We hide behind the hum of busyness to escape intimate friendships with the women God has placed in our lives. But we do want a seat at the table. We yearn for authentic relationships and the opportunity to be the opposite of "fine" with people who cheer for us. But comparison, envy, and entitlement often stop us from pulling out a chair at the table. Friendship can be hard, making new friends even harder, and maintaining genuine friendship the hardest of all. In this 7-session Bible study, Lisa-Jo Baker and friends from (in)courage explore our relationship with Jesus as the ultimate model for authentic friendship. Nothing shapes us like the impact of a friend--it's how Jesus radically and intimately connects with us. So instead of chasing perfection, overcome your fear of being known and find the courage to connect.Features: Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groupsPersonal study segments with homework to complete between 7 weeks of group sessionsBenefits: Explore your relationship with Jesus as a model for friendship.Debunk the myth of effortless friendship.Overcome the fear of knowing and being known.Stop running from friendship and find the courage to connect.

    His horse had dropped from a jog to a walk as he neared the fence. His eyes could be seen now. They were summing up what he saw in front of him."He doesn't look the kind that takes orders easily," Gerry said. "What do you say, Bill? Do we offer him a job?"Something about the man stirred her. There was a personal magnetism that was hard to define. Perhaps it was his eyes. They were hard, clear and compelling."We'll offer him the courtesy of billy tea," Bill said quietly. "Then we'll see how he makes out."Looking at the stranger, Gerry had a queer feeling that it would be he who saw who was making out.

    Now Towns digs deeper into one of the most popular forms of fasting today, the Daniel Fast. With an emphasis on a healthy, simple diet, The Daniel Fast is named after the prophet Daniel who participated in a partial fast for spiritual purposes. Daniel was taken captive into Babylon when he was 16 years old. The Babylonian king wanted the young prophet to help him administer his rule over the captive Jews—and he wanted to “Babylon-ize” Daniel, to make the young man of God more like him. The first step the king took in his campaign was to provide a sumptuous feast to tempt Daniel—food fit for a king— basically fattening comfort foods. In response, the prophet refrained from the king’s table, choosing instead to eat only vegetables and to drink only water. He honored God over the king. Dr. Elmer Towns introduces readers to the spiritual, physical and mental basics of the Daniel Fast, coaching them through either a 10-day or 21-day period of renewal, and he includes original Daniel Fast recipes created by executive chef John P. Perkins. Dr. Towns addresses practical questions, such as what to eat and when, as well as how to pray effectively. Readers will learn how to encounter God during their fast, how to worship through self-discipline and how to pray for specific answers. They will also explore the role of weeping, repentance and spiritual warfare in their life of faith. Daniel is a model to God’s people of someone who chooses spiritual nourishment over bodily satisfaction, in The Daniel Fast for Spiritual Breakthrough, God’s people can learn to follow his example.

    In her authoritative style, Cindy Trimm helps you achieve victory over your circumstances through spoken declarations that activate God’s power. This inspiring devotional, based on her best-selling book, gives you prayers and dynamic teaching that will empower your day. You will put meaning and purpose back into your life when you positively direct your thoughts, words, and actions toward the realization of your goals. Begin each day by commanding your morning. As you do, know that whatever begins with God and His principles has to end right.

    It's an approach that can truly transform the spiritual lives of young people by applying the same one-to-one personal method that Jesus Himself used to form his twelve original disciples . . . only one of whom was lost!Fritz has worked with countless parishes, helping them make the shift to a small-group discipleship structure. You'll learn to avoid the many pitfalls and common mistakes parishes make, as well as ways you can easily build the volunteer base needed for a successful transition.He will help you create a comfortable environment that leads young people into self-reflection, as well as the critical role parents and the parish community play in youth formation.Finally, Fritz shares various resources that can help you accomplish your goal. But he warns: you're not running a program that has been pre-developed. Relationships and mentoring make disciples; programs do not.If you're troubled by the number of young people in your parish who leave the Faith year after year, then open these illuminating pages and learn the art of forming young disciples.

    But as a 43-year-old divorcee with an empty nest staring me in the face, I can hardly say no when my mama finally breaks down and does the impossible. She asks for help.I expect to lend a hand with running the family business.Instead, I end up inheriting witch powers and a magical family legacy.My mama's been hiding a secret for my whole life. The merciless gods and goddesses from Ancient Rome are trapped in my hometown... Unfortunately for me, I'm the only thing standing between them and all hell breaking loose…With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, I’ve only got three weeks to solve the mystery of why my Earth witch powers don't work.Saving the world won’t be easy. Of course, neither is being a middle-aged woman.I might be midlife, but sugar, I’m just getting started!Dive into this paranormal women's fiction story about midlife women, mythical gods, and the magic that happens when life forces you to change.

