Lives of the Saints, Volume I
Michael J. Ruszala - 2017
The Church needs saints to show it how to live out its calling. The witness of the lives of the saints is a powerful testimony to the reality of God’s plan and the possibility for truly following it in one’s life. So often, we do not see this witness. We see hypocrisy and mediocrity among Christians. That is why we must look to the saints — the ones who really followed the words of Christ and let them be carried out fully in their lives. The saints also give us a reason to hope. Saints were not born; they were made through a life of cooperation with God’s grace despite many difficulties, weaknesses, and temptations. This book, written from a Catholic perspective, provides an overview to the lives of the saints celebrated from January to March on the Roman calendar. It is the first in a series, which will cover the whole Church year. It makes for inspirational spiritual reading any time of the year, providing an introduction to the patron saints for many walks of life. Included are the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, Apostles like St. Peter and St. Paul, early martyrs like St. Perpetua and St. Felicity, early evangelizers like St. Patrick, medieval giants such as St. Thomas Aquinas, American saints such as St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. John Neumann, and many others.
40 Days for Life: Discover What God Has Done...Imagine What He Can Do
David Bereit - 2013
Wade Supreme Court decision this year, abortion has become the leading cause of death in our nation and worldwide, ending the lives of more than 42 million children each year and harming millions of women and men. In the midst of this global crisis, there is new hope. Beginning with one hour of prayer in Texas in 2004, the groundbreaking 40 Days for Life movement of prayer and fasting, peaceful vigils, and community outreach has mobilized more than half a million volunteers in 481 cities around the world. Nearly 7,000 babies have been spared from abortion. 75 abortion workers have had a change of heart and quit their jobs. 25 abortion centers have closed. And every baby, every changed heart, every closure is an amazing story. This book contains forty of those stories: Hearts changed on the most controversial issue in our culture Babies and mothers spared from abortion at the last possible second Shocking secrets from inside the abortion industry revealed Abortion workers experiencing a change of heart and quitting their jobs Thriving abortion facilities shutting down for good There have been 11 coordinated 40 Days for Life campaigns since 2007. These efforts have mobilized people of faith and conscience across all 50 of the United States, Canada, Australia, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Argentina, Armenia, Belize, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Poland, Puerto Rico, Spain and Uganda.
St. Maria Goretti: In Garments All Red
Godfrey Poage - 1950
Describes her virtuous life, poverty, holiness, valiant resistance, heroic and lingering death, conversion of her murderer and canonization in 1950 with her mother, her murderer and over 500,000 present. This is the famous, popular, classic biography! This is a good book to read to children, so they have someone worthwhile to imitate. By having Maria put before them as a model, they will learn to appreciate the virtue of purity. For a child to imitate the saints, he or she must first love them -- which in turn requires knowing them. Get your children acquainted with one of the greatest saints of the twentieth century!
Sacred Tears: Simple Reminders That God Sees You and Loves You
Lindsey Wheeler - 2021
You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.
Psalm 56:8 NLT Whatever you are going through as you read this, you need to hear these words: God sees you, He loves you, and your story is not over. Every tear you shed is precious to Him. Your suffering is not in vain. This collection of heartfelt essays, eye-catching word art, inspiring Scripture verses, honest prayers, and uplifting photography will meet you in your place of pain, offering solace and refuge for your weary soul. Lovingly written by Lindsey Wheeler, a pastor’s wife and adoptive mom who lives with chronic pain, Sacred Tears will bring you the blessed respite you’ve been longing for and remind you that you are never alone. You’ll discover what to do when you feel far from God, how to trust Him even when you don’t understand His plan for you, and how to handle the difficult decisions that often accompany painful situations. All this and more await inside. Experience the hope and comfort only God can provide.
A Biblical Defense of Catholicism
Dave Armstrong - 2001
With a mastery of Scripture equal to that of the most committed Protestants, author David Armstrong shows that the Catholic Church is the "Bible Church par excellence," and that many common Protestant doctrines are in fact not biblical.
