They sensed that Jesus was "for" them--not against them. When broken, sinful people feel repelled by Christians, we must assess whether our hearts reveal the heart of God or reflect the heart of the Pharisees. Through this engaging study of Jesus's encounters with imperfect people, combined with real-life stories of ordinary people having Christlike impact, readers will learn how to show unshockable love toward those around them.

    The Bible itself reveals the clue--a secret hidden in plain sight. Before launching his Love & Respect marriage ministry with wife Sarah, Emerson was a senior pastor for nearly 20 years in East Lansing Michigan. Before that, Emerson and a friend ran a free counseling center called “The Open Door” in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. As Emerson navigated his career he found both he and the people he was counseling were wrestling with big decisions and knowing if that decision was really what God wanted. Immersing himself in God’s word for over 30 hours a week for 19 years, he discovered simple, clear truths that set him and many others free. There is a starting point to discovering God’s Will for your next decision and for your entire life. Begin here to read stories of people in the same situations you face today. You’ll be able to discover the freedom you’ve been searching for, and then, like Emerson, you’ll help others find that freedom too.

    What not to say. When it is best to remain silent. Or what to do when you ve said something you wish you could now take back.Beyond just a How not to gossip study, Karen will teach what the Bible says about the many ways we are to use our words and the times when we are to remain silent. Using our speech to interact with friends, co-workers, family and strangers will be covered along with the many places we use our words such as in private, in public, online and in prayer. Even the words we say silently to ourselves. Unsolicited opinion-slinging, speaking the truth in love, not saying words just to people-please and dealing with our verbal anger are sub-topics that will also be addressed.Each session will feature a different character from the Bible, using them either as an example of someone to emulate or whose verbal actions we should avoid replicating."

    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.

    It’s time for a clarion call back to the truth.Journey with gifted storyteller Kim Meeder as she encourages women to see that true value is defined by our Creator and that our worth has a purpose of eternal proportions.Real beauty isn’t a look, it’s an action. It can be found by making one crucial, life-defining choice—to lay down personal ambitions and selfish desires, pick up your sword of encouragement, and fight for those who are losing their battle for hope. As you do, fierce beauty is revealed—along with lasting value, fulfillment, and joy.   In Fierce Beauty, Kim shares inspiring true stories from her own life of adventure, love, and loss—including her parents’ shocking death when she was nine years old and her struggles with self acceptance, knowing God, and standing for Him. Through it all, you’ll discover life lessons about trust, transformation, surrender, forgiveness, and genuine purpose.Ultimately, life comes down to one question: Will you serve yourself or your King?              Includes discussion guide for individuals or groups.               “You were not created to be a princess of entitlement            but a warrior, fighting to bring love and hope to the world.”                                         – Kim Meeder

    We measure our worth by what others think of us. We compare and strive, existing mostly for the approval of others. Pressure rises, anxiety creeps in and we hustle to keep up.Jesus whispers, I gave my life to set you free. I gave you purpose. I called you to live in freedom in that purpose. Yet we still hobble through life, afraid to confess all the ways we push against this truth, because we can’t even believe it. We continue to grasp for the approval of anyone that will offer it: whether strangers, friends, or community.Christ doesn’t say you can be or may be or will be free. He says you are free. Dare you believe it?In You Are Free, Rebekah invites you to:• Overcome the exhaustion of trying to meet the expectations of others and rest in the joy God’s freedom brings.• Release stress, anxiety and worry, to uncover the peace that comes from abiding in His presence.• Find permission to grieve past experiences, confess areas of brokenness, and receive strength in your journey towards healing.• Throw off self-condemnation, burn superficial masks and step boldly into what our good God has for you.• Discover the courage to begin again and use your newfound freedom to set others free.Freedom is for everyone who wants it—the lost, the wounded, and those weary from all of the striving. It’s for those who gave up trying years ago. It’s for those angry and hurt, brilliant and burnt by the Christian song and dance. You are the church, the people of God. You were meant to be free.

