He also compiles and extracts practical insights from other notable worship leaders and musicians including Louie Giglio, Mike Pilavachi, Tim Hughes, Chris Tomlin, Brian Doerkson, Darlene Zxchech, Steve Nicholson etc.

    With needles clicking, they weave together not just garments to warm the body but also comfort and companionship to nurture the soul.This tradition is flowering today through knitting ministries, a worldwide ecumenical movement of small groups of women who gather to pray and knit for those in need. As they create shawls for people burdened with illness and sorrow, their handiwork becomes an expression, not only of their love and concern, but also of the loving care of the God who works through them.In this beautifully illustrated book, the authors--a United Church of Christ minister and a Roman Catholic laywoman--share stories of how the knitting ministry has touched lives and hearts around the world. They offer directions for knitting the shawls and for starting a parish or community knitting ministry. The book also provides a selection of prayers, written from many faith traditions, to offer along with each completed shawl.

    Fun is still allowed, by all means, but the ultimate emphasis on maturing faith is simply essential.The anecdotal comparisons are current and on-target (Starbucks’ well-publicized decision to retrain baristas in coffee making introduces the idea that youth leaders might also be wise to revisit the gospel essence of their ministry). And case study data gleaned from small to mega churches and parachurch ministries will give every youth leader a relatable reference point from which to begin the successful metamorphosis to Simple.

    When her character is put to the test, she saves a life and in the process earns the gratitude of Aiden, the charming new café owner in town. Sparks fly, but can Sonia overcome her own doubts and at the same time save the youth choir’s Christmas Eve performance? Travel to the beautiful Canadian Rockies for a sweet story and a good latte to find out…! In the heart of the snow-covered Canadian Rockies lies the small town of Evergreen Valley. Sonia and her sister Yvette have grown up in the quaint little town which neighbours a popular ski resort. Every Christmas they carry on their childhood traditions of sledding, baking and spending quality time with their mother and grandma. This year tragedy nearly strikes the sleepy town, but is luckily averted do to the quick actions of one of the girls. When Sonia meets Aiden, she is determined to avoid entangling herself in another relationship, but fate has other ideas. As she helps him with his struggling café, he helps her to confront her fears of abandonment. Soon she finds herself thrust into taking over as the church’s Youth Chorus director, but can she do the job and pull off the best Christmas Eve recital the town has ever seen? Cozy up with this heartwarming holiday read to find out! AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is an cozy contemporary stand-alone short story with a HEA ending! Story is a clean romance with no offensive language.

    When you can’t see any hope in a season of difficulty, hunt for it by holding onto God’s character and letting Him develop your own.

    Discover the difference between good angels and bad angels (demons) and their activities as you learn to distinguish angels of light from angels of darknessGod’s holy angels are magnificent beings who are His messengers and warriors sent to assist, sustain, protect, and deliver us through the power of Christ.

    Thomas S. Monson told the story about his time as a young boy spending the summerat his family's cabin in Vivian Park. He and his best friend, Danny,decided to clear a field so they could gather with their friends and have acampfire. The tall, stubborn weeds would not pull out easily. So Tommyhad the idea of using one little match to burn the weeds. He knew heshouldn't use matches without permission from his parents. But he ignoredthe prompting warning him of the danger and set the parched Junegrass ablaze. The consequence of his disobedience nearly endangered theentire forest and almost burned down neighboring cabins.I learned several difficult but important lessons that day. Perhaps the biggestlesson was the need for obedience. Rules and laws are created to keep us safe.When we obey those rules, we can avoid the dangers that can come from somethingas small as one little match.

    Sometimes we stay on one plateau thinking that is all we need to do, but if we can move forward toward the next plateau we would find that there is more to learn and more to do.

     The old Siamese Ptolemy was alongside his master when a star of unusual brightness was seen in the heavens, indicating an event of momentous significance, and leading to a great quest. Ptolemy must watch over his frail master, so he sends three young cats to journey in his place and fulfill the prophecy: "The three shall find the one." The three are Abishag, a sturdy reliable cat who has never shirked her duty; Kezia, a beautiful young tabby, delicate, a bit vain, but of good heart; and Ira, taller and stronger than the others, with a temper. Accompanying them is a fourth traveler? the rat Asmodeus, who can hear of no glorious thing without wanting to spoil it. Together, the unlikely band will cover many miles, and have many dangerous adventures. And finally they will come to a far land, where the star bends close to the earth over a humble stable.

