Best of
Relationships

2011

The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God


Timothy J. Keller - 2011
    All those modern-day assumptions are, in a word, wrong.Using the Bible as his guide, coupled with insightful commentary from his wife of thirty-six years, Kathy, Timothy Keller shows that God created marriage to bring us closer to him and to bring us more joy in our lives. It is a glorious relationship that is also the most misunderstood and mysterious. With a clear-eyed understanding of the Bible, and meaningful instruction on how to have a successful marriage, The Meaning of Marriage is essential reading for anyone who wants to know God and love more deeply in this life.

Models: Attract Women Through Honesty


Mark Manson - 2011
    It's the most mature and honest guide on how a man can attract women without faking behavior, without lying and without emulating others. A game-changer.

The Resolution for Women


Priscilla Shirer - 2011
    Layered with biblical truth and seasoned with encouragement, The Resolution for Women will inspire the woman you see in the mirror to trust God's perfect plan for her life, resolving to become "purposely feminine, surprisingly satisfied, and faithfully His."

Necessary Endings: The Employees, Businesses, and Relationships That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Move Forward


Henry Cloud - 2011
    Cloud challenges readers to achieve the personal and professional growth they both desire and deserve—and gives crucial insight on how to make those tough decisions that are standing in the way of a more successful business and, ultimately, a better life.

Praying for Your Future Husband: Preparing Your Heart for His


Robin Jones Gunn - 2011
    We think about what it would be like to be a bride. We wonder who that special guy is and when we'll find him. The great news is that what you do now can make a difference in your life and the life of your future husband! Authors and good friends Robin Jones Gunn (Christy Miller series) and Tricia Goyer (author and former teen mom) believe God answers women's prayers for husbands—even husbands they may not meet for years. They invite young women to pray boldly for their future mate … while also asking God to prepare their own hearts.  In Praying for Your Future Husband, Robin and Tricia share their two vastly different experiences, including the things they did right and the mistakes they made on the path to meeting and marrying their husbands. Each chapter includes helpful Bible verses, prayers, and practical application, along with true stories of women who prayed for a husband and how God answered in remarkable ways.  God has a beautiful romance prepared for you. Prayer is the key to unlocking the love story … with your future husband and with God, the lover of your soul.

The Resolution for Men


Stephen Kendrick - 2011
    He must see with spiritual eyes and realize that future generations are directly impacted by his daily decisions.” —The Resolution for MenThe Resolution for Men is the inspiring book born out of Courageous, a new film by the makers of Fireproof coming to theaters nationwide in fall 2011. The movie, which presents a powerful story of strong male leadership, is an emotionally charged wake-up call to fathers whose influence upon their children and society is immeasurable. The Resolution for Men follows to challenge men of all ages to become as bold and intentional about embracing their responsibilities as leaders of their homes, marriages, and children.Written by Stephen and Alex Kendrick, screenwriters of Courageous and authors of New York Times No. 1 best seller The Love Dare (five million copies sold), The Resolution for Men strategically inspires men to reconcile with their past, re-engage in the present by taking full responsibility for their wives and children, and then move forward with a bold and clear resolution for the future. Written in partnership with the movie and Priscilla Shirer’s new book, The Resolution for Women, it is designed to inspire a revolution.

A Practical Wedding: Creative Ideas for Planning a Beautiful, Affordable, and Meaningful Celebration


Meg Keene - 2011
    And then there are the expectations: from calligraphy invitations to satin chair-covers, all those things that Must Be Done or everyone will be Horribly Offended. Or will they?A Practical Wedding helps you create the wedding you want—without going broke or crazy in the process. After all, what really matters on your wedding day, what you’ll remember ‘til you’re old and gray, is not so much how it looked as how it felt. In this refreshing guide, expert Meg Keene shares her secrets to planning a beautiful celebration that reflects your taste and your relationship. You’ll discover:The real purpose of engagement (hint: it’s not just about the planning) How to pinpoint what matters most to you and your partner DIY-ing your wedding: brilliant or crazy? Affording a wedding without having to cut your guest list How to communicate decisions with your family Why that color-coded spreadsheet is actually worth it Wedding Zen can be yours. Meg walks you through everything from choosing a venue to writing vows, complete with stories and advice from women who have been in the trenches, the Team Practical brides. So here’s to the joyful wedding, the sensible wedding, the unbelievably fun wedding! A Practical Wedding is your complete guide to getting married with grace.

How to Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul


Jason Evert - 2011
    OR A SOULMATE? ARE YOU THE FOR-NOW GIRL ... OR THE FOREVER GIRL?IN YOUR QUEST FOR LOVE, DON'T LOSE YOURSELF ALONG THE WAY.While navigating through the dating scene, every woman begins to wonder: How do I know when a guy really loves me? Am I being too picky? Do I even deserve love? Is my relationship worth keeping? Is love worth the risk? Are any decent guys left?Single women often feel left alone to find answers to their deep questions about love and intimacy. Some hang out and hook up, hoping for love. Others are afraid even to hope. At some point, every woman needs reassurance that she and her standards are not the problem. In How to Find Your Soulmate Without Losing Your Soul, you'll discover twenty-one strategies to help you raise the bar, instead of sitting at it, waiting around for Mr. Wonderful.ISN'T IT TIME THAT YOU DISCOVERED A LOVE THAT HELPS YOU TO BECOME YOURSELF?

Beyond Boundaries: How To Know When It's Time To Risk Again


John Townsend - 2011
    and what does it take to be ready? Painful relationships violate our trust, causing us to close our hearts. But to experience the freedom and love God designed us for, we eventually have to take another risk. In this breakthrough book, bestselling author Dr. John Townsend takes you beyond the pain of the past to discover how to re-enter a life of intimate relationships. Whether you're trying to restore a current relationship or begin a new one, Townsend gives practical tools for establishing trust and finding the intimacy you long for. Beyond Boundaries will help you reinstate closeness with someone who broke your trust; discern when true change has occurred; reestablish appropriate connections in strained relationships; create a safe environment that helps you trust; and restore former relationships to a healthy dynamic. You can move past relational pain to trust again. Beyond Boundaries will show you how.

A Summary of How to Win Friends and Influence People


Wolley Publishing - 2011
    This is a brief summary of how to win friends and influence people

Worth Fighting For: Love, Loss, and Moving Forward


Lisa Niemi Swayze - 2011
    . . . . . there. I made it to the next moment. And that’s how you get through a bad moment of grief. You do it one moment at a time. —from Worth Fighting For LISA NIEMI and PATRICK SWAYZE were married for thirty-four years. They first met as teenagers at his mother’s dance studio—he was older and just a bit cocky; she was the beautiful waif who refused to worship the ground he walked on. Through the years their marriage strained under the pressures that many do, but it was always a uniquely passionate and creative partnership. When they first exchanged vows, Lisa promised to be with her husband “till death do us part.” But how many couples stop and think about what that truly means? Worth Fighting For is a remarkably candid look at what losing a partner really entails—how to care for him or her, how to make it through each day without falling into despair, and how to move forward in the second half of your life when the person you spent the first half with is gone. For the first time, Lisa Niemi Swayze shares the details of Patrick’s twenty-one-month battle with Stage IV pancreatic cancer, and she describes his last days, when she simply tried to keep him comfortable. She writes with heartbreaking honesty about her grief in the aftermath of Patrick’s death, and she openly discusses the challenges that the years without him have posed. While this is an emotionally honest and un-flinching depiction of illness and loss, it is also a hopeful and life-affirming exploration of the power of the human spirit. Lisa shows that no matter how dark the prospect of another day may seem, there are always reserves of strength to call upon. She writes, “I tell you, I am a different person now. One who has been thrown into the fire and forged.” Like The Year of Magical Thinking and A Widow’s Story, this book is both a tribute to a marriage and a celebration of the healing power that each day holds, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Nicholas Sparks Love Stories Series: The Notebook, Dear John, The Last Song, A Walk to Remember, The Lucky One, Safe Haven


Nicholas Sparks - 2011
    

Splitting: Protecting Yourself While Divorcing Someone with Borderline or Narcissistic Personality Disorder


Bill Eddy - 2011
    When your spouse has borderline personality disorder (BPD), narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), or is manipulative, divorcing can be especially complicated. While people with these tendencies may initially appear convincing and even charming to lawyers and judges, you know better—many of these “persuasive blamers” leverage false accusations, attempt to manipulate others, launch verbal and physical attacks, and do everything they can to get their way. Splitting is your legal and psychological guide to safely navigating a high-conflict divorce from an unpredictable spouse. Written by Bill Eddy, a family lawyer, therapist, and divorce mediator, and Randi Kreger, coauthor of the BPD classic Stop Walking on Eggshells, this book includes all of the critical information you need to work through the process of divorce in an emotionally balanced, productive way. Turn to this guide to help you: Predict what your spouse may do or say in court Take control of your case with assertiveness and strategic thinking Choose a lawyer who understands your case Learn how e-mails and social networking can be used against you

Codependent No More Workbook


Melody Beattie - 2011
    In this accessible and engaging workbook, Beattie uses her trademark down-to-earth style to offer readers a Twelve Step, interactive program to stop obsessing about others by developing the insight, strength, and resilience to start taking care of themselves. Through hands-on guided journaling, exercises, and self-tests, readers will learn to integrate the time-tested concepts outlined in Codependent No More into their daily lives by setting and enforcing healthy limits; developing a support system through healthy relationships with others and a higher power; experiencing genuine love and forgiveness; and letting go and detaching from others' harmful behaviors. Whether fixated on a loved one with depression, an addiction, an eating disorder, or other self-destructive behaviors, or someone who makes unhealthy decisions, this book offers the practical means to plot a comprehensive, personalized path to hope, healing, and the freedom to be your own best self.

