You've stumped us all."They didn't see it coming.They would never be the same.You'll find their story...AuthenticPowerfulHumorousMovingInsightfulRivetingYou may even find it intersecting with your own story.John and Joanna Stumbo have been married twenty-eight years--some great, some not so great. They have three grown children--all great. Joanna grew up in Ohio and Florida and a few other places; John in Minnesota and Montana. They have spent their adult lives figuring out what it means to be pastor and wife in churches from Pennsylvania to Oregon. John has a lifetime love for most anything outdoors and athletic. Joanna loves family and home. John never planned on spending seventy-seven days in the hospital. Joanna never had aspirations of being a caregiver. Neither of them ever planned on writing a book such as this. They are both the better for the journey they've been on, confusing though it be.

    Housewives and corporate executives. Young professionals and those who are retired. No matter their professions or responsibilities, women of all ages and all walks of life often struggle with an all-consuming issue-self-image. We as Americans are continually obsessed with the grass-is-greener, anything-else-is-better-than-what -we-have philosophy. And that is never truer for women than when it comes to our bodies and our self-images. The media and the world around us tell us that we should be perfect in every way. But this kind of scrutiny and obsession with perfection leaves women feeling unloved, unattractive, frustrated, and even depressed.In The Real Me, contemporary Christian singer and songwriter Natalie Grant is on a mission to especially help young women deal with this struggle and to find acceptance in how God created them. And this struggle is something that Natalie understands fully-she gives the reader an inside look at her own struggle with image issues that led her on the path to bulimia. In acknowledging her pain and sharing her struggle, she offers practical help and hope to women of all ages.

    Time and time again, you pray for direction but turn up empty. It’s that moment when crickets chirp louder than your thoughts. It’s the waiting place. Sometimes it ends quickly, but other times it drags on without end, perhaps leading you to wonder where God is in all the mess. In this book you’ll discover why God makes you wait, and how to make the best of your moments in the waiting place. You’ll learn what His plan is and how He intends to use it for your future.

    The authors in this series take a panoramic approach to the topic of each book aimed at a non-specialist but enthusiastic readership. Forthcoming titles planned for this series include: literature, salvation, mercy, history, art, music and philosophy.At every Sunday Mass, Catholics confess that Jesus came down from heaven "for us men and for our salvation." But what does "salvation" mean? In this robust and accessible book, Scripture scholar and theologian Michael Patrick Barber provides a thorough, deeply Catholic, and deeply biblical, answer. He deftly tackles this complex topic, unpacking what the New Testament teaches about salvation in Christ, detailing what exactly salvation is, and what it is not. In easy and readable prose, he explains what the Cross, the Church, and the Trinity have to do with salvation. While intellectually stimulating, Salvation: What Every Catholic Should Know is deeply spiritual, and at its core is the salvific message that God is love, and his love is one of transformation and redemption.

    He's warm, cuddly, great to hold and pet-- and simply a lot of fun.But watch out! Your adorable ball of fur can be a doggone handful. Given half the chance, he may take it upon himself to eat your furniture, terrorize the kids, dig up the garden, jump on your friends, and eliminate at the most inappropriate times.Let's face it, sometimes what you get raising a puppy can be a "dog's breakfast"-- a mixed bag of happiness and hassle. In order to make it through puppyhood with your sanity still in tact, you need to enroll your pup in Puppy Preschool.Here, in Puppy Preschool, John Ross and Barbara McKinney, the country's foremost dog-training experts, reveal the benefits of early training in this definitive guide devoted exclusively to the trials and triumphs of puppy rearing. Puppy Preschool rewrites the rules on puppy training. While previous training books begin their programs when the puppy has already reached four months of age, Puppy Preschool begins educating and disciplining at just eight weeks old, the time when most puppies are brought into their new homes. Using surefire, revolutionary techniques, Ross and McKinney provide a much-needed head start on good behavior. They offer essential training rules that will be useful throughout your puppy's formative education, including information on:* The right breed for your family or your lifestyle* The ten best breeds for the home* Early leash and collar procedures* Housebreaking* Preventing unwanted chewing* Health and grooming tips* Emergency care* Essential puppy-training equipment and safe, fun toys* A breakdown of puppy development from birth to eighteen months* The best ways for small children to interact with puppiesdn0Based on the same training philosophy presented in their classic book, Dog Talk, of raising your dog from a "canine point of view," Ross and McKinney give easy-to-follow training techniques that will make puppy rearing a great experience for everyone involved.

    He escapes his captor and starts the long journey home, meeting a truck driver, a long-abused wife, a Marine, a cowboy and two grandmothers. Their lives will never be the same after meeting Angelo. Sometimes, all it takes to avert a disaster is the light touch of a canine paw.A warning to friends who've enjoyed my other books: The Marine, the cowboy, and the truckdriver in this book use some language that may not be suitable for younger readers.Also please consider another book by the same authors, Jimmy Mender and His Miracle Dog, just released for the Kindle and in paperback!. Thank you!

