Here is straight talk from a man who has sought authentic New Testament community for more than fifty years and who has discovered it in the most unlikely places.

    The screaming match she had with her grandmother was the reason she went to church. What she found there was the Reason she is alive today.With raw vulnerability, this hard rock princess tells her own story of physical abuse, drug use, suicide attempts, and more--and her ultimate salvation. She asks the hard questions so many young people are asking--Why am I here? Why am I empty? Why should I go on living?--showing readers that beyond the temporary highs and the soul-crushing lows there is a reason they exist and a purpose for their lives. She not only gives readers a peek down the rocky path that led her to become a vocalist in a popular hardcore band, but she shows them that the same God is guiding their steps today.

    Building on the success of his first collection, Ascending with Both Feet on the Ground, Brown has put together another wondrous book, this time including many of his most profound love and relationship quotes with the reader. With a writing style that is unforgettably unique, he reminds us of the magnificent life that awaits us. And with grounded wisdoms that enhearten and elevate, he reminds us that we are never alone in this beautifully relational human dance. We become the love we have received, and we love it forward to those we touch.In an era when readers often have little time to read entire books, this brilliantly hearticulated collection of wisdoms will immediately engage your interest. And, as an added bonus, he has included some of his most inspiring blogs in the collection, including ‘You are Sacred Purpose’, ‘Apologies to my (sweet) body’, and some of the poignant inspirations he wrote for ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’. Love It Forward is a fantastic gift book and the perfect companion for anyone seeking support on their quest for a more authentic and meaningful life.EARLY PRAISE FOR LOVE IT FORWARD… “Love It Forward offers readers delicious wisdom and uplifting insights about everyday life and what really matters, like love, for instance. This book is delightful.”—CAROLINE MYSS, Author of Anatomy of the Spirit and Sacred Contracts ***“An exciting, vibrant, juicy, challenging book by one of our bravest and most illumined writers, a Lion in the making.”—ANDREW HARVEY, author of The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism ***

    Exploring nature as a tool for learning about the spiritual self, this title offers a narrative of the author's wilderness adventures, and provides exercises for turning off the conscious mind and achieving enlightenment.

    If you've ever been curious about the ancient spiritual practice of pilgrimage, come along with Lori Erickson as she explores a dozen holy sites around the world. Travel writer, Episcopal deacon, and author of the Holy Rover blog at Patheos, Erickson is an engaging guide for pilgrims eager to take a spiritual journey. Both irreverent and devout, Holy Rover describes travels that changed her life and can change yours, too.

    In this beautiful book best-selling author Joan Chittister and celebrated artist John August Swanson together reclaim the ancient story of Ruth as a model for contemporary women seeking a fully spiritual life.In concert with Swanson's rich and evocative art, Chittister's graceful prose explores, through this powerful biblical story, a series of twelve defining moments in every woman's life — moments of loss, change, transformation, aging, independence, respect, recognition, insight, empowerment, selfdefinition, invisibility, and fulfillment.A lovely blend of art and text, The Story of Ruth offers inspiration for women seeking wholeness and presents compelling devotional images for eyes and mind alike.

    During a series of complicated operations, weeks in critical condition, and months in slow recovery, he was brought face to face with his own mortality. As he lay dying and, as it turned out, recovering, he found that despite his faith he had been quite unprepared for the experience. This book traces his efforts to understand his own reactions and those of his friends and family, and explores how we as a culture understand and deal with death. As I Lay Dying testifies that dying is-and is not-part of living. We can and should live our dying. Neuhaus interweaves his own story with thoughtful inquiry, circling through philosophy, psychology, literature, theology, and his own experiences to create provocative meditations that explore the many aspects of dying: the private and public experience, the separation of the soul from the body, grief, surrender, and mourning. The result is a book that shakes the foundations of our being-and yet is oddly and convincingly tranquil.

    But she was a woman with a will whose strength has been matched by few souls in history. Mother Teresa broke death’s stranglehold on the poor of Calcutta, and she showed us how to conquer the sin and darkness in what she called the “slums of the hearts of modern man.” Part biography and part spiritual reading, these pages bring to light little-known stories from Mother Teresa’s life that will help you to grow in your love of God. You will learn her approach to reading Scripture, what enabled her to persevere through agonizing nights, and the remarkable — some would say mystical — events that led her to start the Missionaries of Charity. In considering Mother Teresa, her private visions, and her secret sufferings, David Scott has discovered scores of early episodes and chance encounters that point to later, larger meanings. These remarkable patterns, he suggests, show that Mother Teresa’s life was choreographed from above, as if a divine script had been written for her from before her birth. In these pages, you will meet for the first time the Mother Teresa who challenged the ancient Goddess of Death and became the first saint of our global village. You will read as she describes, in long-secret letters, the dark night of her soul. The woman you will meet is one that God himself sent to you as a clear sign that despite pain and suffering in our lives and in our world, God’s good love will prevail . . . beginning in the slums of our hearts. We are all called to holiness, and the saints are sent to us as “real life” examples of God’s love. With Mother Teresa as your guide, you’ll learn how to follow God’s call and find holiness in a world marked by the shadow of death and growing indifference to God. Indeed, you’ll learn how to be an everyday missionary of Christ’s love in the ordinary activities of your daily life.