It’s (Not That) Complicated: How to Relate to Guys in a Healthy, Sane, and Biblical Way


Anna Sofia Botkin - 2011
    It's (Not That) Complicated is a humorous, hopeful, and deeply thought-provoking new look at guy-girl relationships in our times. Dealing practically with such complications as online interaction, Hollywood expectations, undefined relationships, and unrequited love, the Botkin sisters offer enduring biblical principles that can make it all much simpler.

Favorite Sons


Robin Yocum - 2011
    Together, Hutch and his friends become ensnared in a web of secrets and moral dilemmas. A local ne’er-do-well goes to jail for the crime while the boys keep their pact of silence. Each boy shoulders the burden of truth in his own way as each attempts to leave the past behind. Thirty-three years later, in 2004, Van Buren is the prosecuting attorney in Summit County, Ohio, and a candidate for state attorney general when he learns that he and his boyhood friends weren’t the only ones keeping a secret about Petey’s death. A convicted sex offender in need of a favor attempts to blackmail Van Buren in return for his silence. Van Buren must decide between his political career and the duty of the office he has sworn to uphold. With the clock ticking, Van Buren has a week to seek out his boyhood friends and search his soul while he sorts out three decades of deceit he helped create.Favorite Sons is a wonderful, suspenseful novel with nuanced, memorable characters and unpredictable plot twists.

Missed Connections: Love, Lost & Found


Sophie Blackall - 2011
    The anonymous messages are hopeful and hopeless, funny and sad. Ms. Blackall, award-winning illustrator of Ruby’s Wish and Big Red Lollipop, has turned some of the most evocative (or hilarious) of them into exquisite paintings. Missed Connections is a collection of illustrated love stories. There’s “We Shared a Bear Suit.” “If Not for Your Noisy Tambourine.” “Hairy Bearded Swimmer.” Each is told in the shorthand of a “missed connection,” and then illustrated in Chinese ink and watercolor. The paintings are extraordinary: delicate yet full of feeling, each springing from one little detail of the post into a fully imagined world. Each brings the voyeuristic pleasure of watching love at first sight, and the pleasure of watching an artist discover a fresh new way to tell a story. And not all the connections are missed. Hidden in the book are three pieces that conjure up the magic of love found.

The 3rd Alternative: Solving Life's Most Difficult Problems


Stephen R. Covey - 2011
    There are many methods of “conflict resolution,” but most involve compromise, a low-level accommodation that stops the fight without breaking through to new and innovative results. The 3rd Alternative introduces a breakthrough approach to conflict resolution and creative problem solving, transcending traditional solutions to conflict by forging a path toward a third option. A third alternative moves beyond your way or my way to a higher and better way—one that allows both parties to emerge from debate or even heated conflict in a far better place than either had envisioned. With the third alternative, nobody has to give up anything, and everyone wins.Through key examples and stories from his work as a consultant, Covey demonstrates the power of 3rd Alternative thinking. His wide-ranging examples include a Canadian metropolitan police force that transformed a crime-plagued community; a judge who brought a quick, peaceful end to one of the biggest environmental lawsuits in American history without setting foot in a courtroom; the principal of a high school for children of migrant workers who raised their graduation rate from 30 percent to 90 percent; a handful of little-known people who are quietly finding new ways to bring peace to the Middle East; and many others. These various groups and individuals offer living examples of how to create new and better results instead of escalating conflict, as well as how to build strong relationships based on an attitude of winning together.Beyond conflict and compromise, The 3rd Alternative unveils a radical, creative new way of thinking.

Resolving Everyday Conflict


Ken Sande - 2011
    In "Resolving Everyday Conflict," Sande distills his message to the essentials, quickly equipping readers with the tools they need to bring peace to their relationships. Everyone encounters conflict--whether it be with a coworker, family member, friend, or complete stranger. And yet we all desire harmony in our relationships. "Resolving Everyday Conflict" is a practical, biblical, concise guide to peacemaking in everyday life that can turn tumultuous relationships into peaceful ones.

Put a Ring on It


Allison Hobbs - 2011
    And they’ll do anything to fight the obstacles on their way to walk down the aisle.​ Nivea was ready to settle for less to get married, but when she finds out her fiancé has been keeping secrets, she begins a destructive course of action, as she begins to self-medicate with excessive amounts of liquor. Struggling to keep her household from sinking, Vangie is tired of raising her son alone. So when Vangie’s deadbeat baby daddy resurfaces, begins courting her with unrestrained zeal, and spends quality time with their young son, she thinks that they have finally healed their troubled relationship. After a horrifying childhood, Harlow believes she has finally found true love when she becomes engaged to savvy businessman, Drake Morgan. But she’s kept her past a secret, convinced that he would recoil if he knew the truth. Little does she know, Drake may also have a secret that could destroy Harlow’s only chance at happiness. Though holding distinct views and relying on diverse strategies, will any of these women find love, happiness, and commitment, or will they discover that happily ever after is an unattainable dream?

Should I Stay or Should I Go?: A Guide to Working Out Whether Your Relationship Can--and Should--be Saved


Lundy Bancroft - 2011
    A guide to making the ultimate relationship decision from the author of Why Does He Do That? In this supportive and straightforward guide, Lundy Bancroft, the author of Why Does He Do That?, and communication specialist JAC Patrissi offer a way for women to practically take stock of their relationships and move forward-with or without their partners.Women involved in chronically frustrating or unfulfilling relationships will learn to:Tell the difference between a healthy-yet-difficult relationship and one that is really not working Recognize the signs that their partner has a serious problem Stop waiting to see what happens-and make their own growth the top priority Prepare for life without their partner-even as they keep trying to make the relationship work

Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder: How to Keep Out-of-Control Emotions from Destroying Your Relationship


Shari Y. Manning - 2011
    If you're struggling in a tumultuous relationship with someone with BPD, this is the book for you. Dr. Shari Manning helps you understand why your spouse, family member, or friend has such out-of-control emotions—and how to change the way you can respond. Learn to use simple yet powerful strategies that can defuse crises, establish better boundaries, and radically transform your relationship. Empathic, hopeful, and science based, this is the first book for family and friends grounded in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), the most effective treatment for BPD.

Ray of Hope


Vanessa Davis Griggs - 2011
    Enter the girls' 75-year-old churchgoing grandmother, Ma Ray, who takes charge of the young women. She's determined to turn their lives around--and knows more about being a bad girl than either sister bargained for. And when they learn of their grandmother's former rebel antics, which were wild enough to rival their own, they begin to appreciate her present-day passion for leading a more productive life--via family, love, and faith. . .

The Science of Trust: Emotional Attunement for Couples


John M. Gottman - 2011
    In this groundbreaking book, he presents a new approach to understanding and changing couples: a fundamental social skill called “emotional attunement,” which describes a couple’s ability to fully process and move on from negative emotional events, ultimately creating a stronger relationship.Gottman draws from this longitudinal research and theory to show how emotional attunement can downregulate negative affect, help couples focus on positive traits and memories, and even help prevent domestic violence. He offers a detailed intervention devised to cultivate attunement, thereby helping couples connect, respect, and show affection. Emotional attunement is extended to tackle the subjects of flooding, the story we tell ourselves about our relationship, conflict, personality, changing relationships, and gender. Gottman also explains how to create emotional attunement when it is missing, to lay a foundation that will carry the relationship through difficult times.Gottman encourages couples to cultivate attunement through awareness, tolerance, understanding, non-defensive listening, and empathy. These qualities, he argues, inspire confidence in couples, and the sense that despite the inevitable struggles, the relationship is enduring and resilient.This book, an essential follow-up to his 1999 The Marriage Clinic, offers therapists, students, and researchers detailed intervention for working with couples, and offers couples a roadmap to a stronger future together.

