ, to be what he calls a "minor poet," or a poet of the soul. As such, pastors are to read the major poets of Scripture and history in light of the dust and grit of daily parish life." The Pastor as Minor Poet eloquently calls pastors to search for a deeper understanding of what they see -- both in the text of Scripture and in the text of their parishioners' lives. A critical part of this poetic vision involves discerning key subtext beneath these texts, which allows pastors to preach the heart of the Word and to understand the hearts of their people.

    One of those is the visitation and care of the sick in our congregations. This book is designed to instruct and motivate pastors, church leaders, and other care-giving Christians through the counsel of the heroes of church history, to recapture the practice of visiting the sick. This is accomplished by considering three specific areas: first, our commitment to the theological as we consider how most effectively to care for their souls; second, our commitment to the pastoral, which instructs us how to proceed with wisdom and discernment in the variety of circumstances we will face; third, our commitment to the practical so that the manner in which we care for the sick will help, not hinder, our effort to communicate biblical truth to them.

    Two thousand years ago, in the tiny city of Bethlehem, the event that would forever change the world unfolded quietly in the most humble of circumstances. In all of history, Christ s birth was unique. Similarly, of all the holidays we celebrate, nothing can compare to the holiday that celebrates His birth. Holly and pine boughs, candles and ornaments, peace, love, and tradition all remind us of the ties that bind us to each other and to our Savior. Because of Christ s divine birth, family ties can literally become eternal. This Christmas, curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and let the chapters in this book guide you through the symbols of the season and the real story of Christmas. Interwoven with insights from the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, the words of the prophets, and insights from the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, this age-old Christmas story will take on new meaning and new life like never before.

    He argues that while we invoke the name of Christ, too often Christ and the Christ-centered gospel are pushed aside. The result is a message and a faith that are, in Horton's words, "trivial, sentimental, affirming, and irrelevant." This alternative "gospel" is a message of moralism, personal comfort, self-help, self-improvement, and individualistic religion. It trivializes God, making him a means to our selfish ends. Horton skillfully diagnoses the problem and points to the solution: a return to the unadulterated gospel of salvation.

    Such appearances supply the mystical states that have come to shape my life. I am not helped much by conventional approaches to spirituality. I find it almost impossible to do 'devotions.' Daily Bible study in the sense of devoting twenty to thirty minutes a day never worked for me. I cannot get around to scheduled times for prayer on my knees with head bowed. I find labyrinths and prayer beads boring. I am ever and again distracted in silent meditation. I simply cannot sustain a spirituality based in such things. "I do not regard myself as unusual or special. My hunch, and it is more than that, is that a host of people will recognize themselves in what I describe here. What is here is, clearly, my story, but it is not about me. It is about a God of surprises, of One who comes in the ordinary and the seamy. It is about a God who will goose you. It is about mystical moments when clearly the only thing that finally matters is this God who will never leave us alone, especially in the ordinary and angular places of life. It is, I hope, a spirituality for unspiritual people." From the Circuit Rider review: Tex Sample's new book, Earthy Mysticism: Spirituality for Unspiritual People, simultaneously says a whole lot and very little about the subject of mysticism. The word "mysticism" itself only shows up in the introduction and the last chapter, bracketing the book with a concept that Sample doesn't fully define or even directly reflect on the meaning of. That being said, Sample never claims to be writing a scholarly view of what mysticism might be, but instead attempts to show how one can recognize the presence of the holy in everyday life. In this he succeeds powerfully. (Click here to read the entire review.)

    Each day you will discover the profound truths in the “Little Way” and the insights about prayer and holiness that this great saint shared in her autobiography, The Story of a Soul.Each book in the 30 Days with a Great Spiritual Teacher series provides a month of daily readings from one of Christianity's most beloved spiritual guides. For each day there is a brief and accessible morning meditation drawn from the mystic's writings, a simple mantra for use throughout the day, and a night prayer to focus one's thoughts as the day ends. These easy-to-use books are the perfect prayer companion for busy people who want to root their spiritual practice in the solid ground of these great spiritual teachers.

