The Jesus I Know: Honest Conversations and Diverse Opinions about Who He Is


Kathie Lee Gifford - 2021
    What she discovered early on is most people are very willing to talk about Jesus:  atheists, agnostics, Scientologists, Jews, broken-hearted Catholics, confused Baptists, Pentecostals, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Hindus alike.While some of the people Kathie Lee has spoken with do not share her belief that Jesus is the Messiah—as prophesied for centuries by prophets in the Hebrew scriptures—they nonetheless have a universal fascination with Him. This singular man who lived more than two thousand years ago, and never traveled more than one hundred miles from where He was born, managed to change the entire world. Even the way we delineate history (BC/AD) comes from His short thirty-three years of life.In The Jesus I Know, Kathie Lee shares cherished conversations that she’s had with others who find Jesus to be an ancient historical figure who somehow continues to be an undeniably magnetic, relevant presence in the modern world. Those conversations include actors like Kristin Chenoweth and Cynthia Garrett, with stories of Craig Ferguson and Kevin Costner,newsmakers and news personalities like Kris Jenner, Megyn Kelly, Jason Kennedy, and Janice Dean,performers like Chynna Phillips Baldwin, Brian Welch, Jimmie Allen, and Jimmy Wayne,hitmakers like Louis York and David Pomeranzas well as those coming from other faith traditions. Using Kathie Lee’s favorite Scripture passages as scaffolding, these thought-provoking exchanges will bring His teachings to life before your very eyes.

Bella Figura: How to Live, Love, and Eat the Italian Way


Kamin Mohammadi - 2018
    But after heartbreak and loneliness, the stress of her dream life was ruining her physical and mental health. Gifted a ticket to freedom--a redundancy package and the offer of a friend's apartment in Florence--Kamin took a giant leap. It did not take her long to notice how differently her new Italian neighbors approached life: enjoying themselves, taking their time to eat and drink, taking their lives at a deliberately slower pace. Filled with wonderful characters--from the local bartender/barista who becomes her love advisor, to the plumbers who fix her heating and teach her to make pasta al pomodoro--here is a mantra for savoring the beauty and color of every day that Italians have followed for generations, a guide to the slow life for busy people, a story of finding love (and self-love) in unlikely places, and an evocative account of a year living an Italian life.

It's All About the Small Things: Why the Ordinary Moments Matter


Melanie Shankle - 2019
    Meanwhile, we lose sight of the small significance of fully living with every breath we take.Melanie Shankle, New York Times bestselling author and writer at The Big Mama Blog tackles these questions head on. Easygoing and relatable, she speaks directly to the heart of women of all ages who are longing to find significance and meaning in the normal, sometimes mundane world of driving carpool to soccer practice, attending class on their college campus, cooking meals for their family, or taking care of a sick loved one.The million little pieces that make a life aren't necessarily glamorous or far-reaching. But God uses some of the smallest, most ordinary acts of faithfulness--and sometimes they look a whole lot like packing lunch.

Faith in the Game: Lessons on Football, Work, and Life


Tom Osborne - 1999
    Before retiring in 1997, he took his team to a bowl game every year, won three national championships in the last four years he coached, and ended his career boasting an 84 percent winning record. But while these numbers testify to an undeniable accomplishment, it has been another, more powerful force that has shaped Osborne's life: his faith.In Faith in the Game, this legendary coach shares the philosophy he used to create not only a champion football team, but also a meaningful life. Both a memoir of Osborne's career with the Cornhuskers and an inspirational guide to making the most out of life, Faith in the Game presents the traits Osborne helped to instill in his team, including core values like honesty, loyalty, and courage. Illustrated with compelling behind-the-scenes stories of the Nebraska football team and conveyed in his own captivating tone, Osborne's message reveals the value of hard work, the need to balance our professional and personal obligations, and, above all, the importance of bringing faith into our lives.For those seeking a spiritually centered approach to living and working, this candid account of Tom Osborne's faith and strength is a warm and authentic book from which all of us can learn.

Alligator Blood: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of the High-rolling Whiz-kid who Controlled Online Poker's Billions


James Leighton - 2013
    That is until he discovered the lucrative world of payment processing for online poker companies. Soon the Australian whiz-kid was living the American dream, raking in as much as $3m a week. Revelling in his jet set lifestyle of fast cars, luxury yachts and VIP nightclubs, he embarked on an epic rollercoaster of champagne fuelled excess which mirrored that of the extraordinary world of online poker, where hot shot college students won millions from the confines of their dorms, and fortunes were won or lost in seconds.However, Tzvetkoff’s move to the neon splattered underworld of Las Vegas would soon see him facing the abyss. Owing millions to the poker companies, and with the FBI hot on his trail, the tarnished boy wonder needed to pull an ace from his sleeve to keep from busting out. And when he did, it resulted in a day that sent a seismic shockwave through the world of online poker and saw him take the blame.

Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy: A True Story of Discovery, Acting, Health, Illness, Recovery, and Life


Dirk Benedict - 1987
    It also describes his odyssey of self-discovery and growth as he changes from struggling actor to celebrity, from meat eater to vegetarian, from cancer victim to cancer victor. Brilliantly written--insightful, witty, and always challenging-- Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy may change the way you perceive actors, and even make you reconsider the truths in your own life.

Bocas


Thomas M. Barron - 2018
    Does the occasional female tourist ever sleepover? Sure. But that’s nothing compared to PJ’s scorecard. PJ should be registered with the Center for Disease Control.Warm water, cold beers and no Shawna—life couldn’t be better on the island. Until George takes a little road trip to Colombia. Raúl, his boss at the bar, offered him a free ride. He always knew Raúl moved a little bit of cocaine. Who doesn’t? But guns?So… he absolutely should not write Shawna. That clever soul-crushing beauty destroyed him. Maybe it would be OK if she came for just a week? Just one week...

Life After Heaven: How My Time in Heaven Can Transform Your Life on Earth


Steven R. Musick - 2017
    He returned from his near-death experience with new eyes to see the kingdom of heaven in this life. Now he wants to help you experience heaven on earth today. For years Steve Musick kept his amazing story to himself, afraid no one would believe or understand it. A major allergic reaction had stopped his heart, hurling him into a five-week coma and powerful experience of heaven. After returning to life, he couldn't forget the memory of that vibrant place--and, most of all, the loving words and touch of Jesus. But that was only the beginning. An amazing series of miracles, dreams, and other supernatural events had been set in motion, showing Steve that heaven was close, even in this life. God was calling him to discover echoes of heaven in the here and now--echoes that can happen at any moment, to anyone--that bring overwhelming joy. At last Steve is ready to tell the story of his journey of a lifetime--two lifetimes. In it you'll learn the secret of bringing heaven to earth in your everyday world, and how to nurture a relationship with God so real and intimate that you'll feel his nearness as strongly as Steven did. Experience one man's incredible vision of heaven--and learn how to live in God's presence and power in your own life now.

To Hair and Back: My Journey Toward Self-Love One Strand at a Time


Rhonda Eason - 2017
    Raised in a family of women born with tresses suitable for romance novel heroines, Rhonda was apathetic toward her kinky coils, and, in turn, herself. To Hair and Back – My Journey Toward Self-Love One Strand at a Time is a debut memoir that details her quest for the perfect head of hair and the discovery of something far more meaningful. In this endearing personal narrative, she explores the question: If I am not my hair, then who am I? Beginning in a Detroit ghetto and traversing the globe, the author boldly reveals the joy, despair, pride, and public humiliation she experienced while in search of her best self. Through humorous self-introspection, Rhonda uses her passion for hair to explore the dynamics of her relationships, as well as themes of race and gender. To Hair and Back takes the reader on a journey of a child bullied because of her knotty roots through her adventurous life-long crusade in search of the perfect hair. Masked as a need for creativity and a remedy for boredom, Rhonda’s obsession with her ever-changing hairstyles becomes a metaphor that anyone who has ever struggled with issues of self-worth will find relatable.

Tough: Building True Mental, Physical & Emotional Toughness for Success & Fulfillment


Greg Everett - 2021
    Toughness is defined by four interdependent elements: Character-who are you and are you secure in your identity? Capability-what are you able to do? Capacity-what are you able to withstand? And Commitment-what are you willing to do?Being truly tough is a genuine command over ourselves and an ever-increasing mastery of the mental, emotional and physical elements that define us and determine the course of our lives. It gives us the fortitude, mindset and tools to not simply survive adversity, but to thrive through it and in its wake. It gives us a broad and always expanding array of capabilities that create self-reliance and confidence, give us access to new opportunities and experiences, and allows us to contribute more than we consume. It ensures we understand who we truly are, and that we ultimately determine that identity and reinforce it daily with our choices and habits. And true toughness allows us to remain committed to our chosen path to achieve what we intend no matter what it is or how difficult the process.This is not a chest-pounding call for "manly" activity, emotional sterility, and self-flagellation, but a guide to discover and develop our ultimate capacity to withstand adversity, to collect and build the mental and physical tools to accomplish the challenging and incredible, to find security in our identities and the confidence and resilience it engenders, and to become an active and positive contributor to the world at large.Tough is an inspiring look deep into what makes us tough and why it matters, and provides the practical tools and steps to achieve genuine change in your life.

