During her lifelong service to the poorest of the poor, Mother Teresa be

    Amid the daily realities of sickness and isolation, disappointment and pain, it can be profoundly difficult to grasp the real goodness of God. But this is where God breaks into our darkness with beauty. In the wonder of creation, in art or film, story or song, in the kindness of his people and the good they create, God breaks into our pain in a tangible way, teaching us to trust his kindness and hope for his healing. Beauty is a voice singing into our suffering, beckoning us toward restoration.In This Beautiful Truth, Sarah Clarkson shares her own encounters with beauty in the midst of her decade-long struggle with mental illness, depression, and doubt. In a voice both vulnerable and reflective, she paints a compelling picture of the God who reaches out to us in a real and powerful way through the "taste and see" goodness of what he has made and what he continues to create amid our darkness. "To recognize and trust God's gift in pain," she writes, "empowers us to create and love as powerful witnesses to God's healing love in a hopeless world."If you want to renew your capacity to recognize and encounter God's beauty in your life, this hope-filled book will show you the way.

    In 1969, her father, Robert Nichols, moved to Sellerstown, North Carolina, to serve as a pastor. There he found a small community eager to welcome him--with one exception. Glaring at him from pew number seven was a man obsessed with controlling the church. Determined to get rid of anyone who stood in his way, he unleashed a plan of terror that was more devastating and violent than the Nichols family could have ever imagined. Refusing to be driven away by acts of intimidation, Rebecca's father stood his ground until one night when an armed man walked into the family's kitchen . . . And Rebecca's life was shattered. If anyone had a reason to harbor hatred and seek personal revenge, it would be Rebecca. Yet The Devil in Pew Number Seven tells a different story. It is the amazing true saga of relentless persecution, one family's faith and courage in the face of it, and a daughter whose parents taught her the power of forgiveness.

    

    Love enables us to bless others as we reach past our own concerns. Love provides opportunities to heal, to hope, and to have faith - even when dreams have to wait and the challenges of life weigh us down.When we are filled with love, we can make a profound difference in our own lives, in our homes and circles of influence, and in the world in which we live. Love makes it possible for us to do what we came to do.

    Jesus saw these commandments not as onerous burdens, but as guideposts to help us experience a good and beautiful life. These ten ancient "words" were given to us by a loving God who longed to set safe boundaries, create order out of chaos, help communities live peacefully, and protect us--often from ourselves.In this book of Scripture and inspiration, bestselling author Adam Hamilton brings modern eyes to the most important set of ethics in history. He considers the commandments in their historical context, considering the meaning of each commandment in Hebrew, unpacking how Jesus reinterpreted them, and showing how every thou-shalt-not was intended to point to a life-giving "thou shalt." He also explores how the latest research in science and psychology illuminates these commandments, rightly understood, as a way of ordering one's life beautifully in the present day. In a culture marked by workaholism, materialism, and social media-driven envy, God has given us a time-tested path that leads to gratitude, confidence, and peace.A landmark work from one of our most trusted biblical thinkers, Words of Life is an inspiring, thought-provoking read for anyone seeking to live a meaningful and joyful life.

    ON WINGS OF FAITH

    Following eviction from their Albuquerque home, the eight-year-old and his impoverished family have joined the ranks of the nation's homeless, and hope is running low. In a bid to outrun Social Services, the Poduskas crisscross the nation, hitching rides to "anywhere else."For the next eighteen years, the semi-literate young man finds refuge in his anger - and atheism. How could there be a God, with such suffering? Yet unbeknownst to Bernard, even in those darkest of days, the Lord walked by his side. And without realizing the path he was on, the unconquerable Bernard Poduska began a miraculous journey toward the peace of the gospel.Brigham Young University professor Bernard Poduska takes readers on an incredible and personal journey in this chain of reminiscences: from his young fight for survival on the streets to his triumphant rise among the ranks of BYU's most distinguished professors. More than just a rags to riches memoir, this unflinchingly candid tale documents one man's incredible transformation from an ardent anti-Christian into a faithful man of God.