    Through the Spirit we receive guidance that can be acquired in no other way. But are we listening? Communicating with the Holy Ghost is a process, not an event. Whisperings of the Spirit offers inspiration and guidance for seeking, recognizing, and acting on the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The author identifies some of the things that stand in the way of fully realizing our relationship with the Holy Ghost and provides specific suggestions to help us remember the whisperings of the Spirit.

    In this new major book, Margaret Barker traces the roots of Christian worship back to the Jewish temple. By proposing a temple setting, a great deal more can be explained, and the existing rather limited resources can be more fruitfully used. By working with a great variety of sources (canonical, extra-canonical and Fathers, all presented here in tranlsation), it is possible to reconstruct something of the early Christian world view, which shows the Church as the conscious continuation of the temple worship.Fundamental practices such as baptism and the Eucharist had Temple Roots, and familiar words in the liturgy of the church such as Maranatha and Hallelujah derived from the ancient belief that the Lord appeared in the Temple. Jesus was the God of Israel manifested as a the Great High Priest, and the Christians were his new angel priesthood, singing the angelic liturgy to restore and renew the earth.The chapters in this book cover baptism, in theology and practice, the Eucharist, with special emphasis on the symbolism of the elements, the significance of music and hymns, festivals and pilgrimage, use of the Scriptures, both what the early Christians used and how they read them, prayers, including the Lord's prayer, and the shape of church buildings.

    

    Hafen of the First.Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints testifies, "The Savior has strength to compensate not only for our sins but also for our inadequacies, not only for our mistakes but also for our sins committed in ignorance, our errors of judgment, and are unavoidable imperfections."This expanded edition integrates three chapters from The Belonging Heart, another of Elder Hafen's landmark works, to strengthen his message that the Atonement is a doctrine of human development, not just a doctrine that erases black marks. He bears witness that "because of the Atonement, we can learn from our experience without being condemned by it."The Broken Heart invites us to share more fully in what the Atonement of Jesus Christ can do for both our personal growth and our peace of mind when we invite that power into our lives.

    From the Mass, the liturgical and unbloody re-presentation of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, the efficacy of all good works proceeds. -Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. The Mass of All Time is a collection of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre's sermons, classes and notes on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass...a compendium of what he taught on the Mass - its rites, spirit, prayers, theology, spirituality, and grace. Many of these texts have never been published before. Fr. Patrick Troadec, rector of the Society of St. Pius X's seminary in Flavigny, France, collected and organized the Archbishop's manifold writings and speeches on the Mass and presents them here, in two parts. Part one is a running commentary, gleaned from all the works of the Archbishop, on the prayers, parts and actions of the liturgy. Part two covers the New Order of Mass promulgated by Pope Paul VI in 1969 and includes commentary on liturgical history, the liturgical revolution and the history of the SSPX's defense of the old and rejection of the new. Again, the words are those of Archbishop Lefebvre, woven together by Fr. Troadec. The Archbishop is known for his courageous defense of the Tridentine Mass but never before have his insights been collected in such an accessible and complete format. Especially now, with a renewed interest in the Extraordinary Form due to the Holy Father's motu proprio, this book is ideally timed because it is primarily a positive book coming from him who is too often known as the Rebel or Renegade Archbishop. Here we see the love and depth of understanding that Marcel Lefebvre had for the Mass of All Time. Polemics are not excluded, but they take a back seat in this volume. With the release of the motu proprio, it seems there has never been a more ideal time for traditionalists AND those new to the Old Mass to see this side of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre...indeed, the more important side as it was his love of truth and the Mass as handed on to him that fueled his battle to defend it. Indexed.

