With fresh spiritual insight, each chapter reveals what is happening with the baby's development that week, starting with the very first moment of conception, when God begins the creation of either a boy or a girl. Readers will learn how the confidence they place in God affects the healthy development of their precious growing baby, and how to reduce their own stress and anxiety by looking to the Creator. In this interactive guidebook, the author shares excerpts from her pregnancy journal as an encouragement for women to write their own thoughts and feelings, and each chapter ends with a Mother's Prayer and Scriptures for Meditation.

    The light of the Christian faith is flickering out all over the West, and only the willfully blind refuse to see it. From the outside, American churches are beset by challenges to religious liberty in a rapidly secularizing culture. From the inside, they are being hollowed out by the departure of young people and a watered-down pseudo-spirituality. Political solutions have failed, as the triumph of gay marriage and the self-destruction of the Republican Party indicate, and the future of religious freedom has never been in greater doubt. The center is not holding. The West, cut off from its Christian roots, is falling into a new Dark Age. The bad news is that the roots of religious decline run deeper than most Americans realize. The good news is that the blueprint for a time-tested Christian response to this decline is older still. In The Benedict Option, Dreher calls on traditional Christians to learn from the example of St. Benedict of Nursia, a sixth-century monk who turned from the chaos and decadence of the collapsing Roman Empire, and found a new way to live out the faith in community. For five difficult centuries, Benedict's monks kept the faith alive through the Dark Ages, and prepared the way for the rebirth of civilization. What do ordinary 21st century Christians -- Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox -- have to learn from the teaching and example of this great spiritual father? That they must read the signs of the times, abandon hope for a political solution to our civilization's problems, and turn their attention to creating resilient spiritual centers that can survive the coming storm. Whatever their Christian tradition, they must draw on the secrets of Benedictine wisdom to build up the local church, create countercultural schools based on the classical tradition, rebuild family life, thicken communal bonds, and develop survival strategies for doctors, teachers, and others on the front lines of persecution. Now is a time of testing, when believers will learn the difference between shallow optimism and Christian hope. However dark the shadow falling over the West, the light of Christianity need not flicker out. It will not be easy, but Christians who are brave enough to face the religious decline, reject trendy solutions, and return to ancient traditions will find the strength not only to survive, but to thrive joyfully in the post-Christian West. The Benedict Option shows believers how to build the resistance and resilience to face a hostile modern world with the confidence and fervor of the early church. Christians face a time of choosing, with the fate of Christianity in Western civilization hanging in the balance. In this powerful challenge to the complacency of contemporary Christianity, Dreher shows why those in all churches who fail to take the Benedict Option aren't going to make it.

    Whether they are dealing with depression, anxiety, obsessiveness, fear, worry, or stress, their lives are limited and compromised by the ill-effects. People who suffer from emotional distress often feel isolated and unloved, either by God or by others, and often believe that there is no hope and no way out.There is good news, however! A truly biblical approach to healing emotional distress focuses on a holistic cure that integrates the mind, body, and spirit. Even when we feel truly alone, God is holding us in His hand. Even when we feel truly hopeless, God offers comfort and purpose. And even when we feel like we will never escape the pit of emotional distress, God sets our feet on firm ground and promises to never let us go. No matter what we have been through or what we are going through now, God can bring critically needed healing and transformation into our lives when we adjust what the authors refer to as "stinkin' thinkin'."

    Or maybe your wall is a thick concrete slab because of the pain of a divorce or broken promise. Either way, you have decided not to trust anyone-even God. This book speaks to the heart of your relationships and provides the tools to demolish the wall. Deep down you know that the wall youve built also keeps out the One who can restore you.

    Designed to help expectant mothers embrace pregnancy as an opportunity for spiritual growth, A Catholic Mother's Companion to Pregnancy prepares mothers for the trials and joys of pregnancy, childbirth, baptism, and, ultimately, motherhood.

    In Thirty Steps, Archimandrite Vassilios interprets the Ladder for the ordinary Christian without sacrificing any of its beauty and power. Now you too can accept the challenge offered by St. John Climacus to ascend closer to God with each passing day.

    In this devotional designed for daily guidance, you’ll begin your journey toward the greater life God wants for you.  Over the next forty days of teaching, scripture readings, and prayer, your life will change. You’ll find the confidence to believe that nothing is impossible with God, the clarity to see what He’s calling you toward, and the courage to take your next step. Dream bigger. Start smaller. Ignite God’s vision for your life.

    During the supernatural encounter, God explained the meaning of life, revealed the mysterious truths behind the writings of the Bible, unveiled the secrets of the afterlife and, most importantly, dramatically altered the spiritual course of one young man's life. This odd, irreverent spiritual memoir chronicles Josh's journey with blunt comic undertones, undercutting the lofty gravitas typically associated with the "heaven tourism" genre (including best-sellers like Heaven is for Real, To Heaven and Back and Proof of Heaven). While making no claims regarding "proof" of God, heaven or any particular theological truth, this true story is an entertaining and thought-provoking journey into the psychology of religion and the existence of God.

    They believed that following Jesus and aiming to reach millions was worth any cost. Be careful with this book. It might inspire you to risk everything you have to follow Jesus. You’ve been warned.