    Growing up in a country torn apart by political and religious upheaval, Sahar struggled with feelings of hopelessness and anger as she watched schoolmates, friends, and loved ones be persecuted, tormented, and even killed.As a young adult, Sahar received a scholarship to a university in a place called Utah and, acting on an incredible desire to further her education, traveled to the United States. While attending Brigham Young University, Sahar was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and, with no previous intentions of changing religions, she was baptized months later.But staying faithful and true to her new relationship with the Savior was immediately put to the test when Sahar returned home to Palestine. Attending the branch in Jerusalem, where she served as Relief Society president, meant hours of travel, risk of being arrested, and enduring harassment from Israeli soldiers at checkpoints, often only to be denied entrance to the city.In Peace for a Palestinian, Sahar Qumsiyeh shares her experience as a Christian Palestinian who desperately searched for peace for her and her family, only to find that her true peace lies not in external resolution but in her personal willingness to follow the Savior. As she explains, "We may still live in a place with barriers, checkpoints, and restrictions, but we can feel liberated by His Atonement."

    Oaks in the introduction to this unique book. "This is an autobiography of learning and application rather than a compendium of doctrine." Masterfully blending personal experiences with the doctrines of the gospel, Elder Oaks invites us to join him on a journey through some of the turning points in his life and the lessons he has learned through a lifetime of devotion to the Savior. The short but potent chapters offer perceptive observations into such diverse topics as the purpose of adversity, the importance of respecting those with whom we disagree personally or politically, the merits and limitations of law, the blessings of tithing, the seeming conflict between science and religion, the Lord's use of imperfect people to further His work, and the power of the Atonement to recover those who have fallen behind. Elder Oaks also relates the very personal lessons he learned from the death of his wife, June, and from his subsequent marriage to Kristen McMain. Woven throughout the book is Elder Oak's powerful testimony of the Savior and His mission. Life's Lessons Learned is a rare glimpse into the experiences of the heart that have shaped the life of an Apostle of God."

    Richards, a Presiding Bishop and Ordained One of the Twelve Apostles, offers an outline prepared to assist missionaries in their study and presentation of the gospel in a systematic and logical manner. Contents: The Position of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; The Visit of the Father and the Son; Personality of the Father and the Son; False Doctrines and Universal Apostasy; A Marvelous Work and a Wonder to Come Forth; The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon; The Book of Mormon Fulfills Bible Prophecies; Evidences of the Divinity of the Book of Mormon; Restoration of Priesthood Authority; The Ordinance of Baptism; The Mission of the Holy Ghost; Setting up the Kingdom of God Upon the Earth; The Mission of Elijah; Marriage for Time and for All Eternity; The Gathering of Israel; Israel in the Latter Days; The Coming of Elias; The True Church, A Missionary Church; Fundamental Differences Between Salvation and Exaltation; Whence Cometh Man?; Why Is Man Here?; Where Is Man Going?; The Sabbath Day; Predestination and Foreordination; The Word of Wisdom; The Law of Tithing; and By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them.

    I spray-painted them and tried them out for three hours at church where they held up perfectly. I felt pretty good about myself. “Suckers who buy gold shoes when they could just spray-paint them,” I thought, congratulating myself for my frugality and my foresight for testing them out.As moms, we improvise. We get along. We make things word. And we make a lot of things up as we go along because, let’s face it, no manual is ever going to cover all the bases a real mom needs to touch. But if laughter and perspective and a renewed energy to face the day are what you’re after—if you too are a “real mom”—this is the book for you!

    This is not as easy as one would imagine: She was born in the church, educated at BYU, married in the temple, and is raising more Mormons. She faced a serious conundrum: keep quiet (and avoid losing everything dear to her), or tell the world what being raised LDS does to a person's psyche, especially when they realize that everything they were taught and everything they hoped to believe is a lie. To expose the difficulty faced by Mormons who leave the Church and to seek support for their plight, Regina offers a first-person confessional memoir recounting her many atrocious experiences, managing to weave in enough humor to keep you turning pages, and enough brutal honesty to bring you to an understanding of what it is to be a Mormon, and to try to leave it behind...

    Exaltation may be not only possible but probable!

    Yet, because the details of the vision are spread over nine different accounts that vary in emphasis and some finer points, many people do not know all they could about this remarkable and world-changing experience.Kerry Muhlestein, professor of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University, presents a faithful, harmonized version of the First Vision story to show how each of the various accounts might share select aspects of the vision yet all be consistent with the actual event experienced by Jospeh Smith. As the Prophet recorded or shared his remarkable vision, he emphasized different details depending on the audience and circumstances at the time. All nine accounts—four firsthand and five secondhand—are combined into one compelling story in this retelling of Joseph Smith's incomparable vision. Also included are the original accounts in their entirety so that readers can feel for themselves the powerful witness of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Strengthen your testimony of this singular, foundational event that would lead to the Restoration of Christ's Church upon the earth.