What's It Like to Be Married to Me?: And Other Dangerous Questions


Linda Dillow - 2011
    In her biblical and entertaining style, she shares the best and worst things she ever did in her forty-seven-year marriage. She also shares responses from her survey of five hundred wives about choices they've made in their relationships.A reflective Bible Study with life changing projects is included. This is not a book about marriage; it is a book about how to live out marriage, day by day and year by year. Readers will come away with hope that they can be the wives they want to be, in a marriage filled with passion, intimacy, and joy

Moral Revolution: The Naked Truth About Sexual Purity


Kris Vallotton - 2011
    Martin Luther King, have a dream of being a catalyst to another sexual revolution. It is our desire that this revolution inspire a movement that transforms the way the world views sexuality, defines the unborn and embraces the family.This book is a training manual that will equip you to survive the battlefield of your own sex drive, overcome the power of peer pressure and pushback the cesspool of distorted cultural values. Moral Revolution will help you to emerge from combat with your trophy of purity intact so that you can present it to your lover on your honeymoon night.Many who have fallen in this battle or have been wounded in this war will find hope and courage to start over again in the pages of this book.

Fidelity: How to Create a Loving Relationship That Lasts


Thich Nhat Hanh - 2011
    Deeply moved by the suffering that can be caused by these issues, he offers concrete guidance in his first ever writings on intimacy and healthy sexuality.Fidelity guides the reader to an understanding about how we can maintain our relationships; keep them fresh, and accepting and loving our partner for who they are. Fidelity gives concrete advice on how to stay attentive and nourishing of each other amidst the many responsibilities and pressures of daily life. Readers will learn how to foster open communication, dealing with anger and other strong emotions, learning to forgive, and practicing gratitude and appreciation.Fidelity is written for both couples in a committed relationship wanting to further develop a spiritual dimension in their lives together, and for those where infidelity or hurt may have occurred, and there is a need for best practices to re-weave the net of love and understanding. In addition to addressing every day occurrences and challenges, Thich Nhat Hanh shows how traditional Buddhist teachings on attachment, deep listening, and loving speech can help energize and restore our relationships. Written in a clear and accessible style, and filled with personal stories, simple practices and exercises, Fidelity is for couples at all stage of relationships. It the guide book for anyone looking to create long-lasting and healthy intimacy.

The Married Man Sex Life Primer 2011


Athol Kay - 2011
    The Married Man Sex Life Primer 2011 cherry picks the best ideas of books like "The Mystery Method," "No More Mr. Nice Guy," and the volatile online world of the Pickup Artist a.k.a. "Game" community and merges them with a solid grounding in evolutionary psychology, sociology, biology and behavior modification. The result is a simple, effective plan for men to create sexually exciting marriages for themselves and their wives. The opening covers the underlying ancient "hard-wired" biological and modern social reasons women find men attractive. Athol pulls no punches here and the sexual motivations of women are laid bare. Though rather than framing women as sexually devious and seeking to advantage themselves over men, he explains how their sexual behavior is entirely rational in nature and once understood as such, it becomes very useful information. The second part of the book takes the framework developed in the first part and offers a wealth of tools to put it to practical use. The most important tool is The Male Action Plan, which charges the husband with the task of becoming a better, sexier man and thereby leveraging his increased attractiveness for a better sex life with his wife. As Athol says, "whoever is the most attractive in the relationship is in charge." The third part of the book is a treasure trove of playful sexy and romantic moves women will find charming and engaging. It's clear that Athol could have a harem of young ladies, but here he displays an endless variety of playful instigation to continually charm just one. The final section is a catchall of serious topics on what not to do, how to choose a wife, the current state of marriage law and a crushingly simple approach to dealing with being cheated on. (Want a better man? Leave it where he can find it.)

ScreamFree Marriage: Calming Down, Growing Up, and Getting Closer


Hal Edward Runkel - 2011
    In his groundbreaking new book, ScreamFree Marriage, Runkel now shows couples how learning to stay calm, in the face of common marital conflicts, is the key to creating and enjoying a deep, lifelong connection. Every committed couple strives to hold on to the marriage they envisioned back when they first said "I do"--before the end of the honeymoon phase, before kids, mortgages, health crises, and all life's inescapable issues. But the truth is this: conflict is unavoidable--it's impossible for two people to see every single thing, face every issue, and experience every situation in exactly the same way. What results are couples "screaming" at each other--sometimes literally yelling out loud, sometimes shutting themselves down and shutting their partners out, and sometimes avoiding the issue altogether--none of which leads to the passionate, intimate connection we all crave. In ScreamFree Marriage, Hal introduces some radical new concepts about marriage, teaching couples how to embrace this inevitable conflict as a profound vehicle for strengthening a marriage. Rather than just a source of pain and disagreement, these "Fires of Commitment," as Hal describes them, can actually be the exact experience needed to grow couples into new levels of maturity and intimacy. By simply learning the ScreamFree formula of Calming Down, Growing Up, and Getting Closer, you too can cross through these fires and end up with a closer and more passionate marriage than ever before.  Using accessible anecdotes and the disarming humor that readers have come to love, Runkel disproves prevailing marital wisdom, puts couples on a path to "intimate independence" and reveals a whole new, fresh approach to marriage.

What Are You Waiting For?: The One Thing No One Ever Tells You About Sex


Dannah Gresh - 2011
    The mind-blowing truth she uncovers clearly points the way to a sexuality that’s satisfying and real and everything God designed it to be.   (Not one to shy away from edgy topics), Dannah candidly shares… - straight talk about masturbation and pornography- the ground-breaking science that explains the addictive power of romantic experiences- honest answers about the lesbian question- a clear plan for breaking free from sexual guilt- the unexpected key to a lifetime of truly fulfilling intimacyIf you’re a young woman looking for honest answers about sex—and wondering why it’s such a big deal to God—you’ve come to the right place. In these pages you’ll discover a life-changing truth that no one ever talks about—a truth that will transform everything you think you know about sex, romance, and God.  So what are you waiting for? The answer is right inside.

Biff: Quick Responses to High Conflict People, Their Hostile Emails, Personal Attacks and Social Media Meltdowns


Bill Eddy - 2011
    We also live in a Culture of Blame and Disrespect in which emails, social media posts, and personal attacks are on the increase. We must learn to respond to people who communicate this way -- people with high-conflict personalities. A BIFF response can be applied in any communication anywhere - on the Internet, in a letter or in person. It can be used at work, earning you respect and success. It can help you get along with difficult family members, friends, neighbors and others anywhere in your life. BIFF was designed to protect you and your reputation by responding quickly and civilly to people who treat you rudely - while being reasonable in return. BIFF stands for Brief, Informative, Friendly and Firm. A BIFF response is easy to remember, but hard to do. It takes practice! This little book gives over 20 examples of BIFF responses for all areas of life - plus additional tips to help you deal with high-conflict people anywhere.

Kill Shot


Anne Patrick - 2011
    Suffering with PTSD has become the least of her problems though. Someone murdered her sister and they're now coming after Kory. Just as disturbing is the cocky, headstrong and handsome sheriff on the case. Sean Harding takes his job very seriously and isn't about to let the decorated veteran who managed to outsmart an entire search party hinder his investigation into her sister's death. Despite all his efforts to stay focused on the case, this beautiful and vibrant spitfire manages to capture his heart. But if Sean has any hopes of a future with Kory, he must first convince her she needs help dealing with her problems, and he has to stop the killer before she becomes his next victim.

Our One Great Act of Fidelity: Waiting for Christ in the Eucharist


Ronald Rolheiser - 2011
     More so than anything else, the Eucharist is what anchors many peoples' life, prayer, and ultimately the way they live their lives. In this deeply personal book, Father Ronald Rolheiser delves into the history and meaning of this sacred tradition, drawing upon the insights of various scripture scholars, theologians, and church teachings. With personal warmth and great insight, he reflects on his own particular Roman Catholic upbringing and the centrality that the Eucharist has within that tradition. At the same time, he looks at other denominations’ traditions around the Eucharist. Our One Great Act of Fidelity is an investigation into the ways people secure their faith and belief and discover true intimacy with God and each other. Ultimately, however, it is a spiritual and a personal statement of how Ronald Rolheiser understands the Eucharist and why he celebrates it every day.   Ronald Rolheiser is a specialist in the field of spirituality and is currently President of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. Father Rolheiser is the author of The Holy Longing, The Restless Heart, Forgotten Among the Lilies, The Shattered Lantern, and Against an Infinite Horizon. He writes a weekly column that appears in more than 90 Catholic publications. More information on his work can be found at RonRolheiser.com.

How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before You Get Involved: Describes 8 Types of Dangerous Men, Gives Defense Strategies and a Red Alert Checklist for Each, and


Sandra L. Brown - 2011
    In separate chapters, she explores victim's stories that tell how they came in contact with this type of Dangerous Man and their outcome. Brown then shows readers how to develop a Defense Strategy -- how to spot, avoid, or rid themselves of this type of Dangerous Man.Brown explains women's innate red flag systems -- how they work to signal impending danger, and why many women learn to ignore them. With red flags in hand, Brown then guides readers through their own personal experiences to develop a personalized Do Not Date list. With these tools, Brown shows women how they can spot and avoid patterns of engagement with Dangerous Men.