Arise from Darkness: What to Do When Life Doesn't Make Sense
Benedict J. Groeschel - 1995
Benedict Groeschel draws on his own years of personal experiences in dealing with people's problems, tragedies and darkness as he offers help and guidance for any Christian troubled or burdened by life. If you are struggling with fear, anxiety, grief, loss of loved ones, hurt, anger or anything that makes life difficult or the road through it dark, then this book was written for you. Fr. Benedict offers practical suggestions on how to keep going and even grow with the help of God's grace, even when this help seems remote. The Christian response to the problem of evil and suffering began with the cross of Christ. Our answer is inseparable from the cross-from Jesus' own encounter with evil and his triumph over it. In this light, Fr. Benedict recalls some of our most frequently encountered sorrows and griefs: the failure of friends, financial and personal insecurity, the failure of some in the Church, our own inconsistent behaviors and weaknesses, and the death of loved ones. As we examine these painful experiences, he shows that we can find solutions in the Gospel and in the lives of saints, heroes, and very brave ordinary people.
Appointment in Jerusalem: A True Story of Faith, Love, and the Miraculous Power of Prayer
Derek Prince - 2009
In Lydia Prince’s search for God and her life’s purpose, she is led to Jerusalem, where she learns the power of prayer and experiences many miracles of provision and protection. Lydia rescues a dying baby girl and then miraculously survives many dangers, including gunfire, siege, and barricades. She enters into her true appointment from God and, in the process, rescues scores of abandoned sick and orphaned children from disease and death. Follow Lydia’s astounding journey and see how you, too, can: Experience powerful answers to prayerBe guided through difficult challengesFind God’s unique plans for your lifeLearn the secret to being led by God Discover how God can remarkably use those who trust Him!
The Book of Isaiah: The Vision (The Passion Translation)
Brian Simmons - 2018
The book of Isaiah is an enormous collection of prophecies described as “The Vision.” It is not simply a teaching or a historical record; it is the overarching vision of the heart of God revealed to His seer-prophet. This vision spans the ages and touches every nation on earth, becoming a collective overview of all that God has planned. The prophecies are vast and their grand themes are unrivaled in all of Scripture. With panoramic insight, Isaiah preaches about the virgin birth of Christ, the Bride of Christ, and the New Jerusalem. These prophecies also present a description of the cataclysmic judgments, the survival of a holy remnant emerging in Zion, and the canopy of glory that is coming to earth. The poetic message of Isaiah is one of victory, hope, comfort, and restoration of all things. Explore the vision of a man who saw the glory of God and spoke with burning lips, for true prophetic ministry flows from this “vision” until it grows into a burden.
How to Grow Your Church Younger and Stronger: The Story of the Kids who Built a World-Class Church (GenerationS #1)
Tan Seow How - 2021
Now it has developed into a proof of concept that Youths can build a STRONG CHURCH.GenerationS is a mindset-shifting, heart-changing book that shows you how to raise up generations of young people in your church to build His kingdom.After over 20 years, this youth church, operated by youths, for youths to reach youths, still has an average age of 22.Bonus #1: Contributors and 'Inside Stories'Read 1,000+ word contributions from 13 other contributing writers that provide an 'inside look' and 360º view of HOGC.Director of Global Relations, a Westerner's perspective on an Asian church Board member in his 60s, on what older people do in a youth churchChief of Staff, on what goes on inside the Senior Pastors' OfficeHead of Global Partnerships, on what co-senior pastoring looks likeBonus #2: Comes with Digital CompanionGo beyond the chapters! Access 100+ bonus content and interactive materials when you scan QR codes from within the book.
The Prayer Warrior's 30 Day Challenge: Change Your Life Forever Through 30 Days of Prayer
Adam Houge - 2015
Without total surrender to Lord's plan there is no way for victory. So take it seriously to get on your knees and increase your prayer life If you take the next 30 days seriously it will radically change your life.