    It connects us to each other. "I think Jesus wanted his disciples and everyone who came after him to remember what they had together. What they made together. What it meant to be together. How the things he wanted them to do could not be done alone. How the things he did could not have been done without them."In her inimitable style of memoir and personal reflection, Nora Gallagher explores the beauty and mystery of this most fascinating of topics. Whether exploring the history of Christian Communion, taking us inside the workings of a soup kitchen or sharing times of joy and sadness with friends, the author reminds us what it means to partake of and be part of the body of Christ."The Ancient Practices" is an eight-book series with staggered releases through February 2010. Though various books have covered some of these spiritual disciplines, there has never been an attempt at a definitive series until now. Immensely compelling and readable, each classic book features a foreword by Phyllis Tickle, the general editor."

    But what does it actually mean? What does a missional church look like and how does it function? Two leading voices in the missional movement here provide an accessible introduction, showing readers how the movement developed, why it's important, and how churches can become more missional. Introducing the Missional Church demonstrates that ours is a post-Christian culture, making it necessary for church leaders to think like missionaries right here at home. Focusing on a process that allows a church to discern its unique way of being missional, it guides readers on a journey that will lead them to implement a new set of missional practices in their churches. The authors demonstrate that living missionally is about discerning and joining God's work in the world in order to be a witness to God's kingdom on earth.

    In the candid and lucid style that has made McKnight's The Jesus Creed so appealing to thousands of pastors, lay leaders, and everyday people who are searching for a more authentic faith, he encourages all Christians to recognize the simple, yet potentially transforming truth of the gospel message: God seeks to restore us to wholeness not only to make us better individuals, but to form a community of Jesus, a society in which humans strive to be in union with God and in communion with others.

    That’s what this book helps you do in a profound, strategic, and life-changing way. Author C. J. Mahaney exposes our human tendency to look at the Savior’s death (and at everything else!) through our own subjective feelings and impressions, rather than from the standpoint of objective truth. By nature we always begin with ourselves rather than with God. But by following the God-first "Divine Order" in how we think—and by asking "What do I believe?" instead of "How do I feel?"—we’re freed up to embrace the right truth in the right way. The right feelings quickly follow, and they’re reliable because they’re anchored in truth.The Secret to Sustaining Joy Do you desire more passion for Christ? Then learn to see His death not from our point of view, but from God’s. Author C. J. Mahaney puts you at our Savior’s side—and into His soul—during the most emotionally wrenching moments of His final hours. As you better understand the true nature of His struggle, you’ll grasp more than ever the staggering significance of why Jesus died…and fully experience His sacrifice as a personal act of love for you. Allow the deepest truths of Calvary to stir your passion for Christ our mediator into a flame that burns your whole life long. Story Behind the BookThere’s nothing more overpowering than to climb Calvary ’s hill in childlike attentiveness and wonder, with all our distractions and wrong assumptions cleared away. This book was written that we might be gripped by gratitude and enflamed in passion for the Savior, Christ our Mediator, who suffered the Father’s righteous wrath for us.From the Hardcover edition.

    A nun told her fourth-grade students to write their names on a piece of paper and then pass the paper to the next person, who was to write a sentence of appreciation about the person named at the top. When the exercise was done, each student had twenty-four comments of admiration and appreciation - one from each classmate.The Christmas List follows James Engler, who returns home to Iowa one Christmas, after his fiancee calls off their marriage, and discovers that his best childhood friend, Mike, has just been killed in the Gulf War. When Mike's parents reveal at a memorial service that Mike had carried his fourth-grade list with him, most of James's former classmates confess that they, too, kept their lists as a reminder, even in the worst of times, of their admirable traits and that they were appreciated.James also renews his acquaintance with his former classmate Sarah, who wrote on his list, "You are a great guy and some day I'm going to marry." And she does.