I'd Rather Be Single


Lashonda Devaughn - 2011
    Tyra went from dating deadbeats to dating athletes. But living the good life came at a price.... "The Skeletons In My Closet" By: LaShonda DeVaughn, Author of A Hood Chick's Story I & II - They say in order to receive true and real love, we must all take chances. Will Kenneth end up being the real deal? Or will Rita end up regretting her decision in courting a young thug? "Taking Chances" By: Mimi Renee, Author of Deadly Decisions and Pretty Bright - Despite years of women playing games to take her husband away from her, Jai was determined to hold on. Her best friend questions why she puts up with his infidelity. Jai reasons: It's just Something In His Backstroke. "Something In His Backstroke" By: Tysha - Author of The Boss...the story of a female hustler - Fairytales should all have happy endings. Unfortunately, in Zoe's world each ending comes with a tale of lies... "Sleeping With The Enemy" By: Kaie Golson

I Hope You Know How Much I Love You: And Other Advice for a Happier Life


John Bytheway - 2011
    With humor and insight, John takes us through invaluable lessons he has learned in order to have a happier life. His advice to be content with ourselves and our accomplishments, reduce stress by striving to have the Spirit with us, choose to be delightful, show more appreciation to those we love, and rely on the Savior, among other great ideas, offers hope to us all. As John states, “Hopefully this book will be a battery charge for our lives.”

Loving Someone Who Has Dementia: How to Find Hope While Coping with Stress and Grief


Pauline G. Boss - 2011
    citizens over the age of 85 are suffering from some kind of dementia and require care. Loving Someone Who Has Dementia is a new kind of caregiving book. It's not about the usual techniques, but about how to manage on-going stress and grief. The book is for caregivers, family members, friends, neighbors as well as educators and professionals--anyone touched by the epidemic of dementia. Dr. Boss helps caregivers find hope in ambiguous loss--having a loved one both here and not here, physically present but psychologically absent.Outlines seven guidelines to stay resilient while caring for someone who has dementia Discusses the meaning of relationships with individuals who are cognitively impaired and no longer as they used to be Offers approaches to understand and cope with the emotional strain of care-giving Boss's book builds on research and clinical experience, yet the material is presented as a conversation. She shows you a way to embrace rather than resist the ambiguity in your relationship with someone who has dementia.

Living Into Community: Cultivating Practices That Sustain Us


Christine D. Pohl - 2011
    This volume is pertinent to our families, churches, even places of work."-- Marva J. Dawnauthor of Truly the Community

Why Love Hurts: A Sociological Explanation


Eva Illouz - 2011
    They come in many shapes: loving a man or a woman who will not commit to us, being heartbroken when we're abandoned by a lover, engaging in Sisyphean internet searches, coming back lonely from bars, parties, or blind dates, feeling bored in a relationship that is so much less than we had envisaged - these are only some of the ways in which the search for love is a difficult and often painful experience.Despite the widespread and almost collective character of these experiences, our culture insists they are the result of faulty or insufficiently mature psyches. For many, the Freudian idea that the family designs the pattern of an individual's erotic career has been the main explanation for why and how we fail to find or sustain love. Psychoanalysis and popular psychology have succeeded spectacularly in convincing us that individuals bear responsibility for the misery of their romantic and erotic lives. The purpose of this book is to change our way of thinking about what is wrong in modern relationships. The problem is not dysfunctional childhoods or insufficiently self-aware psyches, but rather the institutional forces shaping how we love.The argument of this book is that the modern romantic experience is shaped by a fundamental transformation in the ecology and architecture of romantic choice. The samples from which men and women choose a partner, the modes of evaluating prospective partners, the very importance of choice and autonomy and what people imagine to be the spectrum of their choices: all these aspects of choice have transformed the very core of the will, how we want a partner, the sense of worth bestowed by relationships, and the organization of desire.This book does to love what Marx did to commodities: it shows that it is shaped by social relations and institutions and that it circulates in a marketplace of unequal actors.

Catching Foxes: A Gospel-Guided Journey to Marriage


John Henderson - 2011
    Written in semi-interactive workbook format, it guides couples toward a Christ-centered and Christ-exalting paradigm for marriage. It attempts to lay a biblical foundation for marriage and help couples better understand what God desires for them and from them in marriage.

What if Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops


Laura Story - 2011
    Chapter Titles include, What If Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops? (a signature line in the song), and He Loves Us Too Much To Give Us Lesser Things. Each chapter contains thoughts, prayers and quotes along with a journaling page for you to recall blessings you have seen in your own life.

The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood


William J. Bennett - 2011
     The young and old need heroes to embody the eternal qualities of manhood: honor, duty, valor, and integrity.  In The Book of Man, William J. Bennett points the way, offering a positive, encouraging, uplifting, realizable idea of manhood, redolent of history and human nature, and practical for contemporary life.Using profiles, stories, letters, poems, essays, historical vignettes, and myths to bring his subject to life, The Book of Man defines what a man should be, how he should live, and to what he should aspire in several key areas of life: war, work, leisure, and more.  "Whether we take up the sword, the plow, the ball, the gavel, our children, or our Bibles," says Bennett, "we must always do it like the men we are called to be." The Book of Man shows how.

Sins of the Mother


Tara Hyland - 2011
    Franny wants nothing more than to escape to the excitement of London. But when she discovers she is pregnant, her boyfriend abandons her. Undeterred, Franny flees to the city, where she finds work as a nightclub performer. She shines onstage and is soon propelled into a life she’s only dreamed of, filled with Hollywood stars, glamorous parties, furs and fashion, plus a new husband—who must never know of the daughter she left behind in County Cork with her mother.

Wake Up, Mummy


Anna Lowe - 2011
    Should I make a dash for the kitchen, where my mother would be swigging from a bottle? Or should I run upstairs and try to find somewhere to hide? It was a choice I didn't really need to make, because there was no escape'Anna Lowe grows up on the doorsteps of pubs, waiting for her mum to come out. Having to give up her bedroom to her mother's drunken friends. And regularly calling out the ambulance, after finding her mother unconscious and covered in vomit. But it is when they move in with her mother's boyfriend Carl that things take the ugliest turn. Not only is he violent with her mother, but he also sexually abuses Anna from the age of six - destroying any semblance of normal childhood she had left. Wake Up, Mummy is the heartbreaking true story of a little girl who eventually found the courage to break free from the past.

Suspicions


Sasha Campbell - 2011
    . ." --OOSA BookclubThese women are about to learn more than they ever wanted to know about secrets--and the men who keep them. . .As the owner of Situations, the hottest beauty salon on the south side of Chicago, Noelle Gordon has a direct line to the private lives of her clients. But when an abandoned baby girl appears on her doorstep, Noelle finds herself at the center of a personal drama. Meanwhile, Noelle's employees are discovering that their own romantic relationships harbor a secret or two. The truth isn't always pretty. But can they find the strength to live with it--and with the men they love? "A drama-filled story." --Urban Reviews "Juggles each 'suspicious' intimacy issue in serious soul sistah style." --Publishers Weekly

Short Stories From 1929


M.L. Gardner - 2011
    And, as Maura scanned her own memories, it was a time that not a single other generation would ever fully understand. It was their time."Short Stories from 1929 is the first set of short stories woven from the threads of the novel, 1929. More than forty years after the Great Crash, Maura gathers friends and family for an evening of storytelling. From the tales she crafts a book for Jonathan, who has suffered a stroke and is now bedridden. Loved ones narrate accounts from long ago, moments mentioned but never fully explained in the novel, 1929 by M.L. Gardner. The Night of the Big Wind in IrelandThe Voyage to America The Last Christmas.

How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age


Dale Carnegie - 2011
    The only diploma that hangs in Warren Buffett’s office is his certificate from Dale Carnegie Training. Lee Iacocca credits Carnegie for giving him the courage to speak in public. Dilbert creator Scott Adams called Carnegie’s teachings “life-changing.” In today’s world, where more and more of our communication takes place across wires and screens, Carnegie’s lessons have not only lasted but become all the more critical. Though he never could have predicted technology’s trajectory, Carnegie proves a wise and helpful teacher in this digital landscape. To demonstrate the many ways his lessons remain relevant, Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc., has reimagined his prescriptions and his advice for this difficult digital age. We may communicate today with different tools and with greater speed, but Carnegie’s advice on how to communicate, lead, and work efficiently remains priceless across the ages.

Missing


Becky Citra - 2011
    They never stay long enough in one place for Thea to make friends, but when her dad gets work renovating a guest ranch on Gumboot Lake, she dares to hope that their wandering days are over. At the ranch she makes friends with Van, a local boy, and works hard to build the trust of an abused horse named Renegade. When Thea unearths the decades-old story of a four-year-old girl who disappeared from the ranch and was never seen again, she enlists Van to help her solve the mystery. When some disturbing facts come to light, she finally starts to come to terms with the losses in her own life.

My Emily


Matt Patterson - 2011
    Emily wasn't born perfect - so one might think. She was born with Down Syndrome and many would jump to the conclusion that she would have very little hope for a life with any significance. Two years later came the diagnosis of leukemia. What little hope remaining turned to no hope whatsoever - or so one might think. The life of this little girl, with all its perceived imperfections, had great meaning. Her loving nature and courage touched the hearts of everyone she met. She also taught them how to value their own lives - even with their many "imperfections."