    So was His.If you've ever tried to pick up the shattered pieces of your life and put them back together again without help, you know it's an impossible task. When you lose your job, when divorce divides your family, when a loved one commits suicide, or when cancer claims a friend, it's easy to lose perspective and abandon hope.According to Jon Weece, Christianity does not require you to smile through your pain, much less praise God for tormenting you. God doesn't enjoy your suffering. But he does understand it--and he knows exactly how to fix it.That's what Me Too is all about: A God who turned the ugliness of the cross into a spectacle of eternal beauty. An all-powerful Lord who will do the same with the pain of this world. An eternal Father who specializes in wiping away tears and putting you back together again. If you'll allow him.

    Packed with practical inspiration, it is an incredible tool to help moms find hope and daily encouragement.' Sherry Surratt -- CEO and President, MOPS InternationalMom, you don't have to go it alone! The NIV Mom's Devotional Bible helps you to be the very best mom you can be by relating the Bible to your everyday life as a mom---whether you're a new or experienced mom! A trusted source of wisdom to help you as you learn how to be the type of mom God wants you to be, this Bible provides a year of weekday and weekend devotions. These daily readings are full of good advice and encouragement from Elisa Morgan, President Emerita of Mothers of Preschoolers, International (MOPS). Her inspiring insights help you understand and delight in your vital role of raising children and remind you to keep your head high when dealing with the stress of parenthood. You'll also find resources that show you where to turn for help with the special challenges you face and that offer insight into your role as a mother by linking your real-life encounters as a mom with biblical dilemmas. Whether you have 5 minutes to read or 15, the devotions in this Bible will touch your heart.Features:* A year's worth of daily devotions, M-F, mostly written by Elisa Morgan, President Emerita of Mothers of Preschoolers International (MOPS). Some devotions also written by other authors, including: Stormie Omartian, Tracey Bianchi, Shauna Niequist, Ann Voskamp, Lysa TerKeurst, Shayne Moore, Jennifer Grant, Linda Dillow, Margaret Feinberg, Karol Ladd, Anita Lustrea, Sheila Walsh, Angela Thomas, and Carolyn Custis James.* 5 devotions written for you by everyday, real-life moms facing the same struggles you do.* Weekend 'Momday' devotions cycle through four special interest areas for moms:1) Better Moms Make a Better World reveals five essential ingredients for improving yourself as a mother, which has tremendous implications for your family and your world;2) Train Up a Child helps you teach your children about God and how he can be reflected in their lives;3) A Time to Play gives some good reasons why play is important, even on the busiest days, and it offers some creative ideas for having fun;4) Get Growing encourages you, as a mom and as a woman, to expand your mind and spirit as you journey through motherhood.* Index of topics important to mothers* Resource list offers timely, practical help for moms* Promises and Prayers for Mom

    This book is not “ten easy steps” for a painless life; instead, it is a collection of devotions that squarely addresses the challenges wives face when their husbands are away protecting freedom, challenges like:How does a military wife maintain a strong sense of patriotism without allowing her country to become an idol?What good can possibly come from moving every two or three years?How can I be sure that God has a purpose for my life that’s as strong as His purpose for my husband’s?The foundation of this devotional is the unchanging character of God and the anchor of Jesus Christ, even amidst the shifting circumstances of a military family.

    Based on the #1-selling Christian album The Story (EMI/WOW), lyricist and Grammy-nominated artist Nichole Nordeman helps readers embrace God’s relentless, loving pursuit of the most weak and sinful among us from the beginning of time.

    It just moves into a new phase.The role of a parent lasts a lifetime. Your kids will always be in your life. The trick is figuring out how to adapt to the new phases in that parent-child relationship. No question, it can be tricky. And if you fail to navigate that transition well, the result will be stress, alienation, and maybe a broken relationship.But it doesn’t have to be that way. In How to Really Love Your Adult Child, Dr. Gary Chapman—author of the worldwide bestseller The 5 Love Languages®—teams up with clinical psychiatrist Dr. Ross Campbell to provide the insights you need when your child moves into young adulthood. You’ll find help for those moments when:Your adult child isn’t succeedingYour nest isn’t emptyingYour child moves back homeYou have conflict over lifestyle issuesYou become an in-law or grandparentAnd much more . . .The book includes brief sidebars from parents of adult children, as well stories from adult children who relate what works best for them. An online study guide is also available.Stop wondering how to connect with your adult child. Instead, learn to love them in the ways they so desperately want. Because while childhood is temporary, parenting is forever.

    It is different in a number of ways, all of which commend this volume to wide use by pastors whose task it is to introduce the members of their inquirers classes to an Orthodox way of life which will touch their lives in a full and complete way (Fr. Stanley Harakas). Chapters include: What We Believe About the One Apostolic Church, the Nicene Creed, Jesus, the Holy Trinity, the Divine Liturgy, Salvation, the Church Fathers, the Church Year, Symbols, the Sacraments, the Saints and the Theotokos, Life After Death, the Bible, Icons, Prayers for the Dead, and Prayer. Recently translated in Korean and Romanian.