Leonie Martin: A Difficult Life
Marie Baudouin-Croix - 1993
Therese of Lisieux. She was an emotionally disturbed child who suffered and and caused anguish to her family. Her mother, the heroic Zelie Martin, suffered most of all. Marie Baudouin-Croix, well-known French poet, has examined Zelie's correspondence with her daughters, her sister, her brother, and her sister-in-law. We see the awkward child, the despair of many, who was the first to follow Therese's Little Way. It was only after three valiant but unsuccessful attempts that Leonie was finally accepted by the Visitation Order in Caen. She succeeded in conquering a 'tough' temperament, so that by the time of her death in 1941, at the age of seventy eight, she was regarded as a saint and her convent at Caen was inundated with letters testifying to her posthumous aid.
I Choose the Sky: A Scriptural Devotion for Women
Emily Wilson - 2016
It is boring, stagnant, and usually lacking in beauty. What if all you were able to see every day was this lifeless ground? If all we could see was the earth below our feet, we would miss the beauty of the world God created. We would be less than God designed us to be.This book is about seventeen women who chose to raise their eyes heavenward toward God by living lives of hope, boldness, generosity, and great faith. These are women of the bible whose faith will radically challenge you, encourage you, and move you to understand your faith in a new and beautiful way.This scriptural devotion for young women will inspire you to raise your head and look into the eyes of Jesus, the God who loves you. This is more than a book - it is a challenge to make a choice. We can spend our lives downcast, or we can lift our eyes up to choose beauty - to choose Jesus - and to choose the sky.
Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life: A Practical Guide to Prayer for Active People
Robert J. Spitzer - 2008
Some develop very quickly, but do not achieve significant depth; while others develop quite slowly, but seem to be almost unending in the depth of wisdom, trust, hope, virtue, and love they engender. The best way of explaining this is to look at each of the pillars individually.Before doing this, however, it is indispensable for each of us to acknowledge (at least intellectually) the fundamental basis for Christian contemplation, namely, the unconditional Love of God. Jesus taught us to address God as Abba. If God really is Abba; if His love is like the father of the prodigal son; if Jesus' passion and Eucharist are confirmations of that unconditional Love; if God really did so love the world that He sent His only begotten Son into the world not to condemn us, but to save us and bring us to eternal life (Jn 3:16-19); if nothing really can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rm 8:31-39); and if God really has prepared us "to grasp fully, with all the holy ones, the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ's love, and experience this love which surpasses all understanding, so that we may attain to the fullness of God Himself" (Eph 3:18-20), then God's love is unconditional, and it is, therefore, the foundation for unconditional trust and unconditional hope. There can be nothing more important than contemplating, affirming, appropriating, and living in this Unconditional Love. This is the purpose of contemplation; indeed, the purpose of the spiritual life itself.
The Little Way for Every Day: Thoughts from Th�r�se of Lisieux
Thérèse de Lisieux - 2006
Each month is introduced by a quote from Scripture (NRSV). The English text was translated by the late Paulist priest, Francis Broome, whose brief foreword is also included, as are end-notes and a table of contents. This is the perfect pocket/purse-sized gift-book for those who have a devotion to St. Therese or to those who have yet to be introduced to her infectious "Little Way."
Broken and Blessed: An Invitation to My Generation
Josh Johnson - 2018
Well over half of young adults raised in the Church have dropped out with many having a strong anti-Church stance, many even believing the Church does more harm than good.Fr. Josh Johnson was one of these people. In Broken and Blessed he tackles the harsh realities facing the Church in the 21st century. With charity and courage he speaks to his own generation of Catholic “Millennials,” who often feel their needs and concerns are not being addressed by the Church, or who simply do not believe the Catholic Faith has any relevance to their lives. Using his own experiences, both as a former struggling young Catholic and as a priest, Fr. Josh offers an inspiring witness of how he came to know God, rather than just knowing about him—and presents practical ways for us to truly know God as well. Broken and Blessed: ● Addresses head-on Millennials’ most pressing issues with the Catholic Faith ● Presents powerful and inspiring stories from Fr. Josh’s own faith journey ● Shows how one can truly encounter Jesus in a personal way ● Offers practical insights on how to overcome habitual sins ● Discusses the nature of prayer, as well as the challenges to prayer and how to overcome them