No Cure for Being Human: And Other Truths I Need to Hear


Kate Bowler - 2021
    A beach body by summer. A trip to Disneyland around the corner. A promotion on the horizon. Everyone wants to believe that they are headed toward good, better, best. But what happens when the life you hoped for is put on hold indefinitely?Kate Bowler believed that life was a series of unlimited choices, until she discovered, at age 35, that her body was wracked with cancer. In No Cure for Being Human, she searches for a way forward as she mines the wisdom (and absurdity) of today's "best life now" advice industry, which insists on exhausting positivity and on trying to convince us that we can out-eat, out-learn, and out-perform our humanness. We are, she finds, as fragile as the day we were born.With dry wit and unflinching honesty, Kate Bowler grapples with her diagnosis, her ambition, and her faith as she tries to come to terms with her limitations in a culture that says anything is possible. She finds that we need one another if we're going to tell the truth: Life is beautiful and terrible, full of hope and despair and everything in between--and there's no cure for being human.

Beyond Blessed: God's Perfect Plan to Overcome All Financial Stress


Robert Morris - 2019
    Now, in Beyond Blessed, he shares the importance of being a good steward, not only with your finances, but with every part of your life. Pastor Morris will motivate you to become a better manager of your money, and provide practical lessons on taking your finances to the next level. Through Biblical principles, personal stories, and incredible testimonies, you will learn how to be a good steward, and that when you properly manage your finances, blessings will pour into all areas of your life. Here is a guide to increasing and going further with what God has given you, and living beyond blessed.

A Holy Pursuit: How the Gospel Frees Us to Follow and Lay Down Our Dreams


Dianne Jago - 2020
    The opposite extreme, often advised by well-meaning Christians, is to lay down all of our dreams and passions, avoiding all self-interest.   One narrative says to follow a passion, and the other says to lay it down. Both claim to offer happiness and purpose on the other side. But what does the Bible say about dreams, goals, and passions?   With compelling illustrations from Dianne Jago’s unexpected journey in creating DeeplyRooted Magazine, along with thoughtful scriptural examples, Dianne shares an honest account of how God changed her plans and aligned them with His.   As you read this book, you will be challenged to look upward instead of inward, seeing the God-given purpose of every Christian as the foundation of your “dreams.” Scripture shapes a believer’s pursuits and the gospel speaks to our passions. Instead of the one-size-fits-all formula for dream-chasing, A Holy Pursuit will help you identify whether it’s time to pursue, pause, or surrender a dream you hold.

A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows through Loss


Jerry Sittser - 1995
    In an instant, a tragic car accident claimed three generations of his family: his mother, his wife, and his young daughter. While most of us will not experience such a catastrophic loss in our lifetime, all of us will taste it. And we can, if we choose, know as well the grace that transforms it. A Grace Disguised plumbs the depths of sorrow, whether due to illness, divorce, or the loss of someone we love. The circumstances are not important; what we do with those circumstances is. In coming to the end of ourselves, we can come to the beginning of a new life one marked by spiritual depth, joy, compassion, and a deeper appreciation of simple blessings.

The Principle of the Path: How to Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be


Andy Stanley - 2009
    It s called the principle of the path. And not only does it explain the disappointmentand regret that characterize the lives of so many, it provides a way for youto be the exception.As you are about to discover, the principle of the path is at work in your life everysingle day. Once embraced, this compelling principle will empower you to identifyand follow the path that leads to your desired destination. And this same principlewill enable you to avoid life-wasting detours along the way. If you re ready to break the bad habits, bad behaviors, and bad decisions that havebeen leading you into trouble, you need Andy Stanley s The Principle of the Path. Dave Ramsey, host of "The Dave Ramsey Show"and best-selling author of" The Total Money Makeover" "

Mended: Restoring the Hearts of Mothers and Daughters


Blythe Daniel - 2019
    Discover powerful words that usher in healing for wounded hearts and rebuild, restore, and reconcile your connection.   Set new patterns going forward as you…find common ground and put your relationship ahead of your differenceslearn what to say when you don’t know what to saygrow closer when you do hard things togetherIf you have a difficult history with your mother or daughter, you don’t have to continue patterns of brokenness. No matter how worn you feel, you don’t have to become unthreaded. God wants to mend your heart to His and to hers.

When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy


John Piper - 2004
    But the reality is that we often struggle to find, and hold onto, true and lasting joy—even when we have embraced the good news of God’s grace. So we face a crucial question: What should I do when I don’t desire God? John Piper aims to help us find joy in Jesus that is so deep and so strong that it frees us from bondage to comfort and security, and impels us to live merciful and missional lives. Written with the radical hope that all Christians would experience the fullness of life in Christ, this book will help you fight for joy daily by leading you to rediscover the soul-satisfying glory of God.

Rising Strong as a Spiritual Practice


Brené Brown - 2017
    Brene Brown helped us realize that vulnerability is the birthplace for trust, belonging, joy, creativity, and love. Yet a willingness to be vulnerable means accepting that life will sometimes knock us down. Where do we find the strength to get back up? In her research for her breakthrough book Rising Strong, Brene discovered a key factor. Without exception, she says, the concept of spirituality emerged from the data as a critical component of overcoming struggle.On Rising Strong As a Spiritual Practice, Brene offers an in-depth exploration of this critical and oft-misunderstood aspect of wholehearted living. Here she defines spirituality as something not reliant on religion, theology, or dogma rather, it is a belief in our interconnectedness and in a loving force greater than ourselves. Whether you access the sacred through traditional worship, solitary meditation, communion with nature, or creative pursuits, one thing is clear: rising strong after falling is a spiritual practice that brings a sense of perspective, meaning, and purpose to our lives."

Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life


Tish Harrison Warren - 2016
    But God can become present to us in surprising ways through our everyday routines. Framed around one ordinary day, this book explores daily life through the lens of liturgy, small practices and habits that form us. Each chapter looks at something making the bed, brushing her teeth, losing her keys that the author does in the day. Drawing from the diversity of her life as a campus minister, Anglican priest, friend, wife, and mother, Tish Harrison Warren opens up a practical theology of the everyday. Each activity is related to a spiritual practice as well as an aspect of our Sunday worship. Come and discover the holiness of your every day."

In His Image: 10 Ways God Calls Us to Reflect His Character


Jen Wilkin - 2018
    In His Image explores 10 attributes of God that Christians are called to reflect—they are called to be holy, loving, just, good, merciful, gracious, faithful, patient, truthful, and wise. This book calls readers to discover the freedom and purpose in becoming all that God made them to be.

The Self-Love Experiment: Fifteen Principles for Becoming More Kind, Compassionate, and Accepting of Yourself


Shannon Kaiser - 2017
    Too many people seem to believe that they are not allowed to put themselves first or go after their own dreams out of fear of being selfish or sacrificing others' needs. The Self-Love Experiment rectifies this problem. Whether you want to achieve weight loss, land your dream job, find your soul mate, or get out of debt, it all comes back to self-love and accepting yourself first. Shannon Kaiser learned the secrets to loving herself, finding purpose, and living a passion-filled life after recovering from eating disorders, drug addictions, corporate burnout, and depression.Shannon walks you through her own personal experiment, a simple plan that compassionately guides you through the process of removing fear-based thoughts, so you can fall in love with life. If you want to change your outcome in life, you have to change your daily habits and perspective. Shannon takes you on this great journey into self-love and true self-acceptance.

Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality: Making Space for God


Tim Stead - 2017
    But what exactly does this practice offer to Christians?In Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality, Tim Stead explores how practicing mindfulness can help Christians better live out their faith. Stead explains what mindfulness is and what is beneficial about it. He also reflects on how it can impact what and how we believe and seeks to find how mindfulness enables our Christian faith to work for us. Mindfulness practices that are designed to help readers make space for God in their everyday lives are included.

You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit


James K.A. Smith - 2016
    But you might not love what you think.In this book, award-winning author James K. A. Smith shows that who and what we worship fundamentally shape our hearts. And while we desire to shape culture, we are not often aware of how culture shapes us. We might not realize the ways our hearts are being taught to love rival gods instead of the One for whom we were made. Smith helps readers recognize the formative power of culture and the transformative possibilities of Christian practices. He explains that worship is the "imagination station" that incubates our loves and longings so that our cultural endeavors are indexed toward God and his kingdom. This is why the church and worshiping in a local community of believers should be the hub and heart of Christian formation and discipleship.Following the publication of his influential work Desiring the Kingdom, Smith received numerous requests from pastors and leaders for a more accessible version of that book's content. No mere abridgment, this new book draws on years of Smith's popular presentations on the ideas presented in Desiring the Kingdom to offer a fresh, bottom-up rearticulation. The author creatively uses film, literature, and music illustrations to engage readers and includes material on marriage, family, youth ministry, and faith and work. He also suggests individual and communal practices for shaping the Christian life.

Searching for Enough: The High-Wire Walk Between Doubt and Faith


Tyler Staton - 2021
    And I know I'm not supposed to say this, but God's not enough for me either." Whether or not we attend church, deep down we wonder if the biblical story of faith is really enough for the complexity of the world in which we live. We fill our lives with other things, hoping that maybe the next experience or accomplishment will complete us. Yet with every goal we reach, we still feel discouraged and anxious.In Searching for Enough, Pastor Tyler Staton draws on ancient and modern insights to introduce us, as if for the first time, to Jesus' disciple Thomas: history's most notorious skeptic. Like Thomas, we are caught between two unsatisfying stories: We want to believe in God but can't reconcile his presence with our circumstances and internal struggles.But what if there's a better story than shame? What if there's redemption so complete that there's nothing left to hide? What if there is a God who can heal your resentments, fears, and loneliness in such a profound way that you feel whole?From a place of spiritual companionship and deep authenticity, Tyler shows us that it is not an empty tomb that will change our lives, but the presence of the living God. Whether you are a distant skeptic, an involved doubter, or a busy but bored Christian, Searching for Enough invites you to find enough in a God who offers the only promises that never disappoint.

The Gift of Forgiveness: Inspiring Stories from Those Who Have Overcome the Unforgivable


Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt - 2020
    Here, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt shows us what we can learn from those who have struggled with forgiveness, some still struggling, and others who have been able to forgive what might seem truly unforgivable. The book features experiences from those well-known and unknown, including Elizabeth Smart, who learned to forgive her captors; Sue Klebold, whose son, Dylan, was one of the Columbine shooters, learning empathy and how to forgive herself; Chris Williams, who forgave the drunken teenager who killed his wife and child; and of course Schwarzenegger Pratt's own challenges and path to forgiveness in her own life. All provide different journeys to forgiveness and the process--sometimes slow and thorny, sometimes almost instantaneous--by which they learned to forgive and let go. The Gift of Forgiveness is a perfect blend of personal insights, powerful quotations, and hard-won wisdom for those seeking a way to live with greater acceptance, grace, and peace.Elizabeth Smart --Chris Williams --Sarah Klein --Polly Sheppard --Christy Little Jones --Immacelée Ilibagiza --Ron Hall --Deborah Copaken --Nadia Bolz-Weber --Lewis Howes --Scarlett Lewis --DeVon Franklin --Mark Rozzi --Michelle LeClair --Sue Klebold --Talinda Bennington --Mark Kelly --Iskra Lawrence --Tanya Brown --Adel Altamimi --Cora Jakes Coleman --Sebastián Marroquín