Yet we drift into feeling that our daily lives are the product of our own efforts. This book brims with penetrating stories and insights that show us otherwise. From a chance encounter in a ticket line to a beloved father's final word before dying, from a random phone call to a line in a Scripture reading, every detail of life is woven into its perfect place. In The Grand Weaver, Dr. Zacharias examines our backgrounds, our disappointments, our triumphs, and our beliefs, and explains how they are all part of the intentional and perfect work of the Grand Weaver.Also available: unabridged audio CD.

    Shelly Miller, a sought-after mentor on Sabbath-keeping, shows how even busy people can implement a rhythm of rest into their lives--from small windows of time to a whole morning or day. With encouraging stories from people in different stages in life, Miller shares practical advice for not only finding physical refreshment but also restoring your soul. You will learn:· Simple ways to be intentional about rest· Ideas for tuning out distractions and tuning in to God· How meals and other times with friends and family can be Sabbath experiencesSabbath is a gift from God to be embraced, not a spiritual hoop to jump through. Discover how genuine rest is possible today.Praise for Rhythms of Rest:"Into our culture of chronic tiredness comes a fresh voice in Shelly Miller. This book breaks all your preconceived notions about Sabbath. She makes rest not only obtainable but also the option you'll pick first from a full agenda."-Mark Batterson, New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker and lead pastor of National Community Church"Shelly Miller writes from her soul--one that has been seeking rest in the midst of heavy transition and the busyness of life. She shares with honesty and beauty what she has discovered. What you learn will help you love God more deeply."-Margaret Feinberg, author of Live Loved and Fight Back With Joy"I didn't realize how thirsty my soul was for rest until I read this stunning book. Shelly Miller has found a secret door that leads to true rest--a door discovered right in plain sight--and with exquisite prose, she invites you to walk inside. Don't miss this book."-Jennifer Dukes Lee, author of The Happiness Dare and Love Idol"Learning to practice Sabbath has been transformational in my life. It has led me out of striving and simply surviving into deeper grace, joy, and peace. Shelly Miller is extending an invitation straight from the heart of God himself that we all need more than ever in our busy world."-Holley Gerth, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of You're Already Amazing"For a generation fatigued by the abuse of hurry, Shelly Miller casts a hopeful vision of what life could look like if we learned to receive Sabbath as a gift rather than a rule. Rhythms of Rest offers a relieved exhale for the weary, worn-out soul. I'm deeply grateful for this message."-Emily P. Freeman, author of Simply Tuesday: Small-Moment Living in a Fast-Moving World"This book is a labor of love and a gift to all who desire deeper engagement with God's blessing of rest through Sabbath. Weaving personal story with scriptural insight, Shelly writes with a rhythm that gently guides your soul to slow down . . . notice . . . breathe . . . be. Through the years, Shelly has cultivated an online community of faithful friends who practice Sabbath with intentionality. This book brings that community to you and invites you in, with arms wide open."-Deidra Riggs, author of Every Little Thing and One: Unity in a Divided World"Set aside your to-do list. Put off the errands. Ignore the pile of laundry and the dusty mantel. Shelly Miller's Rhythms of Rest offers both a delightful respite and life-transforming wisdom you can't afford to miss. Awaken to the gift of Sabbath--God's invitation to rest in him. Let Rhythms of Rest be your first step in answering yes."-Michelle DeRusha, author of Spiritual Misfit and 50 Women Every Christian Should Know"In Rhythms of Rest, Shelly Miller invites us into more than a Sabbath. She invites us into Jesus' heart. She reminds us that rest is really a state of being: of belonging, of knowing we are loved. In a culture wearied by the rat race, Miller's poetic voice is a much-needed breath of life."-Emily T. Wierenga, founder of The Lulu Tree, a nonprofit based on radical rest, and author of Atlas Girl and Making It Home"Shelly Miller is the rest mentor you didn't even realize you were looking for."-Myquillyn Smith, author of The Nesting Place and co-founder of Hope Writers"Rhythms of Rest is a lyrical, beautiful invitation to experience the peace of heart so many of us desperately crave but can't seem to find. I thought a book on the subject of Sabbath might be a sleeper, but Miller manages to captivate the reader in refreshing and surprising ways. I loved this book!"-Heather Kopp, author of Sober Mercies: How Love Caught Up With a Christian Drunk

    To be single, we often think, is to be alone and spiritually hindered.But the Bible paints a very different picture of singleness: it is a positive gift and blessing from God. This book seeks to help Christians--married and unmarried alike--value singleness as a gift from God so that we can all encourage singles to take hold of the unique opportunities their singleness affords and see their role in the flourishing of the church as a whole.

