Finding what we actually need is different than what we are often offered. There are many books full of opinions, steps and programs. This isn’t one of them. This is about craving the things that matter. Things that don’t just work, but last. In a life that may seem to be all fun and games with an endless supply of balloons, author Maria Goff shows how this life is also lived with intentionality, passionate purpose, and a little planning—all of which make a life rich in legacy. But she had to figure out the help she needed first in order to live the beautiful life God wanted for her and wants for us. Love Lives Here is a collection of stories that include the ways Maria and her husband, Bob, navigated family their way, without clear instructions or a road map. It’s about what they learned to make their lives meaningful and whimsical and how they created a space for their family to grow together while they reached outward.

    As they pursued their dreams, they planted their lives in the city and in their church community. Their son, James, came along unexpectedly in the fall of 2007, and just 6 months later, everything changed in a moment for this young family.On April 21, 2008, as James slept in the other room, Katherine collapsed, suffering a massive brain stem stroke without warning. Miraculously, Jay came home in time and called for help. Katherine was immediately rushed into micro-brain surgery, though her chance of survival was slim. As the sun rose the next morning, the surgeon proclaimed that Katherine had survived the removal of part of her brain, though her future recovery was completely uncertain. Yet in that moment, there was a spark of hope. Through 40 days on life support in the ICU and nearly 2 years in full-time brain rehab, that spark of hope was fanned into flame.Defying every prognosis, with grit and grace, Katherine and Jay, side by side, struggled to regain a life for Katherine as she re-learned to talk and eat and walk. Returning home with a severely disabled body but a completely renewed purpose, they committed to celebrate this gift of a second chance by embracing life fully, even though that life looked very different than they could have ever imagined. In the midst of continuing hardships and struggles, both in body and mind, Katherine and Jay found what we all long to find...hope, hope that heals the most broken place, our souls.An excruciating yet beautiful road to recovery has led the Wolf family to their new normal, in which almost every moment of life is marked with the scars of that fateful April day in 2008. Now, eight years later, Katherine and Jay are stewarding their story of suffering, restoration, and Christ-centered hope in this broken world through their ministry Hope Heals.

    However, when the Bible calls Christians to be hospitable, it's calling them to much more. In this book, Rosaria Butterfield invites readers into her home and shows from her own life and experience how "radically ordinary hospitality" can be a bridge for bringing the gospel to lost friends and neighbors—something that she experienced herself on her journey to Christ. Such hospitality welcomes those who look, think, believe, and act differently than us into our own everyday, sometimes messy lives. Christians will be inspired and equipped to use their homes and tables as a way of showing a skeptical, unbelieving world what love and authentic faith really look like.Table of ContentsPreface: Radically Ordinary Hospitality1. Priceless: The Merit of Hospitality2. The Jesus Paradox: The Vitality of Hospitality3. Our Post Christian World: The Kindness of Hospitality4. God Never Gets the Address Wrong: The Providence of Hospitality5. The Gospel Comes with a House Key: The Seal of Hospitality 6. Judas In the Church: The Borderland of Hospitality7. Giving Up the Ghosts: The Lamentation of Hospitality8. The Daily Grind: The Basics of Hospitality9. Blessed are the Merciful: The Hope of Hospitality 10. Walking the Emmaus Road: The Future of Hospitality Conclusion: Feeding the 5000: The Nuts and Bolts and Beans and Rice

    And the lies Christian women believe are at the root of most of their struggles. "Many women live under a cloud of personal guilt and condemnation," says Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth. "Many are in bondage to their past. Others are gripped by fear of rejection and a longing for approval. Still others are emotional prisoners." In best selling Lies Women Believe, Nancy exposes those areas of deception most commonly believed by Christian women—lies about God, sin, priorities, marriage and family, emotions, and more. She then sheds light on how we can be delivered from bondage and set free to walk in God's grace, forgiveness, and abundant life. Nancy offers the most effective weapon to ounter and overcome Satan's deceptions: God's truth!

    And that can make relationships hard, whether with intimate partners, with friends, or in our professional lives. Understanding the motivations and dynamics of these different personality types can be the key that unlocks sometimes mystifying behavior in others—and in ourselves.This book from Suzanne Stabile on the nine Enneagram types and how they behave and experience relationships will guide readers into deeper insights about themselves, their types, and others' personalities so that they can have healthier, more life-giving relationships. No one is better equipped than Suzanne Stabile, coauthor, with Ian Morgan Cron, of The Road Back to You, to share the Enneagram's wisdom on how relationships work—or don’t.• Why do Sixes seem so intimidated and put off by Eights, who only wish the Sixes would stop mulling things over and take action?• Why do Fives seem so unavailable, even to their closest family and friends, while Twos seem to feel everybody else’s feelings but their own and end up irritating people who don’t want their help?• How in the world can Fours be so open and loving to you one day and restrained and distant other times?The Enneagram not only answers these questions but gives us a way out of our usual finger pointing and judging of other people—and finding them wanting, perplexing, or impossible. Suzanne's generous, sometimes humorous, and always insightful approach reveals why all the types behave as they do. This book offers help in fostering more loving, mature, and compassionate relationships with everyone in our lives.