    —from Chapter Eight What would it take for you to become a saint? If you're thinking of quiet cloisters and hours in undisturbed prayer, think again. Real women who became real saints run the gamut from quiet to boisterous, single, married, divorced, post-abortive, social activists, hermits, academics, doctors and more. Among these women there is a friend for you, someone even a bit like you. Sanctity will never fit into a formula, but the women in Real Women, Real Saints have this in common: their deep love for God and the determination to live life in harmony with his will. The brief biographies in this book will help you learn to abandon yourself to God, as these women did, and live a rich, full life in return.

    Thu purpose of this journey is to bring holiness and wholeness to the child of God. With candor and brutal honesty, pastor Charles Bello shares his own reluctance, and then resolve, to follow Christ on this inward journey. In sharing his story, readers gain insight into what their own personal journeys may look like. Prayer as a Place reads like a roadmap as it explores the contemporary use of contemplative prayer as a means of following Christ inward.

    Alone But Not Lonely will show you how loneliness - a combination of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors -became a part of your life, and what you can do to eliminate it.

    Arguing that the history of Israel and the covenant of grace provide the proper context for New Testament ecclesiology, Horton then shows how the church is constituted through the ascension of Christ, the Pentecost, and the Parousia and how it continues to live by the Word and sacraments. Horton's goal is to demonstrate the potential of a covenantal model for integrating the themes of the church as people and as place, with an urgent concern for contemporary practice.

    The ideal complement (or even antidote) to such books as Upon this Rock; Jesus, Peter and the Keys; Two Paths; The Primacy of Peter; etc. Discusses Peter's Primacy and Succession, Ecclesiology, Infallibility, the Filioque, Celibacy, etc.

    A useful resource for personal study, small groups, Sunday school and new member classes, this study encourages the recovery of worship that is unashamedly God-centered and manifestly Scriptural. Rediscover the beauty of Reformed worship for the 21st Century. Jon Payne deftly guides readers through the various parts of the worship service and explains not simply why these activities constitute Reformed worship. He also carefully delineates why Presbyterians worship the way they do. In so doing, Payne provides a clear, convincing and edifying account of historic Reformed worship. Here Christians will find great assistance for the most significant part of each week. - Dr. Darryl G. Hart; from the forward Intercollegiate Studies Institute, Wilmington, DE

    Decades later, a friend said, " Your spiritual life began with the temple and everything since has flowed from that." The messages in this book attest to his love of temples. The author of many bestselling books and CDs, Truman teaches how we can gain access to the light and truth offered in the temple. He discusses the relationship of the temple to the Atonement, Joseph Smith's contribution to our understanding of temples, and how the scriptures and the temple illuminate each other. This is a powerful book on a crucial topic by one of the greatest teachers and scholars of our time.

    Our thoughts and actions make us enemies to God, growth, goodness, and happiness. This life encourages despair. Yet the gospel of Jesus Christ points us toward happiness not just as a distant destination but also as a faithful traveling companion. Family life may seem like an especially unlikely place to find joy. It is clearly the place where we are stretched. In family life, our patience runs thin and our irritation is ritualized. But maybe family life is God s laboratory for making gospel truths real. Family experience puts flesh on the gospel skeleton. It is the place where we learn and practice ways of happy eternal relationships. But this doesn t come readily. Family joy does not yield to casual effort. In fact, it is often true that the harder we work, the more miserable we become. This happens because we are usually trying to use human currency to attain heavenly goods. We cannot buy heaven s cherished gifts of love, joy, and peace with paltry earthly assets. We must use heavenly principles to access heavenly goods. That s what this book is about: heaven s processes that can help us find personal joy, marital joy, parenting joy, family joy, and to create a culture that teaches joy to every member. It turns out that the atonement of Jesus Christ is the key to our happiness in this life and our joy in the eternities. And the family is God s favored classroom.