    

    Grace and Joshua have struck out on their own to help bring Leah to the Tiller farm, and Ian suspects that what they have experienced is only the beginning of a massive offensive. Will the family finally reunite, or are they fighting a war that they will never win? Book 3 of the Worst Case Scenario series, Invasion, will answer these questions and leave you wondering just who is the real enemy.

    Based on the remarkable story of `The U-boat that lost its Nerve'(formerly a radio play by James Follett) , U-700 is an account of the surrender of a U-boat (actually U-570) to an RAF Hudson during World War II and the subsequent illegal court martial of the U-boat's first officer by his fellow officers in a POW camp.

    He will know heartache, love, and violence. He will be falsely accused of kidnapping and his fame will spread around the world. He will live through the same events that shaped your life such as 9/11 and the recession years post-2008. Then it will all end in Easter 2017…or will it?

    

    He shows you how to let go of the anxiety-producing areas of life in order to find the lasting peace that comes from trusting God. During the season of Lent, Catholics and other Christians frequently give up something they enjoy as a measure of penance or self-discipline—and often fall back into old habits at the first “Alleluia!” In Give Up Worry for Lent!, Zimak offers fellow worriers practical, scripture-centered advice on how to relinquish the need to control the uncontrollable—not just for Lent but for good—and how to find peace in Christ. From Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, Zimak guides you to ponder a scripture passage and to apply it to your own life by following four simple steps: read reflect respond pray As you continue to meditate on scripture and practice the simple action steps at the end of each reflection, you will find it easier to replace old worries with new messages of hope and to change your life forever.

    In this honest Advent devotional, best-selling progressive Christian author John Pavlovitz reminds us that God came to meet us in the low places of our lives — and that Jesus continues to come low this Advent season. When we plant our feet firmly in the dirt of everyday life, we see Jesus meeting us in the low places: when we live humbly, when we seek forgiveness, in our grief and suffering, when we act on behalf of someone else, when we pray. As we walk the road of Advent, Jesus reminds us the invitation is not to escape this world to an elevated Heaven somewhere else, but to bring Heaven down. “God with us” is Jesus, getting low. Each devotional includes a scripture and Advent reflection on Jesus meeting us on the ground.

    Great falls from ministry don't just happen either. A complex mix of factors both internal and external test the limits of your ability to minister wholeheartedly over the long haul. Senior pastor Brad Hoffmann and licensed professional counselor Michael Todd Wilson work with pastors removed from their place of service. The common experiences of these pastors revealed patterns that consistently contributed to burnout, ineffectiveness and moral failure. If such patterns can be predicted, the authors reasoned, can they be prevented?Preventing Ministry Failure is a personal guidebook for pastors and other caregivers to prepare them to withstand common pressures and to flourish in the ministry God has called them to. Work through the exercises and reflections individually or in conversation with your peers, and you'll find yourself better equipped for the challenges of vocational ministry, and more conscious of the presence of God leading you on and restoring your soul.

    However, as anyone who's ever been down can attest to, getting back up can often be difficult without a helping hand... But what if all the hands around you only want to push you down further?It was the summer of 1976, and a time when most young women were enjoying the kinds of summer loves they would cherish forever with a farewell song. Keri, however, was struggling just to find a man whose arms could be relied upon for comfort, as opposed to violence.At the mercy of some suitably unsuitable suitors, her life had become a whirlwind of uncertainty. One minute, she found herself living on an all-male commune; the next, shacked up with a doe-eyed gent in the country. And without any money or family to support her, she knew tomorrow's pillow might always be a strange one. Eventually though, something had to change. Chaos is the bedfellow of destruction after all. And sure enough, one day she woke up, and by the time she went to sleep that night, her life had transformed forever…One of her admirers had asked for her hand in marriage. Not an uncommon thing at the time, but still a bolt from the blue considering her perpetual state of flux. And despite her mother’s quite ironic misgivings about the candidate’s character and background, Keri accepted, and began looking ahead to a life of committed partnership.Perhaps she could be forgiven for thinking that her troubles might end with the crossing of the final 't' at the registry office. After all, the role of doting wife had given structure and purpose to many a young woman's life. So was this to be the turning point she had been waiting for all these years? Alas, no. It was never going to be as simple as that. For there was one final bombshell to be dropped on her before she lived 'happily ever after'…When requesting her birth certificate as part of the marriage legalities, she was shocked to be informed by a cleric that as far as the state were concerned, she simply didn't exist. There was no birth certificate. No record of 'Keri' whatsoever...And so as she stared down the barrel of a grown-up existence, she suddenly found herself back at square one again. With frozen feet and a panicked heart, her mind burned with just one question: who am I?DISCLAIMER: This is a true story of child abuse, and as such, reader discretion should be advised. Names have been changed to protect the innocent.