    Closer shows wives and husbands how to grow that love together. Introduced with Scripture verses and engaging stories, these 52 devotionals will inspire couples to draw closer through faith conversations--those quiet talks so vital for emotional and spiritual intimacy in a marriage. Guided, practical action steps round out each reading. Closer, with its flexible weekly format, is an appealing alternative to a daily devotional.

    In fact, relationships are a matter of life-and-death importance. So how you can train today for the relationship you want tomorrow? In Swipe Right, Levi Lusko shares with raw honesty from his own life experiences and God’s Word how toregret-proof your marriage bed and your deathbedresist settling for instant pleasure by discovering what your heart really longs forlearn how to avoid and treat sexual scars by careful living todayturn the clumsy “sex talk” with your child into dialogue that leads to wise choicestransform a stagnant marriage by trading predictable nearness for mind-blowing intimacy God’s dreams for your life are not intended to kill your joy but to enhance it. Whether you’re fed up with dating and hooking up as usual, tired of being single, numb because of porn and casual sex, or curious about how to improve your marriage, this book is for you. Praise for Swipe Right “It’s my hope that whoever reads this will have their thoughts of the heart as seriously provoked as mine have been.”—Ryan GoodProducer, writer, and entrepreneur “It’s a perspective I believe we need now more than ever.”—Steven FurtickPastor, Elevation Church, and New York Times bestselling author “One day, someday, there will be a day where you will need the down-to-earth wisdom in this book like you will oxygen.”—Joel HoustonSongwriter, Hillsong United, and pastor, Hillsong NYC “Swipe Right isn’t just another book of how-not-tos but an honest, gritty, and real-time approach to navigating dating, sex, and romance with our souls and sanity intact.” —Judah SmithLead pastor, The City Church, and New York Times bestselling author of Jesus Is _____. “Swipe Right is a timely, wonderful, prophetic, and needed message for our generation.”—Christine CaineFounder of the A21 Campaign and bestselling author of Unashamed “If you are wondering what God’s plans are for your love life, or leading those in search of his plan for theirs, you need this book.”—Louie GiglioPastor of Passion City Church, founder of Passion Conferences, and author of The Comeback “This is a good book. Study it, ponder it, and, if you know a fifteen-year-old, tell them to read it.”—Max LucadoNew York Times bestselling author “We need the Swipe Right message now more than ever before.”—Lysa TerKeurstNew York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries “This is more than just a book; it’s a life jacket!”—Chris TomlinGrammy Award–winning musician and author of Good Good Father “Levi shows that God will light our way, if we allow him to.”—Carl LentzPastor, Hillsong NYC “Funny and engaging, while simultaneously practical and hard-hitting.”—Craig GroeschelPastor of Life.Church and author of From This Day Forward

    Looking to right the balances, Kevin DeYoung presents a popular-level treatment of sanctification and union with Christ, helping readers to see what matters most—being like Jesus. He shows how one can be like Christ in being joined to Christ. The market is ready for DeYoung’s timely book, ready to avoid legalism and ambivalence, and they are ready for someone to articulate the inextricable relationship between grace and holiness.

    We continually demand that life be fair, yet we’re well aware that it’s not. Life can leave you at a loss for words. It has a way of suddenly casting you into the darkness of doubt. In these desperate moments, you find your soul being drained dry . . . you’re empty . . . and faith just doesn’t seem to matter anymore. Faith loses out when you realize that God could have done something . . . and He did nothing. Your life is further emptied when you realize that even if you live the “Christian” life, things don’t always turn out the way you’d like them to . . . and that’s not the way you hoped faith worked. You don’t want God to comfort you in your troubles . . . you want Him to take them from you. As God continually frustrates our faith with His constant inconsistency and ridiculously draining unpredictability, we resolve in the truth that He is the only one who understands our hurting hearts, empty lives, and searching souls. We find the ongoing trials of life continually draining us and . . . we’re thirsty. Yet, through our endless efforts to quench our undying thirst, nothing satisfies. Our souls seem to be insatiable, and we know we desperately need something to fill us, completely . . . but it’s not what we think. You’ve been waiting for God to show up, yet He’s actually been waiting for you. He’s ready to meet with you . . . one on one . . . at the well.

    Classic book views prayer not as drudgery or a way to win favor with God, but as a means of communing with the Creator--and seeing lives changed.

