Getting a Life: Real Lives Transformed by Your Money or Your Life


Jacquelyn Blix - 1997
    Its inspiring, down-to-earth nine-step program has empowered hundreds of thousands to transform their relationship with money, reorder material priorities, achieve financial freedom, and live well for less. Now, in Getting a Life, authors Jacqueline Blix and David Heitmiller, a married couple, explain how they gradually transformed their lives over the past six years by using the program. Jacque and David tell how they left their hectic, fast-track lives - two corporate jobs, expensive cars, exotic trips, thoughtless overspending - for an existence that reflects their true values and life purpose. These self-styled "reformed yuppies" are joined by more than two dozen individuals and families of diverse backgrounds who share their own stories of frugality and fulfillment. Here, with an inspiring introduction by the authors of Your Money or Your Life, are dispatches from the front on such issues as paying for health care, raising children in a materialistic world, and breaking the link between what you do for a living and who you are. Here too are proven, practical ideas on how to use each step of the program: the toughest challenges, the most common pitfalls. And here are frank insights into some of the deepest philosophical issues that arise when one adopts this wholeness of livelihood and lifestyle called Getting a Life.

Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity


Adam Hamilton - 2009
    Used wisely, it is one key to accomplishing our goals, providing for our needs, and fulfilling our life purpose. In recent years, many of us ignored the wisdom of the past when it came to managing and spending our money. Credit card debt soared, savings rates plummeted, and our home equity became something to be tapped into and spent rather than a source of security in retirement. We felt an insatiable desire for more. And we found ourselves spending tomorrow's money today in order to have what we hoped would satisfy. The result of all of this was not greater happiness and satisfaction, but greater stress and anxiety. Enough is an invitation to rediscover the Bible's wisdom when it comes to prudent financial practices. In these pages are found the keys to experiencing contentment, overcoming fear, and discovering joy through simplicity and generosity. This book could change your life, by changing your relationship with money. "We Americans love our stuff. We're living in a fast-paced, me-first, instant-gratification world, and it's finally catching up to us. Debt is out of control, homes are in foreclosure ... even banks are going out of business. What the world needs today is the message of contentment and simplicity, and that's exactly what Pastor Adam Hamilton delivers in Enough." Dave Ramsey, New York Times Best-Selling Author and Nationally Syndicated Radio Talk Show Host "Once again, Adam Hamilton is leading the church; 'Enough is enough' was once a Wesleyan watchword. Adam breathes new life into the Wesleyan commitment to simplicity. Amid a culture of greed and conspicuous consumption Adam calls us to a biblically based, evangelical joy of having the faith to say 'enough is enough.'" Bishop Will Willimon United Methodist Church, Birmingham Area "I pay close attention to whatever Adam Hamilton writes. His books are marked by extraordinary pastoral insight, biblical and theological depth, courage to speak the truth, and down-to-earth practicality. Enough comes like an antidote in the middle of a pandemic. I hope that classes, groups, couples, and individuals will use this book--and the economic crisis it addresses--as a challenge to get healthy again by deepening our discipleship in the vital area of money and possessions." Brian McLaren, Author/Networker (brianmclaren.net)

Joyful Momma's Guide to Shopping & Cooking Frugally


Kimberly Eddy - 2011
    That’s where Joyful Momma’s Guide to Shopping & Cooking Frugally comes in.If you’re like me, you’ve been frustrated by the rising prices of groceries, while the family income either remains the same or goes down. It seems like everyone is looking for ways to cut back on their grocery bill.Let me help you learn how to save big money at the grocery store with some simple and easy-to-implement tips!☑ Do you wonder how some people seem to save big money with coupons while coupons only seem to make you spend more? (See page 26)☑ Do you always seem to go over budget when grocery shopping? (See page 40)☑ Are menu planning and making a shopping list overwhelming you? (See page 18)☑ Does your menu plan go out the window after husband and children snack on vital ingredients? (See page 23)☑ Are you struggling with managing or losing weight while keeping with a super tight budget? (See page 80)☑ Is the challenge of breaking free from using pre-packaged foods overwhelming you? (See page 57)☑ Do you find yourself frustrated with the challenge of making your frugal meals flavorful and healthy? (See page 53)☑ Is the time crunch keeping you from cooking from scratch, couponing, and planning? (See page 66)☑ Do you struggle with feeling overwhelmed and depressed over the challenges the economy is bringing to your family? (See page 5)All of these questions (and more) are answered in Joyful Momma’s Guide to Shopping & Cooking Frugally. I wrote most of this book based on real life questions I’ve gotten on Twitter, Facebook, and email about saving money at the grocery store, so it is geared towards answering real world questions.

Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology


Eric Brende - 2004
    He and his wife, Mary, ditched their car, electric stove, refrigerator, running water, and everything else motorized or "hooked to the grid," and spent eighteen months living in a remote community so primitive in its technology that even the Amish consider it antiquated.Better Off is the story of their real-life experiment to see whether our cell phones, wide-screen TVs, and SUVs have made life easier -- or whether life would be preferable without them. This smart, funny, and enlightening book mingles scientific analysis with the human story to demonstrate how a world free of technological excess can shrink stress -- and waistlines -- and expand happiness, health, and leisure.This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.

Of God and Men


A.W. Tozer - 1960
    God and men and their relation to each other. This I believe to be all that really matters in this world, and that is what I have written about here. As confirmed believer in the Man Christ Jesus as Redeemer and Lord my thoughts naturally arrange themselves around Christ, His teachings, His claims and His Church. To my fellow pilgrims on the way to Zion I offer this book for whatever good they may be able to extract from it. And to our Lord be the praise always.

Keep a Quiet Heart


Elisabeth Elliot - 1995
    Somehow we have allowed the frenetic pace of life to rob us of the quiet, restful moments with God we so desperately need. Keep a Quiet Heart features the rich devotional musings of one of America's favorite authors and points the way to a deep experience with God, away from the unsettling distractions of day-to-day living.

Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage


Kevin Leman - 2002
    Kevin Leman offers a practical guide to sex according to God's plan. This frank and practical book is a perfect resource for married and engaged couples. Dr. Leman addresses a wide spectrum of people, from those with no sexual experiences to those with past sexual problems or even abuse. Using frank descriptions, this book has a warm and friendly tone that will help couples overcome awkwardness in discussing an issue important to all married couples.

Apartment Gardening: Plants, Projects, and Recipes for Growing Food in Your Urban Home


Amy Pennington - 2011
    Apartment Gardening details how to start a garden in the heart of the city. From building a window box to planting seeds in jars on the counter, every space is plantable, and this book reveals that the DIY future is now by providing hands-on, accessible advice. Amy Pennington's friendly voice paired with Kate Bingham-Burt's crafty illustrations make greener living an accessible reality, even if readers have only a few hundred square feet and two windowsills. Save money by planting the same things available at the grocery store, and create an eccentric garden right in the heart of any living space.

Plain Living: A Quaker Path to Simplicity


Catherine Whitmire - 2001
    For over 300 years, the Quakers have lived out of a spiritual center in a way of life they call plain living. Their accumulated experiences and distilled wisdom have much to offer anyone seeking greater simplicity today.

The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict


Ken Sande - 1990
    Serious, divisive conflict is everywhere-within families, in the church, and out in the world. And it can seem impossible to overcome its negative force in our lives. In The Peacemaker, Ken Sande presents a comprehensive and practical theology for conflict resolution designed to bring about not only a cease-fire but also unity and harmony. Sande takes readers beyond resolving conflicts to true, life-changing reconciliation with family members, coworkers, and fellow believers.Biblically based, The Peacemaker is full of godly wisdom and useful suggestions that are easily applied to any relationship needing reconciliation. Sande's years of experience as an attorney and as president of Peacemaker Ministries will strengthen readers' confidence as they stand in the gap as peacemakers.

The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store


Cait Flanders - 2018
    Even after she worked her way out of nearly $30,000 of consumer debt, her old habits took hold again. When she realized that nothing she was doing or buying was making her happy—only keeping her from meeting her goals—she decided to set herself a challenge: she would not shop for an entire year.The Year of Less documents Cait’s life for twelve months during which she bought only consumables: groceries, toiletries, gas for her car. Along the way, she challenged herself to consume less of many other things besides shopping. She decluttered her apartment and got rid of 70 percent of her belongings; learned how to fix things rather than throw them away; researched the zero waste movement; and completed a television ban. At every stage, she learned that the less she consumed, the more fulfilled she felt.The challenge became a lifeline when, in the course of the year, Cait found herself in situations that turned her life upside down. In the face of hardship, she realized why she had always turned to shopping, alcohol, and food—and what it had cost her. Unable to reach for any of her usual vices, she changed habits she’d spent years perfecting and discovered what truly mattered to her.Blending Cait’s compelling story with inspiring insight and practical guidance, The Year of Less will leave you questioning what you’re holding on to in your own life—and, quite possibly, lead you to find your own path of less.