    Close to Home is for every young mother who's ever wished children came with an instruction manual; who's ever longed for just one quiet minute to finish a thought or utter a prayer; who's ever despaired over perfecting herself in time to become a good example for her children; who's ever wondered why "happily ever after" takes so much darn work.With courage, humor and unflinching honesty, Molly Sabourin addresses all these frustrations and more-offering not answers or solutions, but a new perspective, a pat on the shoulder, a reassuring "I've been there too, and there is hope." Those who share her "quest for patience, peace, and perseverance" will see themselves in these pages, laugh a little, cry a little and close the book with new strength to continue the quest.

    Walter helps Pastor Diane minister to others as they visit the sick at the hospital and attend church meetings and potluck suppers. Walter is her faithful companion as Pastor Diane conducts Bible studies and leads worship. Walter loves his view from under the pew, where he can listen to the choir sing and see the faces of families who have come to church to worship God together.

    Such motivation is essential to authentic Christian living.

    He's the Source of the joy we find in this special day. So if you're looking for a recipe for Sabbath keeping that contains all the dos and don'ts, you'll be disappointed. This book goes beyond rules to the principles of Sabbath keeping and beyond the principles to a Person. Perhaps you've noticed there is another word hidden within Sabbath - Abba - an endearing Aramaic term meaning "Father" or "Daddy". The Sabbath hours enclose us in God's presence. The Bible does not say, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it gloomy. Abraham Joshua Heschel, the great Jewish writer, believed it was a sin to be sad on the Sabbath. Are you satisfied with the way you celebrate the Sabbath? Try this test: which brings you the most joy - sundown on Friday or sundown on Saturday? Need some help revitalizing your Sabbaths? Dr. Colon identifies fifteen biblical principles to guide you that are based on the characteristics of God. He loves you and wants to spend time with you. In fact, each Sabbath is an opportunity to take a vacation with Him and His family!

    It's deceptive.It meddles with contentment, confuses wisdom, and disfigures love.It's the one thing that keeps us from really knowing God.But talking about sin makes us uncomfortable.It's a loaded word. What is sin to one person is not necessarily sin to another; we don't want to sound harsh or judgmental, so we avoid using it.And we avoid exposing it.We clean up after its messes, confess our human weakness when it gets us in trouble, and learn to just live with it.But are we really living? How marginal do we make life when we entangle it with something so deadly?This book is not a history lesson on sin or a guilt-based study on the evils of our society. It is a relevant, thought-provoking look at the seven imperfections that sin uses to tarnish and infect our lives.Written with compassion and understanding, this perceptive and challenging book will reshape your awareness of sin and remind you of a sin-free Savior who gives us the grace to become like Him.

    In more than thirty years as a religious educator, Robert Millet has spent hundreds of hours meeting with people who wrestle with questions. He has observed what kinds of attitudes and habits undermine testimony and which ones engender steadfast hope and faith. Out of that experience, he has distilled principles that will help readers hold fast to faith in the midst of opposition. If you are striving to know- to know in a way that will see you through trials and assautls and criticism of beliefs you hold sacred- this book is for you!

    Politicians, journalists, advertisers--each of these groups (and countless others) spend their lives working to convince others that they hold the key to a better country, a better life, a better future. A Primer on Worship and Reformation proposes that true change begins, not with a process or an idea, but through faithful worship. To witness true global change—true reformation—we must first pray that we would see worship at the center of life. The truth is that when the Word is faithfully preached, even the gates of hell tremble. When the Psalms are sung, the meek inherit the earth. When the church celebrates at the Lord's Table, those who mourn are comforted. If we learn these lessons and believe them to be true, we will find that through renewed worship God brings change to every facet of our lives.

    Tom Fox was killed on March 9, 2006. Jim, Norman, and Harmeet were freed two weeks after 118 days of captivity. The kidnapping of these four men was like a rock thrown into a pond. This DreamSeeker Books/Cascadia edition of a book copublished with Christian Peacemaker Teams describes the ripples on the water, the impact and results of that rock, in stories characterized by hope, courage, friendship, and forgiveness. 118 Days bears witness to vital peacemaking being done around the world in these times. "God created us to form the human family, observes Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The Christian Peacemakers went to Iraq to help build that family. They are an example for Christians everywhere. . . ."