Seven Dogs in Heaven


Leland Dirks - 2011
    What if you lived in the middle of a beautiful nowhere, with a dog who mysteriously appeared at your door? What if you were out hiking one winter day, you broke your leg, and you froze to death? And what if the angels who met you had four feet instead of wings? Would you listen to the lessons they wanted to teach you? This edition also includes a bonus short story, Christmas with a Collie.

Another Man Will


Daaimah S. Poole - 2011
    Single mother Crystal Turner works overtime to provide for her three children. And Yvette Turner's marriage just imploded. These sisters can't wait any longer for some good men to sweep them off their feet. It's time to try something new.

Do Men Know What They Want?


Michael Baisden - 2011
    Never Satisfied is a collection of interviews about how men feel about sex, relationships, and monogamy? Do men know what they want? And more importantly, will women listen?

A Dignified Exit


John J. Asher - 2011
    Monroe Colson, a successful children’s book illustrator living in small-town Texas, baffles family and friends when he unceremoniously announces he’s moving to Mexico, ostensibly to paint.In Mexico, the true nature of his mysterious behavior not only comes to light, but takes an unexpected turn when he runs into a vibrant young American woman who has been abandoned, penniless, by her fiancé.This emotionally powerful and often humorous story with its controversial subject matter is a poignant testament to the resilience of the human heart.

Oooooh . . . Say It Again: Mastering the Fine Art of Verbal Seduction and Aural Sex


Alan Roger Currie - 2011
    Say it Again: Mastering the Fine Art of Verbal Seduction and Aural Sex can be described as 60% self-help and social commentary for men regarding their pursuit of short-term and/or non-monogamous (i.e., "casual") sexual companionship, and 40% detailed examples of erotically explicit dialogue that author Alan Roger Currie used in his real-life verbal seduction experiences with women. Readers will enjoy Currie's no-holds-barred writing style and entertaining, enlightening, and honest advice and wisdom.

A Woman Who Trusts God: Finding the Peace You Long for


Debbie Alsdorf - 2011
    Dreams are on hold, prayers seem unanswered, and life can feel hard. And just when we think we have it all together, life happens again! During these times it can be difficult to see God in our situations and trust him with the future.With empathy and wit, Debbie Alsdorf uses the book of Philippians to encourage women to lean on God, to live one day at a time, to rejoice and not to worry, and to give thanks to God in all circumstances of life. The confidence and peace readers will gain from the perspective presented in this loving book will help them live fully in the moment, in every season of life.

Second Chance at Love


Victoria Wells - 2011
    Her busy life revolves around caring for her two young children, which becomes even more challenging when her children begin to show signs of needing a father in their lives. Just as things start to go haywire in the Johnston household, in walks ruggedly handsome Dominic Peretti, Jr. The attraction between the two is undeniable. Karen spends restless nights dreaming of his touch. As he begins to crowd every space of her life, will she give in to her sensual desires? Or will she sacrifice her desires for the sake of her children?Dominic ‘Dom’ Peretti, Jr. isn’t looking for a serious relationship when he accepts the task of surrogate father to Karen’s children. But he can’t get the ever so lovely and sexy woman out of his mind. His intention is to have nothing more than a hot, steamy fling to satisfy his appetite. However, as he gets a taste of life with the Johnstons, he has a decision to make. Will he give love a chance? Or will he walk away, leaving Karen and her children in harm’s way?

Divorcer


Gary Lutz - 2011
    DIVORCER is a collection of seven harrowing and hyperprecise short stories about ruinous relationships and their aftershocks.

What's Done in The Dark: Season 1


Solae Devhine - 2011
    Not only is he different but his wife, sister, brother, and best friend have changed.The only thing they have in common are their secrets and their need to hide them. They soon find out that all things will be brought to light… one way or another.This is the Complete First Season of the Best Selling Saga What's Done in the Dark.(27,136 Words) Revised Edition

Trans/Love: Radical Sex, Love & Relationships Beyond the Gender Binary


Morty Diamond - 2011
    Rarely has a book about lust been full of so much love, conflict, and intelligence. If you think you already know what's in these stories, or you think you don't need to know, you're wrong."—Patrick Califa, author of Sex Changes: The Politics of TransgenderismExploring the crossroads of gender and sexuality, Trans/Love: Radical Sex, Love & Relationships Beyond the Gender Binary offers unusually engaging narratives that create a raw and honest depiction of dating, sex, love, and relationships among members of the gender variant community. FTM, MTF, thirdgender, genderqueer, and other non-traditional identities beyond the gender binary of traditional male and female are included in this often heartwarming, occasionally heartbreaking, always heartfelt groundbreaking anthology. From monogamous love and marriage to anonymous sex and one-night hook-ups (and everything in between), these stories offer readers insight into the precarious emotional and practical mechanics of intimacy among gender-variant experiences.Features contributions from award-winning authors including Julia Serano, Sassafras Lowery, and Max Valerio, alongside outstanding new writing by Tribe 8 guitarist and acclaimed film director Silas Howard, activist Joelle Ruby Ryan, filmmaker Ashley Altadonna, SisterSpit alum Cooper Lee Bombardier, and many other unique and talented voices.

Too Hot for TV


Cheris Hodges - 2011
    Facing eviction, her only hope of staying afloat is to do the reality TV show, "Let's Get Married." The show pairs up single strangers, and viewers vote for who should be united in wedded bliss. Imani is only looking to be united with a paycheck—until she locks eyes with a fellow contestant. . Are About To Create A Buzz...Dr. Raymond Thomas is determined to keep his struggling free clinic running—even if it means appearing on "Let's Get Married." He can't imagine finding love on TV—but when he spots Imani, he definitely finds lust. And their attraction isn't lost on the producers. But as the cameras start focusing on them, Raymond wonders if he's just a tool in Imani's career. Only time—and a life-changing choice—will tell.

The Bitch


Les Edgerton - 2011
    He’s married, expecting a child, and preparing to open his own hair salon. But then an old cellmate re-enters his life begging for a favor: to help him with a burglary. Forced by his code of ethics to perform the crime, Jake’s once idyllic life quickly plunges into an abyss. Jake soon realizes that there is only one way out of this purgatory . . . and it may rupture his soul beyond repair.

Borrowed Time


Edie Claire - 2011
    But in some cases, it's worth a try. Sarah Landers’ parents were killed in a plane crash when she was seventeen; her only sister committed suicide days after. Now, nearly a decade later, Sarah assures everyone she is perfectly fine -- never mind her quiet aloofness, her intensity at work, her seeming neglect of any social life. Only Sarah knows the whole story. Only she is aware of the dark memories that plague her with guilt -- of the fear of discovery that paralyzes her soul.But when an enigmatic illness forces the normally self-sufficient Sarah to depend on someone -- namely the charming do-gooder of a neighbor, Adam, whom she has been trying desperately to avoid -- her carefully built cocoon begins to crumble. Her family’s home in Alabama, left vacant since the tragedy, still holds the grim evidence of her nightmares and is slated for imminent demolition. With the horror of her past swiftly catching up to her, Sarah’s malady begins to look less like a catastrophe -- and more like her only way out.But the (rather irreverent) reverend Adam Carmassi refuses to let Sarah go -- not when she is the first woman who has ever truly touched his heart, and not when he is so certain he can help her. With the end of Sarah's life looming in more ways than one, Adam wages a desperate campaign to convince her that no matter what tortured secrets she insists on hiding, her life is worth living -- and their chance of a future together, however slim, is a dream worth fighting for.

Divorceless Relationships


Gary M. Douglas - 2011
    For example, you like to go jogging but instead of jogging, you spend that time with your partner to show him or her that you really care. "I love you so much that I would give up this thing that is valuable to me so I can be with you." This is one of the ways you divorce you to create an intimate relationship. How often does divorcing you really work in the long run?When you give up any part of yourself, you give up what was so attractive about you to that other person in the first place and pretty soon the other person doesn't want to be with you anymore.A divorceless relationship is one where you don't have to divorce any part of you in order to be in a relationship with someone else. It is a place where everyone and everything you are in a relationship with can become greater as a result of the relationship.Divorceless Relationship contains tools, exercises and processes you can use to: Create divorceless relationships Discover what you would like as a relationship Discover what is true for you Use energy to attract the person you're interested in Know when it's time to leave a relationship Renew and recreate your relationship with your partner Bring sex back into your relationship Turn your lover on

Winning Him Without Words: 10 Keys to Thriving in Your Spiritually Mismatched Marriage


Lynn Donovan - 2011
    . . alone. They are the spiritually mismatched, those who are committed to a spouse who does not share their faith. Feeling abandoned by their spouse and forgotten by their church, they live out their faith in survival mode, guarding the spiritual flame yet never feeling free to share it. But God wants them to thrive—not just survive.                                  Winning Him Without Words presents 10 Christ centered keys to thriving in a spiritual mismatch. Readers are encouraged to commit to Christian community, to release their spouse to God’s capable hands, to find peace in their relationships with Christ and with their spouse, to continue their pursuit of a growing faith and to love their spouse with fresh enthusiasm. God wants every marriage to exude peace and love, and Winning Him Without Words empowers readers to create that environment in their homes and thrive as God works.

