In his signature style, he shares this expertise with pastors, lay leaders, and people in the pew who want to see their churches become more vibrant. The 12 practical steps include ways to help people become part of a community, develop a culture of serving, turn visitors into regular attenders, and much more. This short, easy-to-read book is one pastors will want to share with their leadership team.

    She convinces her childhood friend, Jacob, to move to Tampa after his latest fiasco, where he finds a job at a legal firm, which is defending Zach Barton, a rich, young entrepreneur who is accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend. When Brooke has to provide expert testimony in Barton’s trial, Jacob and Brooke end up on opposite sides of the courtroom. As Brooke prepares to testify, she discovers a pattern of violent, impulsive behavior in Barton’s past, eerily similar to those of the Surfside Killer, the case she has been asked to help profile for the FBI. Brooke is swirling in dangerous waters with the killer lurking on the fringe of her life. Who will be his next victim? Will Brooke’s knack for profiling be enough to keep her safe?

    Thankfully Lily has a devoted father, Ben, who loves and adores her up until his sudden death, leaving Lily the sole caregiver for her ill mother, Daisy.The latest family tragedies have forced Lily to question the history her parents claimed to be true. With the discovery of disturbing diaries kept by her mother, Lily will uncover dark twists that her curiosity will not let stay buried in the past. Lily has always struggled to understand what made her mother so callous and unloving. Within the contents of the secret diaries, the sinister truth will finally come to light.

    The Simple Difference will help you- stop getting buried in busyness and distraction and discover countless opportunities for impact right where you are- remove your perceived limitations and learn to see that your "not-enough" is exactly what the world needs- discard expectations of what it takes to make a difference and delight in the life-changing power of simple kindnessThe Simple Difference isn't about totally changing the course of your life; it's about letting God change you and work through you in the midst of your ordinary days. To say, As I go on my way, Lord, have your way with me. Be a part of The Simple Difference movement--your life and the world will never be the same.

    At just thirty-six years old, Terry Looper was a successful Christian businessman who thought he had it all—until managing all he had led to a devastating burnout. Wealthy beyond his wildest dreams but miserable beyond belief, Terry experienced a radical transformation when he discovered how to align himself with God’s will in the years following his crash and burn.Sacred Pace is a four-step process that helps Christians in all walks of life learn how toslow down their decision-making under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,sift through their surface desires and sinful patterns in order to receive clear, peace-filled answers from the Lord,gain the confident assurance that God’s answers are His way of fulfilling the true desires he has placed in their hearts, andgrow closer to the One who loves them most and knows them best.This book is not another example of name-it-and-claim-it materialism in disguise. Instead, it walks readers through the sometimes-painful process of “dying to self” in their decisions, both big and small, so that they desire God’s will more than their own.

    Paul. Now, in Once There Were Castles, he offers a richly illustrated look at another world of ghosts in our midst: the lost mansions and estates of the Twin Cities.Nobody can say for sure how many lost mansions haunt the Twin Cities, but at least five hundred can be accounted for in public records and archives. In Minneapolis and St. Paul, entire neighborhoods of luxurious homes have disappeared, virtually without a trace. Many grand estates that once spread out over hundreds of acres along the shores of Lake Minnetonka are also gone. The greatest of these lost houses often had astonishingly short lives: the lavish Charles Gates mansion in Minneapolis survived only nineteen years, and Norman Kittson’s sprawling castle on the site of the St. Paul Cathedral stood for barely more than two decades. Railroad and freeway building, commercial and institutional expansion, fires, and financial disasters all claimed their share of mansions; others succumbed to their own extravagance, becoming too costly to maintain once their original owners died.The stories of these grand houses are, above all else, the stories of those who built and lived in them—from the fantastic saga of Marion Savage to the continent-spanning conquests of James J. Hill, to the all-but-forgotten tragedy of Olaf Searle, a poor immigrant turned millionaire who found and lost a dream in the middle of Lake Minnetonka. These and many other mansion builders poured all their dreams, desires, and obsessions into extravagant homes designed to display wealth and solidify social status in a culture of ever-fluctuating class distinctions.The first book to take an in-depth look at the history of the Twin Cities’ mansions, Once There Were Castles presents ninety lost mansions and estates, organized by neighborhood and illustrated with photographs and drawings. An absorbing read for Twin Cities residents and a crucial addition to the body of work on the region’s history, Once There Were Castles brings these “ghost mansions” back to life.

    They believe in His existence, but don’t know how to relate to Him in a practical and meaningful way. As a result, they fail to achieve anything beyond a superficial relationship with their Creator, and live less-than-fulfilling lives. In “WHATEVER, GOD”, Fr. Anthony Messeh attempts to change that. He shares his unique story and the lessons he’s learned that helped him go from a “don’t-get-too-close-to-God-because-He-might-ruin-your-life” Christian, to a fully devoted “I-can’t-get-enough-of-God-in-my-life” believer. In his own words, “I wrote this book to show you what that life can look like, and help you take a step or two to get there. My goal is to help you see where God wants you to be . . . how He wants you to live . . . and what your life should look like and could look like if you allow Him to lead it for you.” All you need is to say, “WHATEVER, GOD” and you’ll see for yourself that God is REAL, God is RELEVANT, and God is always REWARDING. Fr. Anthony Messeh is a priest in the Coptic Orthodox church, serving at the church of St. Timothy & St. Athanasius (STSA) in Arlington, Virginia. Through his blog (www.FrAnthony.com), his weekly sermons, and now through this book, Fr. Anthony brings an ancient faith to the modern world through his unique ability to communicate life-changing truths in simple and understandable ways.