    . . and move past the lies and fears holding you backFigure out what makes you tick and own it confidentlyGather all your grit, learned lessons, and tools because it's all valuableImagine the life you dream of and decide how to make it happenLove your people well so that you create a lasting legacyClear the clutter and cultivate clarity so you can do what matters mostDo the hard work without forgetting to feed your soulA stunning foiled cover, beautiful photography, ribbon marker, and presentation page make Growing Boldly:A thoughtful gift for a friend or family memberPerfect for Mother's Day, birthdays, or holidaysA let's-get-rolling encouragement incentive for yourselfEmily Ley has shown us how to give ourselves grace in Grace, Not Perfection, how to simplify our lives in A Simplified Life, and how to replace busyness with true connection in When Less Becomes More. Now for the first time, Emily draws on her own story of creating a highly successful business--and loving the process--as she teaches us how to move forward in our own vocations and serve others at the same time. This is the start of something good. Get ready to build a life you love.

    Most of us are clueless at praying. Why is that? And how come we've never done anything about it? In Confessions of a Prayer Slacker, author Diane Moody traces her own personal prayer journey with a touch of humor and a healthy dose of transparency. ''I want my readers to stop the merry-go-round of prayerlessness, quit acting like a bunch of spiritual babies, and get serious about this thing called prayer. Without it, we'll never experience the warm, one-on-one relationship God desires to have with each one of us.''

    Tony Evans wants to encourage you to live fully where you are.Kingdom Single will encourage you to see yourself as complete in Christ and free to serve Him. It will empower you to live as Kingdom men and women in a corrupt culture.Tony Evans is a much-loved pastor and known for his sense of knowing when to encourage and when to lovingly admonish, to help people become who God calls them to be. If you are single and reading this book--or if you lead or pastor singles--your identity in Christ will be affirmed. Additionally, you will receive coaching for what to look for in a prospective spouse, and be challenged to live godly lives while pursuing Kingdom causes.

     Using the 21 prayers will open your eyes to the unseen, draw you into God's presence, unlock conversations with God, keep you hopeful, banish fear and doubt, bring your clarity and experience miracles.

    Lose It for Life is a uniquely balanced program that not only deals with the physical issues of overeating but also focuses on the emotional, mental, and often-missed spiritual factors related to weight loss to help readers achieve permanent results.

    With fresh biblical insight tracing all the way back to Eve and a treasury of practical application, Jess and Hayley reveal how women today can walk in the true liberty we already have in Jesus.Because you don’t have to be everything to everyone. You don’t have to try so hard to button it up and hold it together. And you certainly don’t have to quiet the voice that God gave you when he created you to sing. Wild and Free will help you shake off the lies of insecurity in your life, and step forward to maximize your God-given influence for his glory and the world’s good.

    But on April 27, 2011 everything changed. An EF4 tornado ripped through the small college town and changed it forever. Carson Tinker, the starting long snapper for the 2011 and 2012 National Champion Crimson Tide, was among those forever changed by the events of April 27. Tinker lost his girlfriend Ashley Harrison to the storm, but not his faith. In the midst of unfathomable destruction, Tinker saw love, companionship, perseverance, and triumph in a community torn apart by a natural disaster. Where everyone else saw tragedy, Carson Tinker saw blessing. Following the storm, the Crimson Tide suited up to face their most challenging season to date. Tinker’s personal story guides readers through what cannot be described any other way than a season to remember.

    Through the author's honest (and sometimes funny) examination of these sins in her own life, as well as Church teaching, she gives us the tools to kick these bad habits before they kick us.

    Perhaps you have a hard time managing your temper or have someone in your life you just can't forgive. We deal with our "issues" every day in one form or another; the problem is, after a while, they start to feel . . . normal. Unchanging. Just part of who we are. And we forget that we have access to the power of Christ--a power that can transform our everyday weaknesses into our greatest strengths and gifts.In "She's Got Issues," Christian counselor, ministry leader, and regular mom Nicole Unice explores the ordinary issues that are keeping you from the full and free life you were meant to have. Applying years of counseling with practical scriptural teaching and a fresh and authentic voice, Nicole shows you how to let God freely shape your character--and transform your life from ordinary to abundant.