We hide behind the hum of busyness to escape intimate friendships with the women God has placed in our lives. But we do want a seat at the table. We yearn for authentic relationships and the opportunity to be the opposite of "fine" with people who cheer for us. But comparison, envy, and entitlement often stop us from pulling out a chair at the table. Friendship can be hard, making new friends even harder, and maintaining genuine friendship the hardest of all. In this 7-session Bible study, Lisa-Jo Baker and friends from (in)courage explore our relationship with Jesus as the ultimate model for authentic friendship. Nothing shapes us like the impact of a friend--it's how Jesus radically and intimately connects with us. So instead of chasing perfection, overcome your fear of being known and find the courage to connect.Features: Leader helps to guide questions and discussions within small groupsPersonal study segments with homework to complete between 7 weeks of group sessionsBenefits: Explore your relationship with Jesus as a model for friendship.Debunk the myth of effortless friendship.Overcome the fear of knowing and being known.Stop running from friendship and find the courage to connect.

    For those who wish for more Scriptural depth in their quiet time, the Digging Deeper feature provides additional Bible scriptures that relate to the day s reading.

    In 2006, Pope Benedict stressed that "Divine Mercy is not a secondary devotion, but an integral dimension of Christian faith and prayer." Now Pope Francis has proclaimed an extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, which will begin on December 8, 2015. These three Popes have made it very clear that Divine Mercy is a major part of the Christian faith, and now this powerful new book reveals why.Best-selling author Vinny Flynn continues his popular "7 Secrets" series with a book that brings him back to his roots. Vinny was one of the original editors of the official English edition of the actual Diary of St. Faustina, and he has written and edited a vast number of the Divine Mercy materials that are used today.Through his "secrets" of Divine Mercy, Vinny shows how Divine Mercy is not just another worthy "private devotion"; it is the key devotion, the umbrella devotion over everything else. Every other devotion in the Church, every ritual, every activity, every teaching is under that umbrella of Divine Mercy. It’s all there to help us understand and enter into Divine Mercy. He shows us how everything in our lives can become more meaningful, more powerful, more life-changing once we really embrace the gift of Divine Mercy — the overflow of love from the Holy Trinity.In this compelling and timely book, Flynn draws from Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and the Diary of St. Faustina to not only reveal the heart of Divine Mercy, but to offer you an invitation and a road map so that this mercy can transform your life.If you're not yet convinced of the impact Divine Mercy can have on your life, if you've never heard of this message and devotion, or if you're curious to learn more about it, this book is perfect for you. It shows us all how to respond to the call of Pope Francis "to live lives shaped by mercy", and benefit greatly from the "Year of Mercy".

    Hughes, author of the Word Writers Bible study series, has been there, yet she's found a peace that runs deeper than her circumstances. In Deeper Waters, she invites you to...learn to hear God's voice through the pages of His Worddiscover a joy you never thought possible when reading the Biblemake connections in Scripture that transform your way of thinking and livingYou don't have to be in seminary to be a serious student of the Bible. God's Word is for everyone. Dive in and experience the joy that awaits in deeper waters.

    Our stories matter to Him. Your story matters to Him. Reading the Bible ought to be like putting one's head on God's chest and listening to His heartbeat.

    Louis de Montfort's Act of Total Consecration give a beautiful expression to the fundamental thrust of his spirituality: Christianity that is fully alive is nothing less than a radical act of total self-surrender and self-gift to the Lord Jesus Christ who, in his redemptive Incarnation, has first given himself totally over to us, and for us.Recognizing that the Lord has first consecrated, completely given, himself to us, Fr. de Montfort rightly recognizes that one truly receives this gift in its fullness only by fully giving, that is consecrating, himself to its saving power. The great Apostle of Our Lady proposed on his masterwork, True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, an outline of a process by means of which one might prepare himself to make just such a total self-gift to Jesus through Mary.This book, which has been prepared by the Company of Mary, the religious community founded by Fr. de Montfort himself, is both an introduction to his spirituality of total consecration and a guide for those who would prepare themselves to make his Act of Total Consecration to Jesus Christ through Mary. It is also the fruit of this same Act of Total Consecration lived out in years of missionary service of Our Lord and Our Lady in the Roman Catholic Church which we joyfully make available to the people of God.