The Letter: My Journey Through Love, Loss, and Life


Marie Tillman - 2011
    When he returned on leave before his departure to Afghanistan, he placed the letter on top of their bedroom dresser. For months it sat there, sealed and ever-present, like a black hole through which Marie knew her stable life would be pulled if she ever had reason to open it. Then, in April 2004, Marie's worst nightmare came true. In the days following his death, it was Pat's letter that kept her going and, more than that, it was his words that would help her learn to navigate a world she could no longer share with her husband.In The Letter, Marie's talks for the first time about her journey to remake her life after Pat's death. In it, she recalls meeting and falling in love with Pat when they were kids, his harrowing decision to join the army after 9/11, and the devastating day when she learned he'd been killed. She describes how she withdrew from the public spotlight to grieve, learning along the way the value of solitude, self-awareness and integrity in the healing process. And, finally, Marie recounts her work to rebuild her life, including founding The Pat Tillman Foundation, an organization established to carry forth Pat's legacy of leadership, and her decision to step back into the public eye in order to inspire people to live with meaning and purpose.Filled with the lessons Marie learned and the wisdom she gained since Pat's death, The Letter is both a heartrending love story and an inspiring tale for anyone, young or old, whose life has taken an unexpected hard turn -- and who struggles to get back on the right path.

The French Girl


Felicia Donovan - 2011
    Embraced by their love and warmly welcomed by their community of lesbian friends, she slowly discovers the true meaning of family, but their strength is put to the test when the state abruptly threatens to take her away."The story pulls us in immediately and keeps us wanting more. This is what a great novel should do..." - Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award (Quarterfinalist)

The Hidden Light of Mexico City


Carmen Amato - 2011
    Expect characters who leap off the page and a chilling border scenario that could be tomorrow’s headlines. As presidential elections near, Mexico City attorney Eduardo Cortez Castillo discovers evidence of collusion between a powerful government official and Mexico's most dangerous drug cartel. Coded messages . . . A secret website . . . Clever money laundering. The conclusion is terrifying. With deep state help, a ruthless druglord is poised to buy Mexico’s presidency. As he digs for evidence and violence spills across the US-Mexican border, Eduardo is marked for death by cartel assassins. Instead of abandoning the dangerous investigation, he follows the money trail deep into drug smuggling territory where violence buys loyalty and votes are for sale. The odds are against survival. Back in Mexico City, a woman whose name means Light of Mary faces a painful choice. Wait for Eduardo or join the immigration train? But the cartel is looking for her, too. * Get your copy today * This brilliant political thriller takes you on a riveting ride through Mexico's rigid class system and the country's spiraling drug violence, to the harsh realities of the US-Mexican border. Authentic and revealing, much of the action is drawn from the author’s own experiences. "Enthralling political drama" -- Literary Fiction Review “Captivating and thrilling” – InDTale Magazine Love international thrillers by Nelson DeMille, Andrew Gross, Ken Follett, Lee Child and David Morrell? Riveted by AMERICAN DIRT or Don Winslow’s cartel and border thrillers set in Mexico? You won't want to miss THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF MEXICO CITY. Author Carmen Amato is a former CIA intelligence officer who uses her own counterdrug and espionage experiences to craft intrigue-filled crime fiction that keeps you guessing until the very end. Amato is a recipient of both the National Intelligence Award and the Career Intelligence Medal. Her award-winning Detective Emilia Cruz police series pits Acapulco’s first female police detective against cartels and corruption.

Love and War in Intimate Relationships: Connection, Disconnection, and Mutual Regulation in Couple Therapy


Marion F. Solomon - 2011
    The neurobiologically-grounded and sensitive approach set forth by Solomon and Tatkin in this book is sure to transform the way clinicians understand and treat couples in therapy.

Jump


Terra Little - 2011
    Told from the point of view of a woman who has just shot her grandmother, this harrowing tale challenges those brave enough to step inside her world to answer one burning question: What would you have done?

Jamais Vu


Monique O'Connor James - 2011
    Inside the confines of an ambulance, she meets “the man in white light”. He takes away the guilt, but makes her question everything. “You will see them,” he whispers, as he catapults her back into the real world where she is plagued with dreams of demons, nurses, and rock stars. Why has He sent her back? Does she have the courage to rectify her sins? Given the chance, could you erase it all?

South Pole Santa


Dennis Canfield - 2011
    Normally, South Pole Santa isn’t very busy at Christmastime, but this year is going to be different, thanks to Marmel, the elf in charge of labeling humans “Naughty” or “Nice,” and his desire to ensure that the entire Krumwerth family goes onto the Permanent Naughty List. Add in flying penguins and an aging, heavy-metal rock star, and you've got a Christmas adventure the whole family will love!Kirkus Reviews calls South Pole Santa "A wonderful addition to any Christmas story collection." Audiofile Magazine says this story is "...as good as it gets" and named South Pole Santa an Earphones award winner!

2: How Will You Create Something Beautiful Together?


Dan Zadra - 2011
    If you believe life was meant to be shared, here are priceless stories, ideas, insights, questions and adventures that will touch your heart and lift your relationship to new heights. The perfect gift to celebrate a new romance, weddings, anniversaries or Valentines Day

Prairie Promises


Kelly Eileen Hake - 2011
    Clara Fields tries to escape a difficult situation by finding a bride for a storekeeper’s son, only to discover that the task is more complicated than she thought. The shotgun wedding that results from Opal Speck’s hasty confession—that Adam Grogan is the father of her unborn baby—ends up creating more problems than it solves. Gavin Miller’s mistaken proposal to the wrong cousin leads to tension when Marguerite Chandler—the wrong bride—and Daisy—the right bride—both arrive in town.

Jacob's Daughter


Samantha Jillian Bayarr - 2011
    Not knowing which direction to go, she finds herself hiding out in the same Amish community in which she grew up. With her ten-year-old daughter Abby, in tow, she fears her secrets will catch up to her. When Abby discovers her real father may be living just down the road from where they are staying, she sets off on an adventure to meet him. What she doesn't know are the many secrets that her mother never shared with her--the same secrets that will turn her life upside down.Jacob Yoder is an Amish widower, trying to raise his ten-year-old son, when his past shows up on his doorstep unexpectedly, threatening to change his life forever.Will life ever be the same for Lizzie and Jacob again? Or will their mistakes change everything?

Worse Things Happen at Sea


William McInnes - 2011
    WORSE THINGS HAPPEN AT SEA does the same for family life in 2000s; written by William and Sarah in a way that many Australians can relate to and enjoy. This book celebrates the wonderful, messy, haphazard things in life - bringing home babies from hospital, being a friend, a parent, son or daughter, and dog obedience classes. It's about living for twenty years in the family home, raising children there, chasing angry rabbits around the backyard, renovations that never end. It is also about understanding that sometimes you have to say goodbye; that is part of life too. Illustrated throughout with Sarah Watt's photographs of family life and beautiful but everyday objects.

The Secret Science of Black Male and Female Sex: The Secret Science of Sex. Where the physical body transcends into the spiritual dimension.


T.C. Carrier - 2011
    She enlightened him on the sacred and secret science of sex. This book is the result of the author's encounters with her. In ancient Afrika, there was no separation from the word God and nature. To know God meant to understand how nature operates. Energy can be divided into masculine and feminine principles. Once we understand how these energies work in nature, we can fully overstand the roles men and women play as the foundation that holds the Universe in a delicate balance. This book was written based on anient Kemetic science for the upliftment of the Black race. We are being ushered into a new Age of consciousness where the feminine spirit will rule for the next 2,000 years. If one cannot make the transition into this higher consciousness, one will be left behind. Have this "Inner G" work for you instead of working against you!

Empty Arms


Erika Liodice - 2011
    In 1972, at the tender age of sixteen, she got pregnant. An embarrassment to her parents, Catharine was exiled to a maternity home to carry out her pregnancy far away from the watchful eyes of their tight-knit community. What they didn't tell her is that she wouldn't be allowed to keep her baby. With her daughter's screams still echoing in her ears, the medical staff told Catharine she'd move on with her life and have more children, they promised she'd forget. But they were wrong. Catharine never forgot Emily. And when she and her husband, Paul, learn that they can't have children, she risks her job, her marriage, and her family's reputation in a desperate attempt to find the daughter she never wanted to give away and reclaim her only chance to be a mother.**Available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook**

The Secret of the Ginger Mice


Frances Watts - 2011
    Alistair, however, must make sense of falling from the sky onto Tibby Rose, the only other ginger-colored mouse he has ever met.With enemy spies hot on their tails, Alice and Alex's adventure quickly turns into a dangerous and desperate race. And for every clue that Alistair and Tibby Rose uncover, another mystery is seemingly revealed. Helping an oppressed country and its people aside, all that these four mice want to do is find each other and their way home.The first book in Frances Watt's The Song of the Winns trilogy, The Secret of the Ginger Mice is an extraordinary tale of spontaneous acts of courage, infallible friendships, and innocent rebellions.