    We’re experts at muddying, mixing, and messing up our lives. Who among us hasn’t looked up from the bottom of a pit and realized he dug it himself? Who hasn’t fallen so far, messed up so badly that she thought there was no hope? And it’s at these low points that we crave reminders that there’s hope for the broken.No reminder is quite as poignant as a story of second chances. A story of grace in action. Who couldn’t use more stories of grace like this?Second Chances releases just in time for Easter promotions and is an ideal companion to GRACE: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine. Filled with biblical, contemporary, and imaginative accounts of God’s grace in action pulled from Max’s previously published works, Second Chances includes tales of second chances for the rebellious, prideful, failure-prone, and more. From Peter to King David to a prodigal daughter, these stories will remind readers of the magnitude of the gospel of second chances.

    We need to know how he sees us. Come on, girl, he says. Let my light shine in. Breathing Eden is forty raw, honest, heartbreaking and encouraging conversations between women and God. These prayers are like our own: full of pain, celebration, anxiety, and joy. Each one helps the reader hear God whisper love and hope into their lives. And after each story, Jennifer offers readers a guided invitation to listen for what God is saying to them. In these pages, readers will find hope and fresh perspectives. It's an invitation to come. Breathe Eden.

    These blessings offer refreshment to your soul and a biblical perspective to your thoughts.Borne from Susie Larson's own bouts with nighttime worries, each blessing and related Scripture is a daily, soothing reminder of God's love and mercy."May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace."

    Whatever follows the words "I am" will always come looking for you. So, when you go through the day saying:"I am blessed"...blessings pursue you."I am talented"...talent follows you."I am healthy"...health heads your way."I am strong"...strength tracks you down.Joel Osteen reveals how THE POWER OF I AM can help you discover your unique abilities and advantages to lead a more productive and happier life. His insights and encouragement are illustrated with many amazing stories of people who turned their lives around by focusing on the positive power of this principle. You can choose to rise to a new level and invite God's goodness by focusing on these two words: I AM!

     *Don't Miss Cherie Hill's latest release: "empty." (Living Full of Faith When Life Drains You Dry) ************************************************************************************** When the storms of life threaten to overcome us, we find ourselves crying out to the heavens, "Lord, don't You care?" As our soul is capsized with heavy silence and we continue to pray for a miracle, God's answer comes in the form of a question, "Where is your faith?" "Be Still" uncovers the profound life-applicable meaning of the miracle, "Jesus Calms the Storm." Through this powerful message, your spirit will be submerged with hope, peace, and comfort, as you find your way to the back of the boat...resting with Jesus. Just like the Disciples, many times you find yourself so overwhelmed by your storm that you look right past the only One who can save you and who is always beside you-Jesus. As you gain a deeper understanding of this great miracle, you will find that when God allows a storm in your life...it comes with great purpose; if you miss the purpose, you may miss God's will for your life. So, let go of your fear by grabbing hold of your faith...let the storms come, and let the waters rise-God is taking you deeper. "Be Still" reveals that there is victorious calming in all of your storms of life, when you learn how to have faith in the One that controls them. "'Be Still' is a healing balm to the soul. My best advice-get this book, use it, and buy another one for your best friend!" -Jim Thomson, M.A., LCPC, author and speaker. "'Be Still' is not a book that you read once, put on your bookshelf, and then forget about. It's a book that doesn't promise quick fixes, or endless sunshine. Instead, it is a lifeline attached to God's Word, designed to help the reader find peace in the midst of each and every storm that comes their way." -Deborah Porter, writer, editor, and radio talk show host. ****BONUS FEATURE**** Read the 1st Chapter of "Beginning at the End" (Finding God When Your World Falls Apart) by Cherie Hill

    Jack Hayford invites readers to rediscover the power and the blessing that come from such disciplines as prayer and fasting, feeding on God's Word, submission to His will, daily worship and experiencing the release of repentance and forgiveness. Pastor Jack examines and celebrates what it really means to be an effective disciple of Christ in modern times.

    But when she came upon Bea, a scrawny beagle abandoned by the roadside, she couldn't turn away. Bea became part of her family, and changed it forever.Disheveled, malnourished, and terrified of human contact, Bea seemed damaged beyond repair. But, gradually, she began to trust von Kreisler. After resisting her touch again and again, the dog one day leaned in and nuzzled her neck. From that moment, Bea began to give love as well as receive it. With the typically unforgettable personality of a beagle, over the next decade and a half she taught von Kreisler the value of living utterly in the present, of meeting each day with a good bark, and of moving forward in life without being dragged down by past grief.Written with rare eloquence and down-to-earth wit, this memoir of Bea and von Kreisler's fifteen-year love story will charm "beaglers" and touch the heart of anyone who has ever loved a dog.

    For each dog in the book there are two photographs. In the first image, we see the mystery dog from behind, and learn their story in their own voice. In the following photograph, we see the front of the dog, where they reveal their identity and introduce themselves. The amazing collection of rescues ranges in breeds from a Schipperke to a German Shepherd, and everything in-between. Once you meet them all, you’ll agree that Who’s That Dog is a strong testament to the canine spirit, and a compelling case for making your next dog a rescue.

    But when an unusual event happens, they learn there is another dog out there who is counting on them.Based on true events that happened in the author's life, this short story tells the tale of two very different dogs that loved their way into the heart of one family and how, through both life and death, they each formed a bond that would be cherished forever