    T. Wright, are the very echoes of a voice we dimly perceive but deeply long to hear. In fact, these questions take us to the heart of who God is and what He wants from us.For two thousand years, Christianity has claimed to solve these mysteries, and this renowned biblical scholar and Anglican bishop shows that it still can today. Not since C. S. Lewis's classic summary of the faith, Mere Christianity, has such a wise and thorough scholar taken the time to explain to anyone who wants to know what Christianity really is and how it is practiced. Wright makes the case for Christian faith from the ground up, assuming that the reader has no knowledge of (and perhaps even some aversion to) religion in general and Christianity in particular.Simply Christian walks the reader through the Christian faith step by step and question by question. With simple yet exciting and accessible prose, Wright challenges skeptics by offering explanations for even the toughest doubt-filled dilemmas, leaving believers with a reason for renewed faith. For anyone who wants to travel beyond the controversies that can obscure what the Christian faith really stands for, this simple book is the perfect vehicle for that journey.

    The life of a woman today isn't really all that different from that of Mary and Martha in the New Testament. Like Mary, you long to sit at the Lord's feet...but the daily demands of a busy world just won't leave you alone. Like Martha, you love Jesus and really want to serve him...yet you struggle with weariness, resentment, and feelings of inadequacy. Then comes Jesus, right into the midst of your busy Mary/Martha life-and he extends the same invitation he issued long ago to the two sisters of Bethany. Tenderly he invites you to choose "the better part"-a joyful life of "living-room" intimacy with him that flows naturally into "kitchen service" for him. How can you make that choice? With her fresh approach to the familiar Bible story and its creative, practical strategies, Joanna shows how all of us -Marys and Marthas alike- can draw closer to our Lord, deepening our devotion, strengthening our service, and doing both with less stress and greater joy. This book includes a twelve-week Bible study. Also look for the ten-week DVD study pack companion product to this book, which includes three DVDs and a separate, revised and expanded study guide.

    We thought so, but most of us unwittingly carried an old, dead outlook into our new life. We couldn't measure up to the standard we created, so we convinced ourselves it was God's. We read his words through our grid of shame and felt ourselves fall farther and farther behind. We took it out on each other; judging, comparing, faking, splintering. Some of us retreated from the whole charade, becoming cynical, mistrusting, jaded from hope. Our marriages, churches, families, friendships, our marketplaces, our culture... they all need the cure. But God's cures rarely come in the form we expect. What if, indeed, God is not who we think he is... and neither are we?

    Whether you're coping with loss, making a major decision, or facing a fear, 100 Days to Brave will give you courage and confidence to move forward. With honesty and relatable humor, New York Times bestselling author Annie F. Downs invites you to embrace the path and plan God has for you. Stop allowing your fears to hold you back. Face them head on with 100 Days to Brave as your devotional guide to walking the road to your most courageous self.Dare to spend the next 100 days discovering how to:Experience personal growth, navigate difficult transitions, and overcome anxietyConquer your fear so it doesn't hold you backEstablish daily habits to keep you mentally strongImpacting 400,000 individuals and families, 100 Days to Brave is for:Women (and men, too) of all agesIndividuals wanting to ignite hope in their lifeDevotions by yourself, with a small group, or a youth groupGifts of self-care and self-discoveryBirthday gifts, Mother's Day, National Best Friends Day, and holiday givingAs a society, we are going through a lot! With anxiety and loneliness at all-time highs, it's important that you take the next 100 days to discover that you are braver than you know and stronger than you thought possible.Look for additional inspirational books from Annie:Let's All Be BravePerfectly UniqueSpeak Love

    It never causes trouble or demands a response. When asked, “Do you believe in grace?” who could say no? Bestselling author and pastor Max Lucado helps us dive deeper into what it means to be changed by grace. God’s grace has a drenching about it. A wildness about it. A white-water, riptide, turn-you-upside-downness about it. Grace comes after you. It rewires you.In this book, you will learn:Grace is everything JesusYou belong to JesusJesus lives in youYou will increasingly grow more like JesusThere is nothing you can do to get grace—grace gets youGrace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off. Have you been shaped, emboldened, and softened by grace? Let’s make certain grace gets you.

    This is a call for those whose hearts burn to see it revived— who burn with reformation’s fire. Who long to see the purity of worship restored and the Lord’s house of prayer once again reflect the fullness of His glory and the wonders of His heart. The Reset is not simply a book on worship, it’s an appeal to the broader worshiping community to once again re-order their lives and practices in accordance with the sacred and priestly calling they were given and zealously return to the heart of worship.