Swing


Ashleigh Renard - 2021
    Feeling disconnected, unappreciated, and like we are doing it all have become hallmarks of modern marriage and parenthood.Swing is helping individuals flip the switch from depleted to filled up in partnership, parenting, and career while inspiring couples to raise the bar for intimacy and communication inside and outside of the bedroom.Hilarious, heartbreaking, and hopeful, Renard takes "doing it all" to a level she never intended, and shares (and bares) it all so you can get your life back on track before you go off the deep end.Waiting in line to use the bathroom in a fancy New York City sex club is just like waiting to use the bathroom anywhere else. Well, anywhere else that people walk around half-naked. And anywhere else that you must send in a headshot and a full-body photo before being added to the invite list. Besides those things, it’s like waiting in line for the bathroom anywhere else. Married for ten years and with three children, Ashleigh and her husband, Manny, are at a sex club, not because they feel there is anything wrong with their marriage, rather they are looking for some relief from the non-stop work and no-nonsense routine they have maintained since meeting right out of college. Their marriage is rock solid. They are masterful tag-team parents and never fight. Their toddlers grow their own vegetables and use coasters. They are hard-core adulting, but everyone deserves a little break sometimes, don’t they? From sex clubs to invite-only parties to dating apps for couples, they rapidly realize they’ve made a slight miscalculation, underestimating the complexities of the lifestyle and overestimating the strength of their marriage. Heartbreaking, hilarious, and hopeful, what will they do when they realize it’s more than a matter of gathering some people and having some sex?

The New Dad's Playbook: Gearing Up for the Biggest Game of Your Life


Benjamin Watson - 2017
    New dads? Not so much. They want to get in the game too, but, says Super Bowl champion Benjamin Watson, "I could find clearer direction for putting together a baby swing than for taking care of a newborn child." The New Dad's Playbook is every man's game plan to being the best partner and the best father, from pre-season (preparing for fatherhood) to Super Bowl (birth) to post-season (after baby is home). It helps men understand what their wives are going through physically and emotionally during and after pregnancy, allowing them to support their most important teammate. It tells men what to expect when their baby is home--and what to do when the unexpected happens. This tell-it-like-it-is book will take men from just winging it to winning it.

Radio Shangri-La: What I Learned in the Happiest Kingdom on Earth


Lisa Napoli - 2010
    When a chance encounter with a handsome stranger presented her with an opportunity to move halfway around the world, Lisa left behind cosmopolitan Los Angeles for a new adventure in the ancient Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan—said to be one of the happiest places on earth.Long isolated from industrialization and just beginning to open its doors to the modern world, Bhutan is a deeply spiritual place, devoted to environmental conservation and committed to the happiness of its people—in fact, Bhutan measures its success in Gross National Happiness rather than in GNP. In a country without a single traffic light, its citizens are believed to be among the most content in the world. To Lisa, it seemed to be a place that offered the opposite of her fast-paced life in the United States, where the noisy din of sound-bite news and cell phones dominate our days, and meaningful conversation is a rare commodity; where everyone is plugged in digitally, yet rarely connects with the people around them.Thousands of miles away from everything and everyone she knows, Lisa creates a new community for herself. As she helps to start Bhutan’s first youth-oriented radio station, Kuzoo FM, she must come to terms with her conflicting feelings about the impact of the medium on a country that had been shielded from its effects. Immersing herself in Bhutan’s rapidly changing culture, Lisa realizes that her own perspective on life is changing as well—and that she is discovering the sense of purpose and joy that she has been yearning for.In this smart, heartfelt, and beautifully written book, sure to please fans of transporting travel narratives and personal memoirs alike, Lisa Napoli discovers that the world is a beautiful and complicated place—and comes to appreciate her life for the adventure it is.

A Colorful Way of Living


Barbara Bradley Baekgaard - 2017
    It was 1982 and all the women could see was a succession of drab, bulky suitcases being lugged through the terminal. When they returned home to Indiana, Barbara and her business partner got out a few Simplicity patterns and a Singer sewing machine and set to work. That first year Vera Bradley sold $10,000 worth of their colorful quilted bags. Today, the company has revenue of over half a billion dollars.Barbara Bradley has a message for women: stop second guessing yourself. Your moment of reinvention is right around the corner. Your potential is endless. It’s never too late—or too early—to redesign your work and life and start again. Whatever it is you’re inspired to do, you can build on what you already know, learn something new, and then go for it!In this book, Barbara Bradley shares the values that help her to thrive in business, health, relationships...and in every aspect of her personal and professional life. They include:Following your strengths / Acknowledging passion as a magic ingredient / Making a friend wherever you go / Being fussy; noticing every detail / Keeping the F in Fun / Making your own luck / Creating a home wherever you go / Leaning on your sisters / And remembering always—there’s enough for everyone.

Hard Times and Holy Places


Kristin Warner Belcher - 2009
    First diagnosed with bi-lateral retinoblastoma at the age of seven months, she had feared blindness since childhood. Ironically, the treatment that had saved her life as a baby was responsible for the radiation- induced cancer that again threatened her life as an adult. Now a wife and mother of two young sons, she faced her greatest challenge. Five major surgeries within the space of five months left her physically and emotionally devastated-- and completely blind. Yet during that horrendous time, Kris discovered moments of spiritual strengthening that became holy places in her life-- places where she could feel the purifying, transforming power of Christ that enabled her to survive and to learn how to live in a world of darkness. Compelling, honest, and at times humorous, her story and the insights she gained will help others find hope and healing in the midst of their own trials.