Practicing Affirmation: God-Centered Praise of Those Who Are Not God


Sam Crabtree - 2011
    Christian communities are no exception. Why do so many of our relationships suffer from alienation, indifference, and even hostility?Author Sam Crabtree believes that often at the heart of these breakdowns is a lack of affirmation. He observes in Scripture that God grants mercy to those who refresh others, and in life that people tend to be influenced by those who praise them. Crabtree shows how a robust "God-centered affirmation ratio" refreshes others and honors God.Practicing Affirmation sounds a call to recognize and affirm the character of Christ in others. When done well, affirmation does not fuel pride in the person, but refreshes them and honors God. All who are discouraged in relationships will find wisdom and practical insight in this book.

For the Birds


Aaron Paul Lazar - 2011
    Her gorgeous Native American husband, Quinn, has a compulsive cleaning problem – which works for her, since she gets a pass on housework. Her mother, who insists on being called Thelma, loves picking on Quinn. And then there's Ruby. Sometimes Marcella isn't sure who Quinn loves more, his wife or his prized parakeet. At the Adirondack National Bird Show, Thelma trips and falls into a pool with Ruby. Although both survive the ordeal, a bizarre link forms between them. When Thelma’s kidnapped from her hospital bed by a recently released felon, the FBI shows up asking questions about Thelma’s inheritance. Could it be linked to the biggest unsolved bank heist in history? Across the rugged Adirondack park landscape, a brutal scenario evolves, where the good guys aren’t what they seem, and only Ruby’s newly acquired “Thelma-vision” provides slim hope for survival. Tall Pines Mysteries: Book 1: For the Birds Book 2: Essentially Yours Book 3: Sanctuary Book 4: Betrayal All books by Aaron Lazar: LEGARDE MYSTERIES DOUBLE FORTÉ UPSTAGED TREMOLO: CRY OF THE LOON MAZURKA FIRESONG DON’T LET THE WIND CATCH YOU THE LIAR’S GALLERY UNDER THE ICE LADY BLUES THE LEGARDE MYSTERIES OMNIBUS GREEN MARBLE MYSTERIES THE DISAPPEARANCE OF BILLY MOORE TERROR COMES KNOCKING FOR KEEPS TALL PINES MYSTERIES FOR THE BIRDS ESSENTIALLY YOURS SANCTUARY BETRAYAL PAINES CREEK BEACH SERIES (LOVE STORIES) THE SEACREST THE SEACROFT BITTERSWEET HOLLOW SERIES (ROMANTIC SUSPENSE) DEVIL’S LAKE DEVIL’S CREEK WRITING ADVICE WRITE LIKE THE WIND, volumes 1, 2, 3

Attraction isn't a choice


David DeAngelo - 2011
    

Out of Breath


Susan Salluce - 2011
    Her mother, Alyssa Buchanan, is wild with rage and regret for placing her trust in her husband Seth, a former pro surfer who has a drug problem. Seth is adamant that he was clean the night of Nevaeh’sdeath, yet a dirty drug test contradicts his story. His parental rights ripped and criminal charges looming, he battles to prove his innocence, love, and family devotion. Adding to the couple’s grief, their five-year-old daughter Daisy hasn’t uttered a word since her sister’s death. Alyssa turns to childhood friends and local police officer, Greg Wallace, for comfort and support. Although Greg portrays heroic devotion and justice, inwardly he swims with loss, narcissism, and explosive rage. He has long despised Seth and is more than willingto meet Alyssa’s needs that reach far beyond friendship.Into this fragile scene steps therapist Katherine Middlebrook. Her practice consumes nearly all her time–time that is even more precious now that her mother’s cancer has returned. She hesitantly accepts three new clients­–Greg Wallace, and Seth & Alyssa Buchanan, unaware oftheir intertwined history. Buried deep in Katherine’s past is the loss of her own child. She’s sure she can keep the boundaries of her past and her clients’ lives clear until their intersecting tragedies awaken old demons.An award winner in the South West Writer’s Contest for literary and mainstream novel, Out of Breath is an exploration of parental grief, addiction, compassion fatigue, and suicide; it’s the prodigal story of grace undeserved. Salluce’s expertise as a psychotherapist and grief specialist enables her to create dynamic characters that will leave you breathless as you jeer their shadow sides and cheer their heroic journeys.

Single Girl Summer


Deanna Kimberly Burrell - 2011
    People are! Button Jackson knows two things for sure: all men cheat and all women are rivals. So it's no surprise that the impeccably dressed restaurateur hasn't had a serious boyfriend, close girlfriend, or any connection of substance in years. Meghan Cherry has the opposite problem. Reeling from a painful divorce, the techie with a desire to unleash her artistic side, can't figure out why her relationships end with nothing when she gives so much. Attorney, Dawn Martin, is stuck somewhere in the middle. Waiting in purgatory for a marriage proposal that just won't come has molded her into a woman she swore she'd never be. Against the backdrop of hot days and cool nights in Chicago and armed with red cups of Single Girl Sangria, Meghan, Dawn, and Button, share stories, perspectives, and advice on everything from open relationships to open-toe shoes. They come together by chance, grow together as friends, and ultimately discover that for every girl, there's a season.

Potluck: Community on the Edge of Wilderness


Ana Maria Spagna - 2011
    "What connects us?" Spagna asks, and she reveals, again and again, the gift of community--easy and uneasy, deep and enduring and essential.

We are human angels


Human Angels - 2011
    The 7 keys to live with the heart in service of others.

Once There Was a Boy


Dub Leffler - 2011
    This whimsical picture book is the touching story of a little boy with a broken heart who meets a young girl who shares his secret. The timeless and elegant tale is transformed into a beautiful grown-up story by the use of sophisticated analogies, such as the heart as love or friendship and the sapotes as forbidden fruit.With disarmingly innocent language, once there was a boy belies an emotional depth that allows the author to reach out to both the young, and the young at heart.

A Fine Mess


Kristy K. James - 2011
    Surprisingly, Ian McCann proves to be more help than she ever imagined, but complicates her life even more so than it already is. What will happen when the two forge a marriage of convenience? One that defies every Christian belief that Annie holds dear?

Daddy Dates: Four Daughters, One Clueless Dad, and His Quest to Win Their Hearts: The Road Map for Any Dad to Raise a Strong and Confident Daughter


Greg Wright - 2011
    He bailed. Not only on his family, but into the woods, to seek a "solution."Daddy Dates is an entertaining and practical look at how one American father found his sea legs and is navigating through the tricky waters of parenting girls. In this game-changing book, Greg shares his easy-to-follow secrets for how married and single dads can go beyond high-fiving to bridge the gender gap and become the clued-in man who knows his daughter best.Dads have more influence on their girls than anyone.  Learn what makes your daughter tick, how to talk to her effectively and connect more profoundly, at any age.If being their hero is your mission, it's not impossible. Daddy Dates is your road map to get there."Hi honey.  It's Daddy. I'm calling to see if you'd like to go on a date with me tonight." "Um, yes, Daddy I think I would."It's a phone call Greg Wright has made over and over again.By age thirty, Greg was the overwhelmed father of four beautiful little girls, with one thought running through his mind over and over again: Don't Screw Up.Daddy Dates is about a guy taking his best shot at being a successful dad by trying to know his girls?really know their fears, dreams, and opinions?and how he stumbled across an incredible strategy to do that with daughters of any age or stage.  This funny, insightful, and relatable book poses the wildly original concept that should be a "duh" for most dads?but isn't.  In order to raise a confident woman-to-be, show your daughter what it feels like to be treated with love, respect, and true interest by a man who loves her.Daddy Dates is not another "how to" book from a parenting expert.  It's a personal, eye-opening, often humorous look at an Average Joe's intentional pursuit of his daughter's hearts and minds, and the love-inspired steps he is taking to solidify Dad's place in each of their lives, forever.Whether married or single, Daddy Dates can help you better connect with virtually all of the females in your life. Using Greg's communication cues, you'll be blown away by what you'll learn about your child, and how you can make a powerful, lasting difference?especially during her rocky teenage years.Daddy Dates is about one thing?becoming her hero?one date at a time.Endorsements:–Matt Crossman, Senior Writer for  SPORTING NEWS  magazine (and father of 2 daughters)

More Precious Than Gold


Lynn Dean - 2011
    Clinging to her battered faith, she heads west to escape her grief and runs headlong into the man who caused it. Tall and headstrong, Eliza expected to remain an "unclaimed treasure." Devastated in the wake of the war, she sets out for New Mexico's Sangre de Cristo mountains in search of peace and new purpose but finds that the western frontier is a wild place where former enemies--Yankees and Rebels, Freedmen and Indians--square off in the quest for land and gold. Eliza must confront her prejudices and fears, and Jacob Craig embodies that conflict. The mountain man wins her trust with his gentle strength, but he harbors a secret. As a Union sharp-shooter, he met her fiance on the field of battle and cost him his life. Eliza must learn that she will not find purpose or peace anywhere until she finds in God a faith more precious than gold. A real ghost town comes to life in this award-winning story of love, forgiveness, and the sovereignty of God.