    New sections discuss "sex after sixty" and five reasons why God created sex, all supported by the very latest findings in the fields of medicine and sociology. For engaged couples and newlyweds who want to make lovemaking a joy from the start . . . For couples who have been married for years and want to maintain the flame or rekindle the embers . . . for every husband or wife who wants to be a better lover -- here are the insights into each other's bodies, psychosexual makeup, and need for tender, unselfish affection that can help you achieve your goal. With over 2.5 million copies in print, The Act of Marriage has helped thousands of Christian couples maximize their joy in sexual union and saved countless marriages. Pastors, doctors, and psychologists alike have endorsed the frank, practical insights.

    Wounded from past relationships, overwhelmed at being single longer than they expected, devastated at finding themselves single again. Eighteen- to sixty-year-olds will welcome the timely, biblically based approach Dr. Raunikar offers as he encourages them along the path to Choosing God's Best: healing from the past; learning how to avoid the pain of "counterfeit oneness" physically, emotionally, and spiritually; and much more. This attractive, repackaged edition delves into the real issues Christian singles face today and offers sound, proven advice for creating deeply satisfying godly relationships.Who's Your Matchmaker?Disillusioned by dating? Tired of being let down? It may be time to visit the ultimate Matchmaker.No matter what your age or past, it's never too late to trust God and choose His best for your future. Dr. Don Raunikar delves into the real issues to offer proven, biblical principles for creating godly relationships and a deeply satisfying courtship. Read this book--and be ready for romance God's way."Dr. Don Raunikar offers hope for the single man or woman who is disillusioned with the modern dating scene. Drawing upon time-tested biblical principles, Dr. Raunikar makes a convincing case for the benefits of a courtship based on God's wisdom, versus a dating relationship based on man's."Bill BrightFounder, Campus Crusade for Christ International"I feel like Choosing God's Best was written specifically for me. Few would argue that the current system of dating isn't in desperate need of reform. Dr. Raunikar goes even further with his radical, biblical solution to the perils and pitfalls of dating. Thanks, Dr. Raunikar, for being a radical."Derek WebbSinger/songwriter"I'm so glad to see a book addressing what I've called the 'dating mess.' Choosing God's Best is straightforward and scriptural. I especially appreciated the explanation of the categories of dating, which are seldom understood."Elisabeth ElliotAuthor and speaker"I wish this book had been around when I was dating. So much pain, so many missed opportunities, and so many mistakes could have been avoided if I had used these principles."Steve ArterburnFounder and chairman, New Life MinistriesStory Behind the BookDr. Don Raunikar was a professional therapist specializing in singles' issues. He wrote Choosing God's Best as a result of discovering the common frustrations and desires of his patients, combined with his own experiences before he was married. Originally published in 1998, the book continues to serve as a timeless message for singles. Still changing lives to this day, this repackaged edition will reach an even broader, untapped market with the hope of God's truth and His promise for healthy relationships.

    In this update to the best-selling classic The Blessing, coauthors John Trent and Gary Smalley offer a fresh perspective on this life-changing gift with solid, practical advice on how to be a blessing as well as how to insure that your parents, spouse, and children all feel the security of family approval.The Blessing powerfully communicates biblical truths on how to instill self-worth and emotional well-being into others based on these five essential elements:Meaningful touchA spoken messageAttaching high valuePicturing a special futureAn active commitmentNo matter the age, the approval of our parents affects how we view ourselves and how we relate to others. So what if we've missed it? The final chapters explain what happens to children who do and how they can learn to live apart from the blessing.

    This book is about how God built faith into a man. God is a dreamer. One day he had a dream, and he thought to himself…who will I get to fulfill this dream? Then he made you. He created you to fulfill a dream. You are made for a purpose. This book is about knowing God's dream for your life and believing him to accomplish it in you. This book could be the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to you. To enter into God's plan for your life is to become the person he made you to be, and to finally find the fulfillment and joy that you have been seeking your whole life.

    Millions of young people stopped dating and embraced something new called “courtship” which promised to usher singles into marriage while avoiding the dangers of dating. It sounded wonderful. The problem? It didn’t work. The resulting singleness epidemic left a generation with broken hearts and little hope. There’s Another Way In Courtship In Crisis, Thomas Umstattd Jr. explains where the courtship crisis came from, and why it failed. More importantly, he lays out an alternative model that works. "Courtship in Crisis is a well-reasoned, Spirit-infused breath of fresh air for anyone wanting to re-think their dating habits.” -- Mary DeMuth, author of The Wall Around Your Heart Thomas Umstattd Jr. is the former head of PracticalCourtship.com and co-founder of the Austin Rhetoric Club, a homeschool speech and debate club in Austin, Texas. He is an international speaker and CEO of Castle Media Group, LLC. Thomas sits on the board of directors for several nonprofits, including the Texas Alliance for Life.