Go Green, Live Rich: 50 Simple Ways to Save the Earth and Get Rich Trying


David Bach - 2008
    But what if your values are a cleaner and greener earth? Most people think that “going green” is an expensive choice they can’t afford. Bach is here to say that you can have both: a life in line with your green values and a million dollars in the bank. Go Green, Live Rich outlines fifty ways to make your life, your home, your shopping, and your finances greener—and get rich trying. From driving the right car to making your home energy smart, Bach offers ways to improve the environment while you spend less, save more, earn more, and pay fewer taxes. Best of all, he shows you exactly how to take advantage of the "green wave" in personal finance without the difficult work of evaluating individual stocks. What's more, he will get you thinking about a green business of your own so you can help the world along as it is changing for the better. David Bach is on a mission to teach the world that you can live a great life by living a green life. With Go Green, Live Rich, you can live in line with your eco-values on the road to financial freedom.

The Eco Chick Guide to Life


Starre Vartan - 2008
    Here you'll find hundreds of ideas on how to be ecologically smart and still be stylish and trend-setting. You don't have to sacrifice to go green--you can eat well, dress well, and live well once you learn how to:Learn where to shop for vintage and recycled jewelry (mining practices for gold and silver are notoriously polluting).Wear sustainable threads--organic cotton, peace silk, bamboo--or look for funky reconstructed designs made from vintage fabrics.Find shoes made from naturally tanned and dyed leather, hemp, or made from recycled materials...that still look incredibly chic.Party it up- with the planet in mind! Make your next fiesta fabulous with organic beverages, seasonal food from the farmer's market, and more.Pretty-up with organic, biodegradable hair products, body washes, moisturizers, and make-up--better for you and the planet's water supplies! We'll explain why and what to look for.How to earn points while convincing your boss to go green in your office.Travel green and still see the world in style!Save cash with some Earth-loving swaps around your apartment, dorm or house....and more. Let these and other easy-to-follow, fun and fashionable tips help you to feel great while doing good. You and Mother Nature will look fabulous!This book is printed on recycled paper.

Making Home: Adapting Our Homes and Our Lives to Settle in Place


Sharon Astyk - 2012
    Making Home is about improving life with the real people around us and the resources we already have. While encouraging us to be more resilient in the face of hard times, author Sharon Astyk also points out the beauty, grace, and elegance that result, because getting the most out of everything we use is a way of transforming our lives into something much more fulfilling.Written from the perspective of a family who has already made this transition, Making Home shows readers how to turn the challenge of living with less into settling for more—more happiness, more security, and more peace of mind. Learn simple but effective strategies to:Save money on everything from heating and cooling to refrigeration, laundry, water, sanitation, cooking, and cleaningCreate a stronger, more resilient familyPreserve more for future generationsWe must make fundamental changes to our way of life in the face of ongoing economic crisis and energy depletion. Making Home takes the fear out of this prospect, and invites us to embrace a simpler, more abundant reality.Sharon Astyk is a writer, teacher, blogger, and farmer whose family uses eighty percent less energy and resources than the average American household. She is a member of the board of directors of ASPO-USA, founder of the Riot 4 Austerity, and the author of three previous books, including Depletion and Abundance and Independence Days.

The Book of Virtues


William J. Bennett - 1993
    Bennett's bestselling The Book of Virtues is an inspiring anthology that helps children understand and develop moral character—and helps parents teach it to them.Responsibility. Courage. Compassion. Honesty. Friendship. Persistence. Faith. Everyone recognizes these traits as essentials of good character. In order for our children to develop such traits, we have to offer them examples of good and bad, right and wrong. And the best places to find them are in great works of literature and exemplary stories from history. William J. Bennett has collected hundreds of stories in The Book of Virtues. From the Bible to American history, from Greek mythology to English poetry, from fairy tales to modern fiction, these stories are a rich mine of moral literacy, a reliable moral reference point that will help anchor our children and ourselves in our culture, our history, and our traditions—the sources of the ideals by which we wish to live our lives. Complete with instructive introductions and notes, The Book of Virtues is a book the whole family can read and enjoy—and learn from—together.