    

    . . but not like this.In this revealing book, renowned speaker and author Christopher West discusses the topic of love and relationships, but he does it through the lens of his own powerful and personal experience. If you've ever wondered what to do with that deep cry of your heart to love and be loved, read on.Love Is Patient, but I'm Not offers West's reflections on Pope Francis book The Joy of Love. It focuses on the heart of the pope's meditations on the famous love is patient and kind passage from 1 Corinthians 13. Its short chapters will take you line by line through the passage, and will also let you in on some intimate aspects of West's faith journey—his wound of perfectionism, his consequent challenges as a husband and father, and the ups and downs he experiences as he struggles to work it all out. As it turns out, we aren't the only ones who find it hard to live out the love St. Paul describes for us.Interspersed throughout the book are short prayers and questions for reflection designed to help you open your heart to God and experience his unconditional, merciful love more fully. Read this book for a dose of spiritual encouragement and for a real-life look at what it means to live the joy of love.

    It offers you a chance to focus on life's positive aspects and find the things that make you happy.Each page of this daily journal is filled with new ideas, creative prompts, and words of wisdom that will help you write a little joy into every day of the year. The ideal place to express what's happening in your life — bitter, sweet, and everything in between — this book promises to be your faithful friend and assist you in finding and unlocking your inner happiness."A stunning journal. The prompts are productive too as, even if I feel like there hasn't been anything noteworthy, there's still an opportunity to reflect and plan ahead." — A Cornish Geek"A great way of winding down, taking stock, and reflecting on all the different aspects of your life. You're encouraged to dip into the pages as often or little as you like. It's also full of words of wisdom from Fearne that are sure to raise a smile. Her artwork is also completely stunning." — Book People

    After almost twenty years in ministry, Walker was laid off twice, lost his home and savings, was diagnosed with bipolar II disorder, and then his wife filed for divorce just a few days before their twenty-fourth anniversary.Bonhoeffer saw the storms of political upheaval and pressure on Christians coming at warp speed, and he called believers to meet it head on by following Jesus, who bids believers to come and die.In BREAKFAST WITH BONHOEFFER, Walker brings to a new generation the timeless teachings of Bonhoeffer, especially the teaching that calls Jesus' followers to break free from the tyranny of popular culture and religious thinking. It also offers hope for those who face loss or have been hurt by the economic downturn.

    Life is a pressure cooker and, more and more, being overwhelmed is just considered normal. But, truth be told, life's stresses and circumstances aren't the boss of us. What if we could take Overwhelmed and diffuse it--or, better yet, reframe it to good?Author, blogger, and mother of five Kay Wills Wyma has learned that if we're going to be overwhelmed by anything, let's have it be Truth with all its grace, hope, peace, and love. In this freeing book, she shares how to confront life's pressures we face--at home, online, at work, in our relationships, on our calendars--and replace all those heavy expectations with the liberating truth that we were made for something better. Through her inspiring personal stories sprinkled with a dash of humor, she gives readers permission to step back, let go, and find fulfillment and freedom in a life lived in light of eternity.

    . . a real work from the heart” are just a few words readers have used to describe Realer than Real, a true story of a Nebraska family’s journey to find grace, hope, and healing amidst tragedy, regret, and disappointment. The tale is told by Ryan, the Wilkins family’s only son, who chronicles a life-changing loss the family suffered in 2004, the tragedy’s impact on the family, and the unique, winding, complex spiritual paths each family member walked before intersecting in the wake of new misfortune. With candor and perceptiveness, Ryan develops characters the reader feels he or she knows. He displays a remarkable willingness to be transparent and vulnerable in all aspects of the personal struggle, grief, and suffering that his family endured, individually and collectively. He seamlessly weaves humor and insight around heavy subjects—including death, disability, divorce, and abuse, among others—and breathes life into the family’s high and lows, incredible miracles and devastating tragedies, in a way that is both honest and instructive.Cumulatively, the Wilkins family’s struggles and setbacks over the past decade seemingly defy all probability that one group could endure so many traumatic events over a relatively short period of time and come through it stronger, not weaker. But through reliance on their Christian faith and an outpouring of community support, the family withstood and grew through these trials, learning much about God and themselves in the process. With insight and vulnerability, Realer than Real captures the struggle, pursuit, perseverance, and restoration that accompany faith. The book will captivate readers across walks of life, inspiring them to behold their blessings and to trust God through their trials. “Once you begin reading, it is almost impossible to stop.”

    Osho looks at this in a very different way and sees these developments as great opportunity. Discovering of your ultimate 'aloneness' is the great chance to turn loneliness into a totally new experience.This small book in a new series of 'OSHO SOLUTIONS" consists of a single talk by Osho to deepen the readers understanding how to deal with loneliness in a completely different way.

    We should not be satisfied with being almost Christian but rather strive towards being altogether a Christian.In Almost Christmas: A Wesleyan Advent Experience, author and pastor Magrey deVega leads a group of authors to explore how we can make the same commitment to Christ during Advent, connecting our Wesleyan heritage with the traditional Advent themes of Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace.In this book, perfect for Advent, deVega and the other authors break down the barriers that prevent us from experiencing an “altogether” love, hope, joy, and peace in Christ in our lives and in the world around us. They demonstrate the promises God offers to us that makes those longings a reality, inviting us to claim those promises for ourselves this Advent and celebrate an altogether Christmas.Chapters include: Altogether Love Altogether Hope Altogether Joy Altogether Peace Additional components for a four-week study include a DVD featuring Magrey deVega and the other writers and a comprehensive Leader Guide, as well as nativity hymns by Charles Wesley, litanies for lighting the Advent wreath, and prayers that can be incorporated into both worship and small group settings. A daily devotional and a youth study book are also available.