    What he presents will concern you, inspire you, and lead you to make your church more what the Bible intends.

    In this book David Downs carefully investigates that offering from historical, sociocultural, and theological standpoints.   Downs first pieces together a chronological account of Paul’s fund-raising efforts on behalf of the Jerusalem church, based primarily on information from the Pauline epistles. He then examines the sociocultural context of the collection, including gift-giving practices in the ancient Mediterranean world relating to benefaction and care for the poor. Finally, Downs explores how Paul framed this contribution rhetorically as a religious offering consecrated to God.

    Parkin, who from 2002 to 2007 led more than five million Relief Society sisters in 165 nations across the earth, Faith, Hope, and Charity tells the stories of the Relief Society presidents of the LDS Church. These are stories of courage, faith, service, and compassion--stories that provide a greater understanding of the Lord's work and of those who lead out in performing it. Through the persecutions of the Church in Nauvoo, the problems of establishing new homes and communities in the west, the crises associated with plural marriage, the poverty of the depression of the 1930s, two world wars, and confusion over the changing status of women in recent years, these elect ladies have each applied their particular talents and insights to unite the sisters of a worldwide church.--P. [4] of cover.

    The concepts themselves are given weighty-sounding names, such as incarnation and justification, and the explanations of the concepts sometimes can be more confusing than the names. Captivating, entertaining, and highly informative, Crazy Talk helps readers navigate their way through that complexity and offers a vocabulary that dares and equips! its readers to embrace their own faith in a new, well-informed way. The purpose of Crazy Talk, says author Rolf Jacobson, is to render the heart of our Christian theology in a form that is accessible and appealing to everyone. The format of the book is similar to that of a dictionary of theological terms but with a twist of humor! Each entry includes the name of the theological term, an ironic definition of the term, and a short humorous essay offering a fuller explanation of the term. In making the term understandable, Jacobson concentrates on the big theological issue that is at stake in the term and why it matters. Includes over fifty black and white illustrations.

    It's one of the greatest, simplest and most difficult commands Jesus gave. And when it comes to the church, sometimes it seems impossible. How can we achieve unity within the diversity of the body of Christ? Gerald Sittser examines the "one another" statements throughout the New Testament to distill much-needed biblical wisdom for loving each other even in the midst of controversies and stalemates. Speaking from his own pastoral experience with the best and worst of church life, Sittser helps us understand more fully what the love Jesus commanded actually requires and shows us how to live it out--through struggle, servanthood, compromise and sacrifice.

    and his coauthors urge Christians to live in countercultural ways--as individuals and as communities. Consumerism, inequality, imperialism, and global warming, they contend, are of such magnitude that the only real response for progressive Christians is to actively resist them.This book explores how the word of God calls Christians to resist the world's dominant forces and reflect on how prayer can provide the conviction and commitment necessary for sustaining such a life. It examines particular destructive forces, showing how these trends attained dominance and analyzing their effects and explores two theological movements that have stressed the need for resistance: Latin American liberation theology and feminist theology. Finally, it gives specific examples of how individuals and churches can live in countercultural ways.

    In this book, LDS author Christopher M. Parrett (The LDS Preparedness Manual) presses forward with the ground breaking work laid down by Roger K. Young in his original book (Dreams & Visions of the Last Days) by assembling even more of the dreams and visions the Saints are currently having, and have had over the last several years, that continue to confirm the words of the Prophets and Apostles. Children, teenagers, mothers and fathers are experiencing the prophesied gifts of Joel on a daily basis. Most concern themselves with what events are coming in the very near future and have already started to unfold. We invite you to review what many of your friends, neighbors and fellow Saints are seeing as possible fulfillment of Joel's prophecy to compare them with what Prophets and Apostles have already described, and see if there is anything of importance for you and your family.BOOK ONE: DREAMS & VISIONSChapter 1: General Warnings Chapter 2: WARNINGS OF WARChapter 3: WARNINGS OF PLAGUES AND DISASTERS Chapter 4: GATHERING TO TENT CITIESChapter 5: THE PROTECTING HAND OF THE LORD; TENT TEMPLES Chapter 6: THOSE WHO DON'T HEED THE CALL Chapter 7: INSPIRATIONS & REVELATIONS Chapter 8: SUMMARY DREAMS BOOK TWO: PERSONAL TESTIMONIESA: TEMPORAL PREPARATIONS B: SPIRITUAL PREPARATIONS C: TENT CITIES AND PLACES OF REFUGE D: SCRIPTURES E: PRAYER F: DREAMS AND VISIONS