Gospel-Centered Marriage


Tim Chester - 2011
    Author Tim Chester lifts the lid on many of the common pressure points that modern couples face, and shows how a proper understanding of the Gospel can shape a response.

A Belle in Brooklyn: Advice for Living Your Single Life and Enjoying Mr. Right Now


Demetria L. Lucas - 2011
    With an award-winning popular blog and an "Essence "magazine platform, Demetria Lucas has become a relationship guru to millions of young women with plenty of simple, direct advice. According to Lucas, most women are too focused (and stressed) on the difficulties of meeting Mr. Right to enjoy the experience."A Belle in Brooklyn "celebrates the joys of singlehood, encourages personal development, and offers tools to help women increase their odds of finding a suitable mate when they are ready for one. With advice garnered from personal revelations, expert interviews with other relationship and dating gurus, and hundreds of interviews with her Male MindSquad--a committee of thirty men from varying backgrounds who answers the tough questions about sex, dating, and relationships--Lucas helps women enjoy the single life...with or without the perfect guy.

The Smart Stepdad: Steps to Help You Succeed!


Ron L. Deal - 2011
    Ron Deal offers advice for men navigating the stepfamily minefield, including how to connect with stepchildren, being a godly role model, how to discipline, dealing with the biological dad, and keeping the bond strong with one's new spouse. He gives perspective on what the kids are going through and why things don't work the same as in a biological family. The Smart Stepdad provides essential guidelines to help stepfathers not only survive but succeed as both dad and husband.

Happily Ever After: Six Secrets to a Successful Marriage


Gary Chapman - 2011
    The secret to marital bliss lies in how you and your spouse handle those bumps. In Happily Ever After, Gary Chapman, the man "who wrote the book" on how to communicate with your spouse, shows couples how to successfully navigate the six most common problems that couples face: fighting fair, negotiating change, managing money, getting along with your in-laws, raising kids, and maintaining a healthy sex life. Drawing on more than 30 years of counseling experience, Dr. Chapman provides real-world examples and practical, battle-tested advice that will help you and your spouse better understand and communicate with each other as well as grow as a couple for many years to come.

Uncompromising: A Heart Claimed By a Radical Love


Hannah Farver - 2011
    No one knows. Young women are devoid of vision beyond popularity, material wealth, a cute boyfriend or a dream career. Even in Christian circles, significant questions are often left unanswered: What’s the point of purity? Modesty? Femininity? What’s biblical womanhood?  Most of all, girls wonder at the longing in their souls for something greater.Uncompromising:  A Heart Claimed By a Radical Love cuts straight to the heart of young womanhood. Rather than setting up rules, it pulls at the desire in every woman’s heart to live a life of purpose, fully surrendered to His radical love.  Written in an edgy teen voice, Uncompromising is a collection of “field notes” from the author’s own search for answers…and the story of how she stumbled upon the one Cause worth dying for.  Contains study questions for group or individual use.

Doing What Must Be Done: Even Limitations Can Be Used to Make Life Better!


Chad Hymas - 2011
    but not out. In 2001, then-27-year-old Chad Hymas had everything: a beautiful wife, two sons, two thriving businesses and parents and brothers who loved and supported him in everything he did. It seemed he couldn't fail. Everything he touched turned to gold. And then a rushed decision to ignore safety in favor of getting home to see his baby boy take his first steps changed everything forever. A few minutes of caution could've kept his golden life on track, and he would live to regret his decision until he changed his mind about what his life was for. Ultimately, Chad Hymas spent many weeks in the hospital and in physical therapy. The doctors determined that psychological therapy wasn't needed, but Chad had another kind of help. He met Art Berg, another quadriplegic, who introduced himself without a word but with plenty of action. And Chad was paying attention. That was the day he began to change his mind about his life's purpose. With desperation, dedication and determination, and the help and love of his family and friends, Chad set out to reinvent himself, take risks, and do things he never thought he could or would do, even when his body was whole and fully functional. He had plenty of black periods to work through, to let go of his old ideas about who he was supposed to be, and the anger and frustration of not being able to be that. It hasn't been an easy journey, but it has transformed him into a man unlike anything he ever thought he could or would be. He's dedicated his life to service for others who have lost functionality, or perhaps never had it. He became a living example of what is possible, if one is willing to invent different ways to do what has to be done. In order to teach others, he had to invent those new and different ways of doing things for himself. He had to walk the talk. Now... He opens minds, eyes, hearts and doors for people just like himself. He helps people who have all their faculties to become more than they think they can be. He inspires children and adults alike, those with challenges and those without. He helps companies to work better by coming together, and teaches families and caretakers new ways to help those they care for. In the ten years since his accident, Chad travels the world, speaking to companies, kids in schools at all grade levels, families and individuals whose lives are being remolded by their own events. He has become the living demonstration of what is possible, if we find different ways of doing what must be done. His life changed forever and now, he changes lives.

K-9 Cop: Case #1 - The Dreck Report


Erna Mueller - 2011
    Only the J.R.P. (Jerk Redemption Program) can help him now. He's sent back to earth in the body of his K-9 partner to help a troubled teenager and his dysfunctional family. Spencer also swallowed an important microchip his killers need to execute their evil plan. Can Spencer maul the shins (and other choice areas) of the criminals and stop them? Find out in this hilarious thriller.

Love Addict: Sex, Romance, and Other Dangerous Drugs


Ethlie Ann Vare - 2011
    Award-winning author and screenwriter Ethlie Ann Vare already knew that; she's been addicted to both. She survived to tell the tale . . . with humor, honesty, and hope.Just because something is addictive doesn't mean that you will get addicted to it. But . . . if your stomach ties up in knots while you count the seconds waiting for a phone call from that special someone . . . if you hear a loud buzzing in your ears when you see a certain person's car (or one just like it) . . . if your eyes burn when you hear a random love song or see a couple holding hands . . . if you suffer the twin agonies of craving for and withdrawing from a series of unrequited crushes or toxic relationships . . . if you always feel like you're clutching at someone's ankle and dragged across the floor as they try to leave the room . . . welcome to the club.With a light touch and a sharp wit, Ethlie has enlisted some famous love junkies--including supermodel Amber Smith, movie star William McNamara, and comedienne Margaret Cho--and the top therapists and researchers in the field to help lead you from the dark of despair into the dawn of recovery.

The Home for Wayward Clocks


Kathie Giorgio - 2011
    Instead, he saves his entire town. As tourists descend on What Cheer, other businesses in the depressed farm area adopt a clock theme and soon, What Cheer is on the map, providing welcome relief for travelers moving through monotonous Iowa.Raised by an abusive mother, James felt his first connection to clocks when he was locked in the root cellar, an alarm clock his only company. The Home is a haven for thousands of clocks, which James restores. He believes every clock has its own soul.While repairing the town’s clock tower, it suddenly chimes, bursting James' eardrums. James descends into a tickless vacuum. He must reach for human hands.Every other chapter is a short story, tales of the clocks before they came into the Home.This is the story of redemption, of a man who should have died at the hands of his mother, but insisted on surviving. It is the story of his ultimate recovery and his ability to fix clocks and heal friends, proving that the strength of the human soul can transcend the most profound and unthinkable of cruelties.

Love, Sex, and Happily Ever After: Preparing for a Marriage That Goes the Distance


Craig Groeschel - 2011
    You?ve seen marriages fail time and again. Even relationships you thought were bullet proof don?t last?or maybe worse?fade away to a cold, gray lovelessness. It?s no wonder that for today?s generation, "getting what you want" is often a substitute for love, and disillusionment about marriage is the new normal. But you can have a long-term, love-blessed marriage. Whether you?re still considering it, are about to be wed, or have been married for a while and want to make changes, Love, Sex & Happily Ever After delivers an infusion of hope. Author Craig Groeschel clearly and honestly lays out the choices and commitments you can make now to change the way you think and act?to build the relationship you want for the rest of your life.

The Living Wills


Brendan Sullivan - 2011
    "The Living Wills" is a story about a split-second decision made 30 years ago and the ripple effects it caused. Can the man who made that decision and the people he affected maneuver their way through a world of baristas and Army veterans, bowling teams and exploding port-a-potties, cartoon pirates and young love, to find the strength to heal before it's too late? (Trade paperback available at www.eckhartzpress.com, $15.95 plus shipping)Also available as e-book in the amazon kindle store, the Apple iBookstore, the Barnes & Noble Nook store, and the Sony Reader Store.