    Based on his own experience and the stories of his patients, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. At the heart of his theory, known as logotherapy, is a conviction that the primary human drive is not pleasure but the pursuit of what we find meaningful. Man's Search for Meaning has become one of the most influential books in America; it continues to inspire us all to find significance in the very act of living.

    In December 1999, we learned that the teenage killers specifically targeted Rachel Scott and mocked her Christian faith on their chilling, homemade videotapes. Rachel Scott died for her faith. Now her parents talk about Rachel's life and how they have found meaning in their daughter's martyrdom in the aftermath of the school shooting. "Rachel's Tears" comes from a heartfelt need to celebrate this young girl's life, to work through the grief and the questions of a nation, and to comfort those who have been touched by violence in our schools today. Using excerpts and drawings from Rachel's own journals, her parents offer a spiritual perspective on the Columbine tragedy and provide a vision of hope for preventing youth violence across the nation.

    Readers learn that the people in their lives, including their parents and children, are present at their request, motivated by love to play roles that were scripted before birth. These remarkable stories of pre-birth planning by the soul help readers to replace anger, guilt and blame with forgiveness, acceptance, and peace; use their challenges in a more conscious manner to foster their spiritual growth; and deepen their appreciation of life as a soul-expanding, evolutionary process. The touching, heartfelt stories in this book speak to our enternal longing to know...why?

    The media focused attention at once on the unexpected phenomenon of darkness in the life of the saint, the astonishing revelation that, for decades, Mother Teresa had struggled mightily with belief in God. To some, this seemed to lend support to the arguments of the “new atheists.” But what we are offered in this beautiful book is, at last, a serious grappling with the deeper meaning of her darkness, a work of sharp and unusual insight, written by someone who knew her.In this intimate look at her “private writings,” Paul Murray illumines the meaning of a life which is only now beginning to be understood.I Loved Jesus in the Night is one priest’s compelling account of meeting with the saint of Calcutta. Sharing anecdotes and first-hand experiences, Paul Murray offers a glimpse into why Mother Teresa could declare, in one of her letters, that if ever she were to “become a saint,” she would surely be one of “darkness.”This very personal yet powerful book is an attempt to come to terms with the dark night experiences endured by Mother Teresa in the light of the Gospel and the mystical teachings of St John of the Cross. And something else as well...revelations of Mother Teresa’s sense of humor!

    He is a man whose presence and grace have touched and transformed millions of followers all over the world—from Bangalore to Bosnia, Surinam to South Africa, Tamil Nadu to Trinidad.  A tireless traveler, he has addressed the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and bright young minds at Harvard University. In a world torn with strife, he has carried the eternal message of love and revival of human values. Wherever he goes, people from all walks of life—homemakers, chiefs of industry, politicians, and film stars—seek his blessings and advice. Amazingly, he manages to make each one feel special and cherished. Who is this playfully profound, childlike, ever-smiling guru whose avowed mission is to “put a smile on the face of every person he meets”? He is Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the international Art of Living Foundation, with centers in more than 140 countries of the world. This book offers you hitherto-unpublished material about his childhood, his adolescence, his spiritual development, his organization, and his Healing Breath Workshop. He has devised the Sudershan Kriya, a transformative process that has miraculous healing powers. This is a man who practices no religion but teaches, through example, the meaning if true spirituality: being ever-joyful!

    In telling the story of one master’s training and evolution in the Himalayas and his subsequent mission to his countrymen, the author enlightens you on the essence of India’s culture, philosophy and religion. His story will surely educate you, inspire you, and broaden your horizons of the meaning of life.The Swami spent five years in the Himalayas under the tutelage of two incredible Masters of live, as different as day and night. Although both were scholars of the scriptures, their manifestation was unique. One was an incredible streak of light and energy who traveled India teaching, then created a huge ashram center to serve all of humanity. The other was a quiet contemplative recluse who sang inspirational songs and taught only a few students.Swami Chinmayananda appeared on the scene at an appropriate time in Indian history. The British had just left the country with no one trained to take the helm of State. The British had taken all the top government positions. In addition, they had curtailed any industrial development; the Empire was about having consumers for British products. The Indians had lost their moorings: economically, spiritually and personally. To these countrymen, beaten down by 150 years of British rule, repression and slavery, the Swami gave a message of hope. He worked relentlessly for about 40 years to bring about a spiritual revival in India and abroad. His unique style and logical approach was appreciated by everyone from college students to bankers to priests—both Hindu and Christian.By teaching directly the wisdom of their ancient scriptures, he gave the listeners confidence and inspiration to move forward in business and in creating charitable endeavors for the uplifting of the downtrodden of the country. Through 200 centers in India, his devotees have built and operate schools, hospitals and clinics, nursing homes, retirement homes and training centers for nurses and teachers, as well as spiritual training centers.This story of the legacy of one of the most influential persons in the modern history of Hinduism is sure to surprise you, amaze you—and inspire you.

    Until one intense night in the Jamaican Blue Mountains that allowed him to see himself in the mirror of grace, changing everything. The Secret Life of a Fool is Andrew Palau's unforgettable journey of running from God -- and the crushing, freeing experience of coming back to Him. It is a story of getting high, burning up cars, being stranded in Europe, surviving a near-fatal plane crash, and utter despair overcome by simple grace and a father's love, expressed in excerpted letters throughout this book.