    As society alters beyond recognition, the gap between young and old threatens to become a deep fracture in the heart of families, communities - and churches.Urgent surgery is required to mend the gap.Resisting simplistic solutions, Jason Gardner deftly analyses the reasons for the growing generation gap, including the role of the church. He provides practical steps forward for church leaders, youthworkers and parents. Underpinning this hopeful book is an unshaking belief in Christ's burning ability to inspire a 'whole big bad beautiful mix of people to follow him, regardless of their age'.

    He does so with clarity and care, simply enough for nontheologians to access.This remarkable book offers the basics of Luther's understanding of theology, discussing his response to the "philosophy of science" tradition, the formula by which he studied theology, and the basic philosophy that informed him. Bayer then takes Luther's stance on Christian dogmatics and ethics and applies it to our own theological understanding in the modern age. With such a complete Lutheran dogmatic concept -- the first of its kind offered -- the stunning inner consistency of Luther's theology and its ease of application to contemporary studies become unmistakably clear."Martin Luther's Theology" is a valuable tool for students and teachers of theology and for those looking for a guide into the mind and heart of Luther -- a theologian for today.

    These panentheists affirm a radical indwelling of God within the world and the world within God. During the same period scientists have begun to abandon the reductionist ideology that characterized much of the modern period. Reductionism is being replaced by a new emphasis on emergence: the study of how new structures and entities arise throughout the evolutionary process and how each requires its own form of explanation. Surprisingly few theologians have recognized the paradigm shift represented by the convergence of these two important schools of thought. Clayton's pioneering work develops new models of God and the God-world relation in light of panentheism and emergent complexity and models an open-minded Christian theology that still respects tradition.

    Originally published in two volumes during the reigns of Edward VI and Elizabeth I, the homilies were intended to provide for the Church a new model of simplified topical preaching, as well as to perpetuate the theology of the English Reformation.

    Like a wise and witty friend, Kerry leads you through the rough spots of life by poking gentle fun in such a vivacious way that you’ll be smiling at your own foibles. You’ll laugh out loud—and be moved to tears—as you discover some of life’s greatest truths hidden within these simple pages. Reclaim your sanity and enrich your soul with this humorous and poignant anthology that celebrates the joy of being alive and shows how greatly each of us is blessed."

    

    This Companion to Richard Hooker brings together a representative body of contributors with a view to offering a summary of the current state of scholarly debate and a synthesis of emerging trends in criticism. Contributions to this volume reflect the major current trends of scholarly opinion on Hooker s place within the mainstream of Protestant reform. This Companion aims to provide a comprehensive and systematic introduction to Richard Hooker s life, works, thought, reputation, and influence. Contributors are: Rudolph P. Almasy, Daniel Eppley, Lee W. Gibbs, Egil Grislis, William Harrison, W. Speed Hill, Ranall Ingalls, Dean Kernan, Torrance Kirby, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A. S. McGrade, W. David Neelands, W. Brown Patterson, Debora K. Shuger, Corneliu C. Simu, John K. Stafford, Paul Stanwood, James F. Turrell, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams."