    The once dominant faith is now facing rapidly declining church attendance, waning political influence, and an abysmal public perception. More than 76% of Americans self-identify as Christians, but many today are ashamed to carry the label.  While many Christians are bemoaning their faith’s decline, Gabe Lyons is optimistic that Christianity’s best days are yet to come. In the wake of the stunning research from his bestselling book, unChristian, which revealed the growing disenchantment among young generations for Christians, Lyons has witnessed the beginnings of a new iteration of the faith. Marked by Lyons’ brutal honesty and unvarying generosity, Lyons exposes a whole movement of Christians—Evangelicals, Mainline, Protestants, Orthodox, Pentecostals, and others—who desire to be a force for restoration even as they proclaim the Christian Gospel. They want the label Christian to mean something good, intelligent, authentic, and beautiful. The next generation of Christians, Lyons argues, embodies six revolutionary characteristics: “When Christians incorporate these characteristics throughout the fabric of their lives, a fresh, yet orthodox way of being Christian springs forth. The death of yesterday becomes the birth of a great tomorrow. The end of an era becomes a beautiful new beginning. In this way, the end of Christian America becomes good news for Christians.” In THE NEXT CHRISTIANS, Lyons disarms readers by speaking as a candid observer rather than cultural crusader. Where other people shout, Lyons speaks in a measured tone offering helpful analysis of our current reality while casting a vision for how to be a Christian in a world disenchanted with the faith. Both a celebration and a reckoning, THE NEXT CHRISTIANS combines current day models and relevant research with stories of a new generation of Christian leaders. If you are worried by what you see transpiring around you, this book will take you on a surprising social exploration in hopes that you too will restore confidence in your faith.

    Houston desires that each of his readers come to know the cause of Christ. His Cause, he says, is the key that opens us to new places of vision, passion, strength, and reason for living.

     In what can be termed lyrical theology, Jesus for President poetically weaves together words and images to sing (rather than dictate) its message. It is a collaboration of Shane Claiborne's writing and stories, Chris Haw's reflections and research, and Chico Fajardo-Heflin's art and design. Drawing upon the work of biblical theologians, the lessons of church history, and the examples of modern-day saints and ordinary radicals, Jesus for President stirs the imagination of what the Church could look like if it placed its faith in Jesus instead of Caesar. A fresh look at Christianity and empire, Jesus for President transcends questions of "Should I vote or not?" and "Which candidate?" by thinking creatively about the fundamental issues of faith and allegiance. It's written for those who seek to follow Jesus, rediscover the spirit of the early church, and incarnate the kingdom of God.

    "When someone tells me yet another horror story about the church, I respond, 'Oh, it's even worse than that. Let me tell you my story.'I have spent most of my life in recovery from the church."Yancey acknowledges that many spiritual seekers find few answers and little solace in the institutional church. "I have met many people, and heard from many more, who have gone through a similar process of mining truth from their religious past: Roman Catholics who flinch whenever they see a nun or priest, former Seventh Day Adventists who cannot drink a cup of coffee without a stab of guilt, Mennonites who worry whether wedding rings give evidence of worldliness."How did Yancey manage to survive spiritually despite early encounters with a racist, legalistic church that he now views as almost cultic? In this, his most soul-searching book yet, he probes that very question. He tells the story of his own struggle to reclaim belief, interwoven with inspiring portraits of notable people from all walks of life, whom he calls his spiritual directors. Soul Survivor is his tribute to thirteen remarkable individuals, mentors who transformed his life and work.Besides recalling their effect on him, Yancey also provides fresh glimpses of the lives and faith journeys of each one. From the scatterbrained journalist G. K. Chesterton to the tortured novelists Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, to contemporaries such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Annie Dillard, and Robert Coles, Yancey gives inspiring portraits of those who modeled for him a life-enhancing rather than a life-constricting faith."I became a writer, I now believe, to sort out and reclaim words used and misused by the Christians of my youth," Yancey says. "These are the people who ushered me into the Kingdom. In many ways they are why I remain a Christian today, and I want to introduce them to other spiritual seekers."Soul Survivor offers illuminating insights that will enrich the lives of veteran believers and cautious seekers alike. Yancey's own story, unveiled here as never before, is a beacon for those who seek to rejuvenate their faith, and for those who are still longing for something to have faith in.

    Richard Rohr seeks to help readers understand the tasks of the two halves of life and to show them that those who have fallen, failed, or gone down are the only ones who understand up. Most of us tend to think of the second half of life as largely about getting old, dealing with health issues, and letting go of life, but the whole thesis of this book is exactly the opposite. What looks like falling down can largely be experienced as falling upward. In fact, it is not a loss but somehow actually a gain, as we have all seen with elders who have come to their fullness.Explains why the second half of life can and should be full of spiritual richness Offers a new view of how spiritual growth happens?loss is gain Richard. Rohr is a regular contributing writer for Sojourners and Tikkun magazines This important book explores the counterintuitive message that we grow spiritually much more by doing wrong than by doing right.

    Giving practical advice on how life together in Christ can be sustained in families and groups, Life Together is bread for all who are hungry for the real life of Christian fellowship.