    In this fast-paced world in which we live, things are set up for maximum speed and efficiency. Technology is now moving faster than ever before. Smartphones are so cutting edge that they allow news events to arrive seconds after they actually occur. We are so used to everything moving at lightning speed, that we have a very hard time adjusting to the slower pace that God likes to work things out. Dazed and confused we look for answers in all the wrong places. Our life becomes directed by fear instead of faith. We grow disheartened. Our faith can weaken. If you watch a seed grow you will not see much change from one day to the next. Although without water and care it will die. Faith is no different. There are perfect times in your future. When your life will blossom. All that God asks is for you to wait for them to be revealed. Thing is, we do not like to wait. Many times when life is not going as we like, we force things to happen. God's timing is not good enough for us. Pushing life is like digging up a seed to check if it has germinated, this may sound crazy but this is exactly what people do when they don't wait for Gods timing. We pray. We have faith. But, we lack an essential ingredient? Often we need to be reminded of the fruits that come from waiting. If you learn to wait for God’s timing, your life will overflow with grace. Surely that is not for me? Yes, it can be. Within these pages, I will share with you what scripture says about waiting for Gods timing. Powerful. Stories of those that listened and also those that did not. Enlightening. It is so easy to get carried away with life. Forgetting what is important. Casting the truth to one side. I welcome you to take this journey with me and leave your stressful life behind. Surrender. Trust Gods perfect timing, and you will be given the desires of your heart.

    Thoroughly personal and inspiring, Drawn into the Mystery challenges all Christians to encounter the fullness of life lived in close communion with God. Vanier writes: "These insights that I share in this book come from the life of Jesus in me . . . They also flow from my life with people who are weak and who have taught me to welcome Jesus from the place of the poverty in me." Jean Vanier was a friend and influential mentor to the late Henri Nouwen. Toward the end of his life, Nouwen left Harvard to live and work at one of Jean Vanier's L'Arche communities. This was perhaps the most profound experience of Christianity Nouwen experienced. The thought and spiritual direction/discipleship of Jean Vanier is available to all in Drawn into the Mystery of Jesus-through the Gospel of John. +

    Thérèse of Lisieux, Teresa of Avila, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, and Mother Teresa—who wouldn't want these women as friends and guides? Lively, determined, devout but never passive, they were all straight-shooters with an abundance of common sense. They were also deeply in love with God, clinging to him with a tenacity that freed them to do the impossible. Using the Great Commandment as her guide, Gina Loehr focuses on how each of these women lived out one particular aspect of the command to love God with heart, mind, and soul and neighbor as self. Practical tips offer suggestions on how to be like the Teresas and points for reflection drive the lessons home. These friends of God will help you become, as they were, expert in living out Christ's perfect law of loveThe audio edition of this book can be downloaded via Audible.

    It is the mercy of God at work.

    Donald Calloway, MIC, in all its wonder: leading armies into battle; defeating the enemies of Christ and His Church; and transforming hearts and minds in order to save societies and entire civilizations. After exploring the 10 Wonders of the Rosary, you'll never look at this timeless and powerful devotion the same way again.

    Every summer a mysterious man known only as "Frank" arrives to help George Givens's grandfather with his farmwork. No one knows the hired man's last name, where he comes from, or why he always seems to be so sad. Once the season's crops are harvested, he disappears only to reappear the following summer. This routine continues for many years -- until one fateful Christmas Eve.The hired man never returns to the Givens farm after that day, and the mystery of his final disappearance seems destined to remain unsolved. Then, on Christmas Eve many years later, George serendipitously discovers the long-lost hired man's fate. This discovery teaches him a powerful lesson about the importance of family and the endurance of love."The Hired Man's Christmas" is a story of simpler times, but its message resonates across the years and in the hearts of fathers and sons even today.

    Popular blogger Kathryn Whitaker is a Dr Pepper super fan, Aggie-loving, type A mom of six with a personality the size of her native Texas. The stressful premature birth of her fifth child threw her orderly world into chaos and ultimately led her to rethink her priorities. In Live Big, Love Bigger, Whitaker shares her journey and challenges readers to understand that they, too, can live a life of authenticity with joy-filled purpose, love, and faith. Along the way, she’ll help readers see that choosing to say no is the only way they’ll be able to say yes to what matters most—Jesus.It’s not every family who would plan a week-long Texas barbecue pilgrimage for a family of eight, much less expand the idea to a multi-month quest to experience the state, eat amazing food, and visit some awesome religious sites along the way. But Whitaker did it—when she decided imperfect family road trips trumped a vacation at a luxury resort. “Barbecue encouraged us to hit the road, while Jesus met us at every single stop along the way—proof that he loves brisket as much as we do, right?”Ditching the fancy vacation was one way Whitaker learned to give up control and say no to perfectionism and over-achievement in order to live a new, more intentional life and discover what God truly has in store for her family.Whitaker’s sassy authenticity will make readers laugh—and cry—while encouraging them to be honest about mistakes in every area of their life, embrace them, and find a way to let God redeem it all.

    Understand the anticipation and waiting the Old Testament world endured, the joy and new life signaled by the coming of Christ, and the way Advent points to the glory of God still to come. (5 sessions)Features: Beautiful, full-color designed pages to ready participants for the Christmas seasonPersonal study segments to complete between 5 weeks of group sessionsWeekly activities for adults, teens, and kidsTips to guide discussion within small groupsBenefits: Fuel your worship of Christ with a deeper understanding of Advent.Grasp God's character and His work on behalf of His people, in the past and present, as a catalyst to a more intimate relationship with Him.Learn how to practically extend joy, hope, peace, and love to others during the holiday season.