    Innovative Planning presents a solid process for developing complete organizational planning-from vision, to mission, to strategies. It also includes the day-to-day operations-the level at which the vision ultimately comes to fruition. Experienced pastor and certified leadership coach and consultant Bud Wrenn draws on his organizational experiences to help leaders become "four-dimensional" planners. Not everyone in your group, church, or organization think in visionary terms. But as an organizational leader, it is crucial for you to communicate the visionary message. Foreword by Rick Warren. A TCP Leadership Series title.

    His understanding came from his own family and education, from his personal spiritual practices and experiences, and from the evidence he saw in the lives of his followers. By examining the intersections of literacy, rhetoric, and spirituality as they occurred in early British Methodism--and by exploring the meaning of these practices for class and gender--the author provides a new understanding of the method of Methodism.

    Imagine a group of forty adults living in community, assisting each other to buy houses, sharing material wealth and releasing the surplus to help others as a practical outworking of the biblical principles of jubilee. Kim Tan was part of this group, and in The Jubilee Gospel seeks to unpack these principles of sacrificial generosity, stewardship and social holiness. Starting with the OT principle of jubilee and tracing the themes through the Bible, we discover a way of living that reflects Gods justice and compassion and embraces kingdom politics and economics. What may seem buried deep in the early parts of the OT is brought up to date as were confronted by Jesus teaching and principles of wealth distribution, cancellation of debt, hospitality and storehouses.

    Follow Jesus leads adults to rediscover Jesus, grow in the spirit and learn to live in faith and in service to the church, community and world. Part 1 - Rediscovering Jesus Jesus the Messiah Unique Characteristics of Jesus Savior of the World Our Lord Part 2 - Growing in the Spirit The Holy Spirit Understanding Spiritual Fruit Understanding Spiritual Gifts Sharing the Spirit Part 3 - Living in Faith and Service Session Nine: Spiritual Disciplines: Keys to God's Heart Session Ten: The Church Session Eleven: Understanding God's Call Session Twelve: God's Place for You Also available: Following Jesus Leader's Guide 9780687649488

    Yet, for those who are not gifted evangelists, the task of communicating the gospel can seem daunting. What if there was another way? There is, and it's called the conspiracy of kindness. Operating on a simple premise, this exciting form of servant evangelism enables every follower of Christ, from brand-new to mature believer, to become an effective evangelist through unassuming acts of kindness. In this book, Steve Sjogren offers a proven vision, simple strategy, and real-life stories that show the amazing impact servant evangelism has had throughout the world. Here's how to communicate the love of God more persuasively through actions than with words. Learn how churches, groups, and individuals have used washing windows, cleaning toilets, handing out sodas, and more to impact their communities with the life-changing love of Christ. Although a simple premise, the conspiracy of kindness principle affects both those serving and those being served. Are you ready to roll up your sleeves?

    Nearly 140 essays have been added to the first and second works, while the third part — prominent in it the celebration of the tercentenary of Edwards’s birth — adds another 700 to the whole.The text preserves the pattern of arranging items alphabetically within a given year and of recording cross-references. Essays in a collection are annotated serially rather than alphabetically. Each of the three sections is self-contained with an introduction and annotated bibliography of its own.Adding to the immense value of this work to Edwards scholars are the chronology of Edwards’s works, listed by date and by short and long title, and the three comprehensive indexes — of authors and titles, of subjects, and of additions to the previous volumes.“Some things about Edwards do not change, or change ever so slightly. A troublesome, and largely unresolved, duality haunted Edwards from the start — mystic and rationalist, philosopher and theologian, poet of the divine and scourger of the wicked — and hangs on even now, though in our less dramatic age, there appears little need to color him tragic. The habit of reading the American experience as a quarrel between Edwards on one side and Franklin on the other, first noted sometime in the nineteenth century, becomes for twentieth-centurycultural critics (and popularizers) a recurrent, if not wholly rewarding, theme. There is a list of his inadvertences — his antinomianism, his liberalism, his pantheism, his republicanism — to reckon with from the eighteenth century on. And there is, for Americans, the abiding question of his importance to their history, their religion, their society, their thought.”— from the introduction to Part I